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(2) Genetic and nutritional diversity of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) and water hyacinth (Echhornia crassipes) in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam

(2) Genetic and nutritional diversity of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) and water hyacinth (Echhornia crassipes) in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam

Le Thi Men

Cantho University, Cantho, Vietnam

Abstract

The genetic diversities of locally available plants of potential value as feed for pigs in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam were estimated, because of the necessity to conserve and select their valuable traits, to track the genetic variations and to determine their nutritional value, particularly with respect to their content of protein (CP) and lipids (EE). Five varieties of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) were investigated. Protein subunits were estimated by the SDS-PAGE method, and phenotype (Ho), genetic value (HEP), and the sum of the effective number of alleles (SENA) were determined. The contents of CP, EE and amino acids of each variety were analyzed. The total oil was extracted from the samples, then the fatty acid composition analyzed. Results showed that the varieties of sweet potato, 'Hong Dao', 'Hsinchu', 'Duong Ngoc' and 'Lang Bi' were diverse, while the 'Hong Ngoc' variety was pure genotype; the CP content of the leaves ranged from19.8-26.8% and EE from 4.8-5.8%. Lysine ranged from 0.48-1.07% of dry matter (DM), and alpha linolenic acid (ALA) content from 39.7-45.5% of total lipid. Three varieties of water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica): 'HAT', seeded in soil, 'NUOC' which floats on the water surface, and 'DONG' which is cultivated in the field, and three populations of water hyacinth (Echhornia crassipes), were analysed for the values above. The water spinach varieties were diverse in the Ho, HEP and SENA. The 'NUOC' variety was the best in genetic diversity with respect to protein value. The CP and EE contents of the water spinach ranged from18.6- 29.5% and 6.9-7.2%, respectively. The lysine content ranged from 0.8-1.4 % and ALA from 45.1-47.3% of total lipid. Water hyacinth was also diverse in Ho and the SENA; CP and EE contents of the water hyacinth ranged from16.4-21.8% and 4.3-4.8%, respectively and lysine and ALA ranged from 0.56-1.03% and 37.6-38.6%, respectively.

Key words: genetic diversity, conserve, nutritional value, amino acids, fatty acids