Family Poaceae Research Articles

Novel multiple gynoecium genotype in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)

A novel fodder sorghum ( L.) genotype (EC484238) with multiple gynoecium has been Sorghum bicoloridentified at ICAR-IGFRI, Jhansi for the first time in India. The floral microscopic study of this novel genotyperevealed that female mega-gametophyte produced multiple gynoecium ranging from two to six, instead of one as in normal sorghum genotypes with bi-feathery stigma on each ovary. These multiple ovaries succeeded to produce viable twin or triplet seeds per spikelet per panicle. The twin and triple seed ratio ranged from 97-99% and 1-3%, respectively per panicle. This unique sorghum genotype might be a homeobox mutant which could shed light on the genetic regulation and control mechanisms governing the development of floral str ucture in sorghum as well as in other grasses of the Poaceae family. Multi-ovary sorghum has the obvious advantage of the increased number of seeds per panicle, thereby potentially increasing the seed yield. The novel genotype might be used in future fodder sorghum breeding programmes and will have more significance for the development of dual purpose fodder sorghum

A large sequenced mutant library - valuable reverse genetic resource that covers 98% of sorghum genes.

Mutant populations are crucial for functional genomics and discovering novel traits for crop breeding. Sorghum, a drought and heat-tolerant C4 species, requires a vast, large-scale, annotated, and sequenced mutant resource to enhance crop improvement through functional genomics research. Here, we report a sorghum large-scale sequenced mutant population with 9.5 million ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS)-induced mutations that covered 98% of sorghum's annotated genes using inbred line BTx623. Remarkably, a total of 610 320 mutationswithin the promoter and enhancer regions of 18 000 and 11 790 genes, respectively, can be leveraged for novel research of cis-regulatory elements. A comparison of the distribution of mutations in the large-scale mutant library and sorghum association panel (SAP) provides insights into the influence of selection. EMS-induced mutations appeared to be random across different regions of the genome without significant enrichment in different sections of a gene, including the 5' UTR, gene body, and 3'-UTR. In contrast, there were low variation density in the coding and UTR regions in the SAP. Based on the Ka /Ks value, the mutant library (~1) experienced little selection, unlike the SAP (0.40), which has been strongly selected through breeding. All mutation data are publicly searchable through SorbMutDB (https://www.depts.ttu.edu/igcast/sorbmutdb.php) and SorghumBase (https://sorghumbase.org/). This current large-scale sequence-indexed sorghum mutant population is a crucial resource that enriched the sorghum gene pool with novel diversity and a highly valuable tool for the Poaceae family, that will advance plant biology research and crop breeding.

The low level of plastome differentiation observed in some lineages of Poales hinders molecular species identification.

Chloroplast genomes are a source of information successfully used in various fields of plant genetics, including molecular species identification. However, recent studies indicate an extremely low level of interspecific variability in the plastomes of some taxonomic groups of plants, including the genus Stipa L., which is a representative of the grass family. In this study we aimed to analyze the level of chloroplast genome diversity within particular genera as well as the effectiveness of identifying plant species in the Poaceae family and the other representatives of Poales order. Analysis of complete plastid genome alignments created for 96 genera comprising 793 species and 1707 specimens obtained from the GenBank database allowed defining and categorizing molecular diagnostic characters distinguishing the analyzed species from the other representatives of the genus. The results also demonstrate which species do not have any species-specific mutations, thereby they cannot be identified on the basis of differences between the complete chloroplast genomes. Our research showed a huge diversity of the analyzed species in terms of the number of molecular diagnostic characters and indicated which genera pose a particular challenge in terms of molecular species identification. The results show that a very low level of genetic diversity between plastomes is not uncommon in Poales. This is the first extensive research on super-barcoding that tests this method on a large data set and illustrates its effectiveness against the background of phylogenetic relationships.

