Asian Journal of Research in Botany

Phytochemicals are the bioactive compounds that are non-nutritional and located in different sections of plants. In plants, these substances play essential roles, especially in defending against threats and extreme environmental factors. Maize is called the cereal of the future due to its nutritional benefits and the use of its products and by-products. Maize comprises numerous bioactive phytochemicals and mineral components that enhance its nutritional and medicinal properties. The study aims to investigate variations in bioactive compounds and elemental analysis of selected Maize (Zea mays L) Landraces in Nigeria. A germplasm collection exploration was undertaken in collaboration with Agricultural Development Projects (ADP) extension officers in all areas of production. The study involved visits to farming villages in the states, questionnaires were administered through an interpreter in some cases, and a sample of available maize accessions under husbandry was collected. Determination of mineral elements was done according to the method of AOAC (1990). This was used to determine the mineral content by the use of an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) using prepared standards of the different mineral elements to be analysed. The results of the Phenol contents showed that the accession KD-02 had the highest meanwith a value of 109.65 mg/g while the least was recorded in the accession JS-01 with a mean value of 75.35 mg/g. The flavonoid content was highest in accession NG-01 with the value of 57.70 mg/g, followed by accessions BA-02 with the mean value of 45.82 mg/g, and the lowest was observed in JG-01 with the value of 14.14 mg/g. The accession JS-03 had the highest Tannin content with the value of 7.44 mg/g. The lowest Alkaloid content was obtainedin accession JG-03 with the value of 3.89 mg/g. The saponin content was highest in accession KD-03 with the value of 125 mg/g. The lowestoxalate content was recorded in NG-03 (0.46), this value was significantly the same as JG-01, KD-02, JG-02 and KD-03. In terms of Phytate composition, accession KD-04had the highest mean value (73.34). The results obtained for the elemental analysis revealed accession KD-03 to havethe least Sodium (Na) with 1.18%, Potassium content was highest in the accession JG-04 and KD-02 with a meanvalue of 8.51 %. The accession JS-03 recordedthe leastmean of (4.85 %), NA-01 had the highest Magnesium (Mg) content with a mean of (6.63 %), In terms of Iron (Fe) the accessions BA-02 andKD-01 had the least with a mean of(0.32 % and 0.33 %) while JG-04recordedthe highest mean in terms of Zinc (0.56). Maize is one of the most widely consumed cereal crops globally, serving as a primary source of nutrition for humans and livestock. However, maize contains various bioactive compounds, including Phenols, flavonoids, Tannins, Alkaloids, saponins, oxalate, and Phytate, which are indications of the presence of secondary metabolites.