Characterization of non polar-polar solvent extracts from some tea plantation shade tree leaves with special reference to antioxidant and antibacterial activities

Beneficial properties of shade trees of tea plantations other than their medicinal properties have been extensively studied. This research was initiated to explore the properties of some shade trees with special emphasis on their antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Leaves from shade tree like Dalbergia sissoo (DS), Cassia siamea (CS), Derris robusta (DR), Leucaena leucocephala (LL), Acacia lenticularis (AL) and Melia azedarach (MA) were used for the study. Characterization of shade tree leaves by determination of moisture, crude fibre and ash content and tests of non polar – polar solvent extracts for steroid, tannins, cardiac glycosides and coumarin, free radical scavenging, ferric reducing power, NO scavenging activities, quantification of Flavonoids and antibacterial activity were conducted. The average moisture, crude fibre and ash percentage of shade tree plants were found to be 62.95, 11.28 and 1.86 respectively. Methanol, ethanol, acetone and ethyl acetate respectively proved to be the most potent solvent for various phytochemical extractions as it gave positive results for tests like tannin, steroid, cardiac glycosides and coumarin. AL (91.46%), DR (92.69%), LL (94.32%) and MA (93.34%) leaf extracts showed a high level of DPPH scavenging activity in their water extracts. In DS (88.11%) and CS (83.23%) maximum DPPH scavenging activity was observed in Diethyl ether and Methanol extracts respectively. Acetone extracts were more active than the water extracts in exhibiting ferric reducing power and NO scavenging activity. Summation of the quantity revealed that DS showed maximum presence of flavonoids and acetone as most potential for isolation of flavonoids. The decreasing order of summative antibacterial activity was recorded in DS, followed by CS, DR, AL, MA and LL. Chloroform showed the highest summative inhibition zone followed by ethanol, ethyl acetate, diethyl ether, acetone, water, hexane, benzene and methanol. The antioxidant and antibacterial potential of shade trees were established.

Genetic variability and regression analysis for yield and quality traits in Brassica napus

An experiment was conducted to estimate the genetic variability and regression analysis for yield and quality traits in a set of eight brassica genotypes in a randomized complete block design with three replications at The University of Agriculture Peshawar, during 2011-12 cropping season. Significant genetic variability was recorded among genotypes for plant height, pods main receme-1, pod length, seed yield plant-1, 1000-seed weight, seeds pod-1, oil content, protein content, glucosinolate content, erucic acid content, oleic acid content and linolenic acid content except for primary branch plant-1 and pods plant-1 which showed non-significant differences. Genotypes, AUP-401, AUP-402, AUP-404 and AUP-407 showed potential performance for glucosinolate content (55.1 µmol g-1), seed yield plant-1 (23.93 g), pods plant-1 (268.83), protein contents (21.1 %), erucic acid contents (42.7 %) and oil contents (53.3 %). Seed yield plant-1 was taken as a dependent variable to study the effects of many morphological yield traits on it. Branches plant-1, pods main raceme-1, pods plant-1, and seed pod-1 showed a positive effect on seed yield plant-1, while 1000-seed weight, pod length, and plant height showed a negative effect on seed yield plant-1. Seed yield plant-1 as an independent variable showed a negative effect on oil content. Protein content as an independent variable showed a positive effect on erucic acid content, while oil contents as independent variables show a negative effect on protein contents, respectively. The developed germplasm could be used in the upcoming brassica breeding programs to release high yielding, disease resistance, stress tolerance, and insect resistance varieties, which will eventually upsurge the productivity and decrease the gap between demand and domestic production of the brassica crop.

