Abstract:
The study aimed to analyse the secondary metabolites in wild papaya genotypes
for Papaya Ring Spot Virus (PRSV) resistance. In this study, two cultivated papaya
varieties viz., CO.7, TNAU papaya CO.8 and two wild genotypes viz., Vasconcellea
caulifora and Vasconcellea candamarcensis with seven different solvents including
polar (aqueous, ethanol, methanol, acetone and ethyl acetate) and non-polar (hexane
and chloroform) were used for phytochemical analysis. The qualitative analysis for
alkaloid, phenol, saponin, tannin, flavonoids, steroids, glycosides, and terpenoids and
quantitative analysis for total phenol, tannin, alkaloid, and flavonoids were determined
along with the characterization of secondary metabolites using Gas Chromatography
and Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The results indicated that wild genera (V. caulifora
and V. candamarcensis) possessed extraneous phytoconstituents which were
absent in cultivated papaya varieties (CO.7 and TNAU papaya CO.8). Among all the
phytoconstituents examined in the study, it was concluded that three compounds viz.,
Dodecanoic acid, Squalene, and 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid were reported to possess
antiviral activity against plant viruses.