Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(3): 1663-1682 1663 Original Research Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2020.903.195 Evaluation of Proximate, Sugars and Mineral Compositions of 48 Yam (Dioscorea rotundata) Cultivars used as Parents in a Breeding Program in Republic of Benin Fakorede Jeannette 1 , Sanoussi Faouziath 1 , Loko Yêyinou Laura Estelle 2 , Dassou G. Anicet 1 , Tchekessi Célestin 3 , Ogundipe Oladeinde 4 , Bokossa Yahou Innocent 3 and Dansi A. Alexandre 1* 1 Laboratory of Biotechnology, Genetic Resources and Plant and Animal Breeding (BIORAVE), Faculty of Science and Techniques of Dassa, PO Box 143 Dassa-Zoume, Benin 2 National High School of Applied Biosciences and Biotechnologies (ENSBBA), National University of Sciences, Technologies, Engineering and Mathematics, BP 14 Dassa, Benin 3 Food Safety Research Unit, University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Benin, 04BP 1107, Cotonou 4 Department of Food Technology, Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria *Corresponding author ABSTRACT International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 9 Number 3 (2020) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com Forty-eight cultivars (44 landraces and 4 hybrids) of white yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir.) selected as parents for a breeding program in Benin were evaluated for proximate, sugars and mineral composition using standard AOAC methods. The results revealed a great variation among cultivars for fat (2.4-18 mg/g), protein (0.40-19.31 mg/g), total sugars (28.60-498.97 mg/g), reducing sugars (50-156.27 mg/g), and starch (44.82-400.41 mg/g) content. Variations in mineral content (mg/100g) were also noted among cultivars for Calcium (12.20 to 560.80 mg), Magnesium, (1.65 to 1630.80 mg), Iron, (1.79 to 22.60 mg), Zinc (0.55 to 20.03 mg) and Phosphorus (13.08 to 152.48 mg). Fat content were positively correlated with starch and negatively correlated with protein content. UPGMA cluster analysis assembled cultivars into 03 groups (G1, G2, G3). Cultivars of G1 and G3 are characterized with higher levels of sugars, lipids, proteins, starch, dry matter and significant mineral content. They appear to be more promising for involvement in breeding programs. Keywords mineral composition, proximate composition; D. rotundata, Yam, Benin Accepted: 12 February 2020 Available Online: 10 March 2020 Article Info