Variability for agromorphological traits, genetic parameters, correlation and path coefficient analyses in Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

Understanding phenotypic and genotypic variability of Bangladeshi lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) in relation to exotic lentil is important in attempting to widen the genetic base of the germplasm in the country. An experiment was conducted using 30 diverse lentil genotypes to study the agromorphological and genetic variability, heritability, expected genetic advance and inter-relationship of ten yield attributing traits. The genotypes showed highly significant (p<0.01) variations for all of the studied traits. These characters also had higher phenotypic co-efficient of variation (PCV) than those of the corresponding genotypic co-efficient of variation (GCV). High heritability (ranged from 66-98%) was found among the traits. Seed yield plant-1 and number of seeds plant-1 showed high heritability accompanied with high genetic advance (as percent mean). Correlation coefficient studies revealed that number of pods plant-1, number of seeds plant-1 and 100-seed weight contributed to highly significant (p<0.01) positive correlation with seed yield plant-1. Days to 50% flowering and days to maturity were showed highly significant negative correlation with seed yield plant-1. Path analysis showed the highest positive direct effects of 100-seed weight followed by the number of secondary branches plant-1 and number of seeds plant-1 on seed yield plant-1. Days to 50% flowering via 100-seed weight contributed the highest negative indirect effect on seed yield plant-1. Maximum negative direct effect of plant height and days to 50% flowering was observed on seed yield plant-1. Results indicated that the exotic accessions could be effective for the improvement of the yield of lentil.

Micropropagation, genetic fidelity assessment and phytochemical studies of Clerodendrum thomsoniae Balf. f. with special reference to its anti-stress properties

Clerodendrum thomsoniae commonly known as bleeding heart vine or bag flower which is a good candidate for a new crop for the floriculture industry. In this study, in-vitro callus regeneration of C. thomsoniae through nodal culture has been attempted. Murashige and Skoog’s medium supplemented with 2 mg/l BAP and 0.5 mg/l

SCREENING OF ANTIBACTERIAL AND PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF MALVA PARVIFLORA LINN. FRUIT EXTRACTS AGAINST RESPIRATORY TRACT PATHOGENS

Malva parviflora fruit extracts was subjected for extraction with different solvents and tested for antibacterial property by agar well diffusion method against five bacterial pathogens responsible for respiratory tract infections. From this plant, all the studied extracts revealed inhibitory action towards tested microorganisms. Highest inhibition was in methanol and ranged between 15.3±0.28 to 20.6±0.57 mm with uppermost activity against S. pneumoniae and lowest against P. aeruginosa respectively. The MIC were fixed by two-fold serial dilution method and recorded for methanol extracts at 3.12-12.5 mg/ml. Phytochemical study revealed the variable presence of secondary metabolites including alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, steroids, terpenes, saponins and tannins. From the results, it can be concluded that M. parviflora has significant bioactivity against tested microorganisms and can be utilized in drug development against respiratory ailments.

INTRA SPECIFIC ANALYSIS OF GLORIOSA SUPERBA (L) THROUGH ISSR FINGER PRINTING AND DNA SEQUENCING OF ECOTYPES COLLECTED FROM DIFFERENT ACCESSIONS OF TAMIL NADU STATE, INDIA

Diversity within and among the population of Gloriosa superba collected from five different location of Tamil Nadu State, India, were explored by using Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) DNA sequencing method. A total of 86.27% of polymorphic bands were seen in 94 reproducible bands generated from 12 number of ISSR primer ranging between 200bp to1000bp of band width. ISSR primer produces the bands with an average polymorphism of more than ninety nine percent among all the ecotypes. The dendrograms drawn for the analysis of genetic similarity in all the ecotypes. Our studies revealed that, genetic variations among different accessions of Gloriosa superba (L) was very well identified with the help of ISSR finger printing technique.

Establishment of Callus and Cell Suspension Cultures of Helicteres isora L.

Helicteres isora L. (Malvaceae) is a medicinal plant highly used in traditional therapeutic practices. It has shown wide-spectrum therapeutic activities including anti-plasmodial, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, hepatoprotective, antinociceptive, antioxidant and anti-HIV. Present investigation was undertaken with an objective of establishment of cell suspension cultures of this plant which can be further used for in vitro production of desired secondary metabolites and their further scale-up. Seed dormancy was broken using sulfuric acid and seedlings were raised in vitro. MS medium supplemented with 2,4-D (0.5 mg/L) produced maximum callus from the nodal explants. The callus produced was used as an explant for the establishment of suspension cultures. MS medium without any supplement was proved best for the establishment of cell suspension cultures of H. isora. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on H. isora cell suspension culture establishment.

