EFFECT OF SPROUTING MEDIUM ON CYANIDE AND TANNIN CONTENTS OF SORGHUM AND FONIO SEEDS HYDROPONIC FODDERS

I. C. Okoli; N. U. Etuk; L. A. Giwa; C. C. Achonwa; J. U. Ukwadinamor; A. U. C. Ohanaka; E. B. Etuk

doi:10.51791/njap.vi.7205

Authors

I. C. Okoli The Federal University of Technology Owerri, PMB 1526 Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria
N. U. Etuk The Federal University of Technology Owerri, PMB 1526 Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria
L. A. Giwa The Federal University of Technology Owerri, PMB 1526 Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria
C. C. Achonwa University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Umuagwo, Imo State, Nigeria
J. U. Ukwadinamor Precision Food and Feed Analysis Laboratory, Iyanan Agbala, Ejikeye, Ibadan, Nigeria
A. U. C. Ohanaka The Federal University of Technology Owerri, PMB 1526 Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria
E. B. Etuk The Federal University of Technology Owerri, PMB 1526 Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51791/njap.vi.7205

Keywords:

Sorghum, fonio, cyanide, tannins, hydroponic fodder

Abstract

Hydroponic fodders produced from local seeds may contain high levels of anti-nutrients, which may be harmful to livestock. This study compared the effects of water and partially decomposed banana pseudo-stem meal (BPM) as sprouting media on cyanide and tannin concentrations in hydroponic fodders produced from sorghum (Sorghum bicolar) and fonio (Digitaria exilis) seeds. Banana pseudostem was dried and pulverized to produce BPM. Triplicate samples of seeds and BPM were analyzed for their cyanide and tannin contents, and thereafter, 250g of each seed type was soaked in clean water for 6 hours to activate them. They were spread directly on perforated plastic trays (12x16x1 inches) containing 250g of BPM and arranged on a wooden rack in a naturally lit room and watered three times daily for eight days to produce hydroponic fodder. The fodder samples were dried and analyzed for their cyanide and tannin concentrations. The BPM recorded significantly (p<0.05) higher cyanide and tannin concentrations than sorghum and fonio seeds (3.17, 1.4, and 1.31 mg/kg cyanide and 594.37, 372.50 and 431.27 mg/kg tannin respectively). Their concentrations in the fodders were significantly (p<0.05) reduced by the use of BPM/water as the sprouting medium (77.12 and 50.62% for cyanide, and 57.33 and 51.11% for tannin in sorghum and fonio fodders respectively). The values were 101.23 and 23.16 mg/kg cyanide, 3089.19 and 1318.05 mg/kg tannin in the water and BPM/water media produced sorghum fodders respectively; and 8.91 and 3.68 mg/kg cyanide, 1784.48 and 872.42 mg/kg tannin in the water and BPM/water media produced fonio fodders respectively, indicating lower concentrations in the fonio fodders. Sprouting of sorghum and fonio seeds on a BPM/water medium, therefore, reduces the concentrations of cyanide and tannin in their
hydroponic fodders.