Benincasa Hispida Cogn Research Articles

PLANT REGENERATION FROM COTYLEDON OF CHIEH-QUA (BENINCASA HISPIDA COGN. VAR. CHIEH-QUA HOW)

Chieh-qua (Benincasa hispida Cogn. var. Chieh-qua How) is a special localized and important vegetable in southern China. It is necessary to develop the plant regeneration system for the improvement of Chieh-qua by biotechnology. In this study, plant regeneration from the cotyledon of Chieh-qua was studied with different parts of cotyledon, different genotypes and medium components. The results showed the ability of bud differentiation from cotyledon varied in different genotypes. The highest frequency of bud differentiation was obtained in Chieh-qua 'Yuenong', which was considered as an ideal genotype for plant regeneration. The top and basal sections of cotyledon showed different ability in bud differentiation. Multiple buds were formed on the basal sections of cotyledons rather than the top sections of them. Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) 6 mg L -1 and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) 0.2 mg L -1 was suitable for the differentiation of cotyledon. Adventitious shoots elongated on MS medium supplemented with BA 1 mg L -1 and IAA 0.5 mg L -1 , and rooted on 1/2MS medium supplemented with IAA 0.5 mg L -1 . The regenerated plants grew and set seeds normally in the field.

Preliminary Pharmacological Screening of Benincasa hispida Cogn

Objective :To carry out the preliminary pharmacological screening of methanolic extract of fruit of Benincasa hispida Cogn. Materials and methods : The extract was tested for effect on general pharmacological effects like spontaneous motor activity, muscle relaxant activity, antihistaminic effect and effect on barbiturate induced hypnosis. Results : The extract caused reduction in spontaneous motor activity with no muscle relaxant activity. The extract significantly potentiated the barbiturate induced hypnosis, and showed significant antihistaminic activity. Conclusion : The methanolic extract of fruit of Benincasa hispida has antihistaminic activity and could be further explored.

Yellow Leaf Disease of Cantaloupe and Wax Gourd from Thailand Caused by Tomato leaf curl virus.

Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo var. reliculatus) and wax gourd (Benincasa hispida Cogn.) plants showing a yellow leaf disease have been observed in central Thailand since 1993. The disease has been transmitted to cantaloupe and wax gourd plants by grafting and whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci Genn.) (K. Kittipakorn, unpublished data). Because of the leaf yellowing symptoms and transmission by whiteflies, a geminivirus was suspected. Three naturally infected cantaloupe and four naturally infected wax gourd plants showing leaf yellowing were collected from fields at Kamphaengsaen, Nakorn Pathom, Thailand. Virus cultures were maintained in cantaloupe and wax gourd plants. Inoculations were done with a whitefly vector. Symptoms in cantaloupe and wax gourd plants were the same as those observed in the field. Virus DNA associated with yellow leaf disease of cantaloupe and wax gourd plants was amplified by polymerase chain reaction with geminivirus-specific degenerate primers, described by Rojas et al. (2), that anneal within the AC1 open reading frame (ORF; replication associated protein gene) and the AV1 ORF (coat protein gene) of bipartite geminiviruses and the C1 and V2 ORFs of monopartite geminiviruses (2). Fragments (1.2 kbp) were amplified and cloned from affected cantaloupe and wax gourd plants. Three independent clones were sequenced and analyzed, and identical 32-base stem loop regions were found in the amplified fragments from both isolates, including the conserved nonanucleotide sequence TAATATTAC, which is present in all geminiviruses. The iterative sequence GGCGTC also was found in the intergenic region (IR) (434 bp) of the amplified fragments from both isolates. The B component could not be detected. The nucleotide sequences of the IR and V1 were compared with 28 well-studied whitefly-transmitted geminiviruses and revealed ≈96% sequence identity with DNA A of Tomato leaf curl virus of the genus Geminivirus from India (ToLCV-In 2) (1) for both isolates. The iterative sequence GGCGTC in the IR also was identical to the sequence in ToLCV-In 2. These results establish the provisional identity of the pathogen causing yellow leaf disease on cantaloupe and wax gourds in Thailand as ToLCV or closely related strains.

