Department Of Botany Research Articles

Biochemical changes due to Pathogenesis in French beans (Phaseolus vulgaris l.) Infected by rhizoctonia solani Kuhn

French Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris l.) belongs to the family Fabaceae and is native to south america. French bean has evolved from wild growing vine distributed in the high lands of Middle america and andes. this important legume crop is grown for its dry grain and tender pods in north-Western India. this offseason crop can be successfully raised under Punjab conditions during winter season which fetches higher price in the market and economical to the farmers when there is no availability of green pods from high altitude. It is widely cultivated in tropics, sub-tropics and temperate regions. When bean plant infected by fungal, bacterial or any other pathogen, different alternations are observed. the present study was carried out in the department of Botany, darrang college to compare the biochemical changes occurring in bean plants growing in normal soil, and sterilized soil mixed with fungus rhizoctonia solani .

Chemopreventive potential of hydroethanolic Murraya koenigii leaves extract against DMBA induced breast carcinogenesis: In-silico and in-vivo study

Ethnopharmacological relevanceMurraya koenigii (MK), a member of the Rutaceae family and widely known as the curry-leaf tree, is indigenous to India, Sri Lanka, and other south Asian nations. It is a renowned medicinal herb because of the wide range of bioactive components found in its leaves, such as girinimbine, koenimbine, mahanimbine and mahanine among others. All these bioactive components make this plant beneficial for treating a variety of ailments and diseases. Biological and pharmacological activities of MK include anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-ulcer, anti-helminthic, anti-malarial, anti-trichomonal, hepatoprotective, anti-diabetic, etc. Aim of the studyThe present study aimed to evaluate the possible protective effect of hydroethanolic Murraya koenigii leaves extract (HEMKLE) against 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced breast cancer in rats, which further paves the way for future breast cancer treatment. Materials and methodsFor the preparation of hydroethanolic Murraya koenigii leaves extract (HEMKLE), Murraya koenigii (MK) leaves were taken from the botanical garden of the Panjab University campus, Chandigarh, and authenticated from the Department of Botany, Panjab University (accession number 22417). The phytochemical characterization of HEMKLE was performed using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Following this, an in-silico molecular docking analysis was performed using Maestro Schrodinger software, and an in-vivo study was conducted. For the in-vivo study, female SD rats were divided into four different groups. Group I (C), Group II (DMBA), Group III (HEMKLE), and Group IV (HEMKLE + DMBA). Histopathogy, oxidative and antioxidant status, immunohistochemistry of estrogen receptor-α, TUNEL assays, mRNA and protein expression of apoptotic pathway genes were conducted in in-vivo study. ResultsIn LC-MS, major phytochemical constituents including flavonoids and carbazole alkaloids were identified. In-silico docking study revealed the strong binding affinity between the identified compounds with caspase-3. Additionally, koenine displayed the highest binding affinity/minimum energy of −9.21 kcal/mol with 6BDV as compared to other phytochemicals. Furthermore, in-vivo experimentation revealed that HEMKLE administration in Group IV(HEMKLE + DMBA) significantly inhibits the tumor incidence and volume as compared to alone DMBA treated group. The antioxidant action of HEMKLE was proven from the in-vivo analysis of antioxidant marker enzymes, histopathology, immunohistochemistry of ER-α studies. Further, increase number of TUNEL positive cells was observed in co-treated animals as compared to alone DMBA treated animals. In Group IV (HEMKLE + DMBA), upregulated expression of pro-apoptotic genes and downregulated expression of anti-apoptotic gene were observed when compared to Group II(DMBA) suggested the apoptotic effect of HEMKLE. ConclusionThe results of the present study provide clear evidence of the chemopreventive capabilities of HEMKLE in rats with DMBA-induced breast cancer. The observed outcomes could potentially be attributed to the existence of diverse phytochemicals within the HEMKLE.

