Abstract

Sugarcane, Saccharum officinarum is a species of grass cultivated in tropical and sub-tropical countries worldwide. It is affected by Sugarcane chlorotic streak virus (SCSV), a leafhopper-transmitted virus which causes chlorotic streaks on leaves and other symptoms. Air-dried healthy and SCSV-infected leaf samples were screened to determine the presence and quantity of various phytochemicals. The methanolic leaf extracts of both samples were used to carry out qualitative and quantitative analysis using standard methods. The results showed that both leaf extracts had alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, tannins, reducing and non-reducing sugars present while antraquinones and steroids were absent. They also showed higher amount of flavonoids (1.45 g), saponins (0.26 g), phenols (0.051 g) and tannins (0.156) in healthy leaf extract while alkaloids (0.23) were higher in SCSV-infected leaf extract. The results also suggest that the differences between mean quantity of phytochemicals for alkaloids, flavonoids and tannins in healthy and SCSV-infected leaf extracts were significant while it was not significant for the phenols and saponins. The studies conducted showed the presence of alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, tannins, reducing and non-reducing sugars in healthy and SCSV-infected leaf extracts. The healthy leaf extract showed higher quantity for all metabolites except alkaloids.