Comparative Proximate Composition Study of Nine Varieties of Cocoyam (Araceae) grown in Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Cocoyam [Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott] which belongs to the Araceae plant family is an important food crop especially in the tropics and subtropics. Its corms and leaves are eaten after cooking in the rural areas in Nigeria due to its numerous culinary applications and exceptional dietary value. However, the nutritional proximate composition of cocoyam grown in port Harcourt, is not well known due to lack of scientific information concerning productions. This study is aimed at investigating the nutritional compositions of the nine varieties of cocoyam researched.In this study the Nine varieties (NXs001, NXs002, NXs003, NCe004, NCe005, NCe006, NCe007, NCe008, NCe009) of cocoyam corms were gotten from National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) Jos, Nigeria and sown into polyethene bags field with 18kg loam soil at the rate of two corms per bag and allowed to grow for 6 months at the Research plot, Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Rivers State University, Rivers State. Watering and cultural practices were done at intervals when necessary. Proximate analysis of harvested corms for carbohydrate, moisture, ash, lipid, protein and crude fibre contents was carried out using standard laboratory techniques as described by Association of Analytical chemists (AOAC). The results revealed the presence of all constituents analysed for all nine varieties with protein content recording highest values (3.37+0.23) in NCe005 compared to other varieties with NCe004 recording the least value (1.69+0.41). Moisture content was highest (18.78+0.11) in NXs001, while lowest contents (12.49+0.06) was revealed in NXs008 when compared to other varieties. Highest (2.72+0.04) and lowest (1.11+0.06) values of ash content were recorded in NXs003 and NCe007 respectively. Crude fibre content was highest (4.47+0.17) in NCY008 and lowest (1.88+0.07) in NXs002 compared to other varieties. Fat content across all varieties revealed that NCe008 and NXs001 had highest (4.51+0.17) and lowest (1.86+0.02) values respectively. NCe007 and NCe006 revealed to have the highest (77.37+0.04) and lowest (70.72+0.00) values of carbohydrate content for all varieties studied. The high carbohydrate content and other proximate observed in this study indicates that cocoyam corms are a good source of nutritional energy and its consumption helps the body to utilize the necessary nutrients to combat malnutrition and promote food security in rural areas as increased productivity and therefore, should be included in diets to supplement our daily allowance needed by the body.