SENSORY, GC-MS AND FTIR ANALYSIS OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF HIBISCUS SABDARRIFFA AND VERNONIA AMYGDALINA HERBAL TEA WITH BLENDS OF GINGER AND LEMON ZEST

The use of herbal remedies, especially in the form of teas for management of various diseases is gaining increasing popularity, making them the main stay of health care system, especially among the rural populace in the developing countries. Therefore, it is imperative to carryout proper analysis and screening of these plants, such as Hibiscus Sabdarriffa and Vernonia Amygdalina, to investigate their informed use. This research aimed at producing herbal teas from leaves of Hibiscus Sabdarriffa and Vernonia Amygdalina with additives of ginger and lemon zest with acceptable sensory attributes and also to investigate the phytocomponents of these herbal teas produced using GC-MS spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. Ginger, lemon zest and fresh leaves of Hibiscus Sabdarriffa and Vernonia Amygdalina were collected from modern market areas of makurdi Benue State, authenticated by a plant taxonomist in Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Makurdi. Aqueous extracts of the herbal teas were analyzed using GC-MS Clarus 500 Perkin Elmer system. Identification of functional groups of samples (was done using FT-IR spectroscope (Shimadzu, IR Affinity 1, Japan). Results: FT-IR analysis of the herbal tea samples revealed the presence of phytochemicals like alkanes, alkenes, Carboxylic acids, phenols, alcohols, flavonoids, aromatics and saturated aliphatic esters,. GC-MS analyses of aqueous extract of the samples provided different peaks determining the presence of twenty two compounds with highest abundance. Twelve compounds were identified for Vernonia Amygdalina herbal tea sample and ten for Hibiscus Sabdarriffa herbal tea sample. The findings from this research showed that herbal teas produced from leave of Hibiscus Sabdarriffa and Vernonia Amygdalina had acceptable sensory attributes and also contains bioactive constituents of pharmacological importance for management of diseases which were identified by GC-MS and FTIR analysis.

Phytochemical status and antioxidant capacity of selected hot pepper varieties cultivated in Tanzania

Hot pepper is one of the most important economic fruits with abundant of nutritional qualities. Thus, the consumption of foods of plant origin with high nutritional and bioactive compounds of high antioxidants capacity is a major concern nowadays. A study was conducted to determine and quantify concentrations of important bioactive compounds present in the nine selected hot pepper varieties cultivated in Tanzania. Hot peppers were grown in the field at Botany department research farm, University of Dar es Salaam from March to September, 2021. Then, ripe-fruit extracts were used to determine vitamin C, beta-carotene, lycopene, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC)among the varieties quantitatively. The results indicated that there were very high significant variations on the nutrients and bioactive compound concentrations (p<0.0001) among all varieties of hot pepper evaluated. The highest amount of vitamin C was 948.30 ± 22.6 mg/100g recorded from orange bird eye variety. The high concentration of beta-carotene was 0.62 ± 0.006mg/ 100 ml recorded from orange bird eye. The highest concentration of lycopene was 0.55 ± 0.0003 mg/ 100 ml from Big red cayenne. The highest concentration of TPC was 454.247 ± 20.9mg GAE/ 100g obtained from Big red cayenne. The highest concentration of TFC was 8.92 ± 0.15 mg RE/ 100g obtained from Big red cayenne. High variability was observed among the hot pepper varieties; Big red cayenne variety with the highest concentrations of TPC, TFC and lycopene, showed to have the highest radical scavenging capacity. Big red cayenne can be a cheap source of natural antioxidants, therefore recommended for future development of nutraceuticals or healthy food products and conveying great benefits for food and pharmaceutical industries, consumers, and producers.

Ethnomedicinal Investigation on Koya Dora Tribes of Rampa Hills, Alluri Sitarama Raju District, Andhra Pradesh, India

An ethnomedicinal investigation was carried out in Rampa Hills, Alluri Sitaramaraju District, Andhra Pradesh. India. The indigenous knowledge of local traditional uses was collected through questionnaire and personal interviews during field trips. The identification and nomenclature of the listed plants were based on the flora of Andhra Pradesh. A total of 60 plants species belong to 57 genera and 30 families were identified by taxonomic description and locally by ethnomedicinal knowledge of people existing in the region. Plant specimens collected, identified, preserved and mounted were deposited in the department of botany, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam for future references.

