Dracaena Sanderiana Research Articles

Dracaena sanderiana: Beyond aesthetics: A review of its medicinal and cultural significance

This review explores into the cultivation and medicinal properties of Dracaena sanderiana, commonly known as Lucky Bamboo. As a versatile plant, it thrives in diverse environments, making it a popular choice for indoor gardening due to its ability to purify air by removing harmful substances like benzene. Cultivation practices emphasize its adaptability, requiring minimal sunlight and water, making it an easy-to-care-for plant. Medicinally, Dracaena sanderiana is recognized for its rich phytochemical composition, including tannins, saponins, and cardiac glycosides, which contribute to its therapeutic effects. Studies have shown that the plant exhibits antioxidant properties, which help combat oxidative stress, and has potential anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects. Extracts from the plant have been explored for their ability to reduce fever and inflammation, highlighting its relevance in traditional medicine. The extracts of this plant have been used in commercial cosmetic products as emollients and skin conditioners, further showcasing its diverse applications. Despite these benefits, there is still a need for more in-depth research to fully understand the scope of its medicinal potential and to optimize cultivation practices for maximum yield of bioactive compounds. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of Dracaena sanderiana including cultivation techniques and its promising role in modern and traditional medicine.

Concave/Convex Curvature of Anisotropic Grooves Differentially Alters Cellular Morphology, Adhesion, and Proliferation.

Curvature is an integral part of the complex in vivo tissue architecture across various length scales. Therefore, several in vitro models with a patterned curvature in different length scales have been developed to understand the role of this in cellular behavior. At the subcellular scale, wavy patterns have been reported wherein concave and convex grooves are adjacently present. However, the independent effect of continuous subcellular concave and convex shapes has not been reported, mainly owing to the limitations in fabricating such patterns. In this study, we developed continuous concave and convex grooves on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) using a Dracaena sanderiana (bamboo) leaf as a template. The first (negative) replica from the abaxial side of the bamboo leaf, which imparted concave grooves on PDMS, was subsequently used as a template to fabricate a positive replica of the leaf, resulting in convex grooves of the same size and arrangement as the concave grooves. We examined the influence of the groove curvature on the morphology of bone marrow-derived human mesenchymal stem cells (BM-hMSCs) and skeletal muscle cells (C2C12). BM-hMSCs and C2C12 cells aligned on both concave and convex grooves as compared to the random orientation on a flat substrate. The significant difference was observed in the morphology of both cells, in terms of area, aspect ratio, number, and length of protrusions on concave and convex patterns. We found that the number of protrusions was also dependent on the ratio of cell to pattern length scale for convex-shaped grooves but independent of length scale for concave-shaped grooves. The proliferation of BM-hMSCs was also found to be different on concave and convex shapes. Therefore, this study shows the importance of (1) convex and concave curvatures of the subcellular length scale in cellular response, (2) dependence on the ratio of cell and curvature length scale, and (3) use of natural templates for overcoming fabrication challenges.

Effect of Epidermal Mucous Secretion of Earthworms and other Selected Organic Substances on Rooting of Semi-Hardwood Cuttings of <em>Citrus aurantifolia</em> and Top Cuttings of <em>Dracaena sanderiana</em>

A recent trend in plant growth and propagation is to use natural substances rather than synthetic plant growth regulators. Two experiments were conducted to find out the effect of epidermal mucous secretion (EMS) of earthworms and other organic substances including Aloe vera gel, coconut water and ripe banana on rooting of semi-hardwood cuttings of Citrus aurantifolia and top cuttings of Dracaena sanderiana compared to commercially available plant growth regulators (PGRs). Eleven treatments were prepared using sole application of EMS solution, Aloe vera gel, coconut water and ripe banana, and mixtures of EMS and other organic substances in two different ratios by allocating equal and more inputs from EMS. The present experiments were set up adopting a completely randomized design. The number of roots per cutting, total root length per cutting (cm), length of the longest root per cutting (cm) and root vigor score were recorded for both plant species where destructive sampling was done at two months after planting for C. aurantifolia and one and two months after planting for D. sanderiana. The number of roots per cutting, length of the longest root per cutting and the root vigor score were significantly greater in the control treatment that used commercially available PGR and the cuttings treated with EMS: coconut water (1:1) for C. aurantifolia suggesting the possibility to us EMS and coconut water mixture to substitute the PGR for root induction in C. aurantifolia. The number of roots, total root length and the length of the longest root per cutting were significantly high in the treatments administrated with Aloe vera gel, ripe banana, and a mixture of EMS: ripe bananas (1:1) together with the PGR at two months after planting for D. sanderiana. Hence, the ingredients listed above could be utilized as alternative organic substances to produce adventurous roots in D. sanderiana top cuttings as same as the PGR. The results of the present study could be extremely valuable for developing a unique organic rooting replacement for the synthetic root inducing materials for C. aurantifolia and D. sanderiana. Nonetheless, additional research is required to validate the results of this study.

