Ecological Study of Lotus Plants (Nelumbo nucifera) in the Swamp Area of the Bengkulu University Campus Environment

The lotus plant (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) is an aquatic emergent angiosperm that is distributed in wetlands. In Japan, the lotus is widely distributed in Japanese eutrophic waters [1]. A large proportion of Lake Izunuma has been dominated by lotus, and the area of the lake covered by lotus has increased. The lake was registered as a wetland under the Ramsar Convention in 1985, and therefore, there is a great need to conserve the biodiversity at the lake. Lake Izunuma-Uchinuma is also designated as a National Bird and Animal Protection Region, and it is one of the most famous wintering grounds for whooper swans and geese in Japan [2]. Additionally, foraging behavior of whooper swans was observed often at the survey areas. Therefore, the lotus root is important food for the whooper swans during overwinter and the lotus distribution in the lake affects their behavior [3]. However, the lotus plant usually grows by vegetative reproduction of the lotus root under the water bottom, and the real situation of the lotus distribution is not clear unless the lotus root is dug up. To overcome the problems, we have developed a new monitoring system, named “acoustic coring system” [4]. In this study, the lotus root habitats in the sediment is monitored using the acoustic coring system to investigate the lotus root distribution and estimate the foraging pressure of whooper swan during overwinter.

Centromeres on eukaryotic chromosomes consist of large arrays of DNA repeats that undergo very rapid evolution. Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (sacred lotus) is a phylogenetic relict and an aquatic perennial basal eudicot. Studies concerning the centromeres of this basal eudicot species could provide ancient evolutionary perspectives. In this study, we characterized the centromeric marker protein NnCenH3 (sacred lotus centromere-specific histone H3 variant), and used a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-based technique to recover the NnCenH3 nucleosome-associated sequences of sacred lotus. The properties of the centromere-binding protein and DNA sequences revealed notable divergence between sacred lotus and other flowering plants, including the following factors: (i) an NnCenH3 alternative splicing variant comprising only a partial centromere-targeting domain, (ii) active genes with low transcription levels in the NnCenH3 nucleosomal regions, and (iii) the prevalence of the Ty1/copia class of long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons in the centromeres of sacred lotus chromosomes. In addition, the dynamic natures of the centromeric region showed that some of the centromeric repeat DNA sequences originated from telomeric repeats, and a pair of centromeres on the dicentric chromosome1 was inactive in the metaphase cells of sacred lotus. Our characterization of the properties of centromeric DNA structure within the sacred lotus genome describes a centromeric profile in ancient basal eudicots and might provide evidence of the origins and evolution of centromeres. Furthermore, the identification of centromeric DNA sequences is of great significance for the assembly of the sacred lotus genome.

Sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) has long been used as a food source and ingredient for traditional herbal remedies. Plant parts contain neuroprotective agents that interact with specific targets to inhibit Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Organic solvents including methanol, ethyl acetate, hexane, and n-butanol, are widely employed for extraction of sacred lotus but impact food safety. Seed embryo, flower stalk, stamen, old leaf, petal, and leaf stalk of sacred lotus were extracted using hot water (aqueous extraction). The extractions were analyzed for their bioactive constituents, antioxidant and anti-AD properties as key enzyme inhibitory activities toward acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and β-secretase 1 (BACE-1). Results showed that the sacred lotus stamen exhibited significant amounts of phenolics, including phenolic acids and flavonoids, that contributed to high antioxidant activity via both single electron transfer (SET) and hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) mechanisms, with anti-AChE, anti-BChE, and anti-BACE-1 activities. To enhance utilization of other sacred lotus parts, a combination of stamen, old leaf and petal as the three sacred lotus plant components with the highest phenolic contents, antioxidant activities, and enzyme inhibitory properties was analyzed. Antagonist interaction was observed, possibly from flavonoids–flavonoids interaction. Further in-depth elucidation of this issue is required. Findings demonstrated that an aqueous extract of the stamen has potential for application as a functional food to mitigate the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is a commercial product in Asian countries. Almost all parts of the lotus plant are consumed as food or used as traditional medicine due to their high contents of secondary metabolites such as phenolics and alkaloids. However, agricultural management of the sacred lotus occurs during the rainy season, and the plant enters a resting stage during the dry season. Thus, seasonal variation (beginning, middle and end of the rainy season) was investigated for total phenolic contents (TPCs), antioxidant capacities and inhibitions of the key enzymes relevant to chronic diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (β-secretase, acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase), hypertension (angiotensin-converting enzyme), obesity (lipase) and diabetes (α-glucosidase) of different sacred lotus parts (seed embryo, petal, stamen, old leaf, leaf stalk and flower stalk). Results indicated that an aqueous extract of stamen in all harvesting seasons exhibited potentially high TPCs, which led to high antioxidant activities and most enzyme inhibitions (up to 53.7-fold higher) than the others collected in the same harvesting period. The phenolic content and biochemical activities in stamen harvested at the beginning of the rainy season were up to 4-fold higher than during other harvesting periods. This information benefits the agricultural management of sacred lotus and supports consumption of different sacred lotus parts for health promotion. Results can be used as an initial database for future product development from different sacred lotus parts.

