Analytical Exploration of the Nutritional Composition of Leaves from TME419, IBA980581 and CR36-5 Cassava Varieties

Abstract

This study presents a comparative analysis of the proximate composition of leaves from three varieties of cassava (Manihot esculenta). The objectives were to evaluate and compare the nutritional profiles of TME419, IBA980581 (Dixon) and CR36-5 (Ayaya: beautiful) cassava variety leaves and to identify the similarities and differences in their nutritional value. 1500g leaves each of cassava were carefully collected and identified by an agriculturist as TME 419, IBA980581 and CR36-5 leaves. The leaves were washed with distilled water and air dried for 14 days and thereafter pulverized. Proximate composition was assessed using standard analytical methods to determine the content of moisture, ash, protein, lipid, fiber, and carbohydrates in the leaves of the three cassava varieties. Results indicated significant variations in the levels of these components among the varieties. CR36-5 leaves were shown to be richer in protein (30.56 ± 0.33 %), fiber (33.5 ± 0.14 %) and lipids (3.42 ± 0.08 %) which suggests its potential for enhanced nutritional benefits while TME419 leaves showed richness in carbohydrates (30.04 ± 0.75 %). IBA980581 however, showed a balance in nutritional contents in between the other two cassava varieties. These findings offer opportunities for targeted cassava leaf utilization in human nutrition or animal feed. Future research should explore anti-nutritional factors in these selected varieties, as processing can mitigate them while preserving nutrients, as demonstrated in recent studies. These findings have implications for selecting the leaf of cassava varieties for nutritional purposes and can guide agricultural practices and food security strategies. The study underscores the importance of varietal selection in optimizing the nutritional value of cassava leaves, which are a vital source of dietary nutrients in many regions.