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

Abstract

The North- East state Manipur, India is a powerhouse of many wild flora and fauna. Varied ranges of wild edible Prunus triflora genotypes commonly known as plum are found in valley and hill districts of the region. Each fruit has distinctive physiological habitat and geographical characteristic. However, to the best of our knowledge no biochemical evaluation has been carried out of these fruits from this region. Four populations of wild Prunus triflora genotypes (Imphal kalenheikha, Senapati maoheikha, Ukhrul applemix, Ukhrul mangomix) were selected as source for study to 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 Prunus triflora genotype of Senapati maoheikha have highest amount of total soluble sugar, reducing sugar, total soluble protein and antioxidant activity of 34.67 ± 0.65 mg/ 100g, 23.65±2.22 mg/100g, 5.66±0.23 mg/100g, IC50666.3 ± 26µg/ml, respectively. While the genotype of Ukhrul applemix showed high value of 16.51± 5.9 mg/100g non–reducing sugar. Ascorbic acid content was highest in Imphal kalenheikha having 13.19±0.9 mg/100g of fresh weight among the genotypes. Significant correlationship was achieved between ascorbic acid and antioxidant activity in all the genotypes. Our study showed that wild Prunus triflora is a potential source of nutrition and a food containing health- giving additives like functional food. Therefore, popularizing and bringing into mainstream cultivation of these fruit need initiation.