Nutritional and Antinutritional Potentials of Sorghum: A Comparative Study among Different Sorghum Landraces of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

Tesfakiros Semere (), Yemane Tsehaye, Lijalem Tareke, Ola T. Westengen and Siri Fjellheim
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Tesfakiros Semere: Department of Biotechnology, Mekelle University, Mekelle P.O. Box 231, Tigray, Ethiopia
Yemane Tsehaye: Department of Dryland Crops and Horticultural Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle P.O. Box 231, Tigray, Ethiopia
Lijalem Tareke: Department of Food Science and Post-Harvest Technology, Mekelle University, Mekelle P.O. Box 231, Tigray, Ethiopia
Ola T. Westengen: Department of International Environment and Development Studies (Noragric), Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), P.O. Box 5003, 1433 Aas, Norway
Siri Fjellheim: Department of Plant Sciences (IPV), Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), P.O. Box 5003, 1432 Aas, Norway

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-19

Abstract: Sorghum is one of the staple food crops in Tigray, northern Ethiopia. Despite this, limited research attention was given to the nutritional and antinutritional profiling of sorghum. Thus, this research was initiated to profile and evaluate the variabilities in protein, starch, minerals, flavonoid, tannin, and antioxidant activities among sorghum landraces of Tigray, northern Ethiopia. Protein and starch were analyzed using an infrared spectrophotometer, whereas mineral elements were estimated using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Antioxidant activity was analyzed using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging, ferric-reducing antioxidant power, and phosphomolybdenum assays. The result revealed significant variation among the landraces for all the evaluated parameters. Protein and starch contents ranged from 6.21 to 18% and 33.42 to 78.30%, respectively. Wider variations were observed for Fe (32–101), Zn (16.9–42.98), Cu (1.48–5.25), Mn (9.21–20.23), and Cr (0–1.5) as measured in mg/100 g. The variabilities were high for total flavonoid (0–665 mg CE/g) and tannin (0.18–7.5 mgCE/100 g). DPPH (EC 50 = 29.09–818.37 µg/mL), ferric reducing antioxidant power (17.85–334.81 mgAAE/g), and total antioxidant activity (1.71–63.88 mgBHTE/g) were also highly variable among the samples. The relationship between seed color and phenolics, as well as antioxidant activities, are discussed. Multivariate analysis revealed that the landraces were clustered into four distinct groups. The rich genetic diversity in the nutritional and antinutritional attributes may be an opportunity for breeding for grain quality improvements of sorghum that, in turn, helps in addressing malnutrition.

Keywords: sorghum landraces; diversity; nutrition; minerals; phenolic compounds; antioxidants (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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