Part Of Stem Research Articles

Anti-Diabetic, Anti-Cholinesterase, and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Plant Derived Extracts and Column Semi-Purified Fractions of Ficus benghalensis.

The present study aimed to investigate the in-vitro anti-diabetic, anti-cholinesterase, and anti-inflammatory potential of extracts from different parts of Ficus benghalensis, including leaves, stem, and roots, as well as isolated column fractions (F-B-1 C, F-B-2 C, F-B-3 C, and F-B-4 C). The extracts and subsequent fractions were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against key enzymes involved in diabetes [α-glucosidase and α-amylase], neurodegenerative diseases [acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase], and inflammation (cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX)). The results showed that F. benghalensis leaf extract exhibited the highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (73.84%) and α-amylase inhibitory activity (76.29%) at 1000 µg/mL. The stem extract (65.50%) and F-B-2 C fraction (69.67%) also demonstrated significant α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. In terms of anti-cholinesterase activity, the extracts of roots, leaves, and stem showed promising inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values ranging from 50.50 to 474.83 µg/mL. The derived fractions (F-B-1 C, F-B-2 C, F-B-3 C, and F-B-4 C) also exhibited notable inhibition of AChE and BChE, with IC50 values from 91.85 to 337.94 µg/mL. Moreover, the F-B-3 C fraction demonstrated the highest COX-2 inhibitory potential (85.72%), followed by F-B-1 C (83.13%), the stem extract (80.85%), and the leaves extract (79.00%). The F-B-1 C fraction showed the highest 5-LOX inhibitory activity (87.63%), while the root extract exhibited the lowest inhibition (73.39%). The results demonstrated promising bioactivity, suggesting the potential of F. benghalensis as a source of natural compounds with therapeutic applications. Further studies are required to identify and isolate the active components responsible for these effects and to evaluate their in-vivo efficacy and safety.

Mechanical properties of jabon (Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb.) Bosser) wood 13 years old and its potential utilization as a structural material

Jabon (Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb.) Bosser) is a type of fast-growing tree that is expected to meet the national demand for wood because it has fast-growing properties. This study’s objective was to examine the mechanical properties of 13 years old jabon wood based on its position in the stem. The preparation of mechanical properties test samples and their tests refer to the British Standard (BS) 373 Methods of testing small clear specimens of timber and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D143 Standard test method for small clear specimens of timber. Based on the results of the study, the stem parts (bottom, middle, and top) had no significant effect on the mechanical properties of wood except for the compressive strength parallel to the grain and hardness. In general, the mechanical properties showed an increase from the bottom to the top of the stem and from the pith toward the bark, although there were some differences. The mechanical properties of jabon wood obtained from this study generally showed higher values than jabon wood used in other studies with younger ages, although in general, it did not change the category of jabon wood from strength class III-IV. However, its use as a structural material would be more profitable than using a younger age of jabon wood, as it is usually harvested so far.

Inventory of Plant Types to Overcome Vertigo Through Betangas

Vertigo is an abnormal feeling characterized by a feeling as if the position of the body and the position of the environment around it are moving when in fact they are not. Vertigo is usually treated with drugs, in Singkawang City vertigo is still treated with the traditional betangas method. Betangas is an activity of taking a steam bath with a mixture of decoctions of plants which has been carried out for generations, betangas is also an indicator for plant preservation. Utilizing and processing plant ingredients to overcome vertigo through betagas, one of which is Singkawang City. This study aims to inventory the types of plants used to treat vertigo through betangas. The method used was interviews with three informants (village shamans), direct observation of areas using betangas in Singkawang City, sampling and data recording, making herbarium and identification processes. The results of the study showed that there were seven types of plants used to treat vertigo through betagas, which included, Basilicum sp. the leaves are used, Dianella sp. the roots are used, Pandanus amaryllifolius Roxb. ex Lindl. the leaves are used, Cymbopogon nardus Linn. the stem part is used, The pucuk used are the roots, geganti used the roots, mensui used the root part of the bark. It can be concluded that plants to overcome vertigo use various types of plants, and for each type a different part is used in betangas.