EFFECT OF INOCULATION METHODS OF BIOZOTE-MAX (PLANT GROWTH PROMOTING RHIZOBACTERIA-PGPR) ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF RICE UNDER NATURALLY SALT-AFFECTED SOIL

A field experiment was carried out at the experimental farm of Soil Salinity Research Institute, Pindi Bhattian during 2016-17 to assess evaluate different Rhizobial inoculation methods on growth and yield of rice (Oryza sativa) cv. Basmati-385 under naturally salt-affected soil (pH= 8.12, ECe= 7.88 dS m-1and SAR=24.96). Seeds of rice were inoculated with Biozote–Max (Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria-PGPR) produced in Soil Biology and Biotechnology Research Programme of Land Resources Research Institute, National Agricultural research Centre (NARC), Islamabad under PARC-Agrotech. Company (Pvt) Ltd. NARC, Islamabad in three ways i.e. rice seeds inoculated for direct seeding and nursery and dipping seedling roots in the solutions of these rhizobial strains comparable of control un-inoculated (control) by each inoculation method. The performances of Rhizobial strain Biozote–Max used as seed and seedling root dipping inoculation were superior to uninoculated control in all the parameters of the rice crop. Among the treatments, seed and seedling root dipping inoculation with Rhizobial strain Biozote–Max performed best in recording plant height, panicle length, number of tillers, 1000-grain weight and grain yield of rice crop. Maximum tillering was observed with all strains under different inoculation methods. Although, the strains performed better as compared to control, however, dipping of nursery roots produced significantly higher yield followed by seed inoculation for direct seeding. Overall, among all the inoculation methods seedling root dipping produced comparable paddy yield. The highest paddy yield (367 g m-2) was harvested with SBCC (M8) seed inoculation which was 13% more than that of un-inoculated (control).

EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT GERMPLASM OF BRASSICA JUNCEA AGAINST OROBANCHE AEGYPTIACA

Among the major weed groups that cause huge economic losses to important cropping systems, Orobanche species are greatly devastating. Egyptian broomrape (Orobanche aegyptiaca) is a parasitic weed causing major yield loss in many field and vegetable crops and is a serious threat to Indian mustard. In this study, severalgenotypes of Indian mustard were screened in order to identify resistant genotypes against O. aegyptiaca. In the greenhouse conditions, genotypes were different in the degree of susceptibility to Broomrape. Attachment number, emergence number, and dry matter of parasitic broomrape were affected by biomass of genotype. A significant impact of the parasitism onto the dry weight of all infected mustard genotype with variable degree was observed. Broomrape attachment was observed in all the cultivated genotypes with Pusa mustard 24 being the most susceptible with the greatest number of emerged Orobanche shoots. In contrast, no emergence shoots were observed in four out of the fifteen genotype viz., Pusa Jaikisan, Pusa bold, Pusa Vijay and Pusa mustard 26 which have less attachment number and emergence number. These genotype appear to be interesting for our objectives.

LEAFY HEPATICS FROM SOME REGIONS OF WESTERN GHATS (MAHARASHTRA)

The present study reports ten taxa of leafy hepatics (Jugermanniae) viz. Lejeunea cavifolia, L. flava ;Taxilejeunea indica ; Cololejeunea lanciloba, C.himalayensis; Ptycanthus striatus; Frullania ericoides; Jungermannia tetragona; Notoscyphus pandeii and Plagiochilla chopraii from the ranges of Western Ghats lying in Maharashtra.These ten taxa belonged to eight genera under four families.The descriptions of each specimen, illustrations and localities of collection are presented. Among these Cololejeunea lanciloba,C.himalayensis are epiphyllous,J.tetragona is terricolous, while rest of them are corticolous.