How does the diurnal biological clock influence electrokinetics in a living plant?

The existence of electrical potential in plant tissues has been studied for decades to understand its contribution toward the plants' health and developmental aspects. This potential is profoundly controlled and modulated by the electrokinetics involved in the flow navigated through the narrow conduits of a plant, which in turn is primarily governed by circadian rhythms. However, the interconnection between electrokinetics and the diurnal biological clock is yet to be understood. In this work, we unraveled the electrokinetics in response to the diurnal variations of a plant. Experiments conducted on water hyacinth stem indicate a cyclic variation of streaming potential synchronized with the changes introduced by circadian rhythm. In further efforts toward understanding the variation of streaming potential at different flow conditions, experiments were conducted on excised stem segments of Dracaena sanderiana, where the generated potential was studied against varying flow rates with different constitutive features of the flowing electrolyte. Notably, the resulting streaming potential from the flow of electrolytic solutions of different ionic strengths, species, and pH was found to align well with the fundamental premises of electrokinetics. These results are likely to expand our current knowledge of plant hydraulics by diligently examining the electrokinetics involved in the flow circuits of plants that undergo cyclic variations in close association with the circadian rhythms.

Determining Formaldehyde Phytoremediation Efficacy of Selected Ornamental Plants

In the recent past, deterioration of indoor air quality has become a serious concern due to the increased energy efficiency and reduced air exchange rate inside urban buildings. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a major category of indoor air pollutants that can lead to adverse health outcomes such as headaches, allergies and asthma in those exposed for prolonged periods. Formaldehyde, the VOC used in the present study is a common contaminant of indoor air which originates from particle board, plywood, paper products, certain adhesives, tobacco smoke and other sources. The use of plants for the mitigation of indoor air pollution is viewed as a cost effective and eco-friendly method with untapped potential. The main objective of the present study was to determine the formaldehyde removal efficacy of selected plant species while investigating the mechanisms used by these plants in the removal process. The selected plant species were Zamioculcas zamiifolia, Hedera helix, Dracaena sanderiana and Ficus sp. Plants of the same age were used with three replicates from each species. Phytoremediation potential was assessed by exposing the plants for 24 hours to gaseous formaldehyde (2.0 μL L-1) in air tight chambers made of Plexiglass (an inert material for VOCs) with dimensions of 0.9 m height×0.58 m length×0.55 m width. Formaldehyde removal was measured using GC-MS and the result was expressed as removal percentages. Several leaf anatomical characters (cuticle thickness, epidermal thickness and mesophyll layer thickness), stomatal characters (stomatal density, stomatal index, guard cell length and potential conductance index) and physiological characters (stomatal conductance and photosynthetic rate) were measured to study the possible mechanisms involved in the formaldehyde removal process. The data were subjected to ANOVA and Pearson correlation test. According to the results obtained, Ficus sp. had the highest formaldehyde removal percentage (92.80%) while Hedera helix had the lowest (56.86%). The study further showed that stomatal density and stomatal conductance play a major role in formaldehyde removal by these plants while cuticle and epidermal thickness act as hindrances to this process. This conclusion was further confirmed by Pearson‘s correlation values in correlation analysis. The current study was carried out for 24 hours of exposure and it would be of interest to explore, the long term behavior of the plants through further studies. Overall, the results justify future studies on a cross-section of diverse plant species for formaldehyde removal efficiency to determine species with superior removal efficiencies for a better phytoremediation process. 
 Keywords: Phytoremediation, VOCs, Formaldehyde, GC-MS technology

Comparing the potential of three dracaena species to remove lead (pb) from artificial aqueous media

The study was undertaken to compare the lead accumulation and removal of Dracaena sanderiana, Dracaena reflexa, and Dracaena deremensis on artificial lead solutions to apply plants in lead pollution treatment. The experiment consisted of 6 treatments corresponding to 3 investigated species of Dracaena. Each treatment was grown on 2 types of solution with Pb and without Pb used as control. The results indicated that the growth of D. sanderiana, D. reflexa, and D. deremensis was not affected at Pb concentrations of 100 ppm. All three plant species had the ability to absorb and accumulate Pb. In which D. sanderiana was a typical lead excluder because the lead concentration in roots (1952.14 mg/kg), shoots (221.78 mg/kg), and leaves (166.46 mg/kg) of the plants were the highest among the three plants tested. The most of lead accumulated in the root, and transportation of lead in D. sanderiana, D. reflexa, and D. deremensis from root to shoot was restricted. Besides, the highest % removal of Pb was found at D. sanderiana (93.16%) and the minimum of 66.77% at D. reflexa. D. sanderiana is the best choice among the three Dracaena species used for phytoremediation of lead contaminated wastewater.