Empowering kids with Millet

Nutrition is the key component of health and development in which millets play a vital role as they are the major source of energy and nutrient powerhouse rich in protein, fiber, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, potassium and manganese. Millets are diverse species of small-seeded grasses that are commonly cultivated as cereal grains for human and animal nourishment around the world. Most of the species which are commonly referred to as millets belong to the Poaceae or Graminaeae family i.e., the grass family. Typical millet protein contains a high quantity of essential amino acids especially the Sulphur-containing amino acids i.e., methionine and cysteine. They are a source of antioxidants, such as phenolic acids and glycated flavonoids. Millet foods are characterized to be potential prebiotics and can enhance the viability or functionality of probiotics with significant health benefits. It possesses Madhur Kashay Rasa, Katu Vipaka and Ushan Virya and is Kapha Vata Shamak.[1] Due to its Brihaniya property it is useful in malnutrition, on the contrary due to its Laghu, Ruksha Guna and Vilekhana Karma it can be used in obesity. The article reviews millets and their importance in children.

DYNAMICS OF SPECIES CHANGE OF LIVING ABOVE GROUND COVER IN YOUNG CULTURES OF ZHEREBKIVO FORESTRY

The species composition of herbaceous vegetation in oak plantations before their closure were analyzed. It was found that after cutting down the mother stand, the diversity of plants from different families begins to increase already in the first year. According to the results of field observations, a sharp reduction of shade-tolerant species and an increase of light-loving and drought-resistant species was revealed. As a result, non-forest edifiers increase and the change of tree communities by grassy non-forest formations, uncharacteristic for forest biocenoses. Representatives of the Poaceae family, as well as Fabaceae and Rosales, characteristic of the steppe zone, begin to actively appear on a fresh log. In the following years, the dominant position is occupied by the family of Asteraceae. In the first year after felling, about 40 species were identified, over the years their number decreases, and already in the sixth year, the number of species is about 17 species. Analysis of the coenomorphic structure shows that in the first years the number of sylvans significantly decreases, some species disappear altogether from the plantations. Instead, ruderants (from 55% in the first year to 35% in the sixth) and pratants (from 28% to 35%) begin to dominate. In the trophomorphic structure of the living ground cover on the lands not covered by forest, there is a significant decrease of mesotrophic species between 1–2 and 3–5 years. A significant decrease in oligotrophs (from 6% to 0%) and mesomegatrophs (from 3% to 0%) is also observed. No significant difference in the change of megatrophic species was found. According to the hygromorphic structure, mesophytic vegetation (46%-58%) is dominant in all studied areas. The greatest floristic similarity of grass cover is characterized by 2-3-year crops with 45% similarity of species composition, 4-5-year crops (46%) and 5-6-year crops (46%). The same types of grass vegetation grow on these Фlogs, acting as indicators of ecological conditions in the forest phytocenosis.

Decrypting seasonal patterns of key pollen taxa in cool temperate Australia: A multi-barcode metabarcoding analysis

Pollen allergies pose a considerable global public health concern. Allergy risk can vary significantly within plant families, yet some key pollen allergens can only be identified to family level by current optical methods. Pollen information with greater taxonomic resolution is therefore required to best support allergy prevention and self-management. We used environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to deepen taxonomic insights into the seasonal composition of airborne pollen in cool temperate Australia, a region with high rates of allergic respiratory disease. In Hobart, Tasmania, we collected routine weekly air samples from December 2018 until October 2020 and sequenced the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) and chloroplastic tRNA-Leucine tRNA-Phenylalanine intergenic spacer (trnL-trnF) regions in order to address the following questions: a) What is the genus-level diversity of known and potential aeroallergens in Hobart, in particular, in the families Poaceae, Cupressaceae and Myrtaceae? b) How do the atmospheric concentrations of these taxa change over time, and c) Does trnL-trnF enhance resolution of biodiversity when used in addition to ITS2? Our results suggest that individuals in the region are exposed to temperate grasses including Poa and Bromus in the peak grass pollen season, however low levels of exposure to the subtropical grass Cynodon may occur in autumn and winter. Within Cupressaceae, both metabarcodes showed that exposure is predominantly to pollen from the introduced genera Cupressus and Juniperus. Only ITS2 detected the native genus, Callitris. Both metabarcodes detected Eucalyptus as the major Myrtaceae genus, with trnL-trnF exhibiting primer bias for this family. These findings help refine our understanding of allergy triggers in Tasmania and highlight the utility of multiple metabarcodes in aerobiome studies.

