Current Botany

Phytochemical analysis and antibacterial activity of Andrographis lineata Nees (Acanthaceae)

2023-08-29T16:22:15+0530

Andrographis lineata Nees is an erect herb and has been used as a traditional medicine against many diseases. The present study was to investigate the phytochemical analysis and antibacterial activity of A. lineata plant extracts. The methanolic extracts of A. lineata showed a variety of phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, tannins, terpenoids etc. The quantitative estimation of major phytochemical constituents revealed maximum amount of phenolic content in the roots and alkaloids in both the stem and leaf. Correspondingly, the highest amount of tannins and terpenoids were recorded in the leaf and flavonoids in the root samples. Furthermore, the plant extracts of A. lineata showed antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Comparatively, stem extract was effective against Streptococcus mutans (18.19±0.04 mm), leaf extract against Enterobacter faecalis (24.13±0.14 mm) and root extract against Bacillus subtilis (24.09±0.14 mm) at 30 μg/μL concentration. However, the leaf extract was more effective against Escherichia coli (25.13±0.16 mm), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20.20±0.13 mm) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (18.18±0.17 mm) at 30 μg/μL concentration. The studies infer that the phytochemical constituents of A. lineata have antibacterial properties and these herbs may be considered as the medicinal plant for treating bacterial diseases.

Engineered nanomaterials in plant protection: their controlled, site-directed delivery and phytotoxicity

2022-08-05T17:14:55+0530

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are being produced and utilized in certain nanoformulations almost in every sector of development including agriculture. The diverse groups of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) provide numerous benefits in agriculture, but their bulk and direct delivery pose a serious risk to the plants and ecosystem for a long time. The harmful effects on all the exposed living systems are owing to the variable shape, size, behaviour and toxic properties of ENPs. The accumulated ENMs in plant tissue may lead to biomagnification at a higher trophic level causing severe toxicity. The hazardous effects of these entities can be minimized with their controlled, specified and targeted delivery to the crop plants. Such smart-delivery systems as Ehrlich’s ‘magic bullets’ are being demonstrated for nutrients and growth enhancers, fertilizers, pesticides and weedicides; as well as biomolecules in plant genetic engineering. This review summarizes the benefits of ENMs and ENPs in plant protection to increase crop productivity, their targeted delivery suggesting sustainable utilization, and the available information on phytotoxicity.

In vitro regeneration of Arisaema leschenaultii (Blume) using leaf explants

2023-09-26T14:05:10+0530

A standard in vitro regeneration protocol from leaf explants was developed for a potential medicinal plant Arisaema leschenaultii. Maximum callus induction (78%) was achieved on MS medium fortified with BAP (1.5 mg/L) and NAA (0.9 mg/L). The maximum percentage of shoot proliferation (75%) was attained on MS medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/L of BAP and 0.5 mg/L of GA₃. The highest root induction (70%) was achieved on MS medium prepared with the combination of NAA (1.5 mg/L) and IBA (0.6 mg/L). The well-rooted plantlets that successfully followed acclimatization in the green house survived. The present efficient and optimized protocol provides mass propagation as well as the possibility of germplasm conservation for this study species.

An Inhibition of proliferation of human osteosarcoma cell line (MG63) by ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi L.) plant extract

2023-11-04T22:22:53+0530

Trachyspermum ammi L. (TA), popularly called ajwain, is a well-known spice plant, with fruit pods that are used in Indian traditional medicine. Fruits of this plant were scientifically investigated for medicinal properties, but no studies are reported on the vegetative parts of the plant. Hence, the present investigation is aimed to evaluate the aerial parts of the plant for anti-proliferative and antioxidant effects. Methanolic extract (Me) of TA was subjected to sequential fractionation using the solvents in the increasing order of polarity viz. hexane (He), dichloromethane (Dcm), ethyl acetate (Ea), n-butanol (n-Bu), and water (Aq). Phytochemical analyses, DPPH radical scavenging assay, and in vitro antiproliferative activity on the MG63 osteosarcoma cell line (MTT assay) were performed. Preliminary phytochemical analyses revealed the presence of reducing and non-reducing sugars, amino acids, tannins, phenols, terpenoids, and saponins. Ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest amount of total phenolics (367.90±0.02), followed by n-Bu (287.50±0.04), Dcm (193.56±0.07), Me extract (190.14±0.07), Aq (142.20±0.02) and He (80.74±0.01) fractions. Ethyl acetate fraction exhibited higher DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀ =116.74 μg/mL) followed by n-Bu (IC₅₀=133.81 μg/mL) fraction with a correlation to the higher amount of phenolics and flavonoids. However, maximum antiproliferative activity was exhibited by hexane fraction on MG 63 human osteosarcoma cell line which can be attributed to the presence of thymol, a monoterpenoid phenol present in ajwain. The current study indicates that the aerial parts of T. ammi Linn. can be considered as potential antioxidants and therapeutic against osteosarcoma.

