Proximate Composition of Some Under-Exploited Leguminous Crop Seeds

Abstract

Seeds of Hexalobus crispiflorus, Clitandra togolana and Dioclea reflexa were analyzed for proximate composition, cell wall carbohydrates, nutritive and non-nutritive components and then their energy values were estimated. Crop seeds contained 7.11-13.81% crude protein, 8.30-35.86% fat, 7.38-8.61% crude fibre, 3.11-4.25% total ash, 35.03-59.62% soluble carbohydrate; 7.10-9.80% cell wall carbohydrate; 3.20-4.60% cellulose, 3.90-5.20% hemicelluloses, 91.82-92.62% cellular content, 89.09-89.42% organic cellular content, 2.30-3.20% soluble ash, 0.66-1.06% acid insoluble ash, 0.80-1.20% lignin, 1507.33- 2055.18 KJ total energy and 2.6156-9.0476 g digestible crude protein. It was concluded that all the seed samples are potentially good sources of dietary energy for animals. The need to further investigate the inorganic matter for their mineral element constituents in order to ascertain adequacy or otherwise in meeting the animals’ requirement is suggested.