Evaluation of Proximate and Mineral Composition of Mutant Dolichos Lablab (Lablab purpureus L.) Accessions in Kenya

Plant breeding through induced mutation technology is a potent method to creating new variants of food crops with of desirable phenotypic, genetic and biochemical functions. It is a catalyst in developing improved crop varieties where classical hybridization or selection have limitations. It has been used to improve nutrition quality and higher yield in a number of legumes. Dolichos Lablab (Lablab purpureus L) is multipurpose legume that has not been exploited extensively for food nutritional properties through breeding. The purpose of the study was, therefore, to generate awareness that nutritional status of D. Lablab could be improved through mutation induction and be a good source of food components essential for good health. Twenty-four dolichos Lablab germplasms including 20 mutant accessions and 4 commercial genotypes were evaluated for proximate values and mineral contents in Kenya in 2021 based on Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). Data analysis was based on least significant difference (P = .05).The revealed percent moisture, ash crude fat, crude fibre, crude proteins and total starch content ranged : 7.35% -11.84%, 1.09 -2.90%, 3.35% - 8.05% , 8.86 - 12.70% , 20.03% - 28.87% and 25.50% - 39.00% .The mineral content of phosphorous (P), potassium(K) and calcium (Ca) ranged from 27mg - 57mg, 132mg -297mg and 7mg - 19mg. A significant positive correlation between ash levels to P and K concentration and on P to K concentration. The result of analysis ranked 9 (WT026, WT018 ,MT110 , BT188 , BT032, BT114, MT076 BT137,GT09) different accessions that positively contributed to the nutritional content of the investigated dolichos lablab accessions. Further research on the superior accessions can be done on yield potential, resistance to biotic and abiotic constrains, sensory preferences or used in bio fortification of existing genotypes.