Proximate nutrient composition of sickle-pod (Cassia obtusifolia) leaves and seeds

Sickle-pod (Cassia obtusifolia) is a leguminous annual weed plant with no known use and literature information. It is found growing wild in the tropical vegetation particularly in Minna, Nigeria. Twenty of the whole plants were harvested from five different locations each at two weeks intervals during the months of April to October. The leaves and seeds bearing pods were hand picked, bulked separately sun-dried and then chemically analysed in the laboratory of the official procedures of the association of the official analytical chemists methods of analysis (AOAC, 1980) for the nutrient composition. Results obtained from the study revealed slight variations between sites and sampling times for the different parameters determined in the leaves and seeds but such observations and values were not significant. Other results revealed that the leaves contained comparatively and significantly (p < 0.05) higher crude protein (27.84%), total ash (13.0%), calcium (3.50%) and potassium (0.72%) than the seeds. The ether extract (6.10%), organic matter (95.26%), crude fiber (11.52%), neutral detergent fiber (40.32%), acid detergent fiber (17.28%), hemicellulose (23.04%) and phosphorus (0.36%) levels were comparatively and significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the seeds than in the leaves. This prelimary study has revealed sicked-pod (Cassia obtusifolia) plant as a promising animal feed. Feeding evaluation of both materials in domestic animals in desired and would be reported later. Keywords: sickle-pod, Cassia obtusifolia, detergent fibers, Hemicellulose Plant Products Research Journal Vol.8 (1) 2004: 13-1