Antibacterial Potential of Annona muricata (Linn.) Leaf Extract: A Promising Natural Source for Novel Antibacterial Therapies

Aims: Bacterial infections pose a significant public health challenge, necessitating the search for new antimicrobial agents. This study investigated the antibacterial potential of Annona muricata (Linn.) leaf ethyl acetate extract against some bacterial pathogens.
 Study Design: An experimental design was adopted for this study.
 Place and Duration of Study: Fresh leaves of Annona muricata (Linn.) were collected from Modakeke, Osun State, South-West, Nigeria. Proper identification and authentication of the leaves were carried out at the herbarium unit of the Department of Botany, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
 Methodology: The plant material was extracted using ethyl acetate, and concentration-dependent assays determined antibacterial activity, including minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The phytochemical analysis identified bioactive compounds.
 Results: The extract concentrations of 35.00 mg/ml, 17.50 mg/ml, 8.75 mg/ml, and 4.38 mg/ml demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against a total of ten bacterial strains out of the twenty-one (47.6%) tested. These strains include Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, Staphylococcus mariliensis, Salinicoccus roseus, Enterobacter asburiae, Streptococcus canis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus equi, Limonorella grimontii, Proteus hauseri, Citrobacter werkmanii, Staphylococcus rosterii, Versinia enteroculitica, Macrococcus bruensis, Precoccus suis, Limorella richardii, Staphylococcus aureus, Macroccocus lavnae, Salmonella enterica, Streptococcus salviohxodontae, and Klebsiella ozanae. The range of obtained inhibition zone values varied from 70 mg/ml to 4.38 mg/ml. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values varied between 4.48 mg/ml and 35.00 mg/ml, while the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values ranged from 2.19 mg/ml to 17.5 mg/ml. Susceptibility to the extract increased with higher concentrations. Comparative analysis with ampicillin indicated superior inhibitory properties. Phytochemical analysis of the extract revealed the presence of some phytochemical constituents.
 Conclusion: The ethyl acetate extract obtained from Annona muricata (Linn.) leaf demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against tested bacterial isolates. The extract exhibited concentration-dependent inhibitory effects, indicating the presence of bioactive compounds with antibacterial properties. These findings highlight the potential of Annona muricata (Linn.) as a source for developing natural antibacterial agents. Further research is needed to isolate and identify the specific active compounds, understand their mechanisms of action, and assess the extract's therapeutic potential and safety profile. The study emphasizes the importance of exploring natural plant extracts for their antibacterial properties and opens avenues for future applications in medicine and pharmaceuticals.

Modulation of salt stress through application of citrate capped silver nanoparticles and indole acetic acid in maize

The present study was conducted to determine the effect of indole acetic acid (IAA) and Citrate Capped Silver Nanoparticles (Cit-AgNPs) on various attributes of maize under induced salinity stress. Seeds of the said variety were collected from Cereal Crop Research Institute (CCRI) Pirsabaq, Nowshera, sterilized and sown in earthen pots filled with 2 kg silt and soil (1:2) in triplicates in the green house of the Botany Department, University of Peshawar. Nanoparticles were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX), Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and Differential thermal analysis (DTA). Results of SEM revealed spherical morphology of Cit-AgNPs while EDX showed various elemental composition. TGA showed dominant weight loss up to 300 °C while the DTA showed major exothermic peaks at 420 °C. High Salinity concentration (80 mM) imposed significant detrimental impacts by reducing the agronomic attributes, photosynthetic pigments, osmolytes and antioxidant enzymes, which was remarkably ameliorated by the foliar application of Cit-AgNPs and IAA. Agronomic attributes including leaf, root and shoot fresh and dry weight was improved by 52–74%, 43–69% and 36–79% in individual as well as combined treatments of IAA and NPs. Photosynthetic pigments were amplified by 35–63%, total osmolytes were augmented by 39–68% and antioxidant enzymes including SOD and POD were boosted by 42–57% and 37–62% respectively, in combined as well as individual application. Conclusively, Cit-AgNPs are considered as salt mitigating entities that enhance the tolerance level of crop plants along with IAA, which may be beneficial for the plants growing in saline stressed environment.

