Rumex Dentatus Research Articles

Exploring Herbicidal Potential of Aqueous Extracts of Some Herbaceous Plants Against Parthenium Weed

To assess the phytotoxic potential of Achyranthes aspera, Alternanthera philoxeroides, Datura metel and Rumex dentatus against Parthenium hysterophorus, 5% (w/v on dry weight basis) aqueous extracts from root, stem, leaf, flower and whole plant were tested through a Petri plate-based germination and pot-cultured seedling bioassays. Achyranthes aspera and A. philoxeroides inhibited parthenium weed germination more than extracts from other species. Whole plant, leaf and fruit extracts of A. aspera reduced the germination percentage (5%); leaf extract from A. philoxeroides caused lower germination index (0.4), higher mean germination time (14 d) and longer time to 50% germination (13.5 d) of parthenium weed. In the foliar spray bioassay, A. aspera reduced parthenium weed shoot growth more than the other species whereas R. dentatus caused more reduction in root growth. Whole plant extract from A. aspera caused maximum reduction in parthenium weed seedling vigor index (98%) and seedling biomass (96%). The aqueous extracts of A. aspera and A. philoxeroides contained higher concentrations of phenolics viz. gallic (16.9 mg L-1), caffeic (7.4 mg L-1), chromatotropic (63.8 mg L-1), p-coumaric (10.5 mg L-1), m-coumaric (3.1 mg L-1), syringic (9.21 mg L-1) and 4 hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic (118.6 mg L-1) acids compared with extracts of the other two species tested.

Growth habit and leaf economics determine gas exchange responses to high elevation in an evergreen tree, a deciduous shrub and a herbaceous annual.

Plant growth at high elevations necessitates physiological and morphological plasticity to enable photosynthesis (A) under conditions of reduced temperature, increased radiation and the lower partial pressure of atmospheric gases, in particular carbon dioxide (pCO2). Previous studies have observed a wide range of responses to elevation in plant species depending on their adaptation to temperature, elevational range and growth habit. Here, we investigated the effect of an increase in elevation from 2500 to 3500 m above sea level (a.s.l.) on three montane species with contrasting growth habits and leaf economic strategies. While all of the species showed identical increases in foliar δ(13)C, dark respiration and nitrogen concentration with elevation, contrasting leaf gas exchange and photosynthetic responses were observed between species with different leaf economic strategies. The deciduous shrub Salix atopantha and annual herb Rumex dentatus exhibited increased stomatal (Gs) and mesophyll (Gm) conductance and enhanced photosynthetic capacity at the higher elevation. However, evergreen Quercus spinosa displayed reduced conductance to CO2 that coincided with lower levels of photosynthetic carbon fixation at 3500 m a.s.l. The lower Gs and Gm values of evergreen species at higher elevations currently constrains their rates of A. Future rises in the atmospheric concentration of CO2 ([CO2]) will likely predominantly affect evergreen species with lower specific leaf areas (SLAs) and levels of Gm rather than deciduous species with higher SLA and Gm values. We argue that climate change may affect plant species that compose high-elevation ecosystems differently depending on phenotypic plasticity and adaptive traits affecting leaf economics, as rising [CO2] is likely to benefit evergreen species with thick sclerophyllous leaves.

New trimethyl chitosan-based composite nanoparticles as promising antibacterial agents

In the present study, densely dispersed silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were rapidly green synthesized in the presence of Rumex dentatus aqueous extract, followed by UV-irradiation reduction. The Ag NPs were characterized using UV–vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, and TEM. Then, the Ag NPs were incorporated into interpenetrating polymeric networks based on cationic trimethyl chitosan (TMCS) and anionic poly(acrylamide-co-sodium acrylate) copolymer to develop a new series of composite nanoparticles as potential antibacterial agents. Both TMCS and poly(acrylamide-co-sodium acrylate) were prepared in the study, and characterized using FTIR, DSC, and SEM. The synthesized Ag NPs showed high purity and uniform particle size distribution with particle size ranged between 5 and 30 nm. The composite nanoparticles demonstrated homogeneous spherical shape with size in the range of 378–402 nm. Both Ag NPs and the composite nanoparticles showed promising bactericidal activity as compared with the control. Moreover, the antibacterial activity of the composite nanoparticles increased along with increasing the concentrations of Ag NPs and the TMCS.

Ecophysiological characteristics of five weeds and a wheat crop in the Indo-Gangetic Plains, India.

