Citation: Buthelezi, L.G.; Mavengahama, S.; Sibiya, J.; Mchunu, C.N.; Ntuli, N.R. Nutritional Variation on Sequentially Harvested Shoots and Fruits of Lagenaria siceraria Landraces. Plants 2024, 13, 1475. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/plants13111475 Academic Editor: Fermin Morales Received: 12 March 2024 Revised: 19 May 2024 Accepted: 23 May 2024 Published: 27 May 2024 Copyright: © 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). plants Article Nutritional Variation on Sequentially Harvested Shoots and Fruits of Lagenaria siceraria Landraces Lungelo Given Buthelezi 1, * , Sydney Mavengahama 2 , Julia Sibiya 3 , Charmaine Nontokozo Mchunu 4 and Nontuthuko Rosemary Ntuli 5 1 Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa 3886, South Africa 2 Food Security and Safety Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science, North-West University, Mmabatho 2745, South Africa; sydney.mavengahama@nwu.ac.za 3 School of Agriculture, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa; sibiyaj@ukzn.ac.za 4 KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, Soil Fertility and Analytical Services, 01 Cedara Road, Pietermaritzburg 3200, South Africa; charmaine.mchunu@kzndard.gov.za 5 Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa 3886, South Africa; ntulir@unizulu.ac.za * Correspondence: buthelezilg@unizulu.ac.za; Tel.: +27-035-902-6061 Abstract: Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standley, a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, is valued for its medicinal and nutritive properties. The nutrient status of sequentially harvested shoots and fruits at various growth stages in L. siceraria has not been documented to date. This study aimed to compare the nutritional status of L. siceraria landrace shoots and fruits harvested at different maturity stages. Micronutrients, macronutrients, and proximate composition of shoots and fruits were determined using inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Data were subjected to multivariate statistical analysis. The nutrient attributes differed significantly (p < 0.05) within and among landraces at different growth stages. Correlation of nutritional traits was primarily based on shared absorption sites and comparable chemical composition. The first five principal components in shoots and fruits had 90.218 and 89.918% total variability, respectively. The micronutrients Ca, Mg, K, P, and N in shoots and the macronutrients Fe, Zn, Cu, and Al in fruits were the main contributors to variability. The biplot and dendrogram clustered landraces with comparable nutrient values. Shoot traits classified landraces into three major clusters, where clusters I and II grouped landraces with superior and inferior Mg, P, K, N, Fe, K/Ca+Mg, ADL, and protein levels at 42–63 DAS. Cluster III consisted of landraces with more Ca, Na, Mn, Zn, and Cu. However, the fruit nutrient status classified landraces into two major clusters. Cluster I comprised landrace KSC (as a singlet) with the highest Ca, P, N, Mn, Fe, Zn, and Cu contents at various stages of growth (7–21 DAA). Cluster II had landraces with higher K, C/N ratio, Na, moisture content, ash, protein, and fat. The nutritional status of shoots and fruits determined at different stages of growth is essential for selecting the best harvest time and landrace(s) for required daily nutrient intake. Keywords: nutrients; variation; landraces; Lagenaria siceraria 1. Introduction Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standley is a hardy crop that thrives in warmer regions of the planet for its various applications [1]. With the lack of animal nutrient accessibility, underutilized crops such as L. siceraria, whose shoots, leaves, flowers, juvenile and mature fruits, and seeds can be consumed as a vegetable relish [2], are gaining research popularity due to their potential as a prominent dietary supplement for human consumption [3]. Minerals are inorganic elements, some of which are vital nutrients [4]. The minerals obtained from the consumption of plant parts are regarded as essential nutrients for human Plants 2024, 13, 1475. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13111475 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/plants