Checklist of the grasses of India

A checklist of the grasses of India is presented, as compiled from survey of all available literature. Of the twelve subfamilies of grasses, ten are represented in India. Most subfamilies have been examined by taxonomic experts for up-to-date nomenclature. The list includes 1506 species plus infraspecific taxa and presents information on types, synonyms, distribution within India, and habit. Twelve new combinations are made, viz. Arctopoa tibetica (Munro ex Stapf) Prob. var. aristulata (Stapf) E.A. Kellogg, comb. nov.; Chimonocalamus nagalandianus (H.B. Naithani) L.G. Clark, comb. nov.; Chionachne digitata (L.f.) E.A. Kellogg, comb. nov.; Chionachne wallichiana (Nees) E.A. Kellogg, comb. nov.; Dinebra polystachyos (R. Br.) E.A. Kellogg, comb. nov.; Moorochloa eruciformis (Sm.) Veldkamp var. divaricata (Basappa & Muniv.) E.A. Kellogg, comb. nov.; Phyllostachys nigra (Lodd. ex Lindl.) Munro var. puberula (Miq.) Kailash, comb. & stat. nov.; Tzveleviochloa schmidii (Hook. f.) E.A. Kellogg, comb. nov.; Urochloa lata (Schumach.) C.E. Hubb. var. pubescens (C.E. Hubb.) E.A. Kellogg, comb. nov.; Urochloa ramosa (L.) T.Q. Nguyen var. pubescens (Basappa & Muniy.) E.A. Kellogg, comb. nov.; Urochloa semiundulata (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Ashalatha & V.J. Nair var. intermedia (Basappa & Muniy.) E.A. Kellogg, comb. nov.

Potencial do uso de quatro espécies de bambu para a produção de carvão vegetal para uso doméstico

A utilização de colmos de bambu pode ser uma importante alternativa de ampliação das fontes renováveis para a produção de bioenergia, inclusive para a produção de carvão. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o potencial de quatro espécies de bambu para a produção de carvão vegetal para uso doméstico, como forma de promoção do uso múltiplo desta matéria-prima e para geração de renda adicional para os agricultores familiares de Santa Catarina. Foram analisados cinco indivíduos das espécies Bambusa vulgaris, coletada em Florianópolis, e Phyllostachys bambusoides; Phyllostachys edulis e Phyllostachys nigra coletadas no município de Frei Rogério, Santa Catarina. As análises da massa específica básica dos colmos in natura, as propriedades físicas, rendimento da carbonização e propriedades energéticas do carvão foram realizadas nas porções basal, mediana e topo dos colmos de bambu de cada espécie. A qualidade do carvão vegetal variou entre as espécies de bambu, tendo como único ponto negativo o alto teor de cinzas para uso doméstico do carvão vegetal. Houve alta correlação positiva entre a densidade básica dos colmos e a densidade relativa aparente do carvão vegetal. A espécie Bambusa vulgaris apresentou o maior rendimento no processo produtivo, porém gerou carvão mais leve e com pior desempenho energético. Entre as espécies avaliadas, Phyllostachys nigra foi a espécie que produziu o carvão vegetal com a melhor qualidade energética e com boas propriedades físicas e rendimento gravimétrico. A qualidade do carvão vegetal variou em relação à altura do colmo. O topo dos colmos, que é o resíduo que pode ser destinado para a produção de carvão em plantios comerciais de bambu para múltiplos usos, apresentou maior rendimento no processo produtivo e carvão com maior densidade. Porém a qualidade energética do carvão foi inferior em relação a base e posição mediana dos colmos.

Common Bamboo Species Identification using Machine Learning and Deep Learning Algorithms

Due to its growth rate and strength, bamboo's versatility is huge. Bamboo has been developed to replace hardwood naturally. But it can be difficult to recognize a bamboo as many appear in a cluster or singular. Each bamboo type has its applications. Because of the utility of bamboo, we have worked in Random Forest, naive bays, logistic regression, the SVM-kernel, CNN, and ResNET, amongst several machine-learning algorithms. A similar test was carried out and delineated using graphs based on uncertainty matrix parameters and training accuracy. In this paper, we have used the data of following five species such as Phyllostachys nigra, Bambusa vulgaris ‘Striata‘, Dendrocalamus giganteu, Bambusa ventricosa, and Bambusa tulda which are generally found in north India. We trained, tested and validated the species from datasets using different machine learning and deep learning algorithms.

