Determinations of Phytochemical, Vitamin, Mineral and Proximate Compositions of Varieties of Watermelon Seeds Cultivated in Borno State, North – Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Email address: admuwana@yahoo.com (Gwana A. M.), mammadu09@gmail.com (Bako M. M.), hutawas@yahoo.co.uk (Bagudu B. Y.), a.aaji2k6@yahoo.com (Sadiq A. B.), mumin_abdullahi@yahoo.com (Abdullahi M. M.) Abstract: This study on the determination of phytochemical, mineral, vitamins compositions and proximate analysis on watermelons seeds cultivated in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria was conducted on the two varieties of Citrullus lanatus of Sassako and Rosmas. The fruits are selected directly from the farm randomly at Auno village, removed from the fruits, dried, processed under room temperature, subjected to analyses, as described by AOAC, (1990) and Ergan, Kirk and Sawyer, (1981). The findings revealed that, the fruits produced in this area are moderately large in size and weight. The Sassako fruit's, length, width, diameter and numbers of seeds content were more than that of the Rosmas variety, except the weight of the Rosmas seeds is slightly more than the Sassako seeds. The seeds contained six phytochemicals; alkaloids, anthraquinones, flavonoids, gallic acid, saponins, and tannins which are said to be an antioxidant, prevent and heals various diseases. The varieties of Sassako and Rosmas seeds possessed eight types of mineral elements in higher concentration levels (mg/kg). The Sassako variety (seeds) contains more concentration of potassium, copper, manganese, magnesium and calcium with less content of sodium, iron and zinc than when compared to Rosmas variety. Rosmas variety contains more quantities of minerals, includes; iron, zinc and sodium with less quantities of potassium, calcium, manganese, magnesium and copper when compared with the Sassako variety. The varieties of Rosmas and Sassako seeds contains six types of vitamins; C, Total folate, B 1 , B 2 , B 5 and B 6 in a moderate concentration (mg/kg). The seeds of Rosmas variety contain more amounts of the vitamins than the Sassako variety; the seeds of Rosmas variety are the most preferable in terms of vitamin content. The result of the proximate analysis; Rosmas seed variety contained more moisture, crude fibres and crude fats than the Sassako variety, while Sassako seed variety had more ash, protein, carbohydrate and dry matter contents than the Rosmas variety. Statistical analysis of the variables were found to be highly significant, and accepted. The results support the works of most authors such as Ayoola et al, (2012); ''Watermelon'', (2008) and WHFoods, (2011). The findings revealed that, seeds of C. lanatus contained a very high concentration of nutrients for both human and livestock consumption, most preferable among the varieties is the Sassako, the fruits can grow very well in this area with a reasonable sizes, lot of matured black flatten and oval seeds. With large scale farming of the plant, lot of income would be generated.