Nutritional Characteristics of Red Lady and Sunrise Solo Papaya (Carica Papaya L.) Seed Powders and Their Effects on the Growth Performance of African Catfish (Clarias Gariepinus)

This study evaluated the nutritional characteristics of seed powders from Red Lady and Sunrise Solo papaya (Carica papaya L.) and assessed their effects on the growth performance of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). Proximate composition, selected minerals, fatty acids and phytochemicals of the two papaya seed powders were determined, while growth was evaluated in a 70-day feeding trial using a completely randomized design with three dietary treatments: a control diet without papaya seed powder (T1), a diet containing 1% Sunrise Solo seed powder (T2), and a diet containing 1% Red Lady seed powder (T3), each replicated three times. Ninety fingerlings were stocked at 10 fish per 1 m³ concrete tank and fed at 5% body biomass daily. Red Lady seed powder recorded higher crude protein (27.45 ± 0.21%), ether extract (28.20 ± 0.18%), ash (8.40 ± 0.10%), calcium (0.27 ± 0.00 mg/g), magnesium (0.29 ± 0.00 mg/g), potassium (0.68 ± 0.00 mg/g), phosphorus (0.36 ± 0.00 mg/g) and iron (191.81 ± 0.05 mg/g) than Sunrise Solo, whereas Sunrise Solo had higher nitrogen-free extract and carotenoid content. Red Lady also recorded higher flavonoids, phenols, alkaloids, tannins and saponins, while both varieties had no detectable glucosinolate. The fatty-acid profile showed cultivar specific differences, with Sunrise Solo generally higher in palmitic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids, whereas Red Lady had higher lauric, margaric and valeric acids. In the feeding trial, Red Lady produced the highest final weight (44.83 ± 2.89 g), weight gain (26.23 ± 4.24 g), percentage weight gain (191.17 ± 34.91%), specific growth rate (1.63 ± 0.02% day⁻¹) and condition factor (0.72 ± 0.02). Survival did not differ significantly among treatments. The findings demonstrate clear cultivar-specific nutritional differences and indicate that 1% Red Lady papaya seed powder was associated with superior growth performance of C. gariepinus under the conditions of the study.