Changes in Pigment Contents and Nutritional Components of Moringa oleifera Lam. as Impacted by Different Feedstuff Compost Receipts

Abstract

Abstract The effect of organic fertilizers was evaluated on the nutritional parameters of Moringa oleifera in the field at a year after transplantation. The study was conducted in a completely randomized block design comprising six treatments each of which was replicated four times. Physicochemical properties of leaves and seeds sampled from treatments (cow dung compost, goat manure compost, poultry manure compost, chemical fertilizer, mixture of fertilizers and control) were assessed. Results obtained indicate that dried leaves of M. oleifera from poultry manure compost contain a high total protein content (41.83%). Seeds harvested from composted plants were rich in nutrients than leaves, with the exception of vitamin C, which was more concentrated in leaves than seeds. Vitamin C contents in dry leaves from cow dung compost and the mixture of fertilizers were 734 and 964.50 mg/100g, respectively. Applying plants with compost resulted in increasing chlorophyll a and b in leaves, but not carotenoid. On the overall, organic fertilizers contributed to the improvement of the nutritional quality of M. oleifera leaves and seeds under field conditions.