Indian lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is one of the dominant aquatic plants cultivated in Dal Lake, situated at 1586m above mean sea level (MSL) in the northeast of Srinagar, Kashmir. Despite their economic and ecological role, the microbial communities associated with the lotus plant are still unexplored. In this study, we investigated the prokaryotic communities on surfaces of different lotus microhabitats (roots, rhizome, leaves, flowers, and fruits), lake water, and sediments using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Overall, prokaryotic diversity decreased significantly on the surface of lotus microhabitats in comparison to the lake water and sediments. Among the microhabitats of lotus, roots and leaves harbored more diverse communities in comparison to rhizomes, fruits, and flowers. A total of 98 genera were shared by lotus and the Dal Lake sediments and water. However, significant differences were found in their relative abundance; for example, Pseudomonas was the most dominant genus on the majority of lotus microhabitats. On the other hand, Flavobacterium was highly abundant in the lake water, while a higher abundance of Acinetobacter was recorded in sediments. Additionally, we also noted the presence of potential human pathogenic genera including Escherichia-Shigella, Enterobacter, Pantoea, Raoultella, Serratia, and Sphingomonas on the lotus microhabitats. Predicted functions of prokaryotic communities revealed a higher abundance of genes associated with nutrient uptake in the microhabitats of the lotus. This study offered first-hand information on the prokaryotic communities harbored by lotus plants and water and sediments of the Dal Lake and demonstrated the adaptation of diverse communities to microhabitats of lotus.

Role of leaves in methane emission from sacred lotus (nelumbo nucifera)

Yields of edible rhizome from cultivation of the perennial hydrophyte lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) can be severely reduced by rhizome rot disease caused by Fusarium species. There is a lack of rapid field-applicable methods for detection of these pathogens on lotus plants displaying symptoms of rhizome rot. Fusarium commune (91%) and Fusarium oxysporum (9%) were identified at different frequencies from lotus samples showing symptoms of rhizome rot. Because these two species can cause different severity of disease and their morphology is similar, molecular diagnostic-based methods to detect these two species were developed. Based on the comparison of the mitochondrial genome of the two species, three specific DNA loci targets were found. The designed primer sets for conventional PCR, quantitative PCR, and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) precisely distinguished the above two species when isolated from lotus and other plants. The LAMP detection limits were 10 pg/μl and 1 pg/μl of total DNA for F. commune and F. oxysporum, respectively. We also carried out field-mimicked experiments on lotus seedlings and rhizomes (including inoculated samples and field-diseased samples), and the results indicated that the LAMP primer sets and the supporting portable methods are suitable for rapid diagnosis of the lotus disease in the field. The LAMP-based detection method will aid in the rapid identification of whether F. oxysporum or F. commune is infecting lotus plants with symptoms of rhizome rot and can facilitate efficient pesticide use and prevent disease spread through vegetative propagation of Fusarium-infected lotus rhizomes.

