Jen Wen Luoh, Caroline B. Begg, Rachael C. Symonds, Dolores Ledesma, Ray-Yu Yang

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Nutrition, AVRDC-The World Vegetable Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
Department of Plant Science, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Canada.
Biotechnology and Molecular Breeding, AVRDC-The World Vegetable Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
Biostatistics, AVRDC-The World Vegetable Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
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Abstract: Water scarcity in certain regions of sub-Saharan Africa impacts agricultural production while prolonging dry seasons, and contributing to food insecurity and malnutrition. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the nutritional yield (edible yield × nutritional content) of indigenous leafy vegetables commonly consumed in Africa under water-stressed conditions. Two species of amaranth, two species of African nightshade, and two varieties of Ethiopian kale were examined under environment-controlled water-sufficient and water-deficient conditions. Fresh and dry stem and leaf weights significantly decreased in the three crop groups under the water-deficient treatment. Nutritional values for carotenoids, tocopherols, calcium and zinc showed significant differences at the content level among treatments. Among the 6 crops evaluated, the amaranth species named Amaranthus hypochondriacus and the African nightshade species named Solanum scabrum had the lowest nutrient losses in drought conditions.

Keywords: les; Abiotic Stress; Drought Tolerant; Micronutrients; Antioxidant Activity

Cite this paper: Luoh, J. , Begg, C. , Symonds, R. , Ledesma, D. and Yang, R. (2014) Nutritional Yield of African Indigenous Vegetables in Water-Deficient and Water-Sufficient Conditions. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 5, 812-822. doi: 10.4236/fns.2014.59091.

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