Antimicrobial, antioxidant and essential oil studies on Veratrum album L. (Melanthiaceae)

In this study, essential oil components of the Veratrum album L. and the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of these components were determined. The chemical composition of the essential oils of dried aerial parts of V. album was analyzed using GC and GC-MS. Antimicrobial activity was determined with the disk diffusion method. Total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS) and 2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity were detected for the antioxidant activity of the plant. According to the analysis results, the major essential oil components of the V. album were determined as hexacosane (39.5%), myristic (tetradecanoic) acid (22.8%), heptane (6.5%), anethole (4.9%) and 1,8- cineole (4.8%). The findings showed that the methanol extracts of the stem and leaf parts of the plant inhibited the growth of pathogenic microorganisms at different rates (14±0.1 - 34±0.3 mm). The TAS values of methanol extracts of stem and leaf parts of V. album were calculated as 3.75±0.07 and 3.91±0.01 mmol, while TOS values were calculated as 6.14±0.13 and 6.54±0.05 μmol. The scavenging activity of the DPPH radical increased depending on increasing concentrations of the plant extract.

Girdling behavior of the longhorn beetle modulates the host plant to enhance larval performance

BackgroundPreingestive behavioral modulations of herbivorous insects on the host plant are abundant over insect taxa. Those behaviors are suspected to have functions such as deactivation of host plant defenses, nutrient accumulation, or modulating plant-mediated herbivore interactions. To understand the functional consequence of behavioral modulation of insect herbivore, we studied the girdling behavior of Phytoecia rufiventris Gautier (Lamiinae; Cerambycidae) on its host plant Erigeron annuus L. (Asteraceae) that is performed before endophytic oviposition in the stem.ResultsThe girdling behavior significantly increased the larval performance in both field monitoring and lab experiment. The upper part of the girdled stem exhibited lack of jasmonic acid induction upon larval attack, lowered protease inhibitor activity, and accumulated sugars and amino acids in compared to non-girdled stem. The girdling behavior had no effect on the larval performance of a non-girdling longhorn beetle Agapanthia amurensis, which also feeds on the stem of E. annuus during larval phase. However, the girdling behavior decreased the preference of A. amurensis females for oviposition, which enabled P. rufiventris larvae to avoid competition with A. amurensis larvae.ConclusionsIn conclusion, the girdling behavior modulates plant physiology and morphology to provide a modulated food source for larva and hide it from the competitor. Our study implies that the insect behavior modulations can have multiple functions, providing insights into adaptation of insect behavior in context of plant-herbivore interaction.

Evaluation of Quality and Microbial Communities in Fermented Chinese Mustard Greens from Guangdong Province, China

Fermented Chinese mustard greens are popular fermented vegetable foods in Guangdong Province, China. In this study, the quality characteristics and microbial composition of fermented Chinese mustard greens from different regions, including Shantou (ST), Meizhou (MZ), Yunfu (YF), and Guangzhou (GZ), were evaluated. The colour and texture of fermented Chinese mustard greens were significantly different from those of ST, MZ, YF, and GZ. L* values were 48.62, 42.30, 32.43, and 34.02 in the stem parts of ST, MZ, YF, and GZ, respectively. The chewiness value was greater in GZ (131.26 N) than in MZ (53.25 N), YF (39.99 N), and GZ (24.22 N) zones. The microbial community structure determined by high-throughput sequencing (HTS) demonstrated that Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Campilobacterota were the predominant phyla. Lactobacillus was the most predominant microorganism in the MZ and GZ samples and accounted for a greater proportion of the microorganisms in the ST and YF samples. In addition to Lactobacillus, the relative abundances of Cobetia and Weissella were greater in the ST group, while those of Halomonas and Pediococcus were greater in the YF group. There was a significant correlation between the microbial composition and quality indices (colour and texture) among the samples from the four regions. The quality of the fermented Chinese mustard greens in MZ and GZ was significantly different from that of other samples in ST and YF. The Lactobacillus genus (Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus selangorensis) in MZ and GZ contributed to changes in colour (b*, C*, L*, a*) and texture (firmness and chewiness). This study provided a comprehensive correlation between quality and microbial composition of fermented Chinese mustard greens from different regions in Guangdong Province. The evaluation and correlation between quality and microbiota are helpful for guiding future improvements in fermentation processes and manufacturing high-quality fermented Chinese mustard greens.

