Analysis of some nutritional and antinutritional compounds in dry seeds of grass pea and field pea cultivars from Croatia

Abstract

Field pea (Pisum sativum var. arvense) and grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) are important high protein crops used as feed. Legume seeds are also rich in many other nutrient compounds including starch, sugar, dietary fiber and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals.) They are also a rich source of many bioactive non-nutrient compounds including phenolic antioxidants. Besides their beneficial effects, some phenolic compounds, especially condensed tannins in feed, are considered as antinutritional factors for ruminants, owing to their capacity for binding to macromolecules such as fiber and proteins. Seed mass and diameter are valuable parameters used in breeding, as well as seed mineral composition, since significant quantitative trait loci were identified for Ca, Fe, Mn, K, Mg, Ni, P and Zn. Thus we conducted this study in order to determine some parameters, in three cultivars of previously non-tested field pea and five grass pea cultivars from Croatia, which are important for breeders. We determined seed mass, diameter and proximate mineral composition as well as content of soluble sugars and total phenolic content in dry seeds of these cultivars. Cultivars differed significantly in total phenollics and mineral composition.