Species of Corchorus genus are used as leafy vegetables and medicinal plants in Burkina
Faso. However, the nutritional value of most of these plants is not well known. In order
to lay the foundations for the valorisation of these species, an assay of six essential
minerals was carried out on the dry leaves of six genotypes belonging to the species C.
aestuans (G 1 and G 2), C. fascicularis (G 3), C. olitorius (G 4 and G 5) and C. tridens (G 6).
Minerals assayed were calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Results
show that the genotype G 2 with a content of 327.70 mg/100 g DW is the richest in calcium.
Regarding magnesium content, genotypes G 2 (198.74 mg/100 g DW), G 4 (163.208 mg/100
g DW), G 5 (129.44 mg/100 g DW) and G 3 (100.28 mg/100g DW) had the highest
magnesium contents. All genotypes had a copper content below 1 mg each. This content
varies from 0.20 mg/100 g DW for genotype G 4 to 0.56 mg/100 g DW for genotype G 3.
Each of the six genotypes had a potassium content above 1500 mg/100 g DW. Genotypes
G 1 (96.20 mg/100 g DW) and G 6 (71.34 mg/ 100 g DW) were the richest in iron. Genotype
G 3 had the highest zinc content of 3.36 mg/100 g DW. Given the high nutritional value
the leaves of these plants, they could be potential source for the fight against malnutrition
and mineral deficiencies in Burkina Faso.

Corchorus valeur nutritionnelle sels minéraux Génotypes