Exploring the Biochemical Potential of Bambara Bean (Vigna subterranean (L.) Verdc) from Chad, Niger and Tanzania: A Multivariate Approach

• Nutrient profiling of 189 Bambara bean accessions showed wide nutritional variability. • Tanzanian accessions outperformed Chad and Niger in most evaluated traits. • PCA showed first 3 PCs explained 88% variance; copper contributed the most. • HCA identified 215_Ts_vou_106 (Chad 2021) as promising for crop improvement. • Protein correlated positively with Fe, Zn, and negatively with starch, TDF, amylose. Bambara bean ( Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.), an underutilized legume native to sub-Saharan Africa, possesses considerable potential to address protein energy malnutrition, enhance dietary diversity and multi-industry applications. In this study, 189 Bambara bean accessions collected from Chad, Tanzania, and Niger were evaluated for their nutritional and anti-nutritional composition using standard and official AOAC methods. Substantial variability was observed across accessions for all measured traits like protein content ranged from 16.5-26.4 g/100g, while total starch and amylose contents varied between 27-44.4 g/100g and 15.6-18.4 g/100g, respectively. Total soluble sugars and total dietary fibre ranged from 2.17-7.84 g/100g and 12-19.1 g/100g. Micronutrient concentrations showed wide variation, with iron, zinc, and copper contents ranging from 41.6-79.4, 45.4-80.5, and 9.23-23.7 ppm respectively. Total phenolic content and phytic acid content ranged from 0.192-0.377 g GAE/100g and 0.481-1.10 g/100g, indicating marked diversity in nutritional and anti-nutritional profiles. Principal component analysis revealed 12 principal components (PCs) where the first three PCs explained 88.3% of the total variation, primarily driven by copper, iron, moisture and phenols. Hierarchical clustering analysis grouped the accessions into 10 distinct clusters, identifying nutrient-dense accessions, notably 215_Ts_vou_106, Chad 2021, with superior nutritional attributes in protein, TSS, iron and zinc. The results highlight the rich nutritional diversity present in Bambara bean germplasm and its potential utilization in breeding programs aimed at developing nutrient dense, climate resilient legume varieties for sustainable food systems. Along with nutritional diversity, these results have direct implications for food product development, including the formulation of protein enriched flours, gluten free extruded snacks, fibre rich functional foods, and plant-based beverages from selected high performing accessions.