https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4191-9323
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Abstract
This study was aimed at determining the chemical (nutrient) composition of three Ethiopian pea landraces at three different altitudinal gradients in Ethiopia. Seeds of Sirinka 2017 (midland), Gedober 2017 (lowland) and Wemberet 2017 (highland) were collected from farmers’ fields. The Kjeldahl method was used to determine crude protein content. The carbohydrate and fat contents were evaluated by arithmetic difference and soxhlet fat extraction methods, respectively. Fiber content was analyzed by Megazyme method. To determine mineral quantities, we used ICP-OES technique. The results indicated variation in the proximate composition and mineral contents of the landraces. Gedober 2017 landrace grown at the highland altitude had higher crude protein, fat and fiber contents. Protein contents varied from 21.63% to 28.13%. The lowest fat content was recorded in Wemberet 2017 landrace (1.46%) both in the highland and lowland agroecosystems. Furthermore, all the landraces had high potassium (41.43–74.21 µg/g) and low sodium (0.93–27.65 µg/g) contents. Taken together, the variation in proximate composition and mineral contents of the landraces indicated differential adaptations to altitudinal agroecosystems showcasing necessity for preferential cropping.
PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT
Ethiopian Pea (Pisum sativum var abyssinicum) is less known outside the tropical and subtropical belts of Africa. In Ethiopia, it is growing in limited parts of the country and it is less productive when compared with the common pea. On the other hand, the crop is very tasty and its cook called “Shiro” is liked by many Ethiopians. This narrowly distributed crop but very expensive due to its delicious food value needs to be studied. We have published data on the Ethnobotany (Biodiversitas (2019). https://doi.org/10.13057/biodiv/d190536), salt tolerance (Agric Res (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40003-020-00459-2) and soil type requirement of the crop (Biodiversitas (2019). https://doi.org/10.13057/biodiv/d201202) before. The nutritive value and productivity of the landraces at different agroecologies (agroecosystems) were not studied. The current study is abridging this gap.
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Acknowledgements
We thank the Ethiopian Ministry of Science and Higher Education for providing financial support. Science College of Bahir Dar University is also greatly acknowledged for its financial support under the grant number BDU/RCS/Sc 02/2010.
Author contributions
Berhane G. Gebreegziabher was involved on project conception and design. He made the field experiments, collected and analyzed the data, and wrote first draft of the paper. Berhanu A. Tsegay participated on project conception, on development of research design, on securing finance for the project, on overall supervision of the project and on paper writing.
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Notes on contributors
Berhane Gebreslassie Gebreegziabher
Dr. Berhane Gebreslassie Gebreegziabher is Assistant professor of Plant Biology at the Department of Biology, Woldiya University. He did his BSc degree at Mekelle University (Ethiopia), his MSc and PhD degrees at Bahir Dar University. This paper is part of his PhD dissertation. His role in this paper included acquisition and analysis of data and paper write up.
Berhanu Abraha Tsegay
Dr. Berhanu Abraha Tsegay is a professor of Plant Physiological Ecology and Ethnobotany at the Department of Biology, Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia. Berhanu did his BSc and MSc degrees at Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia) and his PhD degree at Tromso University, Norway. Berhanu is teaching and advising post graduate students at MSc and PhD levels. So far three PhD and 52 MSc students defended their theses successfully under his supervision. His contribution to this research includes overall supervision of the project and paper writing.