GROWTH COMPARISON OF EXOTIC SPECIES FOR GREEN FORAGE

Abstract Growth of exotic fodder crops (grasses and clovers) were compared in pots at Agronomy Research Farm, Khyber Pakhtunkhuwa Agricultural University, Peshawar. Initially 20 seeds was planted on 22.10.2005 and thinned out after emergence by leaving 10 seedlings pot -1 (30 x 50 cm). Clover's seeds were soaked overnight (>14 h) before sowing. Compound fertilizer (100, 60, 30) and (30, 60, 30) kg ha -1 N, P, and K were applied to grasses and clovers, respectively after thinning. Pots were manually irrigated. Biomass of pots was periodically harvested for dry matter after taking measurements of green leaf area index (GLAI) and light interception. Crop growth rate (CGR) was derived as ratio of dry matter and time-taken as growing degree days (GDD O C). LAI was measured non-destructively using LI-2000, LI-COR, USA. Radiation use efficiency (RUE) was derived from weather data and measurements made during the crop growth. The highest dry matter (1685 g m -2 ) was observed for Lolium multiflorum, followed by Lolium perenne (791 g m -2 ) and Dactylis glomerata (631 g m -2 ). GLAI were also recorded the highest for the species Lolium multiflorum (4.07) and Lolium perenne (3.93) with non-significant difference from each other. The highest dry matter of the grasses was in agreement to higher CGR and RUE. Grass species Lolium multiflorum yielded the highest CGR (1.06 g DM O C GDD) and RUE (3.41 g DM MJ -1 PAR absorbed) with strong positive relationship (r 2 = 0.95). Lolium perenne was next to yield 0.47 g DM GDD -1 ( O C) and RUE 1.63 g DM MJ -1 PAR absorbed. Rests of the grass species were found un-comparable for any observed parameter. Among the clovers, Trifolium repense was higher in dry matter (510 g m -2 ) yielded 1.10 g DM GDD -1 and RUE 0.71 g DM MJ -1 PAR absorption. From the study, it can be concluded that ryegrasses has potential to plant as green fodder in mix cultivation with local clovers on irrigated rangelands. Moreover, slow growth of fodder on arable land in early winter months can be improved through selection of an appropriate exotic grass/clover to be sown in combination with local types for the area

Usporedba antioksidativne i antimikrobne aktivnosti fenolnih spojeva, ekstrahiranih iz pet vrsta biljaka roda Hypericum

Phenolic compounds were extracted from five Hypericum species (H. perforatum, H. oblongifolium, H. monogynum, H. choisianum and H. dyeri Redher) using ethanol. The crude extract (called fraction 1) was then fractionated using re-extraction to water (fraction 2), ethyl acetate (fraction 3), and acetone (fraction 4). The final residue was marked as fraction 5. The content of total phenolics in the fractions ranged from 21 mg of gallic acid equivalents per g (fraction 5 of H. dyeri) to 100 mg of gallic acid equivalents per g (fraction 5 of H. choisianum). Phenolic compounds present in the fractions showed antioxidant and antiradical properties investigated using DPPH radical scavenging activity, molybdate method, and reducing power. The strongest antiradical properties were noted for fraction 3 of H. choisianum (EC50=11.2 μg/mL), whereas the weakest was for fraction 5 of H. dyeri (EC50=139.2 μg/mL). Fractions 1 and 5 of H. dyeri showed good antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, while fractions 3–5 of H. perforatum were active against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Fractions 1–4 of H. perforatum were found most active against Helminthosporium maydis as determined by antifungal screening.Fenolni su spojevi izdvojeni pomoću etanola iz pet vrsta roda Hypericum (H. perforatum, H. oblongifolium, H. monogynum, H. choisianum i H. dyeri Redher). Sirovi je ekstrakt (frakcija 1) razdvojen ponovnom ekstrakcijom na: vodu (frakcija 2), etilni acetat (frakcija 3) i aceton (frakcija 4). Preostali je talog označen kao frakcija 5. Udio ukupnih fenola u frakcijama bio je od 21 mg/g (preračunato na galnu kiselinu) u frakciji 5 izdvojene iz H. dyeri do 100 mg/g (preračunato na galnu kiselinu) u frakciji 5 izdvojene iz H. choisianum. Dobiveni su fenolni spojevi imali antioksidativna i antiradikalna svojstva, što je ustanovljeno ispitivanjem njihove sposobnosti uklanjanja DPPH radikala, spektrofotometrijom uz dodatak amonijeva molibdata i utvrđivanjem reducirajuće snage esktrakata. Najjači antiradikalni učinak imala je frakcija 3 iz H. choisianum (EC50=11,2 μg/mL), a najslabiji frakcija 5 iz H. dyeri (EC50=139,2 μg/mL). Frakcije 1 i 5 iz H. dyeri učinkovito su suzbile rast bakterije Escherichia coli, a frakcije 3 i 5 iz H. perforatum djelovale su na bakterije Staphylococcus aureus i Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Frakcije 1-4 iz H. perforatum imale su najjači antifungalni učinak na Helminthosporium maydis

ASSESSMENT OF HERITABILITY ESTIMATES FOR SOME YIELD TRAITS IN WINTER WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.)

Information about the genetic variability and other associated parameters for different traits is very useful in crop improvement programs. Yield components and some morphological characters were studied in an experiment comprising 42 winter wheat genotypes. The experiment was laid out in RCB design in 2004-05 at the New Development Farm of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Agricultural University Peshawar. Mean values, genotypic and phenotypic variances, broad sense heritability and genetic advance were calculated for all the traits. Moderate to very low and high heritabilities were estimated for all the morphological characters except days to 50% physiological maturity. Grain yield exhibited highest heritability value of 92.45% while harvest index and days to 50% physiological maturity showed minimum values 27.55% and 15.42% respectively. High heritability estimates were observed for grain yield and biological yield. Genetically the data revealed highly significant mean squares for all the characters i.e., tiller plant(-1), plant height, days to 50% physiological maturity, grain weight, grain yield, biological yield and harvest index which suggested the presence of genetic difference among the winter wheat genotypes

Comparative Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Phenolic Compounds Extracted from Five Hypericum Species

Phenolic compounds were extracted from five Hypericum species (H. perforatum, H. oblongifolium, H. monogynum, H. choisianum and H. dyeri Redher) using ethanol. The crude extract (called fraction 1) was then fractionated using re-extraction to water (fraction 2), ethyl acetate (fraction 3), and acetone (fraction 4). The final residue was marked as fraction 5. The content of total phenolics in the fractions ranged from 21 mg of gallic acid equivalents per g (fraction 5 of H. dyeri) to 100 mg of gallic acid equivalents per g (fraction 5 of H. choisianum). Phenolic compounds present in the fractions showed antioxidant and antiradical properties investigated using DPPH radical scavenging activity, molybdate method, and reducing power. The strongest antiradical properties were noted for fraction 3 of H. choisianum (EC50=11.2 μg/mL), whereas the weakest was for fraction 5 of H. dyeri (EC50=139.2 μg/mL). Fractions 1 and 5 of H. dyeri showed good antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, while fractions 3–5 of H. perforatum were active against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Fractions 1–4 of H. perforatum were found most active against Helminthosporium maydis as determined by antifungal screening