Evaluation of Antioxidant and Antifungal Activity of the Whole Part of Dactyloctenium aegyptium Weed on Bengal Gram

Background: This study was conducted about the effectiveness of weed Dactyloctenium aegyptium. Weedsare familiar dominant, redundant, adverse and weed that contend with sophisticated crop for water, nutrient and sunlight and another several reasons such as, high growth rate, high reproductive rate and produce harmful or beneficial allelopathical effect of cultivated crops. The stems of Dactyloctenium aegyptium are willowy, geniculate and leaves are found roughly. Methods: This Investigation was done in 2018-19 to 2020-21. Different part of Dactyloctenium aegyptium as leaves and seed was taken from the near area of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Agriculture and Technology University Modipuram Meerut. The samples were shade dry for 24 to 48 hours and then grind in the powder form. The extract were prepare in different organic solvent as Methanol, Ethyl acetate, Butyl alcohol, Benzene and Water at 1:10 ratio. Antioxidant activity of weed extracts by three methods named DPPH FRAP and ABTS methods. Result: All part of this weed show effectiveness due to the presence of active compound, who responsible for the positive result. Extract mixed with media at a particular concentration i.e. 5%, 10% and 15% show effect on soil borne fungal phytopathogens and then over the surface of petriplate the growth was appear reduce when we increase the concentration of extract. At the end we conclude that the 15% extract concentration of both part of Dactyloctenium reduce the growth of all the soil borne fungal phytopathogens.

Comparative Chemical Profiles and Phytotoxic Activity of Essential Oils of Two Ecospecies of Pulicaria undulata (L.) C.A.Mey

The Asteraceae (Compositae) family is one of the largest angiosperm families that has a large number of aromatic species. Pulicaria undulata is a well-known medicinal plant that is used in the treatment of various diseases due to its essential oil (EO). The EO of both Saudi and Egyptian ecospecies were extracted via hydrodistillation, and the chemical compounds were identified by GC–MS analysis. The composition of the EOs of Saudi and Egyptian ecospecies, as well as other reported ecospecies, were chemometrically analyzed. Additionally, the phytotoxic activity of the extracted EOs was tested against the weeds Dactyloctenium aegyptium and Bidens pilosa. In total, 80 compounds were identified from both ecospecies, of which 61 were Saudi ecospecies, with a preponderance of β-pinene, isoshyobunone, 6-epi-shyobunol, α-pinene, and α-terpinolene. However, the Egyptian ecospecies attained a lower number (34 compounds), with spathulenol, hexahydrofarnesyl acetone, α-bisabolol, and τ--cadinol as the main compounds. The chemometric analysis revealed that the studied ecospecies and other reported species were different in their composition. This variation could be attributed to the difference in the environmental and climatic conditions. The EO of the Egyptian ecospecies showed more phytotoxic activity against D. aegyptium and B. pilosa than the Saudi ecospecies. This variation might be ascribed to the difference in their major constituents. Therefore, further study is recommended for the characterization of authentic materials of these compounds as allelochemicals against various weeds, either singular or in combination.

Resilience strategies of West African pastoralists in response to scarce forage resources

Finding sufficient natural fodder resources to feed livestock has become a challenge for herders in the Sahel zone of Burkina Faso. Despite the existence of pastoral reserves, the issue of fodder shortage remains unsolved. This article highlights the changes in behaviour and the evolution of pastoral practices caused by the scarcity of forage resources. These changes are defined and classified as resilience strategies. Thus, this paper aims to analyse these strategies using new semantics that calls for other forms of perceptions or approach to the questions of pastoralists’ resilience strategies. Interviews (semi-structured and casual conversations), ethnographic observations and ethnobotanical surveys were used to collect data. In rangelands, such high value fodder species as Andropogon gayanus, Pennisetum pedicellatum and Dactyloctenium aegyptium that were abundant herbaceous plants during the last decades are disappearing. Concomitantly, species with lower forage value, such as Senna obtusifolia, which are more resilient to ecological disturbance factors, are colonizing rangelands. Faced with these ecological changes, pastoralists are trying to redefine and reconfigure their practices, and this implies a redefinition of their identity. They use resilience strategies such as mowing grasses, building up fodder bundles, conserving crop residues, exploiting Senna obtusifolia (a previously neglected species), using woody fodder and adapting the type of livestock and the size of the herds to the ability of pastoralists to feed them. Strategies that are older than these are the integration of agriculture with livestock and decollectivized transhumance. It is these resilience strategies that this article exposes and analyses as defence mechanisms of Sahelian pastoralists in the face of the depletion of forage resources in their environments.

