May 2013 Vol. 1 No. 3

Search Pubmed for articles by:
 

Full Length Research Paper

Soil properties, nutrient and anti-nutrient properties of two medicinal vegetables growing in two popular dump sites in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

*Ogbemudia F. O., Bassey I. N. and Ette B. I.

Department of Botany and Ecological Studies, University of Uyo, P. M. B. 1017 Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

*Corresponding Author E-mail: femeg2005@yahoo.com

Accepted March 25, 2013

Abstract

The proximate nutrient composition and anti-nutrient compositions of two medicinal vegetables; Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. and Laportea ovalifolia (Schumach) Chew. were studied at two dump sites within Uyo metropolis. The results revealed that the proximate nutrient composition of the two medicinal vegetable leaves had moisture contents ranging between (64.62 – 96.22%) in I. batatas and (65.63 – 71.36%) in L. ovalifolia; dry matter content ranging between (35.38 – 23.78%) in I. batatas and (34.70 – 28.40%) in L. ovalifolia; crude protein ranging between (21.44 – 21.81%) in I. batatas and (14.00 – 15.31%) in L. ovalifolia; ether extracts ranged between (7.87 – 6.50%) in I. batatas and in L. ovalifolia (7.09 – 7.20%). Crude fibre contents in I. batatas ranged between (4.36 – 3.86%) and in L. ovalifolia, (3.33 – 3.46%); ash contents ranged between (6.55 – 5.80%) in I. batatas and (5.00 – 5.80%) in L. ovalifolia; carbohydrate content in the leaves of I. batatas were between (59.77 – 61. 95%) and (70.58 – 68. 82%) in L. ovalifolia. The proximate anti-nutrient composition revealed that; oxalate were present in moderate amounts ranging from (61.60 – 79.20mg/100g) in I. batatas, but abundant in L. ovalifolia (70.40 – 79.20mg/100g); cyanide occurred in very low amounts (10.74 – 12.02mg/100g) in I. batatas and in L. ovalifolia (0.830-13.06mg/100g); tannins were present in moderate amounts in both I. batatas (45.13 – 65.41mg/100g) and L. ovalifolia (38.13 – 77.90mg/100g); phytate also occurred in moderate amounts in I. batatas (58.07 – 86.22mg/100g), but was abundant in L. ovalifolia (82.05 – 93.07mg/100g). The physicochemical analysis of the soil samples of the two dump sites revealed that the soils were slightly acidic (in dump site one) and neutral (in dump site two). Students t-test was used to compare the means of the two medicinal vegetables in the dump sites and it revealed significant differences at (p>0.05).

Keywords: Ipomoea batatas, Laportea ovalifolia, nutrient, anti-nutrient