In vitro CALLOGENESIS OF MEDICINALLY IMPORTANT AYURVEDIC HERB Enicostema littorale BLUME

Purpose: The practice of in vitro culturing of medicinally important plants has gained much attention in enhancing the secondary metabolite production. In this perspective, the current study was carried out to promote a rapid and standard method for in vitro callogenesis of Enicostema littorale Blume using different explants. Research Methods: In vitro callogenesis of Enicostema littorale was done on Murashige and Skoog’s media. Explants were cautiously sterilised and later put on MS medium added with variable combinations and combinations of growth regulators and were maintained in culture room at temperature of 25 ± 2ºC with photoperiods of 16 h. The cultures were observed at regular intervals for callus initiation and results were recorded regularly. Findings: Maximum callus was yielded from nodal explants when Murashige and Skoog medium was added with various growth promoters (6-Benzylaminopurine and Kinetin -3.0 and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid -1.5 mg each followed by Kinetin-2.0 and Naphthyl Acetic Acid -0.5 mg) per liter amount of media. Similarly, it was also revealed from the present investigation that leaf explants proved better for callogenesis on MS media added with 6-Benzylaminopurine-3.0 and Naphthyl Acetic Acid -1.0 mg/l followed by Kinetin-1.5 and NAA-0.5 mg/l. However, shoot tip explants weakly responded for callogenic induction during the present study. The present study while using combinations of growth regulators at different concentrations and combinations, all the selected explants responded distinctly. Value: The developed tissue culture protocol can be proved as rapid and reliable method for enhancing and extracting the secondary metabolite production, and as a landmark to meet the industrial need in the near future

GREEN SYNTHESIS OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES (AgNPs) USING HELVELLA LEUCOPUS PERS. AND THEIR ANTIMYCOTIC ACTIVITY AGAINST FUNGI CAUSING FUNGAL ROT OF APPLE

Objectives: The main objective of the present study was to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by green approach using Helvella leucopus and to evaluate the antimycotic activity of synthesized AgNPs against fungi causing fungal rot of apple. Methods: During the present study for green synthesis of AgNPs using H. leucopus, equal volumes of both mushroom extract (100 ml) and silver nitrate solution (100 ml) were mixed and incubated at room temperature for the bioreduction process. These synthesized AgNPs were characterized by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. Furthermore, these synthesized AgNPs were evaluated for their antimycotic activity by spore germination method and agar well diffusion assay against different tested fungi. Results: The results revealed that strong plasmon absorbance band was observed at 420 nm which confirms the synthesis of AgNPs using H. leucopus. The synthesized AgNPs were spherical in aggregated form with size ranging from 80 to 100 nm. Furthermore, different concentrations of synthesized AgNPs caused significant inhibition in spore germination and reduction in zone of inhibition of tested fungal pathogens. The highest inhibition in spore germination by AgNPs at highest concentrations was observed against Penicillium chrysogenum followed by Aspergillus niger and Alternaria alternata, respectively. Similarly, the synthesized AgNPs at highest concentrations showed maximum zone of inhibition against P. chrysogenum followed by A. niger and A. alternata, respectively. Conclusion: It is concluded from the present study that synthesized AgNPs have good potential to be used as antifungal agents against many fungal plant pathogens. The synthesized AgNPs using mushroom fungi also have potential for the development of nanofungicides against fungal pathogens but after proper investigation