Evaluation location: Texas, United States
In order to assess the potential of
Teramnus labilais to provide dietary minerals for humans, ten diverse accessions from Indonesia, Africa, the Caribbean, and South America were grown under controlled, nutrient-replete conditions and seeds were harvested for mineral analysis. Seed concentrations of phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sodium (Na), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) were found to fall within the range of published values for several cultivated grain legumes, while calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) were higher in
T. labialis seeds. Mineral concentrations across the diverse accessions showed ranges of 1.3- to 2.3-fold for the macronutrient minerals (Ca, Mg, P, K) and 1.8- to 15.9-fold for the micronutrient minerals (Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, and Na). The existing genetic diversity in this wild legume, especially for the essential minerals Ca and Mg, could be exploited to develop
T. labialis as a new cultivated legume for tropical regions of the world.
More information on Materials and Methods (.pdf file).