The objective of this research was to compare selected ecophysiological parameters for a wheat crop found in the Indo‐Gangetic Plains of India and its five dominant weeds. The dominant and regionally ubiquitous weeds in the wheat field that was selected for the study were Anagallis arvensis, Chenopodium album, Melilotus albus, Phalaris minor and Rumex dentatus. Taller weeds, such as C. album and P. minor, constituted one group along with the crop, with a low photosynthetic rate, specific leaf area, leaf nitrogen mass basis, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic nitrogen‐use efficiency and leaf area ratio, in comparison to shorter weeds, such as A. arvensis, M. albus and R. dentatus, which formed another group with a high photosynthetic rate, specific leaf area, leaf nitrogen mass basis, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic nitrogen‐use efficiency and leaf area ratio. Interspecific variations in the photosynthetic rate were driven mainly by variability in the specific leaf area and leaf nitrogen content. The taller weeds and the crop had a low specific leaf area later in the season, whereas the smaller weeds had a relatively high specific leaf area, which might be an adaptation to the shaded environment below the canopy. The result indicates that any weed management in the wheat fields of the Indo‐Gangetic Plains will need two different approaches because of the different strategies followed by the two weed groups that were identified in the present study.

Integrated Weed Management in Potato Using Straw Mulch and Atrazine

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is one of four major food crops in the world. Weed control is a major component in potato production and has been accomplished using different methods, including but not limited to the use of herbicides and straw mulch. A combination of preemergence herbicide and straw mulch may improve weed control; however, no information is available for combining both methods, along with their effects on weed control, weed density, and potato tuber yields. The objective of this study was to evaluate weed control in potato using atrazine or straw mulch applied alone at different rates or in combination. A field experiment was conducted for 4 years from 2006 to 2010 in Ludhiana, Punjab, India. Common weeds included burclover (Medicago arabica), common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album), littleseed canarygrass (Phalaris minor), purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus), scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), swinecress (Coronopus didymus), and toothed dock (Rumex dentatus). Results suggested that atrazine applied alone was not very effective and resulted in 0% to 78% control depending on the weed species being investigated at 30 days after treatment (DAT). Straw mulch applied alone at any rate provided ≥90% control of toothed dock, but control of other weed species was variable. A combination of atrazine and straw mulch at any rate usually resulted in >90% weed control at 30 DAT, except for swinecress and purple nutsedge. This treatment combination also resulted in weed density as low as 0 plant/m2 for common lambsquarters, scarlet pimpernel, and toothed dock. Potato tuber weight and yield was significantly higher in all treatments compared with untreated control without difference among them. It is concluded that a combination of straw mulch and atrazine can provide effective weed control in potato.

Assessment of Sal Seedlings and Herbaceous Flora in the Khairbar Plantation of Sarguja Forest Division, Chhattisgarh

In the present study an attempt has been made to evaluate the growth performance of sal seedlings and also assess the diversity of herbaceous flora in the Khairbar plantation of Sarguja forest division during the year 2013-14. Study reveals that there are prominent variations in the height of the seedlings in Khairbar plantation. The root shoot ratio of seedlings ranged between 0.31 to 0.74. The total height of seedlings ranged from 24.00 to 90.00 cm. The girth of individual seedling ranged between 4.00 and 12.00 cm. The number of branches per seedling ranged between 4.00-17.00. The average collar diameter of sal seedling was 1.96 cm and the sturdiness ranged from 15.09-42.86. Total of 27 herbaceous species comprising 15 families were encountered in the study area. The total density of the herb species was 776000 individuals ha-1 and the maximum density was recorded for Mellilotus alba (64000 individuals ha-1), while minimum for Achyranthus aspera, Malvastrum coromandelicum and Rumex dentatus (12000 individuals ha-1 for each). The Shannon index (H’) of herbaceous species was 4.606, Simpson index (Cd) was 0.045, Species richness (d) was 1.917 and Equitability (e) was 1.397, respectively. It was observed that the growth performance of sal seedling in the Khairbar plantation site is quiet slow as compared to the other tropical species. It may also be due to the higher population of the herbaceous species. The herbaceous species compete with the sal species for the sharing of the resources for the growth and development. Micro climate and management aspects are the major concern for the good growth performance of the species in plantation sites.