Species introductions through coconut fibre

Based on plant material collected in the forest nursery of the Balearic Island Forestry Center (CEFOR) for autochthonous plant production and the University of the Balearic Islands experimental facilities, two new plant records are presented for the Mediterranean island of Mallorca. Dactyloctenium aegyptium, an invasive grass previously recorded in other areas of the Mediterranean basin, and Glinus oppositifolius, a new record for the European flora. In both cases the species are presumed to have arrived through contaminated batches of the coconut fibre substrate used in both facilities.

Chemical Composition, Allelopathic, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Sesquiterpenes Rich Essential Oil of Cleome amblyocarpa Barratte & Murb.

The integration of green natural chemical resources in agricultural, industrial, and pharmaceutical applications allures researchers and scientistic worldwide. Cleome amblyocarpa has been reported as an important medicinal plant. However, its essential oil (EO) has not been well studied; therefore, the present study aimed to characterize the chemical composition of the C. amblyocarpa, collected from Egypt, and assess the allelopathic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities of its EO. The EO of C. amblyocarpa was extracted by hydrodistillation and characterized via gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The chemometric analysis of the EO composition of the present studied ecospecies and the other reported ecospecies was studied. The allelopathic activity of the EO was evaluated against the weed Dactyloctenium aegyptium. Additionally, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were determined. Forty-eight compounds, with a prespondence of sesquiterpenes, were recorded. The major compounds were caryophyllene oxide (36.01%), hexahydrofarnesyl acetone (7.92%), alloaromadendrene epoxide (6.17%), myrtenyl acetate (5.73%), isoshyobunone (4.52%), shyobunol (4.19%), and trans-caryophyllene (3.45%). The chemometric analysis revealed inconsistency in the EO composition among various studied ecospecies, where it could be ascribed to the environmental and climatic conditions. The EO showed substantial allelopathic inhibitory activity against the germination, seedling root, and shoot growth of D. aegyptium, with IC50 values of 54.78, 57.10, and 74.07 mg L−1. Additionally, the EO showed strong antioxidant potentiality based on the IC50 values of 4.52 mg mL−1 compared to 2.11 mg mL−1 of the ascorbic acid as standard. Moreover, this oil showed significant anti-inflammation via the suppression of lipoxygenase (LOX) and cyclooxygenases (COX1, and COX2), along with membrane stabilization. Further study is recommended for analysis of the activity of pure authentic materials of the major compounds either singularly or in combination, as well as for evaluation of their mechanism(s) and modes of action as antioxidants or allelochemicals.

Evaluation of Herbicidal Potential of Eucalyptus spp for Biological Control of Dactyloctenium aegyptium L.

Pots culture experiment was conducted to evaluates the herbicidal potential of Eucalyptus spp. (aceae) on growth of Dactyloctenium aegyptium L. (Poaceae). Leaves extract with concentrations of 10, 20 and 40% of Eucalyptus plant were applied as soil and foliar application to seeds and seedlings of D. aegyptium species. The result indicated that the application of Eucalyptus leaves extracts caused significant reduction in germination traits, root and shoot length, seedling fresh and dry weights. Also, the result revealed that the Inhibitory effect of Eucalyptus extract on D. aegyptium L was more noticeable in plant growth traits than on germination traits. Results show that among the different concentration of Eucalyptus leave extracts used in this study, 40% was the most toxic and caused the significant effect on germination and growth traits of Dactyloctenium aegyptium. Application of 40% of Eucalyptus leave extract decreased germination percentage by 30%, mean daily germination by 45%, shoot length by 38%. root length by 54%, number of branches by 61%, number of leavesby59%, seedling fresh weights by 23%, seedling dry weights by 62% and seedling vigor index by 60%. The results of this study concluded that the use of Eucalyptus plants have the potential to be developed further as a bio-herbicide system to control weed such as Dactyloctenium aegyptium L. However, more researches are needed to evaluate the negative impact of Eucalyptus on crop growth.

Cytotoxicity and Nitric Oxide Production Inhibitory Activities of Compounds Isolated from the Plant Pathogenic Fungus Curvularia sp

Chemical investigation of the mycelia of the pathogenic fungus Curvularia sp. which was isolated from a leaf of Dactyloctenium aegyptium (crowfoot grass), resulted in the isolation of a new compound, curvulariahawadride (5), along with five known compounds (1–4, and 6). Their structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic data, including 1D and 2D NMR and HRESIMS. The absolute configuration of 5 was established from experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD). Compounds 1, 3, and 5 showed nitric oxide (NO) production inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 53.7, 32.8, and 12.8 µM, respectively. Compounds 2 and 4 showed significant cytotoxicity against lung cancer A549, colorectal cancer SW480, and leukemic K562 cells with an IC50 ranging value of 11.73 to 17.59 µM.

