Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

INTERACTIVE EFFECT OF PHOSPHORUS AND IRRIGATION ON BIOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF FENUGREEK (TRIGONELLA FOENURN GRAECURN) SEEDS

Veena Jain and Kaushalya Gupta

Abstract

Irrigation and phosphorus resulted in differential response on biochemical composition of fenugreek (Trigonella foenumgraecum Oseeds. Fenugreek cv Pusa Early Bunching (PEB) with 16 treatments (split plot design) with four levels of irrigation and fertilization was raised under natural conditions. Seeds were evaluated for protein, fatty acid profile, mineral and structural carbohydrates Protein content ranged from 20.73 to 24.76% and the highest protein content was observed at irrigation ratio of 0.4 1W/CPE and 40 kg P20,, ha level. Oil content ranged from 7.95 to 10.70 percent. At 40 kg P2O5 ha ' and higher levels of irrigation, oil contents increased while protein content declined. Unsaturated fatty acids viz. linoleic and linolenic acids were found to be the major fatty acids of fenugreek ranging between 40.21 -50.34 percent and 1 9.49-27.50 percent respectively at varying levels of phosphorus and irrigation. Total unsaturated fatty acids ranged between 83.02 to 87.70% (relative) and had maximum value at highest level of irrigation (1W/CPE of I .0). Variation was also noticed in the mineral composition of fenugreek grown under different conditions. Copper contents were maximum at highest level of irrigation (1W/CPE, I .0) while potassium was highest in the cropgrown at phosphorus level of 40-60 kg. The amount of Na., Fe, Zn and Mn was also differently affected by thesetreatments.