Complete Genome Sequence of Pantoea stewartii RON18713 from Brazil Nut Tree Phyllosphere Reveals Genes Involved in Plant Growth Promotion.

The Amazonian rainforest is a hyper-diverse ecosystem in the number of species and the myriad of intertaxon relationships that are mostly understudied. In order to characterize a dominant and economically important Amazonian species, the Brazil nut tree (Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl.), at the genome level, wegenerated high-coverage long-read sequencing data from the leaves of a single individual. The genome assembly revealed an unexpected discovery: two circular contigs that could be assigned to the chromosome and a plasmid of a Pantoea stewartii strain. Comparative genomics revealed that this strain belongs to the indologenes subspecies and displays high synteny with other strains isolated from diseased leaves of the neotropical palm Bactris gasipaes Kunth. Investigation of pathogenicity-related genes revealed the absence of the entire type III secretion system gene cluster in the plasmid, which was otherwise highly similar to a plasmid from an isolate known to cause disease in Dracaena sanderiana Mast. In contrast, several genes associated with plant-growth promoting traits were detected, including genes involved in indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, phosphate solubilization, and biosynthesis of siderophores. In summary, we report the genome of an uncultivated P. stewartii subsp. indologenes strain associated with the Brazil nut tree and potentially a plant growth-promoting bacteria.

The absorption and accumulation of lead in dracaena sanderiana plant

Heavy metals are the most dangerous substances in the environment, have caused deleterious effect not only to the environment but also to the public’s health. Different studies have demonstrated that plants have a high removal capacity for lead ions from pollution sources. However, these plant species were rather limited. Thus, the project aimed to find out plant species that represent its lead removal ability to reduce environmental pollution. The experiment was carried out factorially as a randomized complete design in hydroponic systems with four treatments (0, 100, 200, and 300mg/l of Pb) and three replications. The results indicated that the growth of the Dracaena sanderiana plant is well in Pb concentration of 100mg/l, with less growth while the increasing lead concentration of 200 mg/l and 300 mg/l. The amount of lead in the water of three treatments 100mg/l, 200mg/l, and 300mg/l after 30 days of the experiment decreased by 91.5%, 86.8%, and 86.4%, respectively. It was found that Dracaena sanderiana exhibited high lead treatment efficiency in the water. Moreover, results showed that the accumulation of lead in the roots of Dracaena sanderiana is quite large with treatments of 100mg/l, 200mg/l, and 300mg/l lead concentrations were 5073.8mg/kg, 5134.0mg/kg, 7054.0mg/kg, respectively. In contrast, the ability to lead accumulation in plant leaves and stems is lower.

Characterization and control of Rhizoctonia solani affecting lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana hort. ex. Mast.) using some bioagents

