Applied Botany

Antioxidant activity of petroleum ether, benzene, ethyl acetate, methanol and ethanol extracts of the root of mangrove herb Suaeda monaica have been tested using various antioxidant model system viz, DPPH, hydroxyl, superoxide, ABTS and reducing power. Methanol extract of Suaeda monaica is found to possess higher DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. Ethanol and methanol extracts of Suaeda monaica exhibited highest superoxide and ABTS radical cation scavenging activity. Methanol extract of root of Suaeda monaica showed the highest reducing ability. This study indicates significant free radical scavenging potential of Suaeda monaica root which can be exploited for the treatment of various free radical mediated ailments.

Genotoxic potentials of three commonly used medicinal plants (Cola nitida, Ocimum gratissimum and Monodora myristica) were assessed on D. melanogaster. Eight generations of D. melanogaster were cultured on over-ripe banana paste with inclusion levels of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10% (w/w) of the medicinal plants. Mutation rates both on the wing structure and body colouration were dose-dependent and generation-specific; as increase in the dose of treatment, increases the mutation rates as well as the higher the generations. The degree of effects on these structures was also plant-specific, with followed the trend; C. nitida > O. gratissimum > M. myristica. The result revealed that the medicinal plants have genotoxic potentials with C. nitida having the greatest effects; hence they should be consumed with caution.

Seven species of marine macro algae belonging to Chlorophyta, Phaeophyta and Rhodophyta were surveyed, collected from Coromandal coast, India and studied for their lipid composition and its accumulation for the future biodiesel production. Variability of chemical components and production of lipid granules are specific in macro algae and there is also an evidence for temporal variability in macro algal lipid composition. The lipids of algae have wide application in production of fuel. It was observed that lipid composition of macro algae in the sequence of members belonged to Phaeophyta > Chlorophyta > Rhodophyta. In this study we successfully localized the lipid bodies of seven macro algal strain by their ultra structural studies and Nile blue stain method. However, further research work should be carried out from different marine macro algae species for biofuel production to meet out the energy crisis globally in future.

An important feature of India’s wetland development programme is that it combines the task of securing out a strategy for wetland development alternatives with the task of lending similar support to implement the projects.  Such a unified programme ensures reduction of gap between expected benefit and actual outcome – a gap that has been a matter of serious consent in many of the lofty endeavors all over the world. Toxic metal pollution of water and soil is a major environmental problem, and most conventional remediation approaches do not provide acceptable solutions. Wetland plants are being used successfully for the phytoremediation of trace elements in natural and constructed wetlands. This study demonstrates the phytoremediation potential of three different water hyacinths ( Eichornia crassipes, Ipomea spp, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis ) in three different lake system ( Ramanaickan Lake, Basthi Lake Dharga Lake) of Hosur district. Our results shows Eichornia crassipes is a potent metal (Ca,  Mg,  Cl) accumulator and tolerant species collected from Rama Naicken Lake, Hosur. Ipomeas spp  is a moderate accumulator (Fe, SO_4, PO₄) and sensitive species collected from Dharga lake whereas Stachytarpheta jamaicensis is non accumulator and tolerant species. Eichornia crassipes is a promising candidate for phytoremediation of wastewater polluted with different metals and can be used for natural wetland cultivation.

The study investigated the replacement value of plantain peel meal for maize on feed intake, live weight gain and feed efficiency of a snail species (Achachatina marginata). Four diets were formulated as follows: diet 1, 30.7% maize without plantain peel; diet 2, 20.7% maize and 10% plantain peel; diet 3, 10.7% maize and 20% plantain and diet 4 ; 30.7% plantain peel without maize.48 medium size snails were randomly divided into four groups and each group was fed with one of the experimental diets for 3months . The snails were examined for performance using live weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency. The statistical analysis showed no significant difference among the treatments (experimental diets) but the result revealed that snails fed with diet 1 had the highest performance in live weight gain (5.67) and feed efficiency (0.56) while diet 4 had the least in live weight gain (4.03) and efficiency (0.41) but the greatest in feed intake (10.83).However, plantain peel is a feed ingredient that has no side effect on the snails although poorly consumed. Its inclusion in the diet should not exceed 10% based on the result of the study.

In this study aqueous extract of the leaves of Aerva lanata Linn., Calotropis gigantea Linn. and Elaeocarpus ganitrus Roxb were screened for the haemolytic activity towards human erythrocytes. The haemolytic activity was performed by modified spectroscopic method at four different concentrations (125, 250, 500, 1000 ?g/ml). The haemolytic activity of the different extracts was found in the following order: C. gigantea > A. lanata : C. gigantea (1 :1) > C. gigantea: E. ganitrus (1 : 1) > A. lanata : C. gigantea : E. ganitrus (1 : 1 : 1) > A. lanata : E. ganitrus (1 : 1) > A. lanata. However, all the extracts alone and in combination with each other exhibited very low haemolytic activity. E. ganitrus did not exhibit any haemolytic activity at any dilution. Hence, they can be considered as safe to human erythrocytes.