Differential response of terpenes and anthraquinones derivatives in Rumex dentatus and Lavandula officinalis to harsh winters across north-western Himalaya

Herbs adapted to diverse climates exhibit distinct variability to fluctuating temperatures and demonstrate various metabolic and physiological adaptations to harsh environments. In this research, Rumex dentatus L. and Lavandula officinalis L. were collected before snowfall in September–November to evaluate variability in major phytoconstituents to diverse seasonal regime. LC-MS was used for simultaneous determination of eight anthraquinone derivatives in R. dentatus, i.e. emodin, physcion, chrysophanol, physcion glucoside, endocrocin, emodin glucoside, chrysophanol glucoside and chromone derivatives and monoterpenes in L. officinalis i.e. (Z)-β-ocimene, (E)-β-ocimene, terpene alcohol, terpin-4-ol, acetate ester-linalyl acetate and bicyclic sesquiterpene (E)-caryophyllene. The correlation analysis confirmed significant variation in anthraquinone glucoside and terpene content within Rumex and Lavender, respectively, and altitude was established as the determinant factor in secondary metabolism of both herbs. The study concludes the propagation of herbs in bioclimatic belts which favour accumulation of major constituents and validate their greater pharmacological activity.

Effect of different plant extracts, fatty acid and oils on conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) production by Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens

Present study evaluated the effect of added free fatty acids, dietary oils and plant extracts on conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) production potential of anaerobic Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens bacteria. Different concentration of plant extracts of Solanum nigrum, Rumex dentatus, Boerhaavia diffusa Linn., Amaranthus nlitum Linn., Peristrophe bicalyculata, Phyllanthus sp. Leucas aspera and Cuminum cyminum (0.50, 1.0, 1.5%, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0, 8 and 10 mg/ml of media); pure linoleic and linolenic acid (50, 100, 150, 200, 250 μg/ml of media) and dietary oils (50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300 μg/ml of media) were used in media. The results revealed that an increase in the concentration of fatty acids suppressed growth of B. fibrisolvens and its cell density reached maximum (1.58 OD; 600 nm) at 18 h of incubation. A gradual rise in CLA production by B. fibrisolvens was observed parallel to increasing concentration of dietary oils from 50 to 250 μg/ml followed with slight decrease at level of 300 μg. Supplementation of sunflower oil resulted in highest increment in CLA production among the treatments. Extracts of different plants at different concentrations showed significant changes in CLA production potential by B. fibrisolvens. Cuminum cyminum with 457% increase in CLA concentration was the most efficient extract. Study established that careful optimization of dietary supplementation results in increased activity of B. fibrisolvens thereby facilitating higher CLA production.

Hepatoprotective effect of aqeous methanolic extract of <i>Rumex dentatus</i> in paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity in mice

Rumex dentatus is well known plant of Polygonaceae family which is widely used in traditional medicine to treat gastrointestinal tract. R. dentatus at doses 250 and 500 mg/kg significance decreased (p<0.001) the elevated level of ALT, AST, ALP and bilirubin induced by paracetamol and results are comparable (p<0.001) with silymarin. The results were supported by histopathological investigations, phytochemical screening and detection of hepatoprotective active constituents e.g quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin by HPLC. So, it is concluded that R. dentatus has hepatoprotective effect against paracetamol liver damage in mice.

Weed dynamics and productivity of wheat in conventional and conservation rice-based cropping systems

There exist edaphic and time conflicts between rice and following wheat crop in the conventional rice–wheat system. Conservation agriculture offers a pragmatic option to resolve these conflicts in the conventional rice–wheat system in the Indo-Gangetic Plains. In this two-year field study; wheat was raised through zero tillage, deep tillage, conventional tillage and on raised beds after harvesting rice grown in aerobic, alternate wetting and drying (AWD) and flooded systems. Various wheat tillage systems after different rice production systems significantly affected weed dynamics, stand establishment, morphological and yield-related traits of wheat during both year of study. Soil physical environment was better in the field occupied by aerobic rice followed by AWD-sown rice while it was poor after flooded rice. Density of lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.) was lowest after flooded rice while densities of toothed dock (Rumex dentatus L.) and littleseed canarygrass (Phalaris minor Retz.) were lowest after aerobic rice. Broad leaf weeds like lambsquarters and toothed dock dominated in deep tillage, conventional tillage and bed sowing; whereas narrow leaf weeds like littleseed canarygrass dominated in zero tillage. Better stand establishment, water use efficiency, resource use efficiency and grain yield were recorded from wheat following aerobic rice culture, which was followed by AWD. Amongst the wheat tillage systems, stand establishment, morphological and yield related traits and water use efficiency were better in deep tillage; whereas resource use efficiency was the maximum in zero tillage wheat. Performance of bed-sown wheat was poor in term of yield related traits and grain yield. However, bed-sown wheat completed the phenological stages more rapidly than other wheat tillage systems. Maximum net income was observed in zero tillage wheat following aerobic rice culture. In crux, zero tilled wheat after aerobic rice culture is the best resource conservation technology; whereas deep tillage in rice–wheat cropping system may ameliorate the puddling-induced edaphic problems.