Antioxidant and Compositional HPLC Analysis of Three Common Bamboo Leaves

Bamboo leaves of Phyllostachys nigra (PN), Lophatherum gracile (LG), and Pleioblastus amarus (PA) are three common herbs in China. In this work, a new high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the simultaneous determination of seven compounds in bamboo leaves has been developed; and PN, LG, and PA leaves were analyzed. PN showed four times as much chlorogenic acid (CA) than the other two, and contained the most isoorientin (iso-ORI) and isovitexin (iso-VIT) as well. The PA presented the most orientin (ORI) and LG covered a majority of cynaroside (CYN). We measured the antioxidant activity by scavenging the stable 2,2-diphenyl-1-pyridinohydrazinyl (DPPH) free radicals, and found that Luteolin (inhibitory concentration (IC)50 = 0.42 µM, LUT) and CYN (IC50 = 0.43 µM) showed 2–3 times higher antioxidant activity than iso-ORI (IC50 = 0.81 µM), ORI (IC50 = 0.84 µM), and other related antioxidant standards such as trolox (IC50 = 0.97 µM) and ascorbic acid (IC50 = 0.93 µM, VC). Among extracts, PN and PA showed considerable antioxidant activity, which was related well with the contents of CA, iso-ORI, and iso-VIT (p < 0.05). This study firstly provides evidence for functional antioxidant compounds of bamboo leaves based on statistical analysis of the HPLC analysis and DPPH assay, and it lays a foundation for its further development or utilization.

Bamboo Stems (Phyllostachys nigra variety henosis) Containing Polyphenol Mixtures Activate Nrf2 and Attenuate Phenylhydrazine-Induced Oxidative Stress and Liver Injury

This study was designed to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of bamboo stems using in vitro and in vivo experimental liver damage models. Ethyl acetate fraction of 80% ethanol extract of Phyllostachys nigra stem (PN3) containing polyphenols had a higher NQO1-ARE reporter gene activity as monitored by the activity of the NF-E2-related factor (Nrf2) antioxidant pathway in cells in comparison to extracts from other species and under other conditions. The Nrf2 was translocated from the cytosol to the nucleus in response to PN3, followed by induction of the Nrf2 target gene expression, including HO-1, GCL, and NQO-1 in HepG2 cells. Phosphorylation of Nrf2 in HepG2 cells was enhanced in PN3, which was mediated by PKCδ, ERK, and p38 MAPK. Consequently, PN3 inhibited arachidonic acid (AA) + iron-induced reactive oxygen species generation and glutathione depletion, and, thus, highlighted their role in cytotoxicity. Treatment with major polyphenols of PN3, including catechin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and p-coumaric acid, also improved AA + iron-mediated oxidative stress and, thus, improved cell viability. Treatment with phenylhydrazine in mice, i.e., the iron overload liver injury model, increased plasma alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels and changed histological features in mice—a response that was almost completely blocked by PN3 administration. Moreover, PN3 extract mitigated phenylhydrazine-induced oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. Conclusively, PN3 can exert a hepatoprotective effect against iron overload-induced acute liver damage due to its antioxidant properties.

Cloning and Molecular Evolution Analysis of NBS Class Resistance Gene Analogs in Black Bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra)

The nucleotide binding site (NBS) domain sequences were iso­lated from genomic DNA in black bamboo, using the degenerate primer designed according to the conserved motifs of the NBS resistance gene. The expected size of the PCR product was about 700 bp. Among 55 positive clones, the amino acid sequence alignment identified 33 black bamboo resistance gene analogs (RGAs) that contain the NBS conserved motifs. All of the 33 RGAs ORFs were constructed in an NJ (Neighbor-joi­ning) tree, and divided into 10 groups. This analysis demonstrated the diversity of the NBS class RGA in black bamboo. The maximum likelihood estimates of various evolutionary models were analyzed; the result showed that 2 groups with a total of 10 sequences and 12 sites demonstrated statistically significant positive selection. Most of the positive selected sites were not located in the NBS conserved motifs. Two groups of gene conversion events had been discovered, which provide a mate­rial basis and research direction in isolating black bamboo R genes.