ABSTRACT

In most developing countries, the inappropriate cultivation of edible plants at roadside is neglected. Automobile pollutants, such as particulate matter and heavy metals are toxic chemicals that affect plants and subsequently humans and animals. Manihot esculenta is a popular shrub grown mostly on roadside. Results of comparative proximate analysis carried out on the leaves of manihot esculenta, showed decrease in protein content, 2.188 %, fiber content 2.400%, lipid content 1.113%, moisture content 52.400%, compared to control samples of 5.075%, 4.540%, 1.769%, and 67.997% respectively, and however an increase in percentage ash content 9.767% of the leaves of the plant highly exposed to pollution from automobiles, compared to control with ash content of 6.418%. Therefore growing of plants close to road should be restricted.