In a survey conducted during the period of March–May 2019 in nurseries, warehouses, and shops at three governorates (Alexandria, El-Behera, and Giza governorates, Egypt), symptoms of root rot, basal stem rot, and wilt disease complex were observed in the lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana hort. ex. Mast.). The highest disease infection percentage was found in lucky bamboo collected from Alexandria City (47.67%), while the highest disease severity was in lucky bamboo collected from El-Behera Governorate (35.19%). Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, Aspergillus niger, and Alternaria alternate were isolated and identified in the infected lucky bamboo samples. R. solani isolates were the most dominant among the recovered fungal species with a percentage of 80.89% of the total isolates (246). Pathogenicity tests showed that R. solani was the most pathogen with 100% disease infection and 76.67% disease severity. Molecular identification characterized R. solani isolate as R. solani AUMC 15120, MZ723906. Meanwhile, four biological control agents (bioagents) were isolated from the healthy lucky bamboo samples and identified based on cultural, morphological, microscopic characteristics, and the molecular phylogenetic analysis as Clonostachys rosea AUMC 15121, OL461708; Bacillus circulans TAG1, MW441316; B. siamensis TAP1, MW441318 and Ochrobactrum anthropi TAM1, MW441317. The four bioagents showed potential inhibition of R. solani in vitro as well as in vivo on lucky bamboo plants in vase treatments compared to the untreated inoculated control as well as certain fungicides and biocides used (Moncut, Rizolex-T, Topsin-M, Bio-Zeid, and Bio-Arc). The bioagent O. anthropi showed the highest inhibition growth (85.11%) of the in vitro R. solani colony, which was not significantly different from the biocide Bio-Arc (83.78%). However, C. rosea, B. siamensis and B. circulans showed inhibition values of 65.33, 64.44, and 60.44%, respectively. On the other hand, the biocide Bio-Zeid showed less inhibitory effect (43.11%), while the lowest growth inhibition was recorded by Rizolex-T (34.22%) and Topsin-M (28.67%). Furthermore, the in vivo experiment supported the in vitro results for the most effective treatments, where all the treatments significantly decreased the percentage of infection and disease severity compared to the inoculated untreated control. Additionally, the bioagent O. anthropi showed the highest effect, i.e., the lowest disease incidence and disease severity being 13.33% and 10%, compared to 100% and 75%, respectively, in the untreated inoculated control. This was not significantly different from the fungicide Moncut (13.33% and 21%) and from the bioagent C. rosea (20% and 15%) treatments for both parameters, respectively. In conclusion, the bioagents O. anthropi MW441317 at 1 × 108 CFU/ml as well as C. rosea AUMC15121 at 1 × 107/ml proved to be efficient to control R. solani causing root rot, and basal stem rot on lucky bamboo, compared to fungicide Moncut and can be used for disease management without the negative impact of the chemical control. Furthermore, this is the first report of the isolation and identification of Rhizoctonia solani, a pathogenic fungus, and four biocontrol agents (Bacillus circulans, B. siamensis, Ochrobactrum anthropi and Clonostachys rosea) associated with the healthy lucky bamboo plants.

Preventive and curative effect of difenoconazole + azoxytrobin and thiophanate-methyl against lucky bamboo anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichumdracaenophilum

In Egypt, Dracaena sanderiana (lucky bamboo) is an ornamental plant imported from several countries. Two weeks after they arrived at the nurseries, anthracnose indications were detected on the shoots of imported D. sanderiana samples. Four Colletotrichum spp. isolates were obtained from the symptomatic lucky bamboo plants. The obtained isolates belonged to the species of C. gloeosporioides or C. dracaenophilum based on their morphological characteristics and molecular biology analyses. Pathogenicity tests reveal that C. dracaenophilum isolate 4 was found to be more pathogenic than the other isolates. The in vitro investigation was conducted with the objectives of evaluating six systemic fungicides for their inhibitory effect against C. dracaenophilum. Data reveal that, thiophanate-methyl and difenoconazole + azoxytrobin at ≥15 ppm completely inhibited the pathogen growth. Tebuconazole and flusllazole inhibited growth completely at ≥20 ppm, whereas iprodione and cyprodinil + fludioxonil had a lower effect (56.6 and 54.4% reduction, respectively) at this dose. The in vivo investigation was conducted with the objectives of evaluating the preventive and curative effects of the most effective fungicides against anthracnose disease. Lucky bamboo plants were treated with fungicide and either inoculated or not with C. dracaenophilum before being left for 25 or 60 days. On both insidiously infected and vaccinated lucky bamboo plants, the combination of difenoconazole, azoxytrobin, and thiophanate-methyl at 20 ppm greatly reduced the development of anthracnose. Tebuconazole and flusllazole were found to be phytotoxic.

Acaricidal effect of secondary metabolites from symbiotic bacteria Xenorhabdus bovienii and X. nematophila of entomopathogenic nematodes on spider mite Tetranichus urticae (Trombidiformes, Tetranichidae)

In laboratory, the highest mortality rates of Tetranychus urticae after the use of metabolic products of symbiotic bacteria with a titer of 1 × 107 were observed in Xenorhabdus bovienii at 6-8 days post application (dpa) in the experiment with live and at 8 dpa of autoclaved culture (about 95%). In experiments with live and autoclaved culture with a titer of 1 × 107, the mortality mites at 8 dpa in X. bovienii was almost the same, but in X. nematophila it was slightly higher in autoclaved culture. At 8 dpa, the efficacy of the live and autoclaved metabolic products of Xenorhabdus bovienii and X. nematophila against the spider mite with a titer of 1 × 105 was about 1.4 times lower compared to the culture with a titer of 1 × 107. The relationship between the mortality of spider mites (%) and the exposure time (days) to bacterial metabolism products most reliably reflects by the polynomial dependence with the accuracy of approximation 0.93-1.0. In the greenhouse, the effectiveness of the bacterial metabolic products of X. bovienii against spider mite was highest in experiments with live culture with a titer of 1 × 108. In experiments with live culture of X. bovienii with a titer of 1 x 107 (in vivo) the mortality rate of spider mites on leaves of shrub Dracaena sanderiana at 8 dpa increased from 84% on the ground floor to 90% on the second floor. The overall efficacy of the bacterial metabolic products of X. bovienii (in vivo, titer 1 × 107) against adults, larvae and nymphs of T. urticae on the leaves of perennial marsh grasses ( Potenderia cordata , Thalia geniculata and T. dealbata ) was about 98-99%.

