STUDY OF ANTIMICROBIAL POTENTIALITY OF EIGHT DIFFERENT MANGROVE SPECIES AND DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR INTRA-RELATIONSHIP THROUGH CLUSTER ANALYSIS

Objective: The present study investigates the antimicrobial activities of eight different mangrove plants and also the development of their intra-relationship through cluster analysis. Methods: The dried and powdered leaves of different mangrove species were extracted by cold maceration process with water, methanol, and chloroform. The antimicrobial activity was done using the agar well diffusion method. The cluster analysis of the mangrove plants was analyzed by MINITAB Release 13.1. Results: The order of extraction yield for each mangrove species was methanol > chloroform > water. The methanol extract of Suaeda maritima, Avicennia marina, Avicennia officinalis, and chloroform extract of Sonneratia apetala gave the highest inhibition zones of 19 mm, 19 mm, 19.33 mm, and 19.33 mm, respectively, against Bacillus subtilis. The methanol extract of Ceriops decandra, Xylocarpus granatum, and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza found the highest inhibition zones of 21.67 mm, 22 mm, and 20.3 mm, respectively, against Escherichia coli, Shigella flexneri, and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. The endangered and endemic species Heritiera fomes gave the highest result (18 mm) against both for Micrococcus luteus and B. subtilis in methanolic extract. The maximum zone of inhibition of fungal strains was found against Botrytis cinerea (15 mm), Fusarium oxysporum (16.33 mm), and Rhizopus oryzae (13.33 mm) with the methanol extract of X. granatum, S. apetala, and C. decandra, respectively. Cluster analysis of 8 mangrove species based on different bacterial pathogens was also shown where it demonstrated their intra-relationship against some bacterial pathogens. Conclusion: From this study, it may be concluded that mangrove plants can be used to discover bioactive natural products

Interrelationship and cause effect analysis among panicle yield attributing traits in lowland Traditional Rice

Yield component analysis provides a framework for identifying potentially useful traits for yield improvement. A field experiment was conducted for two consecutive years to evaluate the forty four low land traditional rice cultivars for twenty three panicle yield and its attributing traits during kharif season at the Zonal Adaptive Research Station, Krishnagar, Nadia, West Bengal, India. Significant varietal differences were observed for all the characters. Among the panicle yield attributing traits, number of primary branches per panicle, number of grains on primary branches panicle-1, number of spikelets on primary branches panicle-1, grain length, grain breadth, grain thickness, kernel breadth, kernel thickness, 100 grain weight, 100 kernel weight correlated significantly and positively with panicle yield both at the genotypic and phenotypic levels. Results of path analysis showed that the direct positive effect on panicle yield was greatest for number of spikelets on secondary branches panicle-1 (0.998) which is followed by number of grains on secondary branches panicle-1 (0.948), grain length (0.755), and number of spikelets on primary branches panicle-1 (0.625), grain thickness (0.392) and fertility % of spikelets on primary branches panicle-1 (0.378). Few characters like number of primary branches panicle-1, number of spikelets panicle-1, by number of grains on primary branches panicle-1 and grain breadth showed negative direct effect on panicle yield even though the genotypic correlation coefficients on panicle yield were positive. The study revealed that the direct selection of the above said traits might be rewarding for panicle yield improvement since they revealed a true relationship with the panicle yield

Molecular characterization of sesame germplasms of West Bengal, India using RAPD markers

The aim of this research was to assess the genetic diversity of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) and also to reveal the genetic relationships using the Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. Fifteen sesame germplasms were collected from seven districts or four zones of West Bengal, India. A high genetic diversity was revealed by ten RAPD primers within and among the fifteen germplasms. The value of Jaccard’s similarity coefficients among and within the fifteen germplasms ranged from 0.287 to 0.725 which indicated high degree of genetic variability. Cluster analysis using Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA) grouped all the germplasms into three main clusters. Analysis of various genetic diversity indices strongly indicated high level of genetic diversity among the populations of four different regions. UPGMA analysis of four populations resulted into two groups and the results of Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) depicted a clear distinction among the germplasms

Identification and Validation of a New Male Sex-Specific ISSR Marker in Pointed Gourd ( Trichosanthes dioica

The aim of the present study was to develop a genetic sex marker for the pointed gourd (Trichosanthes dioica Roxb.) to allow gender determination at any stage in the life cycle. Screening of genomic DNA with intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR) primers was used to discover sex-specific touch-down polymerase chain reaction (Td-PCR) amplification products. Using pooled DNA from male and female genotypes and 42 ISSR primers, a putative male specific marker (~550 bp) was identified. DNA marker specific to male is an indication of existence of nonepigenetic factors involved in gender development in pointed gourd. The ISSR technique has proved to be a reliable technique in gender determination of pointed gourd genotypes at the seedling phenophase. The sex marker developed here could also be used as a starting material towards sequence characterization of sex linked genes for better understanding the developmental as well as evolutionary pathways in sexual dimorphism

