Applied Botany

The use of medicinal herbs to treat disease is almost universal among non industrialized societies and is often more affordable than purchasing expensive modern pharmaceuticals. Most of the countries all over the world still rely on traditional medicines for their primary health care’s with the knowledge passed by the ancients. The current study is aimed to make aware about the presence of certain bioactive compounds in plants which attribute them medicinal values & can provide alternative pathway for the replacement of synthetic drugs. With the help of literature reviews mentioning the importance of medicinal plants in socio-cultural, spiritual and health care of rural peoples of the world, a well known medicinal herb-Tridax Procumbens L. commonly known as tridax daisy is studied with the analysis of phytochemicals like alkaloids, tannins, steroids, flavanols, diterpenes, coumarins, anthocynins, amino acids, syringic acid, phenol, saponin, polysaccharides, pectins, hemicellulse etc - biologically active chemical compounds having disease preventative or protective properties and their general health effects.

Biochemical and molecular characterization of five Trigonella accessions were carried out based on seed storage protein electrophoresis and RAPD marker. The electrophoretic pattern of proteins produced 3 monomorphic bands and 23 polymorphic bands and 7 species specific bands. RAPD results revealed high level of polymorphism among the studied genotypes. The primer OPP-02 produced reproducible polymorphic bands. A total of 19 amplified bands were generated across the studied accessions. 16 bands out of total number were polymorphic and 7 were unique. UPGMA dendrogram based Jacquard’s similarity matrix grouped all the accessions into two clusters. Based upon similarity matrix accessions A4 and A2 were close. On the other hand UPGMA dendrogram generated on the basis of jaccard’s similarity matrix revealed that accessions A1 and A2 Were very close to each other. No significant correlation was observed among the two marker systems utilized. It is concluded that Seed protein profiles could be useful, but RAPD profiles are reliable tools in the genetic diversity studies and genotype classification which can be used to improve the efficiency of Trigonella breeding programme.

Seasonal variations in the water qualities and algal diversity of Thirupathisaram temple pond in Kanyakumari district was studied for the period of one calendar year (2014). The physico-chemical parameters like water temperatures, transparency, pH, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, free CO2, carbonates, bicarbonates, chlorides, Calcium, phosphates, nitrates, magnesium and sulphate were analysed and correlated with seasonal variation in the algal count of the pond water. Out of 105 microalgae recorded in the pond, 24 species belonged to Bacillariophyceae (22.85%), 42 species belonged to Chlorophyceae (40%), 32 species belonged to Cyanophyceae (30.47%) and 7 species belonged to Euglenophyceae (6.7%). Members of Chlorophyceae, Cyanophyceae and Euglenophyceae were found maximum during the summer and declined during the winter and monsoon seasons whereas the members of Bacillariophyceae were maximum during the rainy season and they declined during the summer. An increasing trend in Photosynthetic productivity of algae was found from the rainy season to summer. Algal bloom was observed during the summer months and microalgae such as Navicula cincta, Nitzschia amphibia, Pediastrum boryanum, Tetraedron trigonum, Microcystis aeruginosa f. flos-aqueae and Microcystis wesenbergii were found as dominant among the species studied. Water in the temple pond was slightly eutrophic in nature.

Liver damage is an epidemic disease, which effects essential biochemical activities in all age group. The liver abnormalities caused by synthetic drugs are found to be broad. Conventional drugs used for the treatment of liver disorders are inadequate. In view of the undesirable side effects of synthetic drugs, it is necessary to search for alternative drugs for the treatment of hepatic diseases and replacement of the currently used drugs. Herbal drugs have become very popular for their use in the treatment of liver diseases. Therefore, there is need to focus on systematic research methodology to evaluate scientific basis for the traditional herbal medicines that are claimed to possess hepatoprotective activities. The present review is aimed at providing an overview of the most prospective medicinal plants having pharmacologically reputable antihepatotoxic activities such as Andrographic paniculata, Boerhaavia diffusa, Ocimum sanctum, Tinospora cordifolia, Phyllanthus emblica, etc.

