Applied Botany

Oxidative stress is one of the most popular terms in biomedicine. Oxidative Stress is a general term used to describe the steady state level of oxidative damage in a cell, tissue, or organ, results from an imbalance between radical-generating and radical scavenging systems, i.e. increased free radical production or reduced activity of antioxidant defenses or both. A great number of aromatic, medicinal, spice and other plants contain chemical compounds exhibiting antioxidant properties. In the present study the antioxidant activity and radical scavenging activity of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Allium sativum Linn. traditionally used by Indian population as folk remedies was evaluated.

Cut twigs with fresh leaf of Som plant (PerseabombycinaKost) are used in indoor rearing of Muga Silkworm (Antheraeaassamensis) as food. Through the consumption of leaf the silkworm get required water content and nutrients for their normal metabolic activities for growth and development. A number of chemicals in single and combination were tested as water solutions keeping the twigs lower cut ends dip in solution inside bottles. Sucrose and gibber relic acid solutions are found to keep the leaf fresh for considerable period. Sucrose at a concentration of 40 g per liter of distilled water keep leafs fresh up to 96 hours. This concentration of the solution has a pH value of 3.25. Gibber relic acid solution at the concentration of 0.01 g per liter of distilled water with pH measuring 4.00 keeps leafs fresh for 36 hours. The best concentrations of these two chemicals were also worked out to be 4% for sucrose and 0.015% for gibber relic acid that give a pH value of 4.2 in distilled water. This concentration of gibber relic acid keeps Som plan leafs fresh for 48 hours.

Organic agriculture, as an adaptation strategy to climate change, is a concrete and promising option for rural communities and has additional potential as a mitigation strategy. The management of soil organic matter is critical to maintain a sustainable productive organic farming system. They possess many desirable soil properties and exert beneficial effect on the soil physical, chemical and biological characteristics as well as a sink for carbon dioxide sequestration to mitigate the negative impacts of climate changes. In this regard, a field experiment was carried out in a private sandy soil farm in Manshyet El Gammal, Tamiah, Fayum. Egypt to evaluate the effect of mineral and organic fertilizer treatments on growth and some chemical constituent of Jatropha curcas L. The results revealed that there were significantly differences between the fertilization treatment with superiority to the treatment T11 (50% Mineral fertilizer dose + 50% Chicken manures dose + Inoculation with cerialene) which produced the highest values for all the studied vegetative growth parameters as well as photosynthetic pigments content (chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids) and macronutrients contents (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium).

The devastation caused by malaria in the sub-Saharan African countries has led to alarming and unprecedented search for cure, especially herbals. This has prompted the evaluation of bark extract of E. chlorantha though a known anti-malarial agent for other therapeutic effects. Thirty-two mature male albino rats weighing between 90 – 120g were randomly grouped into four with eight rats per group and administered 0, 200, 400, and 600mg/kg of the extract per body weight for 30 days through oral gavage. Results showed that there were significant effects (P < 0.05) of E. chlorantha treatment on sperm quality but weight of epididymes and testes revealed no significant difference (P > 0.05). Hormonal profile also showed significant differences (P < 0.05) on treatment but the dosage administered should be monitored. Correlation result revealed that there were significant positive relationships between sperm count and follicle stimulating hormone (0.686*), sperm viability and prolactin level (0.958**), follicle stimulating hormone and testosterone (0.687*) while a negative correlation were observed between weight of testis and luteinizing hormone (-0.740*), luteinizing hormone and progesterone (-0.814*) and between follicle stimulating hormone and progesterone (-0.704*). Succinctly, our results are suggestive of the fact that E. chlorantha is a multipurpose medicinal herb as it can be used as an anti-malarial agent and fertility booster, especially when administered at lower dosages.

The effect of administering ethanol extracts of seed, leaf and pulp of C. papaya on male rats and assessing its effects on the female rats was investigated. 0, 100, 200 and 300mg/kg of each extracts were orally administered to the male rats for 30 days after which they were mated with the female rats in the ratio of 1:1 for the first generation. Conception rate, induced lethal mutation index, litter size and weight at birth and weaning were estimated. The remaining male and female rats were mated again for the second and third generations. Results obtained showed that there were significant effects (P < 0.05) of mating treated male rats with the untreated female rats on all the parameters studied. Implicitly though, our results suggest that indiscriminate consumption of herbals by male rats could have devastating effects on the female rats during reproduction. It becomes necessary to carry out in-depth research similar to this works as to make concrete assertion.

