Comparative Characterization of Trends and Patterns of Physical and Chemical Attributes of Optimal and Traditional Processed Cowpea Leaves

Table 8

Main effect crop variety and stage of harvesting on the micronutrient content of cowpea leaves.

Independent variable		Micronutrient (per 100 g dry matter basis)
		Beta-carotene (mg)	Ascorbic acid (mg)	Zinc (mg)	Iron (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Calcium (mg)
Crop variety	Kunde Mboga	17.81 ± 1.06^Aa	64.02 ± 57.63^Aa	7.04 ± 3.83^Aa	26.79 ± 10.68^Aa	58.74 ± 10.59^Aa	40.95 ± 30.84^Aa
	Machakos 66	14.78 ± 1.49^Ab	82.37 ± 24.54^Aa	6.29 ± 1.30^Aa	27.30 ± 10.35^Aa	12.21 ± 3.59^Ab	16.67 ± 8.77^Ab
%CV		7.93	60.5	42.9	38.9	22.3	78.7
HSD		1.09	37.5	2.42	8.9	6.7	19.1
value		<0.001	0.321	0.53	0.906	<0.001	0.016
Stage of harvesting (WEA)	4	16.04 ± 1.85^Bb	89.01 ± 53.99^Ba	6.06 ± 1.89^Bab	23.62 ± 6.80^Ba	42.79 ± 1.81^Ba	15.51 ± 6.34^Bb
	8	17.84 ± 1.36^Ba	55.42 ± 8.51^Ba	5.20 ± 1.01^Bb	29.81 ± 9.27^Ba	33.56 ± 0.36^Bb	15.98 ± 5.05^Bb
	12	15.00 ± 1.76^Bb	75.15 ± 5.55^Ba	8.74 ± 3.72^Ba	27.71 ± 13.89^Ba	30.07 ± 2.97^Bb	54.93 ± 9.74^Ba
%CV		7.93	60.5	42.9	38.9	22.3	78.7
HSD		1.56	56.6	3.4	13.4	7.4	19.6
value		<0.001	0.544	0.058	0.450	<0.001	<0.001

The values are mean ± SD of duplicates. Values with similar uppercase letters followed by a different lowercase in the superscript along the column are statistically different.