Annotation. In the article presented to the publication, the biological features and adaptations of the population of Nelumbo Nucifera found in the Kigach River, Atyrau region are determined and the results of phenological studies are presented. In recent years, due to the increase in coastal settlements, places of production and Recreation, the natural environment is changing dramatically. In this regard, the main goal of our work is to analyze the features of adaptation and phenological indicators of the population of Nelumbo Nucifera whose productivity has increased in recent years. The percentage of vegetation cover of this amazing lotus, which is found in the kigach River, describes the vegetation cover of the tiers. In the future, it is relevant to preserve and protect this world of flora. The living conditions of this plant Nelumbo Nucifera, listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan, are at a good level. Because every year it blooms and grows. The study found out why Nelumbo Nucifera appeared in the Kigach River, Atyrau region. It has been shown that in natural conditions it is rarely propagated by seeds, and renewal occurs vegetatively. As a result of phenological studies, we were convinced that the Lotus found in the kigach River is actually an endemic species, a rare plant. Therefore, with this in mind, the authors propose to conduct monitoring of the plant Nelumbo Nusifera thereby keeping the state of the population under control.

The aim of this study seeks to investigate the presence of qualitative and quantitative analysis of phytoconstituents of the flower of the plant Nelumbo nucifera. The present study provides evidence that successive solvent extract of Nelumbo nucifera contains medicinally important bioactive compounds and this justifies the use of plant species as traditional medicine for treatment of various diseases. Maximum phenolic and flavanoid content was observed in ethanolic extract of Nelumbo nucifera. The DPPH scavenging potential of the ethanolic extracts of the herbs ranged from 33%-55%. In the present study analysis of free radical scavenging activity and total phenolic and flavonoid content showed that mainly the ethanolic extract of flower extract can be the potent source of natural antioxidants.
 Keywords: Phytochemical, Ethanolic extract, Antioxidant activity, Nelumbo nucifera

Background: Microorganisms from understudied habitats have been shown to be an important source of novel bioactive compounds. Endophytes constitute an underexplored group of microorganisms, of which those from aquatic plants have been even less studied. Nelumbo nucifera (lotus) is an aquatic plant with medicinal properties. A screening program for endophytes from N. nucifera by our research group resulted in many microbial isolates, of which isolate L-003 was a promising candidate, exhibiting antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Objectives: The major objectives were to characterize the endophyte L-003 for its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, identify the constituent bioactive compounds by GC-MS and characterize their activities further using in silico software. Methods: L-003 was identified by PIBWin software. Antimicrobial activity of the aqueous and organic extracts of culture supernatant of L-003 was checked against a panel of bacteria and fungi. Since the ethyl acetate extract showed the best antimicrobial activity, it was further characterized by thin layer chromatography, an activity confirmed by bioautography and purified by column chromatography. Total antioxidant capacity was assayed by standard techniques. Partially purified metabolite fingerprints were identified by GC-MS analysis. Results: Based on morphological and biochemical analyses, isolate L-003 was identified as belonging to Streptococcus sp. All the organic solvent extracts showed antimicrobial activity. Ethyl acetate extract showed maximum antimicrobial activity against all selected targets and exhibited antioxidant activity too, though butanol and aqueous extracts showed higher antioxidant activity. Two compounds, Acetic acid,-hydroxy, methyl ester and Disulfide, dipropyl, were identified by GC-MS in the metabolite fingerprint. These compounds showed differences in observed and calculated retention indices and could, therefore, be novel. In silico activity, characterization confirmed the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties attributed to these compounds. Conclusion: This is the first study reporting metabolite fingerprinting, identification and characterization of bioactive compounds from an endophytic isolate of Nelumbo nucifera. We conclude that endophytes from aquatic plants could be prospective sources of bioactive compounds, in this case with antimicrobial and antioxidant activities.