Antigenotoxic potential of the aqueous basidiocarp extracts of Calocybe indica

2024-02-01T11:12:01+0530

Calocybe indica, commonly known as the milky white mushroom, is an edible mushroom native to India. The antigenotoxic potential of the aqueous basidiocarp extract (25 g/L and 50 g/L) of C. indica was investigated using the Allium cepa test system. Meristematic cells of root tips treated with 100% Coca-Cola served as a positive control. A significant reduction in the mitotic index (7.83 ± 0.60) was observed in the positive control (100% Coca-Cola) compared to the negative control. The highest percentage (65.25 ± 4.58) of chromosomal abnormalities was observed in the positive control. Chromosomal abnormalities were significantly reduced in root tip cells treated with Coca-Cola followed by treatment with basidiocarp extracts such as 25 g/L and 50 g/L (30.32 ± 4.44 and 14.20 ± 2.41, respectively). Coca-Cola induced chromosomal abnormalities were reduced by treatment with basidiocarp extracts, demonstrating the antimutagenic potential of C. indica. The present study indicates that the aqueous basidiocarp extracts of C. indica have anti-genotoxic effects. The clastogenic abnormalities caused by Coca-Cola are competently restored in the root meristem cells of A. cepa treated with the extract.

Occurrence of guggulsterone content based chemotypes in Commiphora wightii

2024-01-15T13:39:51+0530

Commiphora wightii is a critically endangered plant endemic in the arid and semi-arid regions of India. Oleogum is produced by the plant schizogenously. Upon making an incision, this gum exudes from the wound and solidifies in the arid environment. This solidfied gum-resin called ‘gum guggul or guggal’ is mentioned in Ayurvedic, Unani and Siddha literature for the treatment of many ailments. The steroidal ketones, E- and Z- guggulsterone are believed to be the active principles responsible for the medicinal properties. These resin samples were collected from plants in a few regions of Rajasthan, India, for quantitation of guggulsterone content using HPLC. Based on the quantitation of the guggulsterone content, we were able to identify three chemotypes. The first and the most common chemotype showed relatively much higher Z-guggulsterone than E-guggulsterone, the second type showed the absence of E-guggulsterone, the third and rare type showed the presence of equal amounts E- and Z-guggulsterone.

Foliar epidermal micromorphology of genus Glochidion J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. (Phyllanthaceae) by using light and electron microscopy

2023-09-21T14:10:34+0530

The present study was conducted to compare both qualitative and quantitative characteristics of foliar epidermal micromorphology on some members of Glochidion in Assam. As taxonomic attributes, the foliar epidermal micromorphology study of nine taxa of both abaxial and adaxial surfaces was performed by using light microscopy (LM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The result showed both amphistomatic and hypostomatic types of leaf surfaces. On the same surface of the leaf, multiple types of stomata were observed such as anomocytic, anisocytic, hemiparacytic, and paracytic types. Significant diversity and variations were observed in stomatal number, size, area, epidermal cell number, subsidiary cells, and trichomes. The stomatal index, stomatal shape, epidermal cell shape, length and width of the stomata, and trichomes showed variation among the studied taxa. Glands were absent in all studied members. Papillae and epicuticular wax crystals were observed in some taxa. In addition, a taxonomic key was also provided based on foliar leaf epidermal characteristics using qualitative and quantitative data from LM and FESEM. Based on quantitative data of foliar leaf micromorphology, principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis were carried out to authenticate the micromorphological data. These would aid in the identification of taxa as well as in taxonomic delimitation.

Effects of copper, nickel and lead on growth parameters and antioxidative defense system of Solanum lycopersicum L.

2023-09-16T18:11:21+0530

The current study assessed the effects of lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and nickel (Ni) in roots and shoots on growth indices, the antioxidative defense system, and metal uptake in Solanum lycopersicum L. variety Punjab Kesar Cherry. For 60 days, S. lycopersicum seeds were exposed to varying amounts of three metals (0-100 μM of Cu and 0-60 μM of Ni and Pb). In comparison to the control, the percentage of germination, root and shoot length, and fresh and dry weight of the roots and shoots all decreased, according to the results. The bioaccumulation factor of both roots and shoots, along with the translocation factor, increased at lower concentrations and decreased at higher concentrations; for Pb, on the other hand, the translocation factor increased with increasing concentrations. At 60 μM, the order of the bioaccumulation factor was Cu>Ni>Pb for roots, and Cu>Pb>Ni for shoots. The antioxidative enzyme activities, including ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), dehydro ascorbate reductase (DHAR), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S transferase (GST), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), were increased at lower concentrations and decreased at higher concentrations under Cu, Ni, and Pb treatments. The order of toxicity in terms of decrease in protein content was observed as Pb>Ni>Cu for both roots and shoots.