The present study deals with impact of physical factors on extracellular cellulase activity of some dominant post-harvest fungi. Post-harvest fungi were isolated from different varieties of papaya fruits by agar plate method. Out of 20 species 10 species of fungi were selected to study their cellulase enzyme activity. Different physical parameters such as light, incubation period, temperature and pH were studied in order to determine the optimum conditions for cellulase production of ten dominant fungi. The cellulase present in the broth was assayed by cup-plate method. It is observed that cellulase activity of post-harvest fungi was found to be optimum at temperature 200C, pH 6.0-6.5, incubation period of 20 days and continuous light

Thirty six (36) cross combinations developed by crossing 2 CMS lines with 18 testers in line x tester mating design were evaluated for to find out best heterotic combinations in terms of yield and yield components. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among genotypes, crosses, lines, testers and line x tester interactions for all the traits studied. The SCA effects along with per se performance revealed that some of the crosses showing desirable SCA effects were also having superior per se performance for most of the traits thus indicating the selection of these crosses on the basis of per se performance will be effective. Assessment of heterosis based on standard checks (SR-1 and Jhelum) of effectively restored cross combinations showed that there was significant heterosis for all the traits except number of filled grains per panicle and the degree of heterosis varied from trait to trait. All combinations that showed superiority over standard checks for grain yield per plant also showed significant heterosis for majority of other traits. The average proportion of restorers, partial restorers, partial maintainers and maintainers were 16:22:33:27, respectively. The best cross combination in terms of grain yield was SKAU7A x K-08-61-2 and for early maturity SKAU11A x SR-2 over check SR-1 only. Cross combinations SKAU 7A x K-08-61-2, SKAU 7A x SR-2, SKAU 11A x K-08-60-2, SKAU 11A x K-08-59-3 and SKAU 11A x SKAU-389 were found to be good specific combinations for grain yield per plant and other desirable traits and needs to be tested on large scale for their commercialization under temperate conditions.

In the present study, two cotton cultivars viz. LD 694 (Gossypium arboreum L.) and LH 2076 (Gossypium hirsutum L.) were used to investigate the effects of MS (Murashige and Skoog) and DKW (Driver and Kuniyuki) basal media compositions supplemented with different concentrations of BA (6-benzylaminopurine) and Kin (Kinetin) on the sprouting response (development of shoot bud primordia), morphogenetic response, and induction and regeneration of multiple shoots from shoot tip explants excised from 5-7 day-old seedlings cultured in vitro. The mean sprouting response in both cultivars LD 694 (81.66%) and LH 2076 (79.44 %) was higher in MS medium than in DKW medium. The best treatment for the formation of adventitious shoots (73.80%) in LD 694 was MS + 2.00 mg/l BA, while MS + 1.00 mg/l BA + 1.00 mg/l Kin was optimum for the formation of adventitious shoots (74.78%) in LH 2076. LD 694 and LH 2076 produced a maximum number of shoots/explant (3.96 and 3.85, respectively) when cultured on MS supplemented with 2.00 mg/l BA. Highest root development (62.38%) was obtained when shoots were cultured on ½ MS medium supplemented with 0.05 mg/l NAA in both cultivars. Plantlets raised in vitro were placed in water for two weeks and then transferred to small polythene bags filled with a sand : soil mixture in the greenhouse. These plantlets grew into healthy plants and reached maturity. The results of this study will facilitate the application of mass multiplication of elite breeding material including CMS lines or transgenic cotton cultures.

Abstract Aim of present study was to evaluate in vitro antimicrobial activity of crude extracts of Acacia nilotica. The extracts exhibited antimicrobial activities with zones of inhibition ranging from 6 to 22 mm and exhibited appreciable activity against all the clinically important bacterial and fungal species. Overall maximum Inhibition zone (22mm) was observed in extract of methanol and chloroform (75:25) against Bacillus subtilisand minimum (4mm) in extract of methanol and chloroform (50:50) against Dreschlera avenacea. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of carbohydrates, proteins, alkaloids and flavonoids in the extracts. The antimicrobial effect of the extract was compared with the standard drugs (Ciprofloxacin for bacterial and ketokenazole for fungus). Crude extracts of A.nilotica inhibited the growth of various bacteria and fungi thus showed its broad spectrum antimicrobial potential, which may be employed in the management of microbial infections.