Putting Down Roots: Foundations of Botany at Carolina

From the Publisher: This book traces the development of the academic discipline of botany at the University ofNorth Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1792 to 1982. Coverage of the professors who taught botany during UNC’sfirst century includes their biographical background, pedagogical style, scientific instruction, and contributionsto science. The academic influences that each of these educators had on Carolina are also noted. Theconcluding chapter, constituting about one-sixth of the volume, describes the UNC Department of Botany,established in 1908. The principal focus of this chapter is the department’s accomplishments, its faculty, andits graduate students. Several significant themes are woven through the text, particularly for the 1800s: the University Museum,the idea of establishing a model farm, the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society, the emergence of laboratory practicein the curriculum, the University Library and the sciences, and the campus landscape and its beautification.Included among the noteworthy milestones of the university and of Chapel Hill are the first woman to teachbotany, the early history of the freedmen’s school for Black children, and the establishment of the campus’sfirst chemical teaching laboratory.

The first record of Euphorbia hypericifolia L. (Euphorbiaceae) in Libya

The herb Euphorbia hypericifolia L. was recorded for the first time in the flora of Libya. The species was collected in Tobruk city in north eastern Libya in 2022. It is presented here with updated nomenclature, taxonomic description, geographical distribution, and the place of occurrence in Libya. A coloured photograph taken in the field is also provided. The voucher specimens have been deposited in the Herbarium of Botany Department (ULT), Faculty of Sciences, University of Tripoli, Libya.

Study of Comparative Morphology of Eight Cultivated Genotypes of Olea europaea L

The current study was designed to assess the comparative morphology of eight olive cultivars with different geographical origins and diverse genetic backgrounds, introduced to a new climatic zone. The morphological parameters of eight (five exotic and three domestic) olive cultivars (Bari Zaitoon-1, Bari Zaitoon-2, Favolosa (FS-17), Koroneiki, Balkasar, Ottobratica, Leccino, and Arbequina) were compared at the experimental area of the Department of Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan (29°24′0″ North, 71°41′0″ East, 401–421 feet above sea level). Plant height, number of leaves/15 cm shoot, leaf size characteristics (leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, and length/width ratio), leaf shape characteristics (margin, leaf axil, base, and apex angles), leaf pigments (Chlorophyll a, Chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll contents, and carotenoids), phyllotaxy, and leaf color and venation were recorded. The highest plant height (28 cm) was obtained by Bari Zaitoon-2 followed by Bari Zaitoon-1 (24 cm), both of which are domestic cultivar of Pakistan, while the shortest height (5 cm) was obtained by Koroneiki. Leccino displayed the highest average number of leaves (17.8) on main shoot, followed by BARI-2 (16.4) and the lowest score was from Balkasar (10.4). Leaf area ranged from 5.66 cm2 (Bari Zaitoon-1) to 3.08 cm2 (Koroneiki). The longest leaf length (5.74 cm) was found in Bari Zaitoon-1 and the shortest (4.04 cm) in Koroneiki, while the broadest leaves were found in Leccino (1.54 cm) and the narrowest (1.12 cm) in Koroneiki. Bari Zaitoon-2 led in leaf length to width ratio (4.058) followed by Bari Zaitoon-1 (3.772) with small lanceolate leaves hardly reaching the value of 4, with the lowest value illustrated by Leccino. The total chloroplast pigments were highest in FS-17 followed by Bari Zaitoon-1 and Bari Zaitoon-2, while the lowest was in Arbequina. Chlorophyll a was highest in Bari Zaitoon-1 followed by FS-17 and Balkasar, with the lowest rate in Arbequina. Chlorophyll b content of FS-17 was the highest whereas the Chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll contents in Arbequina were the lowest of all the cultivars. The highest value of total carotenoids was found in Balkasar followed by FS-17 with the lowest value in Arbequina. The phyllotaxy was categorized into three types, i.e., alternate, opposite, and whorled. The combination of two or more types was usually observed on the same branch. The whorl of four leaves was also present in rare cases. Leaf venation was both pinnate and reticulate. The leaf base of most (four) of the olive cultivars, i.e., Arbequina, Balkasar, Leccino and FS-17, were cuneate having acute, rounded, apiculate, and cuspidate leaf tips, respectively. The findings revealed remarkable variations in olive morphology, especially in the leaves and a successful record of the preliminary data of olive cultivars from the study area was made. The present research demonstrated that local olive cultivars have unique characteristics that differentiate them from imported cultivars. Thus, local cultivars provide novel genetic resources that should be conserved.

