Applied Botany

The incidence, effect, and causal organism of fungal leaf spot diseases of orange tree (Citrus spp.) in Southeastern Nigeria were investigated. Healthy and diseased samples of orange leaves were obtained from Aba, Amagunze, Awka, Nkpor , and Onitsha all in Southeastern Nigeria. Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) was used for isolation of fungi. Ten trees with disease symptoms were sampled at each location using visual assessment method and their percentage frequency calculated. The occurrence of fungal leaf spot was least at Nkpor (30%) and highest at Aba (43%). The fungi identified were Aspergillus niger, Fusarium solani, F. oxysporium, Botryodiplodia theobromae, and Geotrichium spp. The F. solani occurred at highest percentage of 37.5% incidence while the lowest was B. theobromae at 6.25%. The pathogenicity test revealed that the major cause fungal leaf spot disease of orange was B. theobromae, Fusarium solani, and F. oxysporium. Although, leaf spot disease is a minor economic problem that reduces crop yield, a number of control measures need to be adopted.

Of the 2,900 species of flowering plants in Kotagiri hill of Nilgiri biosphere reserve in Southern India, 126 species from 37 families are endemic, they are listed by plant species.

Patharia forest is situated near the north of Tropics of Cancer on Vindhyan peaks. The forest is a dry deciduous forest .It has a undulating topography with low rising hills scattered all round. The average monthly minimum and maximum temperatures are 11.1°C and 25°C in January and 40°C and 44°C in June. Forest is dominated by Tectona grandis,, Butea monosprma, Accacia sp. etc., and ground floara consist of Lantana camara, Parthenium hysterophorus, Euphorbia geniculata, Heteropogon contortum, Cyanadon dactylon, Biophytum sensitivum, Cassia tora etc. Occurrence of various shapes, sizes, colours of mushrooms in the forest suggest that climatic conditions together with forest waste provides conducive environment to these mushrooms. Present studies deals with the diversity of mushrooms in Patharia forest. After survey of Patharia forest which has been done during the period of July 2012-July 2013, there are number of wild mushrooms were collected but only 18 mushroom species which belong to 12 families are identified viz. Tyromyces caesius, Coprinus saccharinus, Clavaridelphus sp., Tremets elegans, Schizophyllum commune, Macrolepiota procera, Geastrum triplx Polyporous sp.,Lepiota caerulescens, Pycnoporus cinnabarinus,Macolepiota sp., Tricoloma sp., Pleuteus sp Ganoderma sp., Pluteus flavofuligineus, Fomoptopsis pinicola Stereum hirsutum,Coltricia sp.

Abstract: Introduction and objective. The scientific assessment of medicinal plants used in the preparation of folk remedies has contributed modern medicine with effective pharmaceuticals for the treatment of diseases. Objective. The 50% ethonolic extract of solanum xanthocarpum (Solanaceae) whole plant was explored for its hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects on RIF+INH (50 mg/kg) induced acute liver damage in Wistar rats. Materials and Methods. The Whole plant (SX) were further subjected to various phytochemical study and the studies conclude the presence of alkaloids, flavanoids, glycosides, protein & amino acid etc. Hepatoprotection activity was measured by using enzymatic (serum glutamate oxalate transaminase and serum Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase (SGOT and SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin and non enzymatic parameters (GSH, LPO, SOD, CAT) produced significantly increased and decreases serum level in a dose dependant manner. Results. The Whole plant extract SX at the doses of (125 mg/kg &250 mg/Kg) significant liver protective effect by decreasing the serum enzymatic and non enzymatic parameters, although Histopathological profile of liver at dose level 125 mg/kg showing hepatic cells with well preserved cytoplasm prominent nucleus, some of central vein and sinusoids exhibited congestion. At the same time fourth group test dose at 250 mg/kg showing well brought out central vein, hepatic cell with well preserved cytoplasm prominent nucleus. Conclusion. These all result recommended that 50% ethonolic extract of whole plant of Solanum xanthocarpum posses significant hepatoprotective activity. Key words: Solanum xanthocarpum, RIF+INH, SGOT, SGPT, ALP, Total billirubin.

