Compositional changes in winged bean [Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L) DC] seed during maturation

The seeds of three varieties of winged bean were chemically analysed at six different stages of maturity. Results indicated that dry matter, crude protein, crude fat and P contents increased whereas crude fibre, carbohydrate, Ca, K and Mg contents decreased with maturity. Soluble sugars and starch contents increased up to half-way in development, but decreased thereafter; the reverse trend was observed for the non-starch polysaccharide fraction. Mature seeds did not contain starch.