Development of an Efficient and Rapid Micropropagation Protocol for In Vitro Multiplication of Maerua crassifolia Forssk

The difficult propagation of shrub and tree species and their extensive exposure to grazing threaten their abundance and lead to the necessity to find alternative means of propagation for these species. In vitro micropropagation techniques, viz., tissue culture, offer a promising tool for the rapid, cost-effective, and efficient propagation of different plant species. In the current study, a rapid and efficient in vitro multiplication protocol was developed for the micropropagation of Maerua crassifolia Forssk. Our results revealed that Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with 7.5 µM of 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) and 1.0 µM of 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) led to the highest shoot formation (13.9 shoots per explant in 85.7% of the cultivated hypocotyls) among all other treatments. The best in vitro root formation was obtained on half-strength MS medium with 1.0 µM of indole 3-butyric acid (IBA) as 94.1% of the cultivated shoots formed 6.8 roots per microshoot on average. Ninety percent of the rooted plantlets were successfully acclimatized and are currently growing in the botanical garden of the Botany and Microbiology Department, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The genetic fidelity of the micropropagated plants was authenticated via flow cytometry. The results of the current study explained a simple, cost-effective, and efficient protocol for the micropropagation of the endangered M. crassifolia trees.

ECR Spotlight – Nicole Martin

ECR Spotlight is a series of interviews with early-career authors from a selection of papers published in Journal of Experimental Biology and aims to promote not only the diversity of early-career researchers (ECRs) working in experimental biology during our centenary year but also the huge variety of animals and physiological systems that are essential for the ‘comparative’ approach. Nicole Martin is an author on ‘ Warmer and more acidic conditions enhance performance of an endemic low-shore gastropod’, published in JEB. Nicole conducted the research described in this article while a PhD student in Prof. Tamara Robinson and Prof. Susana Clusella-Trullas's lab at Department of Botany and Zoology, Centre for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. She is now a climate and environment consultant at C4EcoSolutions, Cape Town, investigating how the interplay between the physiology and ecology of organisms shapes their responses to interacting drivers of change, with the aim of understanding and mitigating human-driven environmental impacts.

Botanical Dissertations from the 19th and Early 20th Centuries at the Ohio State University Herbarium (OS)

Botanical Dissertations from the 19th and Early 20th Centuries at the Ohio State University Herbarium (OS)

Effects of Poultry Manure on the Growth, Physiology, Yield, and Yield-Related Traits of Maize Varieties.

Industries play a significant role in the improvement of lifestyle and in the development of a country. However, the byproducts from these industries are a source of environmental pollution. The proper use of the byproducts of these industries can help to cope with environmental pollution. Some byproducts have high nutritional content and are good for crop plants. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of different rates of poultry manure on the soil chemical properties, growth, and yield of maize. A pot experiment was conducted in the botanical garden of the Department of Botany, University of Sargodha, Pakistan to investigate the effect of various treatments of poultry manure (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 g/pot) on the morphological, physiological, and yield attributes of two maize varieties, Pearl and MMRI. Treatment T1 was a mixture of soil and 75 g/pot poultry manure, T2 was a mixture of soil and 50 g/pot poultry manure, T3 was a mixture of soil and 25 g/pot poultry manure, and T4 was 100 g/pot poultry manure. Soil without any industrial byproduct (100% soil only) was used as the control (T0). The results revealed that the use of poultry manure enhanced the physical properties of the soil. Available P and soil organic matter were improved in soil amended with poultry manure. It is evident from the results that the vegetative growth of both maize varieties was significantly enhanced by growing in soil amended with poultry manure as compared to their respective control. Similar responses were also recorded for the physiological attributes of leaf area, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and water use efficiency of both varieties. Yield and yield-contributing traits of both maize varieties were significantly improved by growing plants in soil amended with 50 and 75 g/pot of poultry manure. It is also inferred that the use of 50 g/pot poultry manure in soil amendment is an eco-friendly and economically effective option for maize growers of arid and semiarid regions to enhance the kernel yield and profit per annum. Poultry manure could be useful to ameliorate the adverse effects of salinity stress on all parameters, particularly the grain yield. Furthermore, this would be a useful and economical method for the safe disposal of byproducts.