Identification and First Report of Leaf Blight Caused by Phytophthora palmivora on Chinese Water Bamboo in China.

Chinese water bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) is a popular houseplant due to its ability to survive in various indoor conditions. In October 2020, pronounced leaf blight symptoms with approximately 50% disease incidence were observed on water bamboo in the 35-ha field of Wenchang county (19°50'45'' N, 110°21'38'' E), Hainan, China. The diseased leaves showed pale green with yellowish lesions, dried and shrivelled tips. As the disease progressed, upward-spreading necrosis led to stem weakness, and then the plants wilted and died within a few weeks (Fig. 1A,B). Ten symptomatic leaves were collected, and leaf pieces (5 mm × 5 mm) from the edge of the lesion were cut, disinfected for 30 s using 75% ethanol, and rinsed five times in d.d. H2O, and placed on V8 media amended with 10 mg/L pimaricin, 150 mg/L ampicillin, and 16 mg/L rifampicin (Guo et al., 2012). Eight isolates of Phytophthora recovered from 10 leaves were characterized morphologically. Colony morphology showed slightly radiate to stellate patterns, with cottony aerial mycelium (Fig.1D). Hyphae were smooth and uniform, branching at nearly right angles into stout (Fig.1E). Mycelial swellings were observed in plate culture (Fig.1F). Chlamydospores were abundant and spherical (Fig.1G). Sporangia were produced externally through sympodial development of the sporangiophore immediately below a sporangium (Fig.1H, I). The sporangia were 29.3-63.9 µm (mean, 48.5 µm) in length and 19.3-46.8 µm (mean, 33.5 µm, n=50) in width. No sexual organs were observed in the 8 isolates. The morphological characteristics of the isolates were consistent with the description of P. palmivora (Erwin and Ribeiro, 1996). The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA, the translation elongation factor 1α gene (TEF1), and β-Tubulin gene (TUB) sequences of the 8 isolates were amplified using the primers ITS1/ITS4 (Cooke et al., 2000), ELONGF1/ELONGR1 and TUBUF2/TUBUR1 (Kroon, et al., 2004), respectively, followed by sequencing analysis. The sequences of representative isolate HK-5 for the ITS, TEF1 and TUB were deposited in GenBank with the accession numbers of OK349485, OK349488 and OK349487. BLAST results showed that the ITS (MG865559, identity=735/735; 100%), TEF1(MH359047, identity=682/684; 99.7%) and TUB (MH493992, identity=467/468; 99.8%) sequences were all highly similar with a sequence of P. palmivora strain CPHST BL105. Phylogenetic analysis using the combined ITS, TEF1, and TUB sequences showed that the isolate HK-5 were grouped with the P. palmivora with good bootstrap support (Fig.2). Based on morphological and molecular identification, the pathogens were identified as P. palmivora. The pathogenicity tests showed that all whole plants (1-year-old) sprayed with the 5 mL of zoospore suspension (1×106 zoospores mL-1) initially presented with discoloured spots on their leaves after 4 days of inoculation, and the symptoms gradually progressed from spots to leaf blight (Fig. 1C). Each isolate was applied onto 10 plants and control plants were sprayed with d.d.H2O. The results of the pathogenicity test exhibited typical symptoms as observed in the field. No significant differences of virulence were observed among the 8 isolates, and the control plants remained symptomless. P. palmivora was re-isolated from the leaves of inoculated plants. This is the first report of P. palmivora on water bamboo in China, and appropriate measures must be undertaken to control this agent in this region.

First report of Bougainvillea spectabilis Willd bacterial leaf spot caused by Pantoea stewartii subspecies indologenes in China.