Pre-harvest Weeds of a Wheat Field at Biratnagar, Nepal

Sixty eight species of weeds belonging to 22 families and 59 genera were recorded from a wheat field at Biratnagar during the pre-harvest condition. Based on species prevalence the dominant weed families were Asteraceae (17 species), Poaceae (13 species) and Fabaceae (6 species). Anagallis arvensis, Crepis japonica, Grangea maderaspatana, Polygonum plebeium were abundant and Fumaria indica, Leucas lavandulifilia, Rumex dentatus, Vicia angustifolia, V. hirsuta and V. tetrasperma were common species of weeds. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/on.v11i2.9597 Our Nature 2013, 11(2): 187-191

Holadysenterine, a Natural Herbicidal Constituent from Drechslera australiensis for Management of Rumex dentatus

Rumex dentatus L. is a problematic weed of wheat. Bioassay-directed isolation of culture filtrates of a plant pathogenic fungus Drechslera australiensis gave holadysenterine as the main herbicidal constituent against this weed of wheat. Leaf disc bioassay showed that herbicidal activity of holadysenterine was comparable to that of synthetic herbicide 2,4-D. This is the first report of this herbicidal compound from the genus Drechslera.

Response of Rumex dentatus foliar nitrogen and its allocation to altitudinal gradients along Balang Mountain, Sichuan, China

Response of Rumex dentatus foliar nitrogen and its allocation to altitudinal gradients along Balang Mountain, Sichuan, China

Bioaccumulation of zinc, lead, copper, and cadmium from contaminated sediments by native plant species and Acrida cinerea in South China

This research was conducted to search and identify spontaneously growing heavy metal-tolerant plant species that are potentially useful for phytoremediation in contaminated sediment. Five sites were selected for collection of plants growing on polluted shore (river bank) sediment of the Xiang River, China. The concentrations of Zn, Pb, Cu and Cd in plants, sediments, and grasshoppers were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS700, Perkin-Elmer, USA). Considering translocation factor and bioaccumulation factor, Rumex crispus (Polygonaceae), Rumex dentatus (Polygonaceae), and Lagopsis supina (Labiatae) could be potentially useful for phytostabilization of metals. R. crispus can be considered potentially useful for phytoextraction of Cd. In light of the biomagnification factors, grasshoppers are deconcentrators for Pb and Cd, microconcentrators for Zn and macroconcentrators for Cu to the plants, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first report on Zn, Pb, Cu and Cd accumulation in R. crispus and L. supina, providing a pioneer contribution to the very small volume of data available on the potential use of native plant species from contaminated sediments in phytostabilization and phytoremediation technologies.

Comparative study of root growth and sucrose-cleaving enzymes in metallicolous and non-metallicolous populations of Rumex dentatus under copper stress

Sucrose metabolism in roots of metallophytes is very important for root growth and maintenance of heavy metal tolerance. However, rare researches have been carried out on this topic so far. We tested here a hypothesis that roots of copper-tolerant plants should manifest higher activities of sucrose-cleaving enzymes than non-tolerant plants for maintaining root growth under Cu stress. Plants of two contrasting populations of metallophyte Rumex dentatus, one from an ancient Cu mine (MP) and the other from a non-mine site (NMP), were treated with Cu in controlled experiments. Cu treatment resulted in a higher root biomass and root/shoot biomass ratio in MP compared to NMP. More complicated root system architecture was showed in MP under Cu stress. Activities and transcript levels of acid invertase as well as contents of sucrose and reducing sugar in MP were elevated under Cu treatment, while activities of neutral/alkaline invertase and sucrose synthase showed no significant differences between two populations. The results indicate important roles of acid invertase in governing root growth under Cu stress.

