Mineral nutrient content of commonly consumed leafy vegetables in northern Ghana

Leafy vegetables serve as the base of soups, a significant component of Ghanaian food recipes. The varying climatic conditions across Ghana and inefficient food distribution channels have resulted in the existence of different food crops in different regions. Anecdotally, Ghanaians generally believe that the consumption of Colocasia esculenta leaf improves iron status. In this study, the levels of mineral nutrients: calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), sodium(Na) and zinc (Zn) in the leaves of Hibiscus sabdariffa, Amaranthus spinosus, Hibiscus cannabinus, Solanum macrocapon and Vigna unguiculata that are popularly used in food recipes in northern Ghana (compose of the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions), were compared with the levels in Colocasia esculenta leaf. The leafy vegetables/greens consumed in northern Ghana were sourced from marketcentres in the Northern and Upper East Regions (savannah zone); Colocasia esculenta leaf was obtained from market centres in Ashanti Region (forest zone). The leaves were shredded and air-dried for 7 days. The dried leaves were ground and analysed for the mineral nutrients using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. The Ca content of Hibiscus sabdariffa was significantly higher than that of Colocasia esculenta by 1.07-fold difference (p<0.05). However, compared with Amaranthusspinosus, Hibiscus cannabinus, Solanum macrocapon and Vigna unguiculata, the level of Ca in the Colocasia esculenta leaf was 1.23- to 1.84-fold significantly higher (p<0.05). The Fe level in the leafy vegetables commonly consumed in northern Ghana was significantly lower (2.92- to 70.60-fold difference, p<0.0001) compared with the Colocasia esculenta leaf. Significant differences (p<0.05) were also observed in thelevels of K, Mg and Zn between the other greens studied and the Colocasia esculenta leaf. The differences were between 1.17- to 1.48-fold (K), 1.08- to 1.54-fold (Mg) and 1.15- to 2.59-fold (Zn). This study shows that the leafy vegetables commonly consumed in northern Ghana contain lower levels of the selected mineral nutrients analysed compared with those of Colocasia esculenta leaf. There is a need to find alternative greens that are available or could be cultivated in this part of the country

Molecular Diagnosis of the Causal Agent of the Root and Corm Rot of Taro (Colocasia esculenta) in the Aunu’u Island of American Samoa

Recently, taro (Colocasia esculenta) growers in Aunu’u have been complaining of a new disease characterized by the taro root and corm rot. Pythium spp. usually cause this type of disease. But, it was puzzling when the morphological features of the fungus isolated from diseased taros did not match those of Pythium. More sophisticated tools were needed. The objective of this study was to use molecular techniques for identification of this pathogen. Potato dextrose broth (PDB) was inoculated with five agar plugs cut from one week-old pure cultures of the pathogen grown on potato dextrose agar (PDA). After 10 days incubation at 24 C, mycelia were collected by centrifugation, and genomic DNA was extracted, using the CTAB method. The DNA was used to PCR-amplify a fragment of the ITS-rRNA gene, using universal fungal ITS primers. The amplicons were sequenced with BigDye Terminator V3.1, and the reactions were shipped to Hawaii for resolution on a DNA analyzer. The Sequencher software was used to build a 795-nt consensus sequence, which was submitted for similarity searches, using the NCBI Blast program. The Blast search returned Phytophthora taxon cyperaceae as the best match. This the first time this species of Phytophthora is implicated on taro disease

FORMULASI KRIM EKSTRAK ETANOL TANGKAI DAUN TALAS(COLOCASIA ESCULENTA L.) TERHADAP LUKA SAYAT PADA TIKUS PUTIH (RATTUS NORVEGICUS) GALUR WISTAR

Salah satu tanaman yang dapat menjadi pilihan sebagai obat penyembuhan luka yaitu tangkai daun talas (Colocasia esculenta L.) Kandungan fitokimia tangkai daun talas yaitu flavonoid, tanin, alkaloid, saponin, steroid, dan terpenoid diduga mampu membantu menyembuhkan luka. Tujuan Penelitian yaitu untuk mengetahui ekstrak etanol tangkai daun talas (Colocasia esculenta L.) yang  dapat diformulasikan menjadi sediaan krim serta stabil secara fisik dan kimia serta untuk mengetahui konsentrasi optimal formula sediaan krim ekstrak etanol tangkai daun talas (Colocasia esculenta L.) yang  digunakan sebagai penyembuhan luka sayat pada tikus  putih (Rattus norvegicus) galur wistar. Metode penelitian ini yaitu eksperimen laboratorium menggunakan ekstrak etanol tangkai daun talas (Colocasia esculenta L.) yang diformulasikan menjadi sediaan krim pada konsentrasi 5%, 10% dan 15 %  dengan desain Pretest-Posttest dengan kelompok eksperimen dan kontrol. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan Uji organoleptis, uji homogenitas, uji daya lekat, uji daya sebar, uji pH, uji Viskositas sebelum dan sesudah cycling test memenuhi persyaratan dan stabil. Pada uji efektivitas penyembuhan luka sayat pada tikus  putih (Rattus norvegicus) pada 15 hewan uji yang dibagi dalam lima kelompok menunjukkan bahwa pada konsentrasi 15 % yang memberikan efektivitas penyembuhan luka sayat yang paling cepat selama 14 hari pengukuran. Dapat disimpulkan bahwa  Ekstrak etanol tangkai daun talas talas (Colocasia esculenta L.) dapat diformulasikan dalam sediaan krim serta stabil secara fisik dan kimia dengan konsentrasi paling optimal formula sediaan krim yang dapat digunakan untuk penyembuhan luka sayat yaitu formula sediaan krim dengan konsentrasi 15%

