Evolution of Nutrient Content of Eggplant Leaves (Solanum Macrocarpon) Gboma Variety during Plant Growth

Gboma eggplant (Solanum macrocarpon) leaves provide nutrients useful for human well-being. However, several factors influence nutrients rate from the harvest to the consumption it is therefore important to determine the nutrients composition along the plant growth. Gboma eggplant was grown in an experimental field and leaves were harvested and analyzed from 6th week after transplanting to 11th week. The results revealed that vitamin C, beta carotene and proteins rates increased from week 6 to week 9 and then decreased to week 11. The values were respectively (8.19 ± 1.65 mg/100g to 25.73 ± 1.65 mg/100g then 9.36 ± 1.65 mg/100g for vitamin C, (112.24 ± 0.92 µg/100g to 210.74 ± 0.88 µg/100g then 60.57 ± 0.26 µg/100g) for beta-carotene and (16.34 ± 0.4 % to 21.92 ± 0.8 % then 16.95 ± 0.16%) for proteins. However, lipid rates were constant, oscillating between 4 % and 5 %. The total ash content increased with growth from 17.07 ± 0.04 % (at 6th week) to 21.6 ± 0.16 % (at the 11th week). Polyphenols rate increased, from 741.67 ± 6.56 mg EAG/g (at 6th week) to 1617.5 ± 7.07 mg EAG/g (at 10th week) and then decreased to 1328.33 ± 4.71 mg EAG/g (at the 11th week). For flavonoids, the same phenomenon was observed. The values at 6th week increased from 6.08 ± 0.51 mg eq/g to 18.08 ± 0.66 mg eq/g at 10th week and then decreased to 17.92 ± 0.31 mg eq/g at 11th week. The best harvest time is 9th week, corresponding to 3 weeks after flowering whether 15 weeks after planting.