Bougainvillea spectabilis Willd. is an important ornamental flowering plant belonging to the family Nyctaginaceae. It is widely used in landscape designs in tropical and subtropical regions. In December 2020, severe disease-causing leaf spots were discovered on the leaves of B. spectabilis in the Modern Agricultural Park (110°19' E, 21°26' N) Zhanjiang City, Guangdong Province, China. Field surveys revealed that the disease was widespread, with an incidence of 60-80%. Early symptoms on the leaves appeared as tiny leaf spots that later developed into concentric circles surrounded by a yellowish halo (Fig. 1). Diseased leaves with typical symptoms were collected for pathogen isolation. The leading edges of the lesions were excised, sanitized in 75% ethanol for 30 s and in 3% sodium hypochlorite for 3 min, and rinsed three times with sterile distilled water (SDW). The diseased tissue was crushed in 1 mL SDW, soaked for 15 min, and then spread onto nutrient agar medium on a petri dish. Circular, bright yellow colonies with smooth margins were observed after 24 h of incubation at 28 °C. The isolate (SJM1) was a gram-negative bacillus with positive results for catalase, indole synthesis, maltose, and arbutin and negative results for sorbitol, lactose, salicin, and starch hydrolysis. The SJM1 genomic DNA was extracted using the TIANamp Bacterial DNA Kit, and partial 16S rDNA gene segments were amplified using the bacterial generic primers 27F and 1492R. The collated 16S rDNA gene sequences were submitted to the NCBI GenBank (MZ723935). BLAST analysis of the sequences revealed 99.38% identity with Pantoea stewartii (MG517424.1). Amplification using subspecies-specific primers galE (#562/564; Gehring et al. 2014), glmS (#356/341; Wensing et al. 2010), and pstC + pstS (#338/339; Wensing et al. 2010) revealed that the genes showed 99-100% identity with P. stewartii subsp. indologenes (galE = 100%, MZ754494.1; glmS = 99.79%, MZ75496.1; and pstC + pstS = 99.89%, MZ754495.1). Phylogenetic trees were constructed using the neighbor-joining method (MEGA X), with both the 16S rDNA sequence (Fig. 2 2A) and the concatenated 16S rDNA, galE, pstC + pstS, and glmS sequences (Fig.2 2B). The SJM1 isolate belonged to the same clade as P. stewartii subsp. indologenes and was 99% homologous to P. stewartii subsp. indologenes strain ZJ-FGZX1 (Fig. 2 2B; Ren et al. 2020). Pathogenicity tests were performed through prick wound inoculation. Sterile needles were used to create fresh wounds on healthy young leaves of one-year-old B. spectabilis plants. Wounds were inoculated with 20 μl bacterial suspension (1 × 108 CFU/ml) or SDW. Four leaves per plant and three plants per treatment were evaluated. The plants were incubated at 28 °C temperature and 80-90% relative humidity. After 4-7 days of inoculation, all plants inoculated with the bacterial suspension had spot symptoms with a halo, similar to those observed in the field. However, leaves inoculated with SDW alone did not show any symptoms. Furthermore, the colony morphology and 16S rDNA sequences of the strains isolated from the inoculated leaves were identical to those of the original isolates. These results verified Koch's postulates. Based on biochemical identification and sequencing analysis, the pathogen causing B. spectabilis leaf spot was identified as P. stewartii subsp. indologenes. Previous reports have shown that P. stewartii subsp. indologenes can cause diseases in Dracaena sanderiana, Cenchrus americanus, and Allium cepa (Zhang et al. 2020, Ashajyothi et al. 2021, Stumpf et al. 2018). To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. stewartii subsp. indologenes causing B. spectabilis leaf spot disease in China.

Ethnomedicinal Exploration of Medicinal Plant in Cihanjuang Village, Pandeglang-Banten for Curing Stomacache

Biodiversity in Indonesia is the second highest in the world, the medicinal plants are included in it that must be preserved because of their great benefits for a human being life. Ethnomedicine exploration is a bright way that can be done to record and preserve the biodiversity of medicinal plants in Indonesia. The society in Cihanjuang Village still use medicinal plants to treat digestive disorders, but the lack of documentation will eliminate this knowledge in the future. This ethnomedicine study aims to determine plants which used as diarrhea and ulcer drugs in Cihanjuang Village, consisting of the name, the plant part used, the research method used, and identification of the secondary metabolites. The research methodology used are interview methods with questionnaires, observation, documentation, calculation of Use Value (UV) analysis and phytochemical screening. The informant selection technique used purposive and snowball sampling. The result of this study was the discovery of 24 species of medicinal plants to treat digestive disorders in Cihanjuang Village, most of which belonged to the family of Zingiberaceae and the leaves were the most widely used. The highest of UV’s value for diarrhea is Salak plants (Salacca zalacca) and for ulcers is Hanjuang (Dracaena sanderiana). Some of the species tested for phytochemical screening showed various secondary metabolites that were efficacious in treating digestive disorders. Areuy tulungpung is one of the species that can be studied further due to lack of information as a medicinal plant for digestive disorders.

