Nutrient composition of some monkey kola (Cola pachycarpa K. Schum) accessions in South-Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Monkey kola (Cola parchycarpa K. Schum) is an underutilized indigenous fruit species in West Africa, valued for its edible fruits of potential nutritional and medicinal benefits. This study was conducted to evaluate the nutrient composition, mineral and vitamin content, phytochemical properties, and genetic variability of 13 accessions collected from collected from various locations across Abia and Imo States in southeastern Nigeria in 2021 and 2022. Standard laboratory procedures were used to determine proximate, mineral, vitamin, and anti-nutritional components using the complete Randomized Design (CRD) with three replicates per accession, while genetic variability parameters such as phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation, heritability, and correlation matrices were analyzed. Results revealed significant genotypic differences (P<0.001) among the accessions for most of the nutrient trait measured. The fruit pulp exhibited high moisture content (82.76–86.99 %) and carbohydrate levels (7.2312.01 %), with relatively moderate amounts of crude protein (1.77–2.88 %) and low fat (0.27–2.61 %). Mineral content varied among accessions, with potassium (82.97–124.43 mg/100 g), calcium (19.67–29.51 mg/100 g), magnesium (13.79–25.26 mg/100 g), and iron (2.17–4.16 mg/100 g) being the most prominent. Vitamin C content ranged from 2.66–21.47 mg/100 g, while 
carotene and vitamin E ranged from 1.25–4.77 mg/100 g and 1.83–3.85 mg/100 g, respectively. Anti-nutritional factors such as tannins (0.06–0.30 mg/100 g), oxalate (0.03–0.55 mg/100 g), and saponin (0.02–0.04 mg/100 g) were present at low levels. Broad-sense heritability was high for most nutritional traits including, crude protein (100 %), vitamin C (99.94 %), potassium (99.55 %), and calcium (99.43 %), indicating strong genetic control and breeding potential. The study highlights the high nutritional value and significant genetic variability of C. parchycarpa, reinforcing its potential 
as a candidate for crop improvement and nutritional diversification in sub-Saharan Africa.