Evaluation of Antioxidants and Phytoactives in Colocasia Esculenta (L.) Schott

Colocasia esculenta is a perennial plant of araceae family and possess a large corm having a very large, heart-shaped leaves that are borne on thick stalks. The juvenile leaves of this plant are rich in Vitamins C, B1, B2, Riboflavin and Niacin. The tubers contain amino acids and are rich in starch. This multipurpose perennial plant is used as a traditional medicine that acts as anti-cancer agent, anti-hepatotoxic agent, antimicrobial agent, anti-diabetic agent. This shows the necessity for the study of Colocasia esculenta. In this study, The ethanolic leaves extract of Colocasia esculenta showed the maximum antioxidant activity and phytoactives efficacy, Thus suggesting the sample to be as a potential therapeutic source of various disease

Taro leaf and stylo forage as protein sources for pigs in Laos

Existing forage plants may have applications as alternative protein resources for pigs in smallholder farming systems. This thesis examined the effect of harvesting/defoliation interval on the yield and chemical composition of taro leaves and stylo forage and analysed appropriate ensiling methods for these materials. The effect of replacing soybean crude protein (CP) with ensiled taro leaf and stylo forage CP on growth performance and carcass traits of LY (Landrace x Yorkshire) and ML (Moo Lath) pigs was also examined. Taro leaf and petiole dry matter (DM) yield increased with increased harvesting frequency in the two years studied, but there was no effect on tuber yield. The leaves contained 160-260 g CP kg¹ DM. Stylo leaf DM yield was unaffected by harvesting interval in the first year, while leaf DM yield was larger with the most frequent harvesting in the second year. The leaves contained 170-235 g CP kg¹ DM, which was much higher than in the stems or forage (leaves+stems). Use of cassava root meal, sugar cane molasses and taro tuber meal as silage additives affected pH and the DM, ash and NDF content of stylo forage and taro leaf silage, and the NH₃-N content of stylo forage silage. Level of additive affected pH and DM, NH₃-N, CP, ash and NDF content in taro silage, but not NH₃-N, CP and NDF content in stylo forage silage. Increasing duration of ensiling reduced pH and DM content in stylo forage and taro leaf silage. Dry matter intake (DMI) and CP intake (CPI) in growing LY and ML pigs were unaffected by increasing replacement (25 and 50%) of soybean CP by taro leaf silage CP in the diet, whilst for stylo forage silage DMI and CPI were highest when 25% of soybean CP was replaced. Average daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR), carcass weight, back fat thickness and dressing percentage were unaffected by increasing replacement of soybean CP with taro leaf or stylo forage CP in the diet. LY pigs had higher intake and better carcass traits than ML pigs. The work confirmed that stylo forage and taro leaves can be used as protein sources in smallholder pig production systems without negative effects on the performance of growing LY and ML pigs

Pemanfaatan Sumber Karbohidrat Yang Berbeda (Umbi Suweg, Umbi Talas, Dan Umbi Kimpul) Sebagai Substitusi Media Na (Nutrient Agar) Untuk Pertumbuhan Bakteri

Instant media are difficult to obtain and relatively high prices encourage researchers to make a substitution media with materials that are cheap and easily. This studyaims to determinethe useof differentcarbohydrate sourcesassubstitutesmediaNutrientAgar (NA) forbacterial growth. Thisresearchusingcompletely randomized design(CRD) twofactors.The first factoris a typeof bacteriaisEscherichiacoliandStaphylococcusaureusandsecond is theAmorphophallus campanulatus, Colocasia esculenta, andXanthosoma violaceum. Inoculatedwith thetest bacteriaspreadplatemethodandincubatedat 37 °C for 24 hoursfor thebacteria inmediaNutrientagar and48 hourson mediumtubers.Parametersmeasured werethe number ofpopulationandthe size ofbacterial colonies.In Escherichiacoli, the highestpopulationon themediaof theAmorphophallus campanulatus (4.6 x 109CFU/ml), nutrient agar medium(3.6 x 109CFU/ml), Xanthosoma violaceum (3.5 x109CFU/ml), than the last Colocasia esculenta (2.8 x 109CFU/ml), while thehighestpopulation ofStaphylococcus aureuson theAmorphophallus campanulatus (8.2 x 109CFU/ml), nutrient agarmedia(5.5 x 109CFU/ml), Colocasia esculenta (3, 4x 109CFU/ml), and the last Xanthosoma violaceum (2.3 x 109CFU/ml). Based onthe size of thebacterial colonies, ofthe threemediatubersobtainsmallcolonybuta lot. The conclusion ofthis studymediathat can be usedas asubstitutenutrient agarmedium, ismediaofAmorphophallus campanulatus