Visible Light Active Silver Decorated Iron Titanate/Titanium Dioxide Nanohybrid for Sterilization of Explants Grown by In Vitro Technique

AbstractVisible light (VL) active silver decorated iron titanate/titanium dioxide (Ag‐FeTiO3/TiO2) nanohybrids derived from natural ilmenite sand effectively cleanse the exophytic plant pathogens in explants grown by in vitro techniques. VL active nanohybrid is synthesized by acid‐hydrolysis of natural ilmenite, followed by precipitation of the lixivium and decoration with Ag onto FeTiO3/TiO2 nanoparticles, and finally calcination under a nitrogen environment to obtain Ag‐FeTiO3/TiO2. A morphological study conducted using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirms the formation of Ag‐FeTiO3/TiO2. Powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis shows that the nanohybrid primarily consists of anatase, iron titanate (FeTiO3), Ag2O, and Ag. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) study suggests the presence of Ag0/Ag2O/Fe2O3 composites on the FeTiO3/TiO2 particle surface. The optical band gap significantly changes from 3.14 eV (ilmenite) to 2.80 eV after the decoration of FeTiO3/TiO2 with Ag. This nanohybrid is utilized as a surface‐sterilizing agent for in vitro establishment of the Dracaena sanderiana Sander ex Mast plant. Findings illustrate Ag‐FeTiO3/TiO2 nanohybrid‐based photo‐sterilization leads to the survival of 90% of the microbes’ free cultures while the material can be re‐used due to its photocatalytic behavior. Thus, the newly synthesized nanohybrid can replace harmful sterilization agents used in tissue culture techniques.

Biomimicked large-area anisotropic grooves from Dracaena sanderiana leaf enhances cellular alignment and subsequent differentiation

Cellular alignment is important for the proper functioning of different tissues such as muscles or blood vessel walls. Hence, in tissue engineering, sufficient effort has been made to control cellular orientation and alignment. It has been shown that micro-and nanoscale anisotropic topological features on cell culture substrates can control cellular orientation. Such substrates are fabricated using various lithography techniques such as photolithography and soft lithography. Although such techniques are suitable for creating patterns in small areas to establish a proof-of-concept, patterning large areas with intricate features is an unsolved problem. In this work, we report that a replica of the groove-like anisotropic patterns of the abaxial side of a Dracaena sanderiana (bamboo) leaf can be used for large-area patterning of cells. We imprinted the leaf on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and characterised its surface topography using scanning electron microscopy. We further cultured bone marrow human mesenchymal cells (BM-hMSCs), skeletal muscle cells (C2C12), and neuroblastoma cells (SHSY5Y) on the patterned PDMS on which the cells orient along the direction of the grooved pattern. Further, we observed enhanced neuronal differentiation of SHSY5Y cells on biomimicked pattern compared to flat PDMS as measured by percentage of cells with neurites, neurite length and the expression of neuronal differentiation marker beta-III tubulin (TUJ1). This process is simple, frugal, and can be adopted by laboratories with resource constraints. This one-step technique to fabricate large-area anisotropic surface patterns from bamboo leaves can be used as a platform to study cellular alignment and its effect on various cellular functions, including differentiation.

Distribution and accumulation characteristics of nitrogen and phosphorus of 16 species of plants on ecological floating-bed

The distribution and accumulation characteristics of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) in the aerial and underground parts of 16 species of plants on ecological floating-bed were studied, and showed significant differences. The TN contents in the aerial part and underground part were 1.09%-2.91% and 0.68%-2.22%, respectively. The TN contents in the aerial and underground parts of Dracaena sanderiana were both the highest among the 16 species of plants. The TP content in the aerial part ranged from 0.15% to 0.45%, and in the underground part ranged from 0.12% to 0.76%, respectively. The TP contents in the aerial part of Dieffenbachia picta was the highest, while in the underground part of Anthurium andraeanum was the highest. Translocation factors of 14 species of plants for TN were greater than 1, and 12 species of plants for TP were greater than 1, respectively. Arundo donax var. versicolor which had considerable absolute accumulation of TN and TP both in the aerial and underground parts, can effectively remove nitrogen and phosphorus from water, will be a promising potential plant in applying of ecological floating-bed technology.

