Nutritional Evaluation and Path Coefficient Analysis of Twelve Accessions of Pumpkin (Cucurbita Spp) Fruit Pulp Collected from Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

Fruits pulp of twelve accessions of pumpkin collected from Abia State of Nigeria were evaluated for their proximate values, minerals, vitamin and phytochemical composition. Correlations and path coefficient analysis among the nutrients of these accessions were also determined. Results showed that proximate composition % (carbohydrate 2.79 - 4.87; crude protein 1.74 - 2.05; ether extract 0.83 - 1.06; and moisture content 90.18 - 92.49) differed significantly (p<0.01) among the accessions. Vitamins (mg/100g), minerals (mg/100g) and phytochemical composition (%) measured among the accessions differed significantly. Mean vitamin values ranged from 19.77 - 31.66 in vitamin A; 4.76 - 5.76 in vitamin C; 0.55 - 0.81 in vitamin E; 0.17 - 0.26 in thiamine; 0.57 - 0.85 in riboflavin and 0.31 - 0.51 in niacin. Lower values were obtained for alkaloid (0.46 - 0.78), hydrogen cyanide content (0.62 - 0.13), oxalate (0.33 - 0.55), saponin (0.10 - 0.95), phytate (0.67 - 0.95) and tannin (0.43 - 77). The fruit pulp contained appreciable minerals like calcium (21.54 - 30.65), iron (0.59 – 0.91), magnesium (0.17.60 – 23.77), phosphorus (23.68 – 35.61), potassium (2.82 – 134.78), and sodium (45.71 – 60.36). Path coefficient analysis for dry matter showed that traits like, ash, CHO and crude fiber had the highest positive direct effect on dry matter with 0.14, 0.01, and 0.01 respectively; HCN and its traits depicted that oxalate (0.99) had maximum direct positive influence followed by Tannin (0.30) while phytate (-0.23), alkaloid (-0.576) and Saponin (-0.24) have negative direct effects; Calcium and its traits indicated that iron had the largest direct positive influence (15.98) followed by Magnesium (0.59) while Potassium (-0.04), Sodium (-0.53) and (-0.04) had negative direct influence.