PROXIMATE BIO-CHEMICAL AND NUTRITIVE COMPOSITION IN LOCAL GENOTYPES OF PRUNUS TRIFLORAOF MANIPUR, INDIA

Abstract

The North-East state Manipur, India is a powerhouse of many wild flora and fauna. Varied ranges ofwild edible Prunus trifloragenotypes commonlyknown as plum are found in valley and hill districtsof the region.Each fruit has distinctive physiological habitat andgeographical characteristic. However, to the best of our knowledge no biochemicalevaluationhas been carried out of these fruits from thisregion.Four populations of wild Prunus trifloragenotypes (Imphal kalenheikha, Senapati maoheikha, Ukhrul applemix, Ukhrul mangomix) were selected as source for studyto estimate bio-chemical contents using standard protocols. The selected site differed in respect to their altitudes ranging from 750 -2740 m above msl.Proximate analysis revealed that the PrunustrifloragenotypeofSenapati maoheikhahave highestamount of total soluble sugar,reducing sugar,total soluble proteinand antioxidant activity of 34.67 ± 0.65 mg/100g, 23.65±2.22 mg/100g, 5.66±0.23mg/100g, IC50666.3 ± 26μg/ml,respectively.While the genotype of Ukhrulapplemixshowed high value of 16.51± 5.9mg/100gnon–reducing sugar.Ascorbic acid contentwas highestin Imphal kalenheikhahaving 13.19±0.9 mg/100gof fresh weightamong the genotypes.Significant correlationship was achievedbetween ascorbic acidand antioxidant activity in all the genotypes. Our study showedthat wild Prunus triflorais a potential source of nutrition anda food containing health-giving additives like functional food.Therefore, popularizing and bringing into mainstream cultivation of these fruit need initiation