Alternatipathes longispina sp. nov. and Bathypathes longicaulis sp. nov., two black corals (Antipatharia, Schizopathidae) from seamounts in the Western Pacific

Members of the order Antipatharia Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1857 are important structural components of hard bottom communities in the shallow and deep seas. However, their diversity in the Western Pacific is poorly known. Here we describe two new species of black corals within the family Schizopathidae Brook, 1889 from the tropical Western Pacific seamounts: Alternatipathes longispina sp. nov. and Bathypathes longicaulis sp. nov. The new species Alternatipathes longispina is characterized by a monopodial and unbranched corallum with the maximum width nearly two times as long as the height, the lower unpinnulated section of stem slightly shorter than the upper pinnulated one, the pinnules decreasing in length from the lowermost ones to the uppermost, and the prominent polypar spines ranging from 0.29 mm to 0.58 mm high, such a feature make the species differ from all congeners. Bathypathes longicaulis sp. nov. is characterized by a monopodial and unbranched corallum with a much longer unpinnulated stem and alternately arranged pinnules along the upper part of stem. It can be distinguished from congeners by its much longer unpinnulated stem, the alternately arranged pinnules, and the number of pinnules. Phylogenetic analyses based on the nuclear internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) and three mitochondrial fragments cox3-IGR-cox1, trnW-IGR-nad2 and nad5-IGR-nad1 shows that A. longispina sp. nov. clusters with the type species A. bipinnata, and the genus Alternatipathes is closely related to Umbellapathes. The present phylogenetic trees confirm the polyphyly of Bathypathes and show that B. longicaulis sp. nov. is sister to Telopathes cf. magna MacIsaac & Best, 2013.

Propagation of pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) embryogenic cell suspension is regulated by LEAFY COTYLEDON1 gene AcoLEC1–1

Pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) is an important tropical fruit. Traditional breeding methods take about 15 years, but transgenic breeding using embryogenic cell suspension (ECS) can significantly shorten this cycle. Four different calli types were produced using the pineapple crown's middle stem part as an explant: water-like, solid, gemmiform, and crisp. The fastest multiplication was observed in suspension cultures obtained from the loose, crispy, granular, white, or yellow callus. The highest cell density in the liquid medium was achieved with MS+1.5 mg/L+4 mg/L6-BA+300 mg/L hormone combination. Inclusion of 11 mmol/L 2-morpholinoethanesulfonic acid (MES) stabilized the medium pH. The optimum sucrose concentration for pineapple propagation using ECS was 5 g/L. The expression of seven proteins in ECS in the medium containing 5 g/L sucrose was more than 5.0 times higher than in the medium containing 3 g/L. The expression of transcription factor NFYB/HAP3 (or LEAFY COTYLEDON1, LEC1) was the highest in the medium. The most prevalent AcoLEC1–1 transcripts were found in the embryogenic callus, and their patterns correlated well with ECS volume. AcoLEC1–1 played a key role in the process of sucrose-regulated ECS propagation.

Symptomatic infratentorial ependymal cyst arising from the medulla: a case report with review of literature

BackgroundEpendymal cysts (EC) typically present supra-tentorially near the lateral ventricle, juxta ventricular, or temporoparietal regions. Previous cases have also identified infratentorial EC of the brainstem, cerebellum, and subarachnoid spaces. They are mostly asymptomatic. In this paper, we present the first-ever case of a symptomatic medullary ependymal cyst treated with surgery, along with a comprehensive review of the literature on EC of other parts of the brain stem. Case descriptionThis 51-year-old female presented with hearing loss, dizziness, diplopia, and ataxia. Radiographic imaging indicated the presence of a non-enhancing lesion in the medulla with a mass effect on the brainstem. Pathological examination confirmed its characterization as an ependymal cyst. The patient underwent a suboccipital craniotomy for the fenestration of the medullary ependymal cyst under neuro-navigation, Intra-op ultrasound and intra-operative neuro-monitoring. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of an ependymal cyst. At one month follow-up, her KPS is 90, ECOG PS 1, and her ataxia has improved with complete resolution of diplopia. ConclusionDue to their rarity and potential similarity to other cystic structures, EC may be overlooked or incorrectly diagnosed resulting in mismanagement and surgical disaster. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding and awareness of their distinct characteristics are essential for accurate diagnosis and appropriate management.