Rice Nutraceuticals and Bioactive Compounds: Extraction, Characterization and Antioxidant Activity: A Review.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.), a cereal grass, belongs to the genus Oryza from the family Poaceae, which encompasses twenty-five species cultured in many countries of Asia, and partly in the rest of the world. From these species, two viz. Oryza sativa (O. sativa) Asian rice and Oryza glaberrima (O. glaberrima) African rice are commonly found and the most widely consumed staple food by a large part of the human population in the world, especially in Asia due to their nutritional and nutraceutical prospects. Rice, a popular source of carbohydrates, also contains a good amount of dietary fiber, minerals (Ca, Zn, Se, P, K, Mg, Fe, and Mn), protein and vitamin B along with several other medicinally important bioactives such as tocols (α-tocopherols and α-tocotrienols) (ßsitosterol) phenolic acids, flavonoids (apiginine), and oryzanol (24-Methylenecylcoartanyl transferulate). Rice bran is a byproduct of the rice polishing industry and is valuable in terms of containing 15-20% high-value oil. Because of the natural antioxidants present in rice, several medicinal benefits and biological properties can be attributed to rice consumption. The nutrient profile of rice varies based on several factors, such as grains (white, brown, red, and black/purple), the extent of polishing, and the preparation method. Considering the importance of rice as a traditional diet rich in high-value bioactives, together with the existing gap of related information, it is worthwhile to assemble a comprehensive review that focuses on the detailed profile of valuable nutrients and high-value phytochemicals and biological activities of rice to explore its functional food and nutraceutical applications. This review attempts to provide collective information on the essential rice cereal for its nutritional and antioxidant potential.

Finding of Some Alien Species of the Family Poaceae in Dagestan

Finding of Some Alien Species of the Family Poaceae in Dagestan

Biological Diversity of Genes Encoding Wheat Defensin Homologues

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are major components of innate immunity in plants and animals. AMP genes have significant intra- and interspecific polymorphism, the role of which is poorly understood. Previously, by high throughput transcriptome sequencing of wheat plants, we identified defensin genes up-regulated upon infection with the pathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum and/or treatment with resistance inducers. In the present work, a bioinformatic search in NCBI databases for peptide homologues of these defensins was carried out using the sequences of their γ-cores, the sites of the molecules responsible for antimicrobial activity. DEFL1-16 homologues were identified in 95 species of angiosperms belonging to 48 families and 30 orders of monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants. The ubiquitous distribution of this defensin in angiosperms suggests its involvement not only in defense, but also in other processes in flowering plants. Homologues of other defensins induced by infection were found only in plants of the Poaceae family, which suggests the existence of a Poaceae-specific defense mechanism associated with the expression of these defensins. Among the γ-core variants of wild plant defensins identified in the study, the peptides with better antimicrobial activity compared to wheat, might be present, which are of considerable interest for the development of new antibiotics for medicine and agriculture.

Bamboo Leaves: An Emerging Multi-functional Food

Bamboos form a unique group of giant arborescent grasses belonging to the family Poaceae and sub-family Bambuseae. Bamboo leaves are the favorite food of pandas and many other animals and are much valued as fodder. Other than this, its uses in the food industry in various food products, bamboo wine and as packaging material are being explored. Anti-oxidant of bamboo leaves (AOB), a novel food anti-oxidant is used in many food products and has been found to contain antioxidants, flavanoids and other bioactive compounds that help in the prevention of various degenerative diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart problems etc. However, there is no systematic review that explores the nutritional value and uses of bamboo leaves in different sectors. Therefore, this paper reviews the nutritional composition and spectrum of usage in the food industry. Bamboo leaves have great potential as a food additive and more research attempts on its use as a nutraceutical and functional foods are needed.