Diverse morphological and molecular patterns of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Linn.) accessions

Field and molecular experiments were conducted between May and August 2021 at the research farm of the Department of Botany, University of Ibadan and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan respectively. Morphological and molecular variability in 40 tomato accessions were investigated in this study. Five accessions from local markets in Ibadan, two varieties from seed companies, three varieties from Benue State and Oyo State, and thirty accessions from the National Center for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB) were evaluated. The experiment was arranged in a randomised complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. Significant (p < 0.05) variation was observed for days to germination, hypocotyl colour, primary leaf length, primary leaf width, number of leaves, plant height, number of leaves under first inflorescence, number of inflorescence, days to first fruiting, foliage density and internode length (cm). The cumulative values for the first three components (74.80%) accounted for variation among the 40 accessions in the principal component analysis. All yield related characters correlated positively with both the number of leaves and plant height. The study revealed that NGB/05081, NGB/00714, NGB/05075, NGB/00696, NGB/00735b and Hausa (Dugbe) accessions performed the best in growth and yield characters, while NGB/00735b and NGB/00759 were early maturing accessions. The Tp 124 and Tp 121 primers were highly polymorphic and had high gene diversities. Sixteen tomato accessions were amplified for marker genes nodZ-A and nodZ-B. Five of these accessions showed high growth, while seven produced high yield, implying positive influence on the improvement of these accessions. However, the nifh marker gave no amplification.

Growth, Productivity, and Essential Oil Content of Fennel Plants Treated with Spirulina Platensis Extract and Compost Tea Under Low Nitrogen Doses

The aim of this study was to find alternatives (even partial) to mineral nitrogen fertilization to reduce its harmful accumulation in the edible parts of fennel. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a perennial plant of the Apiaceae family grown for its edible shoots, leaves, and seeds. The present work was conducted in two successive seasons, in 2018/2019 and 2019/2020, at the farm of the Agricultural Botany Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt, to investigate the efficiency of application of two biostimulants—Spirulina platensis algae extract (SP) at 10% and compost tea (CT) at 6.72 ml L−1—with partial doses (75 and 50%) of the recommended mineral nitrogen fertilizer dose on growth, photosynthetic pigments, fruit yield, and essential oil productivity. The results indicated that vegetative parameters, leaf number, branch number, shoot and bulb fresh weight, and shoot dry weight, as well as yield components such as 100-fruit weight and number of umbels per plant were significantly enhanced with application of SP as a foliar spray coupled with 75% of the recommended dose of nitrogen fertilizer (SP + 75% N) as compared to other treatments. Photosynthetic pigments and total soluble carbohydrate were improved significantly when CT was applied as soil drenching coupled with 75% of the recommended N dose (CT + 75% N). In this regard, a clear effect was noticed in terms of oil yield and fruit yield using SP and CT with a 75% N dose. It is concluded that using Spirulina platensis algae extract and compost tea as biostimulants coupled with only 75% of the recommended nitrogen fertilizer dose can be recommended for economical fennel production.

(2947) Proposal to reject the name Bryophyllum triangulare (Crassulaceae: Kalanchooideae)

(2947) Proposal to reject the name <i>Bryophyllum triangulare</i> (<i>Crassulaceae</i>: <i>Kalanchooideae</i>)

(2946) Proposal to conserve the name Iris latifolia (Mill.) Voss (Iridaceae) against I. latifolia Heer (fossil Iridaceae)

(2946) Proposal to conserve the name <i>Iris latifolia</i> (Mill.) Voss (<i>Iridaceae</i>) against <i>I. latifolia</i> Heer (fossil <i>Iridaceae</i>)