To catalogue the medicinal plant wealth of Karian Shola MPCA, Coimbatore District of Tamilnadu, Southern India and to categorize the RET status and their need for conservation along with the Ethnobotanical knowledge of the medicinal plants. Field trips were made to collect the medicinal plants from Karian Shola MPCA, Anamalais, Coimbatore District, Tamilnadu during January 1994 to December 1995. A total of 300 species of angiosperms, of which 6 are additions to the Flora of Tamilnadu, 50 endemic plants, 15 Red listed taxa, 20 highly traded medicinal plants and 27 ethno-medicinal Plants were documented from the study area. The study emphasized the need for in situ conservation along with the wild plants used by the Malasars and Kadars were also provided.

A. rohituka is highly valued tree species for the humans, environment and forestry. The tree is distributed some parts of India but now it is endangered species in many areas in the country. This tree belongs to Meliaceae family. Twin, triple, four and five shoot seedling is one of the abnormalities of seedling which produce single embryo in a seed. This could be due to some developmental errors that occur in the seed. A. rohituka have only one embryo per seed and it produced into one seedling. I had recorded 35 % seeds of A. rohituka produced twin, triple, four and five shoot seedlings. In this research paper studies, Germination, seedlings behaviour and four months growth status were recorded in A. rohituka. These are study parameters, germination percentage, abnormal seedlings percentage, seedling behaviour and growth status at 120 days after germination period. I had recorded two shoot seedlings survival at only early stages (within 60 days) of development but triple, four, five shoot seedlings not survive of A. rohituka. It was observed first time growth status of abnormal seedlings in A. rohituka. This research paper utility in various fields such as forestry, agriculture, environment, genetics, and embryology.

The investigation was carried out to determine the possible bioactive components of the leaves and fruits of Daturastramonium and D. metelby Antimicrobial activity and GC-MS. The chemical compositions of the methanol extract of the D. stramonium and D. metelwere investigated using Hewlett-Packard Gas chromatography–Mass spectrometry, while the mass spectra of the compounds found in the extract was matched with the Wiley and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) library or with the published mass spectra. Maximum activity was observed in methanolic extracts of fruits of D. metel against mycoplasma at 200mg/ml and minimum against Pseudomonas chrysogenumat 50mg/ml.

The aim of study was to screen out rice (Oryzae sativa L.) genotypes with better drought tolerance, to explore observable responses of rice plants towards drought stress and multivariate statistics were used to compare the relationships among the responses as well as their effects on yield and yield reduction under drought stress. Genotypes responded differently under same level of stress. Results revealed that as a response to drought, all the genotypes showed 42 % average increase in seedling root length; 39 % average decrease in seedling shoot length; 21 % average reduction in 1000 grain weight; delay in heading time of 13 days in average; average yield per plant reduction of 47 %; reduction in grains per panicle of 52% in average, when subjected to simulated drought stress. It was concluded that in addition to correlation and path analysis of yield components, cluster analysis, factor analysis and principal component analysis are also very important methods for screening drought tolerant cultivars of rice in large populations and give better understandings of associations and helps better to choose important variables and genotypes. Factor analysis and Principal component analysis revealed the importance of drought response index, as a best measurement for yield under stress condition. Seedling root length to shoot length ratio, followed by seedling root length ratio contrubute majorly in yield per plant under drought stress. Reduction in plant height and delay in heading time were main causes of yield reduction under stress. It was further concluded that selecting the genotypes showing higher drought response index, higher increase in s ling root length, seedling root to shoot length ratio and less reduction in plant height and delay in heading time, are important criteria in screening for drought tolerance. Also these characters showed high heritability and genetic advance, signifying their values in selection breeding, and higher phenotypic correlation values indicating their polygenic behavior and high influence of environment.