The present research work was carried out in Talwara Block, District Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India to identify and to understand the uses of medicinal plants for the treatment of various ailments. The study was undertaken with the help of questionnaire and discussion method. About 100 medicinal plant species belonging to 52 families were documented. Out of 100 medicinal plants, 40 species were herbs, 13 species were shrubs, 40 species were trees, 5 species were climbers and 2 species were grasses. Leaves were the most useful part as compared to other plant parts for the treatment of various ailments. Different parts of plants such as roots, bark, leaves, seeds, flowers etc. were used in various forms like paste, decoction, powder, oil etc. to treat various ailments. 15 key informants were selected to collect the information. During research, it has been observed that the villagers were chiefly dependent on the plants as they were familiar with their use for different ailments.

An in vitro investigation was carried out to explore the production of cellulase and xylanase enzyme in the basidiocarp of Pleurotus spp .The result of the study revealed that exo ?-1,4 glucanase and ?-glucosidase activities were highly pronounced in Pleurotus ostreatus (0.87 and 1.29 Umg-1 enzyme protein) than Pleurotus cornucopiae (0.38 and 0.71 Umg-1enzyme protein). Endo ? 1,4, glucanase was expressed maximally (1.56 Umg-1 enzyme protein) in P.cornucopiae than in P.ostreatus (1.28 Umg-1 enzyme protein). Xylanase activity was registered at a higher level of 0.058 Umg-1 enzyme protein in P.ostreatus than in P.cornucopiae (0.037 I Umg-1 enzyme protein)

Different varieties of groundnut, soybean, sesame, safflower and sunflower were collected from different parts of store houses and market places of Marathwada region of Maharashtra state. By using different agar media mycoflora associated with these oilseed varieties was isolated. It was found that, Ghungru variety of groundnut, KSL-441 variety of soybean, Se1B variety of sesame, Bhima variety of safflower and Kargil variety of sunflower showed maximum incidence of fungi. Rhizopus stolonifer, Fusarium oxysporum and Macrophomina phaseolina showed minimum growth in presence of Trichoderma harzianum. Growth of Rhizopus stolonifer, Penicillium chrysogenum and Curvularia lunata was retarded due to Trichoderma viride.

In present investigation mycoflora from groundnut, soybean, sesame, safflower and sunflower was isolated by using different agar media. Total thirty fungi were isolated from these oilseeds and screened against different plant leaf extract and latex. It was found that, out of five oilseeds, soybean yielded ninteen fungi, fifteen fungi were found to be associated with sesame and safflower seed. On the other hand sunflower yielded only nine fungi. Aqueous extract of Eucalyptus angophoroides retarded the growth of Alternaria dianthicola, Curvularia pellescens, Fusarium oxysporum, Macrophomina phaseolina, Rhizopus stolonifer, Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium chrysogenum. The latex of Calotropis gigantia for Alternaria dianticola; Aloe vera for Curvularia lunata and Penicillium digitatum were found to be fungitoxic.

Holigarna species are medicinal plants that widely used in India but the exactly active component and medicinal activity such as anticancer activity is not well known. In the present study total polyphenols, antioxidants, antimicrobial and anticancer activities of the water and methanolic bark extracts of Holigarna arnottiana and H. ferruginea were analysed by standard protocols. In methanol higher yield extract was obtained when compared to aqueous in both plant species. The antioxidant activity of the bark extracts of two species of Holigarna was found to be in the range of 685 to 1397 mM Fe (II)/g raw material in aqueous and methanolic extract. The results also proved that antioxidant activity is related to plant constituents including polyphenol content in the extract. The methanolic extract showed a good antibacterial activity compared to aqueous extract over Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Staphylococcus aureus, as these pathogens can be controlled using bark extract of both the plants. The methanolic bark extracts exhibited antifungal activity against tested both fungal pathogens.The cell lines treated with methanolic extract possessed higher percentage of cell viability compared to aqueous extracts in both the plant species. Up to 50µg/mL of methanolic bark extract, the viability is above 60% then it decreases and inhibition increases and thereby proved its anticancer activity.

Pimpri Sandas small village 1560.49 hectares in Haveli Tehsil. The survey of the locality has been done as a part of social activity and making general floristic awareness to the people from conservation point of view. In all total 18 plant species and 10 species of fungi and lichens were reported from which 08 are pure fungi and 02 are lichenised fungi. Basidiomycetous fungi and plants belongs to Fabaceae are found to be dominant in the locality. Some interesting saxicolous species like Caloplaca and Rhizocarpon are commonly found in this area.