ARS | Publication request: MINERAL NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF CHICKPEA LEAVES AS A VEGETABLE GREEN FOR HUMANS

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: July 1, 2002
Publication Date: July 1, 2002
Citation: IBRIKCI, H., KNEWTSON, S.J., GRUSAK, M.A. MINERAL NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF CHICKPEA LEAVES AS A VEGETABLE GREEN FOR HUMANS. ABSTRACTS OF THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LEGUME GENOMICS AND GENETICS: TRANSLATION TO CROP IMPROVEMENT. 2002. p.106. ABSTRACT F3.

Technical Abstract: Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) is generally consumed as a seed food, being a good source of dietary macronutrients and micronutrients for humans. However, in certain parts of the world, young, tender chickpea leaves also are eaten as a cooked vegetable green. Because little information is available on the mineral content of this food, we investigated the genetic diversity of leaf mineral concentrations in 19 diverse accessions of chickpea. Both desi and kabuli biotypes were included in the study. All plants were grown in a greenhouse under standardized conditions and were provided a "luxury consumption" of all required minerals. This experimental design allowed us to focus on the genetic potential of each accession to absorb and partition minerals to the leaves. Young, fully expanded leaves (4th through 7th nodes from the apex) were harvested at an early vegetative stage and at the initiation of flowering. Leaves were dried, digested, and analyzed for mineral concentrations. Macronutrient minerals (Ca, Mg, K, P) varied from 1.2-fold to 1.8-fold and micronutrient minerals (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu) varied from 1.5-fold to 3.0-fold across all accessions. No significant differences were observed in the desi versus kabuli group means for any of the minerals. Overall, chickpea leaves were found to be a good source of several minerals required by humans, and they compare favorably with the reported mineral concentrations of several common green vegetables. This work was funded in part by USDA-ARS Cooperative Agreement No. 58-6250-1-003 and by a grant from the US Agency for International Development.