Herbicida e palha de babaçu em banco de sementes de plantas daninhas na cultura do feijão-caupi

A estimativa do banco de sementes da população infestante é importante na elaboração de estratégias de controle de plantas daninhas que interferem na produção das culturas. Objetivou-se com este trabalho realizar o levantamento da composição específica da vegetação infestante que constitui o banco de sementes na cultura do feijão-caupi quando associada a aplicação de palha de babaçu e herbicidas. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso em quatro repetições, com os tratamentos dispostos em esquema simples, distribuídos em dois herbicida (bentazon e fluazifop-p- butil) e quatro quantidade de palhas de babaçu (0; 5; 10 e 15 t.ha-1). Além disso, foi mantida uma testemunha infestada com mato durante todo o ciclo da cultura, constituindo nove tratamentos experimentais. As folhas de palmeiras babaçu foram coletadas, triturada e pesadas seguindo cada tratamento e distribuídas nas entrelinhas do feijão-caupi após a emergência da cultura. Os herbicidas foram aplicados plantulas com a segunda e terceira folha trifoliolada completamente expandida. Estimou-se o banco de sementes retirando 50 amostras simples, após a colheita da cultura do feijão. As plântulas foram quantificadas e identificadas, calculado os parâmetros fitossociológicos: densidade relativa (De. R), frequência relativa (Fr. R.) e o índice de valor de importância (IVI). A composição florística do banco de sementes é representada pelas famílias Poaceae e Cyperaceae. As espécies Cyperus iria e Dactyloctenium aegyptium apresentam o maior número de indivíduos no período avaliado. O maior número de sementes viáveis foi obtido no tratamento T7 (fluazifop-p- butyl e 10 t ha-1 de palha).

Pengaruh Ekstrak Gulma dan Bahan Alami Terhadap Perkecambahan Jagung

<p>The presence of weeds in the crop can become a competitor and reduce crop production. Each type of weed and naturally materials contains different allelochemical compounds. This research aims to create appropriate technology for weed management in maize cultivation, especially in the early growth phase (germination) so that it can suppress the effect of weeds at the beginning of growth and increase maize growth. The research used a completely randomized design (CRD) with 8 treatments namely aquadest (without weed extract/control), extract of the weed in the teki groups (<em>Cyperus rotundus</em>), grass weeds (<em>Dactyloctenium aegyptium</em>) and wide leaf weeds (<em>Euphorbia heterophylla</em>), ketapang, beluntas, acacia, and ginger (<em>Zingiberaceae</em>). The results showed that weed extract of <em>D. aegyptium</em> gave the greatest effect of inhibition of germination compared to <em>C. rotundus</em> and <em>E. heterophylla</em> at 12 DAS. Ginger leaf extract (<em>Zingiberaceae</em>) had the greatest effect on inhibition of germination compared to ketapang, beluntas, and acacia on corn seeds at 7 DAS. The application of weed extracts and natural ingredients can have an inhibitory effect, especially on the growth phase, namely the maize germination phase.</p>

Efficacy of Post-Emergence Herbicides against Important Weeds of Sugarcane in North-East Thailand

Weeds represent a significant problem in Thailand’s sugarcane production. The various cycles of sugarcane cultivation result in degrees of weed severity in which each species requires a different weed control method, the most popular of which is the post-emergence herbicide method. However, sugarcane farmers often use incorrect rates, and operators’ safety is missing or applications are not selective, causing toxicity and interrupted growth of sugarcane. The effects of post-emergence herbicide types, time, and application rates are presented herein, through an experiment in Northeast Thailand, conducted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. The herbicides paraquat and ametryn were evaluated, with paraquat being more effective, yet resulting in higher toxicity and lower yield components. We may conclude through our experiments that ametryn and paraquat can be applied only once for sugarcane at the tillering stage and at rates of 540 and 2400 g ai ha−1, respectively. These rates were lower than the recommended rates, which represented the minimum doses necessary to control Thailand’s dominant weed species like Brachiaria distachya (L.) Stapf., Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) P.B., Praxelis clematidea R.M King & H. Rob and Pennisetum polystachion (L.) Schult. Consequently, the adequate control of weeds is a rather case-specific situation and therefore each weed species should be taken into account.