Global analysis of Poales diversification - parallel evolution in space and time into open and closed habitats.

Poales are one of the most species-rich, ecologically and economically important orders of plants and often characterise open habitats, enabled by unique suites of traits. We test six hypotheses regarding the evolution and assembly of Poales in open and closed habitats throughout the world, and examine whether diversification patterns demonstrate parallel evolution. We sampled 42% of Poales species and obtained taxonomic and biogeographic data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants database, which was combined with open/closed habitat data scored by taxonomic experts. A dated supertree of Poales was constructed. We integrated spatial phylogenetics with regionalisation analyses, historical biogeography and ancestral state estimations. Diversification in Poales and assembly of open and closed habitats result from dynamic evolutionary processes that vary across lineages, time and space, most prominently in tropical and southern latitudes. Our results reveal parallel and recurrent patterns of habitat and trait transitions in the species-rich families Poaceae and Cyperaceae. Smaller families display unique and often divergent evolutionary trajectories. The Poales have achieved global dominance via parallel evolution in open habitats, with notable, spatially and phylogenetically restricted divergences into strictly closed habitats.

Восстановление растительного покрова в ходе экогенетической сукцессии на техногенной территории в условиях Нижнего Дона

The article presents an analysis of the dynamics of the formation of vegetation cover on a technogenic territory. 48 species of flowering plants from 14 families were identified in an abandoned sand quarry. The species composition is dominated over all the years of observations by the families characteristic of the steppes – Asteraceae and Poaceae. The share of the Asteraceae family is on average 34.0% of the total number of species, that is, the main share in the herbage. There is a decrease in the proportion of Asteraceae during the study period from 35.4 to 32.2%. The Poaceae family makes up an average of 23.4% of the total number of species in terms of the number of specimens. At the same time, it is important to note the absence of buckets. There is an increase in the proportion of Poaceae during the study period from 20.9 to 26.4%. Legumes play a significant role in the formation of vegetation cover: Medicago lupulina, Melilotus officinalis, etc. It is noted that a large proportion is mixed grasses – 71.2%, followed by cereals – 23.4% and legumes – 5.4% on average over the years of the study. Herbaceous plants – perennials dominate among the life forms (53.4%), annuals make up 26.8%, biennials – 19.8% on average over the years of the study. In general, the floral composition of the quarry indicates that it is at the weedy stage of demutation succession. Currently, overgrowth occurs mainly with weeds and weeds, but the introduction of steppe species has also been noted. Keywords: VEGETATION COVER, TECHNOGENIC TERRITORY, DEMUTATION SUCCESSION, SAND PIT, PRIMARY SUCCESSION

Ethnobotanical study of traditional forage plants in the Gansu–Ningxia–Inner Mongolia junction zone: conservation and sustainable utilization for animal husbandry