Competitive interactions of wheat with Phalaris minor or Rumex dentatus: A replacement series study

A replacement series study was conducted to evaluate the interference interactions between the weeds Phalaris minor or Rumex dentatus and wheat at two nutrient levels to test for changes in the competitive relationships of the weeds with varying nutrient availability. Plants were established in a mixture with proportions of 4:0, 3:1, 2:2, 1:3 and 0:4 (wheat: weed) plants per pot. The weeds exhibited clear differences in growth attributes and competition indices from wheat. Rumex dentatus showed significantly higher values for all growth attributes, relative yield, aggressivity and biomass. Both weeds performed better than wheat at high nutrient levels. Nutrient stress changed the intensity of competition between weeds and wheat, but did not change the weeds’ positions in the hierarchy. Therefore, although the competitiveness of P. minor and R. dentatus appears to be lower under poor nutrient conditions, they outcompete wheat irrespective of nutrient availability. Overall, the findings of the study suggest that wheat is more susceptible to resource competition from R. dentatus than P. minor.

Lipophilic Constituents of Rumex vesicarius L. and Rumex dentatus L.

Rumex dentatus L. and Rumex vesicarius L., of the family Polygonaceae, are edible herbs growing wild in Egypt. Their lipoid constituents were examined by both liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Their essential oil compositions consisted mainly of thujene, limonene, fenchon, estragole, and anethole but at largely different concentration. Fatty acid compositions were similar among the two species and consisting of palmitic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids, with R. vesicarius containing much higher level of omega-3-fatty acids. Both of the crude lipid extracts of the two species showed strong antioxidant activity as a radical quenching agent against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) systems. Antioxidant activities were mostly associated with the polar lipid fractions. High performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC), both in the normal and reversed phase, as well as liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) in the positive and negative electrospray ionization (ESI), showed unique chemical profile for each species that can be useful for species identification and quality control of herbal drug formulations. R. vesicarius was characterized by abundances of flavonoids and R. dentatus was abundant in anthraquinones and chromones.

Phytochemical screening, antimicrobial and antioxidant efficacy of different extracts of Rumex dentatus L. – A locally used medicinal herb of Kashmir Himalaya

ObjectiveTo elucidate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Rumex dentatus L. (R. dentatus) along with its phytochemical analysis. MethodsAgar disk diffusion method for antimicrobial activity and DPPH, riboflavin photo-oxidation, deoxyribose and lipid peroxidation assay for antioxidant activity. ResultsThe antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of different concentrations of five R. dentatus extracts were tested against different clinical bacterial strains (Shigella flexneri, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium) and fungal strains (Aspergillus versicolor, Aspergillus flavus, Accremonium spp., Penicillium dimorphosporum, Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida kruesie). Among all extracts, the butanol extract showed strong antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae (inhibition zone diameter of 20 mm) and aqueous extract showed no activity against any of the bacterial strains. While as in case of the fungal strains, the maximum antifungal activity was observed against Aspergillus flavus by aqueous extract. The antioxidant activity revealed that the extracts exhibited scavenging effect in concentration-dependent manner on superoxide anion radicals and hydroxyl radicals. The phytochemical tests carried out with the crude extracts of R. dentatus showed the presence of flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, anthraquinones and cardiac glycosides in it. The total phenolic content of these extracts was estimated quantitatively from standard calibration curve of gallic acid and it varied from 145 μg/mg in butanol extract to 45 μg/mg in petroleum ether extract. ConclusionsIt can be concluded that the plant has got a broad spectrum antimicrobial and antioxidant activity and could be used as a potential alternative for treating various diseases.

Isolation of a natural herbicidal constituent from culture filtrates of Drechslera hawaiiensis for management of Rumex dentatus

Isolation of a natural herbicidal constituent from culture filtrates of Drechslera hawaiiensis for management of Rumex dentatus

Effects of Copper Stress on Sucrose Metabolism in Seed of Two &lt;i&gt;Rumex dentatus L.&lt;/i&gt; Populations

Two Rumex dentatus populations, one from copper (Cu) mine and the other from uncontaminated site, were studied for sucrose metabolism of seed under Cu stress. Cu treatment significantly inhibited vacuolar invertase activity in non-metallicolous population (NMP), while it in metallicolous population (MP) was markedly higher than control. At control, cell wall invertase activity in MP showed little difference from NMP. However, after Cu treatment, cell wall invertase activity in MP was significantly higher than NMP. Activity of N/A-Inv was not affected by population or Cu treatment. Compared with control, sucrose and reducing sugars contents in MP were increased by Cu treatment, but those in NMP was decreased. Cu concentration in seed of NMP was higher than MP under Cu stress. These results suggested less Cu transported to seed and efficient sucrose metabolism in seed of MP might be partly reasons why R. dentatus can successful reproduction at Cu enriched soils.