<em>Ocimum</em> Phytochemicals and Their Potential Impact on Human Health

The genus Ocimum (Lamiaceae) is distributed all over the world and can be found in many environments. Ocimum species is a rich source of various phytochemicals including tannins, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, phytosterols, and policosanols. These phytochemicals have the potential to significantly impact human health. The economic importance of Ocimum is also evident; Ocimum oil and its constituents and derivatives are used as flavoring agents throughout the world in food, pharmaceutical, herbal, perfumery, and flavoring industry. The important advantages of Ocimum plants in various treatments are their safety besides being less expensive, efficacy and availability throughout the world. This paper will focus on the biological effects of Ocimum essential oils, with particular attention on the molecular mechanism underlying their action

Evaluation of Antibacterial Potentiality of a Cyclopenta Naphthalene Tetraol Terpenoid Isolated from Curcuma caesia Roxb

ABSTRACT The assessment of antibacterial potentiality of 2, 3,4,8a,9,9a-hexamethyl-2,3,3a,4,4a,5,8,8a,9,9a -decahydro -1H -cyclopenta [b] naphthalene -1,2,3a,4a-tetraol was the primary objective of this paper followed by its physicochemical characterization. Chemical characterisation of 2, 3, 4, 8a, 9, 9a-hexamethyl-2,3,3a,4,4a,5,8,8a,9,9a-decahydro-1H-cyclopenta [b] naphthalene-1,2,3a,4a-tetraol was done through UV, IR (FT-IR), HRMS and NMR spectroscopic techniques. Assessment of its antibacterial activity was performed using agar cup method and disc diffusion assay respectively. The antibacterial compound was terpenoid in nature and identified as 2, 3, 4, 8a, 9, 9a-hexamethyl-2,3,3a,4,4a,5,8,8a,9,9a-decahydro-1H-cyclopenta [b] naphthalene-1,2,3a,4a-tetraol. The MIC values tested against different plant pathogenic fungi and bacteria are different. The MIC values of this compound was 365 µg/ml, 274 µg/ml, 389 µg/ml, 443 µg/ml tested against the bacterium Serratia marcescens, Erwinia herbicola, Xanthomonas sp. and Arthrobacter chlorophenolicus respectively. Best of our knowledge this was the first report of presence of 2, 3, 4, 8a, 9, 9a-hexamethyl-2, 3, 3a, 4, 4a, 5, 8, 8a, 9, 9a-decahydro-1H-cyclopenta [b] naphthalene-1,2,3a,4a-tetraol in plants. Due to its antibacterial property it may function in plant defense or commercialize as an ecofriendly crop protectant

Effect of Bavistin and Adenine Sulphate on In vitro Shoot Multiplication of Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora Pennell.: An Endangered Medicinal Plant of Indo‐China Himalayan

An alternative protocol for in vitro propagation of Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora is described using bavistin and adenine sulphate. The explants differentiated into multiple shoot buds on MS supplemented with various concentrations of bavistin and adenine sulphate ranging from 0 ‐ 400 mg/l either alone or in combination. Maximum number of multiple shoots were obtained on MS containing the combination of bavistin (100 mg/l) and adenine sulphate (100 mg/l). In this combination as high as 28 shoots per explant was achieved and also vetrification of the cultures were not recorded. This study also demonstrates that the bavistin has stronger cytokinin‐like activity than adenine sulphate. For instance, it was observed that bavistin alone in the concentration of 300 mg/l produced as high as 24 shoots per explant, however, adenine sulphate (100 mg/l) could produce a maximum of 18 shoots per explant. Moreover, higher or lower concentration did not improve the shoot multiplication. The microshoots were separated from the multiple shoots and transferred to MS containing various concentrations of auxins. Among them, NAA (1 mg/l) produced as high as 6 roots per explant. The regenerated plantlets were hardened in plastic cups (6 x 8 cm) containing 9: 1 virgin soil and soil at Kyongnosla nursery and acclimated for four weeks. A 90 % survival rate of the plants was recorded after 60 days

Touchdown-PCR based RAPD assay for early diagnosis of gender in <em>Carica papaya</em> L.

136-140Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a well-known medicinally important nutritive fruit tree cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Sex type determination in papaya (Carica papaya L.) is important for optimizing production and productivity. This species has three sex types (male, female and hermaphrodite) determined by a multiallelic locus. Morphological and cytological studies conducted so far have failed to differentiate between the sex forms of papaya. Its dioecious nature, occasional sex-reversal of male flowers and the absence of a heteromorphic pair of sex chromosomes make papaya an interesting system to study sex determination at the molecular level. Present investigation has been carried out to generate gender-specific random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers using touchdown-polymerase chain reaction (Td-PCR). Using pooled DNA from male, female and hermaphrodite plants and 35 RAPD primers, a putative male (~900bp) and hermaphrodite specific markers (~550bp) were identified. This gender diagnostic PCR assay offers a simple and reproducible way for gender determination in papaya genotypes at the seedling phenophase. The RAPD markers developed here could also be used as a starting material towards sequence characterization of sex linked genes for better understanding the developmental as well as evolutionary pathways in sexual dimorphism