Abstract

Enset (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman) is one of the oldest cultivated food security crops in Ethiopia. There are a number of enset landraces used for traditional medicine. These landraces are believed to have better minerals and phytochemical compositions, which are not proved scientifically. The objective of this study was to compare the proximate, mineral and phytochemical compositions of corms of enset landraces used for treating bones illness traditionally, and two other landraces having another use value. Laboratory analysis was made by following standard methods, and the data determined were analyzed using SAS statistical software. Enset landraces, Kibnar and Guarye showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher protein content (4.74 and 4.06%), while Astara and Guarye were superior in phosphorus content (127.41 and 116.38 m g-2) respectively. Similarly, the highest zinc and tannin contents (8.52 and 153.94 m g-2) were obtained from Astara and Kibnar landraces respectively. On the other hand, Amerat landrace showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher crude fibre content. The three landraces used for traditional medicine showed better performances in protein, phosphorus, zinc and tannin contents than the other two landraces.

Key words: Ensete ventricosum, enset, landrace, corm, proximate composition, mineral, phytochemical.