Discovery of a nuclear haplotype potentially useful for the identification of medicinal rice Njavara (Oryza sativa L.)

2024-02-27T21:20:02+0530

The present study report the development of an amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP)-derived sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker for reliable identification of Njavara (Oryza sativa landrace Njavara), a rice landrace in India used extensively in health foods and Ayurveda treatments. The SCAR locus, named OsN_SCAR131after O. sativa landrace Njavara, is located on chromosome 3 between nucleotide positions 7793982 and 7794108, and yields a 131-bp allele in Njavara accessions and a 127-bp allele in other rice cultivars due to a 4-bp Insertion-Deletion (InDel) mutation at nucleotide position 7794026. We standardized the SCAR assay to be like those used for detecting microsatellite markers by using fluorescently (6-FAM) labeled primers and separating the alleles by capillary electrophoresis. As an alternative, we further adapted the method so as to allow allele detection by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). A single rice grain can be tested for authentication by this PAGE assay. The SCAR marker developed here has great utility in authenticating Njavara grains in both the health food and pharmaceutical sectors.

Detection and Analysis of melanin pigment in the edible seed coat of some plants

2023-09-08T20:59:56+0530

Melanin is a dark phenolic substance present in plants, animals, and microorganisms. The role of melanin in plants is to offer protection against biotic and abiotic conditions. The other possible functions in plants are unknown. Studying the occurrence of melanin in plants is essential to understand the taxonomic evolution of plants and its application in different fields. The deposition and distribution of Phytomelanin in the seed coat was studied using a light microscopy The seed coats of Phaselous vulgaris (Leguminaceae), Vigna mungo (Fabaceae), Linum usitatissimum (Linaceae), Cicer arietinum (Fabaceae), Vigna unguiculata (Fabaceae), Sesamum indicum (padaliaceae) and Macrotylama uniflorum (Fabaceae) showed the presence of melanin. Among the plant studied, S. indicum and V. mungo had a higher yield of melanin per 5 g of seeds. Melanin was extracted, purified and a confirmatory test was also conducted. UV and FT-IR studies were carried out with purified melanin. V. mungo and P. vulgaris showed no absorbance in the UV spectrum. The Maximum absorbance was found at 276 nm for S. indicum, M. uniflorum at 283 nm, L. usitatissimum at 276.5 nm, and V. unguiculata at 286 nm. It is evident from the study that phytomelanin is present in higher concentrations in S. indicum followed by V. mungo.

Effect of vermicompost enriched with bacterial endophytes (Azospirillum and Rhizobium) on growth and yield of tomato

2024-02-26T14:03:58+0530

The extensive use of chemical fertilizers has served as a response to the increasing need for crop production in recent decades. While it addresses the demand for food, it has resulted in a decline in crop productivity and a heightened negative environmental impact. In contrast, bacterial endophytes namely Azospirillum and Rhizobium and vermicompost offer a promising alternative to mitigate the negative consequences of chemical fertilizers. It can enhance nutrient availability, promote plant growth, and improve nutrient uptake efficiency, thereby reducing the reliance on chemical fertilizers. In this study, two bacterial endophytes Azospirillum and Rhizobium, combination with vermicompost and chemical fertilizer were used to investigate their potential role in the enhancement of growth yields of tomato. The inoculation of bacterial endophytes enhanced the root and shoot length, biomass and leaf chlorophyll contents. The fruit weight of the tomato (kg/plant) was also higher in the vermicompost and bacteria inoculated plants of tomato than in the chemical fertilizer. The mixed application of vermicompost with the combination of Azospirillum and Rhizobium showed the best performance compared to other treatments.

