Journal of Applied Biosciences (J. Appl. Biosci.) [ISSN 1997 - 5902]
Volume 31: 1935 - 1941. Published July 16, 2010.
Proximate traits of the seed and seed cake of shea butter tree (Vitellaria paradoxa C. F. Gaertn.) in Nigeria’s savanna ecozone
Ugese F. D., 1* Baiyeri, K. P.2 and Mbah, B. N.2
1Department of Crop Production, University of Agriculture, P M B 2373, Makurdi, Nigeria;
2Department of Crop Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
*Corresponding author email: f_ugese@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Objective: To study the nutritional content of the seed, particularly the seed cake, of shea butter in Nigeria.
Methodology and results: Proximate traits of the seed and seed cake of 8 accessions of Vitellaria paradoxa growing in the guinea and sudan savanna of Nigeria were investigated. Results indicated significant variation in all seed proximate traits except ash, moisture and fiber of the seed cake, across the agro ecological zones. All proximate traits of the seed/cake varied remarkably across accessions. Principal component analysis identified energy related traits and fiber of the seed and all but fat of the seed cake as more discriminate traits for product classification. There were 5 and 9 significant correlations between the proximate traits of the seed and seed cake, respectively.
Conclusions and application of findings: Generally, the study established that shea seeds from Jalingo and Kachia locations had higher fat content. However, seed cake from Jalingo, Makurdi, Lokoja, Yola and Minna gave higher values of one or more of the energy related proximate traits of carbohydrate, protein and fat as well as energy. Results of this work will be of interest to stakeholders seeking shea resources with high fat content in Nigeria and will provide a basis for recommendation of shea seed and cake for the animal feed industry. It will also prove useful in the effort to genetically upgrade the species in Nigeria.
Key words: Agro ecology, nutritional content, shea kernel, trait correlations.
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