Applied Botany

Phellinus is a genus of fungi belonging to the family Hymenochaetaceae from order Aphyllophorales. Phellinus spp. causing white rot of various kinds in live standing or dead gymnospermic and angiospermic wood occurs worldwide. A total number of 427 records (310 species, 06 sub-species, 42 varieties and 69 formas) of Phellinus are reported worldwide so far. The current study was based on thorough world literature survey for the host range of Phellinus species. About 91 plant families shows infection of Phellinus spp. Amongst all the families, genera of Fabaceae are found to be most susceptible, followed by Rosaceae, Myrtaceae, Cupressaceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Ericaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Lauraceae, Meliaceae, Pinaceae, Rubiaceae Arecaceae, Fagaceae and Olecaceae are also amongst the most frequently infected families. Quercus is the most frequent host of Phellinus.

The present study was aimed for isolation and quantification of Primary Metabolites from selected plant species. Antioxidant activity of plants was also carried out by using FRAP, Catalase,Lipid Peroxidation and Peroxidase assay. The maximum amount of primary metabolite was protein and the minimum was total soluble sugars in leaves of Tylophora indica whereas in the case of Nyctanthes arbor tritis. Maximum amount of primary metabolite was protein in roots and the minimum starch was found in stem. Thus leaves of Tylophora indica. and the roots of Nyctanthes arbor tritis were the rich source of protein. Stem of Tylophora indica was found to be better antioxidant as compared to leaves when observed by various antioxidant assays.. In the case of Nyctanthes-arbor-tritis different plant parts showed potent activity when assayed by different methods. . The present results showed potential of this medicinal plant which can be used as herbal drug as therapeutic ventures in future aspects.

We studied Dunaliella salina on different media to find out optimum culture media for algal growth and biopigment production. D. salina is a flagellated, halophile green microalga especially found in brackish water. D. salina is known for its antioxidant activity because of its ability to create large amount of carotenoid. Growth kinetics of cultures was showed on various media with significant modifications such as ASWM1 (2M NaCl), 2ASWM1 (medium composition same as ASWM1 but double strength of 4M NaCl, modified D medium2 (.01 g of NaHCO3 and 2M NaCl), modified Johnson medium3 (3M NaCl), FE medium (2m NaCl).pH was adjusted to 7.8. Maximum growth rate, cell production with maximum accumulation of chlorophyll and carotenoid were found in ASWM. Carotenoid content was found maximum in double concentration of NaCl (4-5molar) in 2ASWM. Chlorophyll content was found maximum in D medium (19.4 mg/gm) and minimum FE medium (2.2mg/gm). Improvement in the carotenoid content with increase in salinity in ASWM could be a good basis for the exploitation of microalgae as a source of biopigment.

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.

The ethanolic fruit extract of Cucumis trigonus Roxb. of family Curcurbitaceae was subjected to isolation and identification of chemical constituents. The extract was purified and isolated by column chromatography and thin layer chromatography (TLC). The isolated compound was then subjected to Infra red spectroscopy (IR) for identification of functional groups, 1H NMR and 13C NMR for identification of protons and carbon atoms. LCMS and elemental analysis were done for identifying the molecular weight and elemental composition of the isolated compound. From the spectra obtained from IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR, LCMS and elemental analysis, the isolated compound was found to be linolenic acid (C18H30O2) with a molecular weight of 278.43.

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.

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.

The present study was conducted to determine the effect of industrial effluents on biochemical parameters of Cicer arietinum crop. Water samples were collected from a common outlet of different industries of Kota. The biochemical parameters studied were phenol, protein, starch, total soluble sugar, pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoid, and total chlorophyll) and antioxidative enzymes like catalase and peroxidase. These parameters were compared between plants grown in industrial waste water and controls. Results showed that industrial waste water irrigated crops significantly affect some biochemical contents. Result showed that total chlorophyll, protein and catalase content is decreased in plants irrigated with waste water in comparison to that with control water crop, Whereas starch , total soluble sugar, carotenoid, phenol and peroxidase contents were increased in plants irrigated with waste water in comparison to that with control water crop. Significant changes are seen in total carbohydrate content of industrial waste water irrigated crop as compared to control. Study showed that industrial waste water irrigation stress induces the changes in biochemical parameters and antioxidative enzymes content in Cicer crop.

Whiteflies are very common in study areas and the experiments were conducted to study the feeding pattern of insect vector to develop control of virus transmission by understanding feeding pattern of vector. Optimum acquisition period was found to be 12 hour once the vector has acquired the virus it is able to transmit virus for as long as ten days and optimum infection feeding time is 24 hours, after which it transmit virus to other plants in intermittent manner. Even the post acquisition fasting has little effect on the efficiency of virus transmission although when post acquisition fasting was increased, decrease in efficiency of transmission is seen. Increasing the number of whiteflies per plant decrease the incubation period Virus persist in the vector for longer duration, which indicates it to be 'persistent type', virus acquisition and inoculation increases efficiency with increasing access time.

The aim of the study was to investigate and compare antibacterial and antifungal activity of leaves extract taken from four different plants Quisqualis indica Linn., Calotropis procera Ait., Achyranthes aspera Linn., and Ocimum sanctum Linn. against ten microorganisms comprising of five bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and five fungi (Alternaria porri, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, Penicillium chrysogenum) using well diffusion method. The in vitro study revealed that methanol extract was more effective than aqueous extract. Leaf extracts of Quisqualis indica Linn. and Achyranthes aspera Linn. was reported to be more effective on fungal species and on contrary leaf extracts of Calotropis procera Ait. and Ocimum sanctum Linn. was found more effective on bacterial species.