Optimization of stable genetic transformation protocol in castor (Ricinus communis L. cv. TMV 5) using beta glucuronidase reporter gene for pioneer of desirable genes

2023-04-03T19:11:20+0530

The simple and stable protocol was standardised for castor (Ricinus communis L. cv. TMV 5) genetic transformation using Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 harbouring the binary plasmid pBAL2 (18.8 kb). Cotyledonary nodes from ten days old, in vivo seedlings were utilized as target cells for Agrobacterium mediated transformation. Explant pre-culture studies were carried out at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 day intervals. The 4^th day old explants cultivated on mMS medium (MS medium+B5 Vitamins) using plant growth regulators had the highest response percentage (50.6%). Kanamycin (0-175 mg/L) and Hygromycin (0-13 mg/L) sensitivity in well-developed shoots was investigated. Of the two antibiotics, Kanamycin 50 mg/L and Hygromycin 3 mg/L was found optimum. Different levels of acetosyringone (0-200 mg/L) were used in the co-cultivation medium to study the transformation efficiency of castor. Among the different concentrations, maximum number of explants showed GUS expression at 100 mg/L of acetosyringone in the co-cultivation medium at 2 days of co-cultivation period and the Cotyledonary node produced multiple shoots development and plantlet establishment in 0.3 mg/L TDZ, 0.6 mg/L PF-68, kanamycin 50 mg/L, 0.3 mg/L GA₃, 1.5 mg/L IBA and 0.6 mg/L AgNO₃. The rooted shoots were successfully acclimatized. Histochemical GUS assay was used to monitor T-DNA delivery into the target cells. PCR and Southern hybridization were used to confirm the transformants with the NPT II and GUS gene. A very high frequency (29.3%) of β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene expression was obtained through Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer into cotyledonary node explants of Castor. The standardized protocol would be useful for Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of Cator with desirable gene of agronomic importance.

Assessment of genetic uniformity in micro propagated plantlets of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) through DNA markers

2024-04-29T22:52:37+0530

Turmeric is herbaceous plant, characterized by long lance-shaped leaves sprouting from its rhizomatous underground stem. Notably, its rhizomes contain the bioactive compounds curcuminoids, renowned for its medicinal and culinary significance. However, meeting the surging demand for turmeric, particularly during off- seasons, presents a formidable challenge due to the sluggish vegetative propagation rate in Curcuma longa. Given the scarcity of sexual reproduction in turmeric, micropropagation emerges as the convenient method for obtaining disease-free seeds. In addressing the challenge of direct regeneration of the native Erode local cultivar of turmeric, this study endeavors to establish a protocol for in vitro plantlet production. Results indicate that multiple shoots were successfully induced, notably with 13.32 μM of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), yielding a response rate of 73.2±4.7% and an average shoot count of 6.95±0.81 per explant. Subsequently, a concentration of 17.76 μM of BAP demonstrated a response rate of 56.5%±4.7%, with an average shoot count of 5.94±0.81 per explant. Additionally, a combination of 13.32 μM BAP and 2.68 μM Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) resulted in 8.65±0.47 shoots per explant, with a response rate of 73.66±1.25%. Similarly, 13.32 μM BAP combined with 5.37 μM NAA yielded 7.32±0.47 shoots per explant, with a response rate of 72.33±0.47%. The acclimatization of plantlets in a greenhouse exhibited a remarkable survival rate, ranging from 90% to 98%. Importantly, all regenerated plantlets closely resembled the mother plants morphologically. Genetic uniformity assessment, employing 10 ISSR and 4 DAMD markers, indicated more than 90% uniformity among one mother plant and regenerants. This indicates a significant genetic uniformity, ensuring consistency in desired traits across the regenerated plantlets.

Dyeing of cotton and silk fabric with Tradescantia spathacea Sw. leaf aqueous extract

2024-08-27T10:15:23+0530

Colour is one of the appealing factors that impress people across the world. In every living organism in this globe i.e., insect, bird, animal, plant and human etc., colour seems to be the most attractive factor throughout the life. The Tradescantia spathacea leaf extract was used for dyeing of cotton and silk fabric. The mordants used in this study were Copper Sulphate and Myrobalan. There were three methods of mordanting carried out in this study namely, simultaneous mordanting, pre-mordanting and post mordanting. In the dyed cotton fabric, pre-mordanting treatment with myrobalan (Grey Scale Rate 4) and Copper Sulphate (Grey Scale Rate 3) showed better grey scale rating than other treatments. The silk fabrics dyed with the leaf extract resulted in grey scale rating of 3-4 or 4 for wash fastness tests. This indicates that all the natural dye applied silk fabrics showed better response than cotton in retaining the dye after washing. In staining tests (the spilling of dye/colour from the natural dyed fabrics on other cotton and wool fabrics) almost all the treatments showed very good results. The grey scale rating of 4-5 was achieved for all the dyed fabrics. Since the fabric showed better results it can be further elaborated for large scale dyeing experiments and more fastness studies like fastness to light, ironing etc. for suitable application in textile dyeing of silk fabrics.