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.