POTENTIAL BIOAVAILABILITY OF CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM, IRON, MANGANESE AND ZINC FROM SEEDS OF DIFFERENT CHICKPEA AND PEANUT LANDRACES

Although seeds of many leguminous crops are rich in minerals, their availability to humans is limited due to antinutrients, e.g. phytic acid, which forms stable complexes with metal ions. In this context, 19 chickpea and 13 peanut local landraces were tested in order to determine concentrations of main antinutrients and promoters that affect the availability of mineral nutrients: phytic acid, glutathione, free soluble phenolics and yellow pigment, as well as mineral elements: inorganic P, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn and Zn. Chickpea and peanut seeds are rich sources of mineral elements as well as promoters that improve their availability. High variability among the examined landraces presents the opportunity for their exploitation in breeding for increased bio-availability. This was particularly supported by the relatively low phytic acid concentration found in seeds of both species. Chickpea is richer in Ca, Fe, Mn and Zn than peanut, which is richer in Mg. Positive correlations between phenolics, yellow pigment and Zn in chickpea seeds, as well as between phenolics and Ca in peanut seeds could contribute to the improved bio-availability of these minerals. Peanut exhibited higher variability than chickpea in terms of potential bio-availability of mineral elements. Among chickpea landraces, C15 could be considered as an Fe source and C12 - as an Mn and Zn source. Among peanut landraces, P5 could be considered as an Mn source, P2 and P3 as an Mg source, P11 as an Fe source and P2 as Zn source. These genotypes could be recommended and used in biofortification programs.