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of vermicompost and urea on the growth and yield of the vegetable plant, Hibiscus esculentus.  Hibiscus esculentus is allowed to grew in the medium of vermicompost and urea. Three were 3 treatment viz., control, vermicompost (T1)and urea (T2). Observation was made from 10 randomly selected plants per pot. The effect of the organic fertilizer (vermicompost) and inorganic fertilizer (urea) on the growth and yield of the Hibiscus esculentus were studied. The germination percentage, shoot length and yield of the plant were recorded on 20^th, 40^th and 60^th days. The present study revealed that vermicompost seems to be maintained the soil which is ideal for growth of the plant. The highest yield of Hibiscus esculentus  was found in vermicompost treatment (T-1) followed by urea (T-2) and lowest in control. Application of vermicompost increased the vegetative growth and yield of Hibiscus  esculentus.

This experiment was conducted in a controlled environment, to evaluate the effects of Pre-treatment salts different on the characteristics of seeds cannabis (Cannabis sativa) implemented. Experiment was carried out as completely randomized design with 4 replications. Pre-treatment included: potassium nitrate (1%), potassium phosphate (1%), sodium chloride (1%) and distilled water which was the control experiment. Seeds were submerged for 72 hours with aeration in treatments then seeds dried and number of 50 seeds was on filter paper 30 x 30 towel method. The results indicated in the pre-treatments, most positive effect on the germination coefficient of cannabis plant was potassium phosphate, in other words, the seeds in less time, had the highest percentage of germination. Potassium phosphate and sodium chloride treatments in cannabis have a positive effect on root length and shoot length. The coefficient correlation plant cannabis showed that the number of normal seedling with root length (r=0/683**) and shoot length (r=0/643**) was significant positive correlation, and significant negative correlation with the number of abnormal seedlings, and not significant correlation have with other traits. According to results, the pre-treatment for 72 h with potassium phosphate 1% Seeds Cannabis recommended.

In prospect of escalating resistance to existing antimicrobial agents, herbal drugs are being looked as an imperative source for discovery of new agents for treating various ailments related to bacterial infections. C.occidentalis is an annual herb in India, has been used as folk medicine and found to posses wide range of pharmacological behaviors. The objective of the current study is to evaluate the effects of C.occidentalis leaf extracts on the growth of various pathogenic microorganisms based on the inhibition zone using disc diffusion assay, minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) values. The crude aqueous extract had been fractioned in to aqueous and ethylacetate fraction using biofractionation assay. In this, the aqueous fraction of C.occidentalis had no antimicrobial effect against the test microorganisms where as ethyl acetate fraction had inhibitory effects on the growth of 9 strains of 9 bacterial species and one fungal isolate. Bactericidal activity of microorganism was also found using Time kill curve.

In order to assess the antioxidant activity of the basidiocarp of mushrooms, viz., Boletus edulis, Ganodrema tsugae and Micoporus xanthopus., an invitro investigation was carried out. The result of the study revealed that the enzymatic antioxidants like catalase and peroxidase were recorded maximally in the basidiocarp of the fungus M. xanthopus (34.190 U mg^-1 and 116.53 U mg^-1 enzyme protein) and minimally in G. tsugae and B. edulis (9.602 U mg^-1 and 66.59 U mg?1 enzyme protein). The non-enzymatic antioxidants like ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and tocopherol (vitamin E) were much pronounced in B. edulis basidiocarp (17.15 µg^-1 and 56.13 µg g^-1 ) compared to M. xanthopus and G. tsugae (17.15 µg^-1 and 26.07 µg g^-1 ) respectively.

A laboratory investigation was undertaken to explore the production of cellulase enzyme complex and xylanase enzyme in the Boletus edulis, Ganodrema tsugae and Micoporus xanthopus. The result of the study revealed that the exo-B 1,4 glucanase activity, endo B-1,4 glucanase basidiocarp of mushrooms, viz., activity, B-glucosidase activity and xylanase activity were very much pronounced in Ganoderma tsugae (1.791 Umg-1 1.864 Umg-1,1.127 IUmg-1 and 0.142 IUmg-1 enzyme protien) than Boletus edulis (0.555 Umg-1,1.05 Umg-1,0.683 IUmg-1 and 0.063 IUmg-1 enzyme protein)and Microporus xanthopus (1.142Umg-1,1.503 Umg-1, 0.623 IUmg-1& 0.038 IUmg-1 enzyme protein).