Medicinal foodstuffs. XI. Histamine release inhibitors from wax gourd, the fruits of Benincasa hispida Cogn

The methanol extract of wax gourd (Japanese name "Tougan"), the fruits of Benincasa hispida COGN. (Cucurbitaceae), was found to show inhibitory activity on the histamine release from rat exudate cells induced by antigen-antibody reaction. Through bioassay-guided separation, four known triterpenes and two known sterols were isolated as active components together with a flavonoid C-glycoside, an acylated glucose, and a benzyl glycoside. Among the active triterpenes and sterols, two triterpenes, alnusenol and multiflorenol, were found to potently inhibit the histamine release.

Drumstick (Moringa oleifera): A multipurpose Indian vegetable

The Hindustan centre of crop origin is the cradle of many economically important vegetable crops. Ash gourd (Benincasa hispida Cogn.), bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.), kundru (Coccinia indica L.), pointed gourd (Trichosanthes dioica L.), snake gourd (Trichosanthes anguina L.), egg plant (Solanum melongena L.), hyacinth bean (Dolichos lablab L.), sword bean (Canavalia sp.) and many other vegetables originated in this part of the world. There is yet another vitamin-rich, mineral-packed and nutritious vegetable of this tropical and subtropical centre of crop origin grown by the dravidians and later by the aryans in each and every home yard, and presently disappearing from cultivation, called variously drumstick, horse radish tree, radish tree, and West Indian Ben. The name drumstick derives from the shape of the pod, resembling the slender and curved stick used for beating the drum. Probably the name radish tree originates from the pendulous, slender and thin shape of the immature fruits of the tree resembling very much the siliqua of the radish.

A lligh Yielding Ash-gourd Strain - CO

Ash-gourd or wax-gourd or white pumpkin (Benincasa hispida Cogn.) is being commercially grown in Tamil Nadu and other States of India for its fleshy fruits. Inspite of the importance of the fruit for use as vegetables and in preparation of sweet-meats, there is no improved strain and only non-descript types are under cultivation in Tamil Nadu. These types give low and irregular yields for want of balanced production of staminate ard pistillate flowers, resulting in wide sex ratio and low yields. According to Choudhury (1967) an ideal variety is one which has a narrow sex ratio of stami- nate to pistillate flowers. Towards this goal, breeding work was undertaken at Coimbatore for evolving a high yielding and better quality strain in ash-gourd combining desirable qualities.

Cercospora Species on Cucurbitaceous Hosts in South India. II. Physiology and Pathogenicity of Four Isolates

SUMMARYCercospora citrullina Cke. from Momordica charantia L., C. citrullina var. trichosanthei-anguinae Rang. & Chandr. from Trichosanthes anguina L., C. chidambarensis Rang. & Chandr. from Cucumis sativus L., and C. madrasensis Rang. & Chandr. from Lagenaria vulgaris Ser., were cultured on artificial media and some of the physiological properties studied. All were found to grow both in complex organic and synthetic media, but relatively slower than other fungi. Media, rich in sugar, were found to be most favourable for their growth, whereas the source and quantity of nitrogen did not exert much influence in this respect. The four isolates sporulated rather scantily in carrot leaf extract agar but not in any of the other media tested. C. citrullina and C. citrullina var. trichosanthei-anguinae did not produce any soluble pigment in any of the media tested, whereas C. madrasensis and C. chidambarensis produced varying quantities of a pink pigment in both the synthetic and complex agar and liquid media. All four isolates were found to grow best in the pH range of 6 and 7 and at an incubation temperature around 25° C. It was found that pH of the medium and incubation temperature did not exert much influence on the sporulation of the fungi.The pathogenicity of the four isolates on the respective hosts was proved by repeated artificial inoculations. C. madrasensis was found to be nearly twice as virulent as that of the other three fungi. Studies on the host range of the four isolates revealed that C. citrullina could infect Trichosanthes anguina L., Lagenaria vulgaris Ser. and Benincasa hispida Cogn. but the symptoms of infection were not so clear cut as on its natural host. The other fungi were rather restricted in their host range.