Levels of nutritional constituents and antinutritional factors in black gram (Vigna mungo L. Hepper)

A study was conducted on nutritional constituents (total sugars, total proteins, total lipids and starch content) and antinutritional factors such as phenolic compounds, tannins. saponins, phytic acid, trypsin inhibitors and enzymes related to them such as acid- and alkaline phosphatases, alpha-galactosidase in eleven recommended cultivars and twenty one advance breeding lines of black gram (Vigna mungo L. Hepper) with an aim to identify genotypes containing high nutritional quality and low antinutritional content. The average content of starch, total soluble sugars, proteins and lipids was around 43.5, 4.84, 22.0 and 1.1%, respectively. Seven genotypes had higher levels of bound fructose contributed by sucrose and raffinose series oligosaccharides. A significant positive correlation was observed among total phenols, o-dihydroxy phenols and flavonols; and among trypsin inhibitors and saponins. The content of phytic acid and activity of trypsin inhibitors showed significant variation among these genotypes. However, not much variation was observed in the content of tannins and saponins. Activities of alpha-galactosidase, acid- and alkaline phosphatase were found to be related to the content of bound fructose of raffinose series oligosaccharides and phytic acid respectively. Genotypes having higher activity of these enzymes showed lower content of these antinutritional factors. The results showed that the observed diversity in developed cultivars and advance breeding lines could be further used by plant breeders. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.