Plant , tropical, protein content

Cow pea and urd bean, two common legumes are only slightly lower. An excellent review by H. D. Tindall of the leguminosae plants indicates most of their seeds have high protein contents, are directly consumable, and they are easily grown in tropical and subtropical climates (30). 

Table V. Weights and Protein Contents of Leaves from Four Tropical Plants [from Nagy et al. (4 )]...

Cassava Manihot esculenta), also known as manioc, is a tropical shrubby perennial plant that produces tubers at the base of the stem. The chemical composition of these tubers varies with maturity, cultivar and growing conditions. About 80 per cent of the carbohydrate is starch, and cassava tubers are used for the production of tapioca starch for human consumption, although the tubers are also given to cattle, pigs and poidtry.The ME value of cassava is similar to that of potatoes, but it has higher dry matter and lower crude protein contents (see Table 21.1). 

The sweet potato Ipomoea batatas) is a very important tropical plant whose tubers are widely grown for human consumption and as a commercial source of starch. The tubers are of similar nutritional value to ordinary potatoes although of much higher dry matter and lower crude protein contents (see Table 22.1). Fresh tubers that are surplus to requirements are often cut into small pieces, sun-dried and then ground to produce a sweet potato meal, a high-energy food of low protein content. Sun-drying does not destroy the trypsin inhibitors believed to be present in the tubers, and levels in the diets of farm animals are usually restricted. 

This study showed that chloroplasts from hemiparasitic plants reveal a trend for low values of chlorophyll and polar lipids while the protein content is less affected. "Tropical chlroroplasts present marked changes in polar lipid composition along with a decrease in unsaturation of fatty acids. Chloroplasts from all hemiparasitic plants are capable of a more or less limited photosynthesis, probably reflecting the degree of dependence on the host. 

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