Repurposing distillation waste biomass and low-value mineral resources through biochar-mineral-complex for sustainable production of high-value medicinal plants and soil quality improvement

High cost of synthetic fertilizers and their hazardous effects catapult the exploration of alternative nutrient formulations and soil amendments. This study aimed to synthesize a novel biochar-mineral-complex (BMC), and evaluate its nutrient supplying and soil improvement performances. In a hydrothermal reaction, the BMC was prepared using a biochar derived from distillation waste of Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) and farmyard manure, for the first time via fortification with low-grade rock phosphate and waste mica. The BMC showed improved physico-chemical properties and nutrient availability than the pristine biochar. When applied to a deeply weathered acidic soil, the BMC significantly (p<0.05) improved the herbage and bioactive compound (sennoside) yields of a medicinal plant (senna; Cassia angustifolia Vahl.) compared to the pristine biochar, farmyard manure, vermicompost, and chemical fertilizers. The BMC also improved the soil quality by increasing nutrient and carbon contents, and microbial activities. Soil quality improvement facilitated greater nutrient uptake in senna plants under BMC compared to the pristine biochar, and conventional organic and chemical fertilizer treatments. This study thus encourages the development of BMC formulations not only to overcome the limitation of sole biochar application to soils, but also to phaseout chemical fertilizers in agriculture. Moreover, BMC could bestow resilience and sustainability to crop production via value-added recycling of waste biomass and low-grade mineral resources

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Not AvailableThis work aimed to assess the feasibility of economical management of downy mildew of isabgol (Plantago ovata) under simulated conditions of farmers’ fields at Gujarat, India. Seed treatment and three foliar sprays of the combination fungicide Ridomil MZ were found to be the best treatment for suppressing downy mildew (Peronospora plantaginis) severity and increasing seed yield. However, seed treatment and a single dose of the Ridomil MZ followed by two applications of mancozeb produced maximum net return. Mancozeb residue in seed was 15 times lower than the acceptable daily intake level recommended by the World Health Organisation.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableAshwagandha (Withania somnifera Dunal) is a crucial medicinal plant known as Indian ginseng; the dried roots of which are used in traditional systems of medicine. In the present investigation, genetic diversity was estimated among 24 morphologically distinct ashwagandha accessions using molecular, phytochemical and morphological markers. Out of 60 randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers used to estimate the genetic relationships, 27 primers produced better polymorphic and reproducibility pattern. An average of 9 DNA fragments was amplified by each primer within the range of 200 to 2000 bp in size. The genetic diversity among the accessions measured by Jaccard’s similarity coefficient varied from (0.440 to 0.831). The highest (0.831) and lowest (0.440) was measured between DWS-95 and DWS-141 and between DWS-327 and DWS-133 respectively.Not Availabl

Effect of extraction methods on yield, phytochemical constituents and antioxidant activity of Withania somnifera

Withnaia somnifera (L.) is a wonder herb with multiple medicinal properties. Its root is used in the preparation of many Ayurvedic medicines. Withanolides, steroidal lactones, present in the root are active chemical markers, however, phenolics, and flavonoids have also been reported in the root of this plant. In most of the herbal preparations, water extraction is carried out using the infusion or decoction preparation process. In the present study, extract yield, phytochemical constituents such as total phenol and withanolide content of water and water-alcohol extracts prepared using two most commonly used extraction techniques, also known as “Green Extraction” techniques, ultrasound and microwave assisted solvent extraction were compared with the conventional extraction method. Antioxidant activity of the extracts was also determined using DPPH and ABTS methods of antioxidant assay. Extract yield, chemical composition of the extracts (total phenol and withanolide content) and antioxidant activity of the extracts varied with the extraction process as well as solvent composition

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Not AvailableBacterial soft rot disease of Aloe due to heterogeneous genus Erwinia was reported from different parts of the world. In the recent past the genus underwent major taxonomic modifications. In the present study we have compared four Aloe pathogenic bacterial strains isolated from India, The Netherland and Yugoslavia. Different cultutal, biochemical, physiological and pathological characters and protein/lipid profiles indicated that the strains belonged to two different genera – Pectobacterium and Dickeya. Species specific amplification of pel gene products also supported this. Phylogenetic analysis of rRNA gene (rDNA) sequence placed these Dickeya strains close to D. dieffenbachiae and D. zeae. On the other hand, phenotypic tests suggested these to be either of D. dadanti, D. dieffenbachiae and D. zeae. On the basis of pathogeneicity of the test strains on Dieffenbachia leaves, these were placed in D. dieffenbachiae. The Yugoslavian strain was identified as P. carotovorum. Phenotypic test like lypolitic activity and protein composition also detected variation based on geographical origine of the strains. RFLP analyses of ITS and rDNA fragments deciphered variation among the same species. However, none of the six Aloe species tested in our study shoed resistance against any of the test cultures.Not Availabl

Enriched soil amendments influenced soil fertility, herbage yield and bioactive principle of medicinal plant (Cassia angustifolia Vahl.) grown in two different soils

High cost of chemical fertilizers and poor nutrient content in conventional organic sources (manure, compost, charcoal etc.) can be addressed through development of enriched organic amendments. However, there is a need to evaluate enriched organic amendments as a potential alternative of chemical fertilizers. Therefore, an effort was made to prepare enriched organic amendments through blending distillation waste of aromatic plant biomass (DWB) with naturally available low-grade rock phosphate (RP) and waste mica (WM). Enrich compost (ENC) was produced from DWB in a natural composting process, blended with mineral powder, whereas biochar fortified mineral (BFM) was prepared by blending biochar, derived from DWB through hydrothermal reaction, with mineral powder. The main aims of the present study were to investigate the impacts of ENC and BFM applications on soil properties, and herbage yield and quality of a medicinal herb Senna (Cassia angustifolia Vahl.). The performances of ENC and BFM at two different rates (2.5 and 5 t ha−1) were compared with the application of conventional farmyard manure (FYM, 5 t ha−1) and chemical fertilizers (CF, NPK 60-40-20 kg ha−1) in two different soils in a pot experiment. Both, ENC and EBC improved soil quality and fertility by increasing soil organic carbon, available nutrients, microbial biomass and enzyme activity. The ENC and BFM increased total herbage yields by 21 and 16.3 % compared to FYM. In both soils, the CF treatment produced the maximum dry herbage yields (32.7–37.4 g pot−1), which however were comparable to ENC (31.9–33.7 g pot−1) and BFM (30.7–35.1 g pot−1) treatments. Bioactive compound (sennoside) production in senna was significantly improved by ENC and BFM compared to CF. The present study indicates that ENC and BFM could not only help to overcome the limitation of conventional FYM, but also have the potentials to substitute costly chemical fertilizers, particularly in medicinal plant cultivation