VARIATION MINERAL COMPOSITIONS OF SOME BAMBARA GROUNDNUT (VIGNA SUBTERRANEA (L.) VERDC.) ACCESSIONS

Abstract

The study aimed to assess variation in mineral compositions of some accessions of Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea [L.] Verdc.) for domestic use and genetic enhancement. Twenty accessions of Bambara groundnut were planted in a Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The five minerals were analysed which include, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and manganese. These accessions showed significant (P˂0.05) variations across the five mineral analysed. Accession no. 18 had the highest mean for iron (2.89 mg100g-1), Accession no. 12 had the highest mean value for zinc (0.65 mg100g-1) Accession no. 8 had the highest mean value for calcium (217.36 mg100g-1), magnesium (14.29 mg100g-1) and manganese (0.82 mg100g-1). However, accession no. 12 had the lowest mean values in four of the minerals except zinc. This result showed that some of these accessions could be selected for genetic enhancement of minerals, some for domestic use and some for industrial use.