DIURNAL CIRCADIAN VARIATION IN PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN Dracaena sanderiana UNDER CONTRASTING TEMPERATURE AND LIGHT

Dracaena sanderiana is prominent and in-demand cut foliage in the global ornamental industry. This study was conducted to examine the stress responses of Dracaena sanderiana under contrasting temperature and light conditions by using chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) transient analysis technique. D. sanderiana cuttings were held in distilled water and subjected to two different light levels, i.e., 22,500±2,000 lux and 750±200 lux allowing two distinct temperature levels. The chlorophyll fluorescence data were collected through OJIP analysis using a portable fluorometer (FluorPen, FP 110). The measurements were recorded four times a day (9 am, 12 pm, 3 pm, and 6 pm) and the data were collected continuously for four days commencing from the first day of treatment application. The major parameters derived from the OJIP analysis, including specific energy fluxes per reaction center (ABS/RC, TR/RC, ET/RC, and DI/RC), flux ratios (maximum quantum yield of primary photochemistry-φPo, electron transport efficiency -ψo, and quantum yield of electron transport –φEo and maximum quantum yield of non-photochemical de-excitation- φDo), and performance index (PI) were recorded. ChlF data showed a clear unimodal diurnal variation in plant performances of D. sanderiana at 22,500±2,000 lux. The circadian variation was reported for all measured ChlF parameters except the ψo, TR/RC, and ET/RC. Based on these circadian variations of ChlF, it can be concluded that D. sanderiana displays a facultative CAM pathway as an adaptation to the stressed conditions.

Rainfall Interception Characteristics of Dracaena Sanderiana and Breynia Distincha

Interception of plants commonly used in urban landscape has not been widely studied compared to forested and cultivated area. Understanding the interception characteristics of these plants can facilitate the selection of the right plant type or combination in order to promote interception as a mean to improve the urban water cycle and urban built environment. Two (2) tropical plants are considered in this study, namely, Dracaena Sanderiana and Breynia Distincha, both with distinct plant structure, plant height, canopy size, number of leaves per plant, leaf size and leaf shape. Rainfall interception characteristics are investigated in laboratory environment using standard hydrology apparatus for different plant density. Artificial rainfall intensity of fixed duration is varied to measure the volume and duration of outflow, and volume intercepted. Results show that runoff begins earlier for higher rainfall intensity and lower plant density. The volume and duration of outflow increases with rainfall intensity and interception increases with canopy cover ratio and leaf area ratio for both plants. At lower plant density, Breynia Distincha has lower interception compared to Dracaena Sanderiana. However, at high plant density, Breynia Distincha demonstrates much better interception capacity even though the canopy cover and leaf area ratios are smaller than Dracaena Sanderiana. The phenomenon may be attributed to coalescence of water droplets that either flow down as stemflow or drip off the leaves under gravitational action. The firm small leaves of Breynia Distincha oriented at near horizontal are more likely to retain the intercepted rainwater compared to the slender soft leaves of Dracaena Sanderiana. This shows that closely spaced Breynia Distincha can be effective in increasing urban interception.

APPLICATION OF OJIP CHLOROPHYLL FLUORESCENCE TRANSIENT ANALYSIS TO STUDY THE POSTHARVEST CHANGES IN PHOTOSINTHETIC APPARATUS IN CUT FOLIAGE SPECIES

Chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) is a non-invasive technique that can be potentially used in postharvest research to gain useful information on early responses to postharvest stresses. This study was conducted to validate the application of ChlF transient analysis in determining the postharvest changes in photosynthetic apparatus in three ornamental foliage species, i.e., Cordyline fruticosa ‘Willy’s Gold’ and ‘Rubra’, Dracaena sanderiana ‘White’, and Nephrolepis exaltata. Salicylic acid (100 and 300 mg·L−1), glucose (10 g·L−1), and their combinations were used as holding solutions with control treatment (distilled water) at room temperature (25±2°C). Vase life was evaluated using OJIP analysis. OJIP parameters, i.e., specific energy fluxes per reaction center (ABS/RC, TR/RC, ET/RC, and DI/RC), flux ratios (maximum quantum yield of primary photochemistry-φPo), electron transport efficiency (ψo), and quantum yield of electron transport (φEo), and performance index (PI) were recorded every other day, using a fluorometer (FluorPen 100). Leaf chlorophyll contents of all species and anthocyanin contents of two cordyline cultivars were determined. Data were subjected to ANOVA in a completely randomized design. Mean separation was done by DMRT (p ≤ 0.05). Clear variations in ChlF were observed in every foliage species with the time. OJIP analysis showed species-depended variations. The higher ABS/RC and DI/RC were recorded for D. sanderiana and N. exaltata compared to the PI of those species. At the end of the experiment, the chlorophyll contents were decreased, while anthocyanin contents were increased. Consequently, chlorophyll fluorescence changes in photosynthetic apparatus can be used for the prediction of the postharvest stresses and longevity of cut foliage.