IntroductionThis study aims to safeguard the ethnobotanical knowledge pertaining to traditional forage plants within the ethnically diverse Gansu–Ningxia–Inner Mongolia junction zone. It seeks to establish a foundation for the sustainable utilization of these traditional resources for animal husbandry.MethodsA combination of literature research, village interviews, participatory observation, and ethnobotanical quantitative evaluation methods was employed to investigate and study the traditional knowledge of wild forage plants used by local residents in the study area.ResultsLocal residents provided information on 73 forage plants, which were identified as 116 distinct wild forage plant species. These plants belong to 22 families and play an active role in the lives of the local inhabitants. Notably, the families Poaceae, Fabaceae, and Asteraceae are prominent, comprising the most abundant and widely utilized wild forage plants. Bing Cao (collectively referring to plants of the Agropyron, Leymus, and Psammochloa), Suo Cao (collectively referring to plants of the genus Stipa), and Ku Cai (encompassing Lactuca tatarica (L.) C.A.Mey. and Ixeris polycephala Cass.) emerge as the most representative and vital wild forage plants for animal husbandry. Additionally, plants within the Astragalus (referred to collectively as NiaoZi by local residents) in the Fabaceae family, as well as plants from the Amaranthaceae family, exhibit notable significance.ConclusionAnimal husbandry assumes a pivotal role in the local agricultural economy, and the 116 wild forage plants investigated hold substantial importance in its development. Among these, 59 and 103 plant resources display high developmental potential, making them prospective candidates for high-quality cultivated forage grasses. Additionally, extensive grazing practices have resulted in significant ecological degradation within this already fragile ecosystem. The cultivation of forage grasses and the practice of pen-based animal husbandry may emerge as crucial strategies for sustainable development in this area.

ANCIENT GRAINS, MODERN MARVELS: EMBRACING MILLETS IN AYURVE-DIC HEALING FOR OPTIMAL HEALTH

Nutrition is a crucial aspect of health and development. Healthy eating is related to improved immune systems, safer pregnancies, and births, a reduced chance of diseases that are not transmissible (such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease), as well as improved longevity. Nonetheless, today's way of life and food choices lead to poor health and nutritional issues such as obesity and diabetes. Millets, which have no impact on weight and have an abundance of nutrients, can be employed in such cases. Millets are a group of small-seeded grasses widely farmed as cereal grains for human and animal use worldwide. Most millets belong to the Poaceae or Gramineae family, which is a grass family. Millet is high in protein, fibre, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, potassium, and manganese, thus serving as a nutrient powerhouse. This article discusses millet and its significance in our daily lives. Some millet preparations are additionally clarified so that they might be included in our daily lives.

Kshudradhanya in Daily Lifestyle w.s.r. to Millets: A Critical Review


 
 
 Nutrition is a crucial factor in both health and development. Better nutrition is linked to stronger immune systems, safer pregnancies and births, a lower risk of non-communicable diseases (including diabetes and cardiovascular disease), and longer lifespans. However, the modern style of life and eating habits contribute to poor nutrition and health issues including diabetes and obesity. Millets, which don't make you gain weight and are also incredibly nutritious, can be employed in these circumstances. A variety of small-seeded grass species called millets are widely grown as cereal grains for human and animal nutrition around the world. The bulk of the plants that are frequently referred to as millets are members of the grass family Poaceae or Gramineae. Due to its abundance in protein, fibre, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, potassium, and manganese, millet is a nutrient powerhouse. The value of millets in daily life is discussed in this article. A few millet preparations are also explained in order to include them into daily life.
 
 

Unveiling the Nutritional Spectrum of Millet: An In-depth Review

A comprehensive analysis of millets, small-seeded Poaceae family grains that have been traditionally cultivated in semi-arid regions of Africa and Asia. The primary objective is to elucidate the multi-faceted advantages of millets, encompassing nutritional, metabolic, and immunological benefits, in addition to their significance in sustainable agriculture and ethical trade. Millets are rich in essential macronutrients and micronutrients, including but not limited to, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. They also contain bioactive compounds such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, and antioxidants. The ethical dimensions of millet cultivation are emphasized, focusing on fair trade protocols that could significantly elevate the socio-economic status of marginalized farmers. Millets also hold distinct cultural and traditional relevance in various indigenous communities, thus positing a loss in millet agriculture as a loss of cultural heritage. A critical gap in current literature is identified in the domains of farming practices, climate adaptability, and socio-economic implications of millet cultivation. Although millets have been evaluated for their nutritional profile, research is scant in areas like optimal agronomic practices, the potential impact of climatic variations, and social-economic ramifications of millet-based agriculture. Future research paradigms could profitably focus on the utility of millets in managing chronic lifestyle disorders and their integrative role in sustainable agricultural frameworks.