In spite of the self-cleaning property of its leaves called the lotus effect, leaves of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) provide a habitat for an unknown fungal diversity. The aim of this study was to detect and identify fungi from leaves of N. nucifera, including ectophytic, parasitic and endophytic fungi, in Taiwan using different collection strategies, as well as morphological and diverse molecular markers established in the different systematic groups of fungi. Among ectophytic and parasitic fungi, a new species of Dissoconium and of Pseudocercospora are described, respectively. Phyllosticta nelumbonis Sawada is transferred to Diaporthe. Among plant parasitic fungi, Erysiphe takamatsui and Ps. nymphaeacea are recorded in Taiwan for the first time. Euryale is recorded as a new host genus for Ps. nymphaeacea. The basidiomycetous yeast Fereydounia khargensis is recorded for the first time from living plants and in East Asia. Endophytic fungi from lotus were studied for the first time. From 1002 plant segments, 476 endophytic isolates were produced in culture, comprising 33 typical terrestrial species mainly belonging to the genera Colletotrichum (mainly C. siamense), Diaporthe (D. tulliensis and D. ueckerae) and Fusarium (F. solani species 6, hitherto known from clinical samples), as well as to Xylariaceae, but no Ingoldian fungi. Most isolates were from leaf laminas (71%) compared to those from petioles (29%). From this observation, we conclude that the fungi of the aquatic lotus plant appear to have terrestrial origin and, after dispersal by wind and in spite of the lotus effect, may enter the plant from the lamina. Only three species isolated as endophytes were also found as ectophytic or parasitic fungi.

A 1,288 ± 271-yr-old (1,350 ± 220 yr BP, radiocarbon age) seed of Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) from an ancient lake bed at Pulantien, Liaoning Province, China, has been germinated and subsequently radiocarbon dated. This is the oldest demonstrably viable and directly dated seed ever reported, the preserved relict of one of the early crops of lotus cultivated by Buddhists at Pulantien after introduction of the religion into the region prior to 372 A.D. A small portion of the dry pericarp of a second lotus fruit from the same locale has been dated as being 332 ± 135-yr-old (270 ± 60 yr BP, radiocarbon age) by accelerator mass spectroscopy at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. This polycentenarian seed not only germinated but is still growing (since March, 1994). Of six old lotus fruits tested, two-thirds germinated, almost all in fewer than 4 d, as rapidly as fruits harvested from the progeny of Pulantien Sacred Lotus plants (under cultivation by the National Park Service in Washington, DC), and more rapidly than fresh fruits of Yellow Lotus [N. lutea (Willd.) Pers.]. Growth of the old lotus is robust: rhizome formation and leaf emergence at rhizome nodes are more rapid than those of the Pulantien progeny, although the leaf width is smaller. Activity of the protein-repair enzyme L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase in the old lotus seed is persistent during germination and is as robust as that in the progeny, and the degree of aspartyl racemization in proteins of the two groups of plants is minimal and essentially identical. The six dated ancient Sacred Lotus fruits range in age from 95 to 1,288 yr (with a mean age of 595 ± 380 yr), evidently reflecting their production, deposition, and preservation at varying times during the intervening millennium.

A 1,288 ± 271‐yr‐old (1,350 ± 220 yr BP, radiocarbon age) seed of Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) from an ancient lake bed at Pulantien, Liaoning Province, China, has been germinated and subsequently radiocarbon dated. This is the oldest demonstrably viable and directly dated seed ever reported, the preserved relict of one of the early crops of lotus cultivated by Buddhists at Pulantien after introduction of the religion into the region prior to 372 A.D. A small portion of the dry pericarp of a second lotus fruit from the same locale has been dated as being 332 ± 135‐yr‐old (270 ± 60 yr BP, radiocarbon age) by accelerator mass spectroscopy at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. This polycentenarian seed not only germinated but is still growing (since March, 1994). Of six old lotus fruits tested, two‐thirds germinated, almost all in fewer than 4 d, as rapidly as fruits harvested from the progeny of Pulantien Sacred Lotus plants (under cultivation by the National Park Service in Washington, DC), and more rapidly than fresh fruits of Yellow Lotus [N. lutea (Willd.) Pers.]. Growth of the old lotus is robust: rhizome formation and leaf emergence at rhizome nodes are more rapid than those of the Pulantien progeny, although the leaf width is smaller. Activity of the protein‐repair enzyme L‐isoaspartyl methyltransferase in the old lotus seed is persistent during germination and is as robust as that in the progeny, and the degree of aspartyl racemization in proteins of the two groups of plants is minimal and essentially identical. The six dated ancient Sacred Lotus fruits range in age from 95 to 1,288 yr (with a mean age of 595 ± 380 yr), evidently reflecting their production, deposition, and preservation at varying times during the intervening millennium.

