Nutrient analysis of cultivars of cucurbita spp. (pumpkin) grown in the dry zone of Sri Lanka

Abstract

Different Cucurbita spp. generally recognized as pumpkin, is a commonly grown vegetable in dry and intermediate zones of Sri Lanka. C. maxima and C. moschata are popular cucurbits that include different types of open-pollinated, hybrid and imported varieties. This study aimed to conduct a nutrient analysis of seven pumpkin cultivars collected from Kudaoya in the Monaragala District to identify the differences in the nutrient composition among the selected cultivars. The study area comes under the dry zone low country 1b (DL1b) agro-ecological region. Rajah, Leela, Malbaro, Batana, Bingha, Katana and Meemini were the selected pumpkin cultivars, and out of these, Rajah, Leela and Katana were recognized as C. maxima varieties. In contrast, Bingha, Meemini, Batana and Malbaro were recognized as C. moschata varieties. All the selected cultivars were collected within a range of 5 km from the Kudaoya town and at their fullest harvestable maturity in the Maha season. The collected samples were stored under ambient temperature, and the flesh part of each cultivar was powdered before the nutrient analysis. In the nutrient analysis, the proximate composition, Fe, Mg and K compositions and the anti-oxidant (AO) activity in different pumpkin cultivars were evaluated using standard analytical methods (Protein-Bradford assay, Carbohydrate-Phenol sulphuric method, Lipid content-Bligh and Dyer method, Crude fibre-Weende method, Moisture level- Rapid moisture analyser, Minerals-Atomic absorption spectroscopy method, AO activity-Ferric reducing anti-oxidant power assay). The nutrient compositions among the cultivars were statistically compared through one-way ANOVA. In 100 g of powdered pumpkin flesh, the nutrient composition was reported as protein content in the range of 32.8-32.9 g, carbohydrate 57.8-57.9 g, lipid content 1.04-6.13 g, crude fibre 2.19-10.94 g, moisture level 8.24%-10.95%, Fe content 4.11-7.76 mg, K content 5,055-8,841 mg, Mg content 96.0-337.02 mg and AO activity 145.1-147.1 mg AAE (Ascorbic acid equivalent) in dry-weight basis. The three varieties of C. maxima have recorded significantly higher nutrient levels (p<0.05) than the C. moschata varieties. The overall nutrient composition was significantly higher in the cultivar type ‘Rajah’, an imported hybrid variety, compared to the other cultivars analysed in the study.