Morphological and biochemical variations caused by salinity stress in some varieties of Pennisetum glaucum L.

The salinity of the soil is a severe challenge to the sustainability of agricultural production. It causes significant loss in the productivity of crop plants. To overcome this problem, one of the possible solutions could be the identification and cultivation of salinity tolerant crop plants in salt affected land. Therefore, this study was designed to screen some varieties of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L. Family Poaceae), an equally important cereal crop for food and forage, for salinity tolerance in a pot experiment. Some eighteen varieties of Pearl Millet were utilized to investigate the morphometric and biochemical variations induced by saline stress. The plants were grown for three weeks under normal conditions in sand culture in disposable PVP cups with three inches diameter. Afterwards, the plants were challenged with salinity stress (aqueous solution of NaCl applied in successive steps of 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM with Hoagland’s nutrients). The plants adopted salinity stress after one week and harvested for various physio-biochemical attributes. The results showed that the varieties YBS-93, YBS-94, YBS-95 and YDR-8-1 exhibited tolerance toward salinity stress as their shoot length, root length, biomass production and K+ was maintained under salt stress. The levels of proline contents and free amino acids in their leaves were relatively higher under salt stress as compared with other varieties. The accumulation of Na+ in theses varieties was lower as compared to other varieties under saline stress. These findings indicated their potential strategy to cope with salinity stress. While theYBS-83, YBS-98, YCMP-19 and YCMP-34 varieties among the subjected eighteen varieties of Pearl Millet were screened as most sensitive varieties to salinity stress in these experimental conditions. Because these varieties had reduction in shoot length, root length biomass production and K+. Other varieties did not show any significant success in salinity stress management. This study has provided significant preliminary screening data of morphological and biochemical aspects of eighteen varieties of Pearl Millet for their capability of salinity tolerance. Further molecular investigations are underway which will be helpful in revealing insights of the salt tolerance mechanism and signaling pathways in the screened salt tolerant varieties.

Analyzing the Variability in Maize (Zea mays L.) Genotypes Using Principal Component Analysis under Varied Ecosystems

Maize is a cereal cross-pollinated crop which belongs to the family poaceae. It is grown over a wider range of environment than any other cereal crop. The present study was conducted to study genetic variability using principal component analysis. Twenty maize genotypes were used in the study. Ten characters viz., plant height, ear height, days to 50 % tasselling, days to 50 % silking, ASI, cob length, number of rows per cob, hundred seed weight, shelling percentage and yield were recorded for the study. In the PCA, four principal components exhibited eigen value more than 1.0 exhibiting 84.54 percent of the variability for the characters under irrigated conditions. The PC1 negative loadings for the flowering traits, viz., days to 50 % silking (-0.3886), ASI (-0.3233) and days to 50 % tasselling (-0.2972) and positive loadings with higher contribution from cob length (0.4033), no of rows per cob (0.3480) followed by shelling percentage were observed. Positive loadings were exhibited by days to tasselling (0.4780), plant height (0.4670) and hundred seed weight (0.4518) in PC2. In PC3 positive loadings for the characters viz., number of rows per cob (0.5338), ASI (0.5226) and cob length (0.3299) and negative loadings for the traits grain yield (-0.3815), ear height (-0.2658) and plant height (-0.2437) and in PC4 positive loadings for plant height (0.4953), ear height (0.2546) and negative loadings were shown by days to grain yield (-0.6632), shelling percentage (-0.3751), ASI (-0.2369) and 50 % silking (-0.0648) were observed. In rainfed conditions, the two principal components had eigen value of more than 1. Under normal irrigated condition, PC1 and PC2 had eigen value of 5.689 and 1.6439. Plant height (0.3866), cob length (0.3726), number of rows per cob (0.3551), shelling % (0.3196), grain yield (0.2941), and hundred seed weight (0.2847) contributed positively to PC1. PC 2 had highest positive contributions from days to 50 % tasselling (0.5676), days to 50 % silking (0.5249), shelling % (0.3885), hundred seed weight (0.3763) and grain yield (0.2007). Negative loadings were shown by ear height (-0.1356) and plant height (-0.0093). Positive loadings were contributed by days to 50 % tasselling (0.5676), Days to 50 % silking, shelling percentage (0.3885) and hundred grain weight (0.3763).

