Proximate analysis of 26 accessions of sweet potatoes (Ipomea batatas) in Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Sweet potato is one of the food security crops that can contribute to alleviate poverty among rural people. The search for new efficient use of specific cultivar is defined by their characteristics and quality. Therefore, this study is carried out to screen the proximate potentials of twenty six (26) sweet potato (I p o m o e a b a t a t a s (L.) Lam.) accessions during cropping seasons of 2018 and 2019 for efficient use and recommendation. The trial was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replicates. Representative samples were obtained from each freshly harvested tuber and subjected to the proximate analyses to determine moisture, dry matter, ash, crude protein, crude fibre, fat, and carbohydrates contents. Results were analysed at 95% level of significance. There was no appreciable effect of year on the proximate composition of the tested varieties. The selected accessions has dry matter content range between 25% and 35%, the study also revealed that sweet potato accessions (Yau, Felicia, Orita, Ex-Igbariam Molete, Felicia NN, BD, Offa 2 and OF) contained higher carbohydrate contents (33.6%, 32.6%, 32.36%,32.03%,31.96%,31.64%,31.45% and 32.26%) respectively than the other accessions whose values ranged between 29.95 and 21.7%.The lowest carbohydrate content was recorded in accession Doris (19.94%) and it also has low fat content which makes it suitable for diabetic patient. Yau, PK55 and PK66 had high dry matter, so both can be recommended for the production of processed products such as crisps and chips due to their stomach-filing qualities.