Abstract:
Enset (ensete ventricosum ('f!:ht'} chcesman) is a drought resistance and one of' the indigenous
root crops widely cultivated for its food and fiber values in Ethiopia. Jn thi» study. the
concentrations of essential (K. Ca, Zn, l·eJ and non-essential metals rPb and Cd) in enset
cultlvoted in Ethiopia (J>arr!c1.1Jarly in Ebinar and Mekiet Woredas of Amharo region) are
'
determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry after wet digestion. The mew!
concentrutions in the samples. are found la be K (5,2./6 - 11.28./.8 py/g), Ca (/, 638 - 3158
µg/8), 7,n (2.1. 6 - 56 pg!g), Fe (156.1 238.7 ,ugig; and <.:d (O.N- 2.6.J ,uglx). The non-essenttal
metal fb i.1 below deieciion limit i11 the Ebinot-! and Ebinot-? enset samples, while in Mekiet-I
and Mckiet-? enset samples ii has concemratlon of (2.5 - J.6 ;1x!g). The mean lewis of the
nteta!s inahe enset samples indicated that Kand Fe are found relatively higher a11101mls among
Key words: Ensel (ensete vcnrricosum (welw) cbeesmaa), Essential elements. non-essential
clements, Harne atomic absorption spectrometry, f.hinat. Mekict. Amhara region
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the determined macro- and mtcroruurtents respectively. The total trends ofthe levels ofselected
mewls in enset samples are Kz- Ca> Fe> 7.J1>CJ. The result obtained implies, the ensct sample is
very lmportant as wurce of selected mineral nnrrienss for /1uma11 being. A stansticol analysis of
variance (A:VOV1i w 95% confidence level was used to tes: whether the variation between the
mineral content of the four sample means are significam or 11111. T/11: tested four kinds of enset
suggest that there are significant difference (f'<0.05i in the mean concentration of all metals
between the four snmpting areas which could be anributed to the differenc« in mineral conten