Use of biochar and a post-coagulation effluent as an adsorbent of malachite green, beneficial bacteria carrier, and seedling substrate for plants belonging to the poaceae family

Wastewater treatment plants produce solid and semi-solid sludge, which treatment minimises secondary environmental pollution because of wastewater treatment and obtaining new bioproducts. For this reason, in this paper, the co-pyrolysis of biogenic biomasses recovered from a biological reactor with immobilised fungal and bacterial biomass and a tertiary reactor with Chlorella sp. used for dye-contaminated wastewater treatment was carried out. Biogenic biomasses mixed with pine bark allowed the production and characterisation of two types of biochar. The raw material and biochar were on the “in vitro” germination of Lolium sp. seeds, followed by adsorption studies for malachite green (MG) dye using the raw material and the biochar. Results showed that using 60 mg L−1 of a cationic coagulant at pH 6.5 allowed for the recovery of more than 90% of the microalgae after 50 min of processing. Two biochar resulted: BC300, at pH 5.08 ± 0.08 and BC500, at pH 6.78 ± 0.01. The raw material and both biochars were co-inoculated with growth-promoting bacteria; their viabilities ranged from 1.7 × 106 ± 1.0 × 101 to 7.5 × 108 ± 6.0 × 102 CFU g−1 for total heterotrophic, nitrogen-fixing and phosphate-solubilising bacteria. Re-use tests on Lolium sp. seed germination showed that with the post-coagulation effluent, the germination was 100%, while with the biochar, with and without beneficial bacteria, the germination was 98 and 99%, respectively. Finally, BC500 adsorbed the highest percentage of malachite green at pH 4.0, obtaining qecal values of 0.5249 mg g−1 (R2: 0.9875) with the pseudo-second-order model.

An Ethnobotanical Survey of Indigenous Knowledge on Medicinal Plants Used by Communities to Treat Various Diseases around Ensaro District, North Shewa Zone of Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

The study was conducted to investigate and document medicinal plants and associated knowledge on the utilization, management, preparation, and way of administration of the medicinal plant resources in Ensaro district, north Shewa zone, Ethiopia. A total of 100 informants were sampled from four study sites, and questionnaire surveys, semistructured interviews, ranking, and transect walk techniques were employed for data collection in midland, lowland, and highland agroecology and natural forests, riverine forests, and farmlands. Vast sources of the traditional healing knowledge of plant species conveyed from one generation to the next by word of mouth were from a family. A total of 101 medicinal plant species were identified from the study site, which belong to 95 genera and 49 families. These medicinal plants are used to treat about 35 types of human ailments. Families Fabaceae and Poaceae were represented by the highest number of medicinal plant species, followed by the Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, and Euphorbiaceae species. Out of the total medicinal plants’ species, 46.53% were herbs and 33.66% were shrubs. Most of them have medicinal properties in their leaf, root, seed, bark, stem, latex, sap seed, and fruits. Medicine from these plant parts is prepared in fresh, dried, and both fresh and dried states. The highest informant consensus was documented for the plant Ocimum lamiifolium used by 75% of informants for its medicinal value in treating fibril illness. Cucumis ficifolius and Eucalyptus globules are used by 41% and 39% of informants ranking second and third, respectively, for their medicinal value. This study revealed that indigenous knowledge of traditional medicine is still popular among local communities in the study area. The conservation strategy practiced by local people is not enough to tackle the erosion of plant species from their habitats. Thus, the conservation of these plants and the associated knowledge base is very essential.