TITLE:
Evaluation of Nutritional Value for Four Kinds of Wild Plants in Northern Sector of Nile Delta, Egypt
AUTHORS:
Yasser Ahmed El-Amier, Thaer Jameel Abdullah
KEYWORDS:
Proximate Composition, Minerals, Antioxidant, Wild Species, Costal Desert
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Applied Sciences,
Vol.5 No.7,
July
31,
2015
ABSTRACT: Wild plants play an essential role in non-traditional fodder producing plants. The aim of the study is to evaluate nutritional composition of wild plants. These plants are Calligonum polygonoides, Cakile maritima, Senecio glaucus (Psammophytes) and Zygophullum album (halophyte) naturally growing in Deltaic Mediterranean coastal desert of Egypt. These plants are rich with their nutritive values and their water requirements are low. The protein content of the investigated wild species ranges from 5.90% to 19.63% and the fat content ranges from 0.75% to 1.93%. The amount of nitrogen and phosphorus are higher in all plants followed by potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium. On the other hand, the microelements levels in the studied wild plants exist as Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu > Ni > Pb > Co > Cd. Finally, the phytochemical analysis of the studied wild plants indicates that the four wild plants are important and there is a need to develop new techniques for cultivation as well as processing of such plants for future use.