TABLE OF CONTENT
CONTENTS PAGE
Title Page – – – – – – – – i
Certification – – – – – – – ii
Dedication – – – – – – – – iii
Acknowledgements – – – – – – iv
Abstract – – – – – – – v
Table of Contents – – – – – – – vi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
1.2 Aim and Objectives of the Study
1.2.1 Aim of the Study
1.2.2 Objective of the Study
1.3 Scope and Limitation
1.4 Significance of the study
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
- BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF Solanumgilo
- Taxonomy Classification of Solanumgilo
- Origin and Distribution ofSolanumgilo
- Nutritional Profile of Solanumgilo
- Health Benefits of Solanumgilo
- Different Cultivars of Solanumgilo
- Cultivation and Pest of Solanumgilo
- Micro minerals
- Copper (Cu)
- Iron (Fe)
- Zinc (Zn)
- Manganese (Mn)
- Importance of micro minerals
- Effect of micro mineral deficiency
CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHODS
3.1 Material
3.2 Methods
3.2.1 Sample Collection
3.2.2 Sample Preparation
3.2.3 Micro mineral Analysis
3.3 Statistiocal Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Results
4.2 Discussion
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Conclusion
5.2 Recommendations
References
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Solanum, a widespread plant genus of the family Solanaceae, has over 1000 species worldwide with at least 100 indigenous species in Africa and adjacent islands; these include a number of valuable crop plants and some poisonous ones (Jaeger and Hepper, 2005). It is represented in Nigeria by some 25 species including those domesticated with their leaves, fruits or both eaten as vegetables or used in traditional medicine (Gbile, 2007).Among them are two African eggplants, S. aethiopicum L. (Ethiopian eggplant) and S. macrocarpon L. (Gboma eggplant), which are widely cultivated in Nigeria and across the African continent (Bonsuet al., 2002). African eggplants, also called garden eggs (Hausa: Dauta; Igbo: afufa orañara; Yoruba: igbagba), are highly valued constituents of the Nigerian foods and indigenous medicines; they are commonly consumed almost on daily basis by both rural and urban families. The eggplants form part of the traditional sub-Saharan African culture(Grubben and Denton, 2004). The fruits, said to represent blessings and fruitfulness, are offered as a token of goodwill during visits, marriages and other social events. They are eaten raw and also when boiled or fried as ingredient of stews, soups and vegetable sauces (Gbile and Adesina, 2008). Wide variations exist within the vegetative and fruit characters both within and between the African eggplant species including variations in characters like diameter of corolla, petiole length, leaf blade width, plant branching, fruit shape, and fruit colour (Oladiran, 2009).
The plant is perennial in zones up to USDA. Native to Peru and Ecuador, they can survive frosts and cold weather. They generally live up to 10 years, producing fruit usually in their second or third year, and every year after that. They are congeners of tomatoes and the fruit is extremely similar to cherry tomatoes in taste and texture, and are therefore easily confused with them.