First report of Diaporthe tulliensis causing leaf spot of betel vine

The betel vine (Piper betle) is grown in protected areas under the humid and shaded conditions required for the plant's growth. This damp, shady environment favours the spread of numerous diseases, particularly leaf spot disease (Chattopadhayay & Maity, 1990). During 2019–2022, diseased betel leaves were collected from the East Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi districts of Meghalaya, India. The leaves had spots that were irregular in shape and size, light to dark brown and surrounded by a chlorotic yellow halo, which gradually spread to the leaf centre followed by yellowing, drying and drooping of the whole leaf. An area of approximately of 8 m2 was affected and 5–20% of the plants had symptoms, depending on the year. The number of leaf spots increased with temperature and humidity. To identify the causal agent, lesions (5-10 mm in diameter) were cut from ten infected leaves (Figure 1), surface disinfected with 70% ethanol, rinsed three times in sterile distilled water and then plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with 30mg/ml of streptomycin sulphate. The same colony type was obtained from all leaves which was white producing yellowish-green pigments and the reverse olive green to brown after seven days (Figure 2A-B) and after 30 days of incubation at 30°C, produced semi-immersed black pycnidial conidiomata which exuded pale yellow to black conidial droplets (Figure 2C). The α-conidia were one to two-celled, hyaline, oval to fusiform, guttulate and 5.3 × 2.5 μm (Figure 2D), conidiophores hyaline but no β- and γ-conidia were observed (Li et al., 2022), and conidiogenous cells were hyaline and septate (Figure 2E-F). The identification of the fungus was confirmed by sequence analysis using ITS1 and ITS4 primers (White et al., 1990) (GenBank Accession No. OQ402579). BLAST analysis showed 100% identity with sequences of Diaporthe tulliensis (e.g. MN911384). In phylogenetic analysis, the isolate in the current study clustered with D. tulliensis using the neighbour-joining method, showing 100% identity (Figure 3). To confirm pathogenicity, the isolate was grown in potato dextrose broth at 28°C for seven days, then inoculated onto five healthy betel leaves using pin-prick inoculation with 10 μl spore suspension (1×105 spores/ml). The untreated control did not show any symptoms, however, the inoculated plants had brown necrotic spots followed by yellowing after four days (Figure 4). On PDA, cultures isolated from infected plant leaf lesions exhibited the same morphology as D. tulliensis and similar conidia were discovered during microscopic analysis subsequently satisfying Koch's postulates. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of D. tulliensis as a fungal pathogen of betel leaves. Diaporthe tulliensis has been reported to cause leaf spots on coffee in China (Gorg et al., 2020) and on Parthenocissus tricuspidata in Taiwan (Huang et al., 2021), cacao pod rot in Puerto Rico (Serrato-Diaz et al., 2022), and stem canker of kiwifruit in China (Bai et al., 2017) and of jasmine in Taiwan (Hsu et al., 2023). The authors thank the Head of the Department of Botany, North-Eastern Hill University for providing laboratory facilities. The first author is also grateful to the Non-Net Fellowship, New Delhi, for financial support in the form of a research fellowship.

Effect of Gamma Irradiation on Some Biochemical Components of Seed Extracts and Microbial Load of Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) Seeds*

The work was carried out to study the effects of gammairradiation on microbial load and the content of some biochemicalconstituents of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seeds. It wasconducted at the Department of Botany and Agricultural Biotechnology,Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum and Institute of Botany,Technische Universität Dresden. Seeds were treated with gammairradiation at the doses of 5, 10 and 15 kGy. Bacterial load was reducedfrom 1.44 x 106 , in untreated seeds, to 1.5 x 104 , 9.0 x 103 and 5.0 x 102cfu/g, in seeds treated with5, 10 and 15 kGy, respectively. The stability ofglycosides, phenols and tannins constituents of treated seeds wasevaluated using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performanceliquid chromatography (HPLC). The results of TLC analysis revealed thatapplication of 15 kGy doses of gamma radiation to fenugreek seedsmethanol-extract had no effect on glycosides patterns, and slightreduction in total phenol and increase in tannins content were observed.Analysis of methanol extractable compounds by HPLC revealedvariations in the metabolite profile at different wavelengths afterirradiation. While the content of several compounds increased slightlyafter gamma irradiation that of some decreased and some constituentsshowed no change. Accordingly, there were no major differences inchemical constituents between the irradiated and un-irradiated samples.