Abstract:
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is a widely consumed food crop and largely cultivated in the dry savanna region of Northern Ghana. However one of the major constraints to cowpea production in Ghana is parasitism by Striga gesnerioides given rise to poor yield, hence to solve this problem Striga-resistance cowpea recombinant inbred lines have been developed from IT97K-499-35 (Striga-resistant parent) x Apagbaala (susceptible parent). The current study determined the functional properties and nutritional compositions of seeds of four advanced genotypes (F8 progenies) derived from the cross and compared to the parental lines and a local check (GH3684) to assess their potential use in food and nutrition based on standard chemical analytical methods. There were significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) in the nutritional and functional properties among the new cowpea genotypes and their parents compared to the local check, GH3684. Water absorption capacities, oil absorption capacities, foaming capacities and swelling power of the new breeds varied between 1.57-1.67 g/g, 0.86-0.97 g/g, 17.89-21.68 ml and 2.77-3.23 g/g, respectively. There were high values for ash, fiber and carbohydrate with ranges 4.47-4.72%, 1.56-2.55% and 54.78-59.03%, respectively. Fat content varied between 1.17- 1.36%. Moisture and protein content ranged between 11.81-13.24% and 21.63-25.28%, respectively. The results indicate that the four new breeds of cowpea have appreciable nutritional composition and functional properties and therefore have great potential use in the food industry