The lotus flower is famous around the world across many cultures and religions. For example, it is considered to be a sacred flower by Buddhists, symbolizing cosmic harmony and spiritual illumination. It is even believed to have birthed the sun, an Egyptian myth inspired by the fact that the flower opens in the morning and closes by evening (The Flower Expert, Lotus flowers, http://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/aboutflowers/exoticflowers/lotus, 2005). What many people do not know, however, is that its counterpart—the wide, flat leaf of the lotus plant—albeit not as bright and delicate as the flower, is a hidden beauty all its own. The lotus leaf has been the subject of great interest in recent scientific research because of its superhydrophobicity, which is otherwise known as the Lotus Effect (Forbes, Self-cleaning materials: lotus leaf-inspired nanotechnology, http://insurftech.com/docs/links/Related-Papers/Article-1-Scientific-American-Self-Cleaning-Materals-Lotus-Effect.pdf, 2008). The lotus leaf’s superhydrophobic, self-cleaning surface is seen as an evolutionary advantage that benefits the life and longevity of the plant in a variety of ways, such as decreasing the leaching of nutrients and reducing dust and contaminating particles that can inhibit photosynthesis (Solga et al., Bioinsp Biomim 2:S126–S134, 2007). The wettability of the lotus leaf surface is one mechanism that contributes to this intriguing characteristic. Wettability is determined by measuring the contact angle between the liquid and the surface, and contact angle is governed by Young’s law (McHale et al., Beilstein J Nanotechnol 2:145–151, 2011). The surface roughness of lotus leaves also plays an important role in the leaves’ superhydrophobicity and is characterized by a hierarchical structure consisting of papillae and nano-scale, tubule-like asperities that minimize contact area (Bhushan and Jung, Prog Mater Sci 56(1):1–108, 2011). The wonders of the Lotus Effect have been taken advantage of in a wide variety of markets, ranging from self-cleaning windows to stain-resistant clothing. Self-cleaning paint has also been developed based on the Lotus Effect, which helps prevent the growth of numerous fungi, algae, and bacteria that attach to and colonize building structures, diminishing the need for harmful biocides (Solga et al., Bioinsp Biomim 2:S126–S134, 2007). As is evident in this chapter, despite being the seemingly humble counterpart to the elegant lotus flower, the lotus leaf boasts many remarkable characteristics that engineers have been inspired by and have tried to mimic.

Fecal DNA samples from the red-eared slider and Reeves’ pond turtle, suspected pests of lotus root paddies, were used to identify the plant species eaten by these turtles in order to develop a strategy for rural ecosystem conservation. The fecal samples were obtained from young and adult individuals (mostly female) of both species living in agricultural canals surrounding lotus root paddies in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. The samples were screened for the presence or absence of DNA from nine plant species using PCR and plant species-specific primers for the rbcL gene of chloroplast DNA. In the red-eared slider, our analysis identified seven plant species in the fecal DNA samples of adults and three plant species in those of young individuals. In Reeves’ pond turtle, our analysis identified two plant species from adult fecal samples and one species from those of young individuals. Thus, adult red-eared sliders consume a greater range of plants than young red-eared sliders or Reeves’ pond turtles. Both turtle species, independently of age, consumed lotus plants and were likely to cause feeding damage to lotus roots. Considering the plant species detected in adult red-eared sliders and these plant habitats, we suggest that this adult turtle is likely to travel between the agricultural canals and the lotus root paddies. These findings will help the development of strategies for preventing damage to lotus roots by these turtles; furthermore, they indicate that fecal DNA analysis will be applicable to investigation of the feeding habits of other animal species.