Some chemical characteristics and volatile compound profiles of wild foxtail lily (Eremurus spectabilis)

The wild Foxtail lily (Eremurus spectabilis) is a valuable vegetable consumed in different forms as food and employed as a remedy for preventive and curative purposes. In the present study, the physicochemical and antioxidant properties and the volatile compounds of the leaves and stem parts of wild Foxtail lily were determined. The moisture content, ash, pH, crude fibre, crude protein and crude fat were determined as 93.90% and 90.90%; 0.48% and 0.70%; 5.01 and 5.01; 0.62% and 1.06%; 1.4% and 2.27%; and 0.60% and 0.60% in stem and leaf, respectively. L*, a* and b* values were found to be 67.77 and 46.70; -8.99 and -12.85; and 22.54 and 17.48 in stem and leaf, respectively. The total phenolic content, FRAP and DPPH were found in stem and leaf as 897.75 and 1781.83 mg GAE kg-1; 5.26 and 12.29 mmol ISE g-1; and 40.81 and 89.55 mmol TE g-1, respectively. 11 volatile compounds were detected in Foxtail lily stem and leaf, including 3 aldehydes, 3 alcohols, 1 ester, 1 furan, 1 sulfur compound, 1 nitrogen compound and 1 aliphatic hydrocarbon. Acetaldehyde, dimethyl sulfide, methyl isocyanide and ethyl alcohol were the most important volatile compounds detected in the headspace of Foxtail lily. The leaf part presented the highest physico-chemical and antioxidant properties, while the headspace of stem provided the highest volatile compounds.

Optimization of the selection of suitable harvesting periods for medicinal plants: taking Dendrobium officinale as an example

BackgroundDendrobium officinale is a medicinal plant with high commercial value. The Dendrobium officinale market in Yunnan is affected by the standardization of medicinal material quality control and the increase in market demand, mainly due to the inappropriate harvest time, which puts it under increasing resource pressure. In this study, considering the high polysaccharide content of Dendrobium leaves and its contribution to today’s medical industry, (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer) FTIR combined with chemometrics was used to combine the yields of both stem and leaf parts of Dendrobium officinale to identify the different harvesting periods and to predict the dry matter content for the selection of the optimal harvesting period.ResultsThe Three-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (3DCOS) images of Dendrobium stems to build a (Split-Attention Networks) ResNet model can identify different harvesting periods 100%, which is 90% faster than (Support Vector Machine) SVM, and provides a scientific basis for modeling a large number of samples. The (Partial Least Squares Regression) PLSR model based on MSC preprocessing can predict the dry matter content of Dendrobium stems with Factor = 7, RMSE = 0.47, R2 = 0.99, RPD = 8.79; the PLSR model based on SG preprocessing can predict the dry matter content of Dendrobium leaves with Factor = 9, RMSE = 0.2, R2 = 0.99, RPD = 9.55.ConclusionsThese results show that the ResNet model possesses a fast and accurate recognition ability, and at the same time can provide a scientific basis for the processing of a large number of sample data; the PLSR model with MSC and SG preprocessing can predict the dry matter content of Dendrobium stems and leaves, respectively; The suitable harvesting period for D. officinale is from November to April of the following year, with the best harvesting period being December. During this period, it is necessary to ensure sufficient water supply between 7:00 and 10:00 every day and to provide a certain degree of light blocking between 14:00 and 17:00.

Recent Developments and Future Prospects of Natural Antimicrobial Bioactive Metabolites Obtained from Endophytic Bacterial Isolate

Background: Adathoda beddomei (Adosa), a kind of softwood, evergreen, perennial shrub, has been used as a source of endophyte bacteria. Adhatoda beddomei has a wide variety of chemicals, including anthocyanins, aminophylline, alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, isoprenaline, triterpenoids, resins, flavonoids, tannins, sterol, saponins, etc. The root, stem, and leaf parts of Adathoda beddomei are most often used in indigenous medicine. Moreover, the root bark is also used to cure several conditions, including leprosy, fever, and bleeding. Objective: Some important bioactive metabolites were obtained from endophytes bacteria and analyzed through various techniques (NMR, MASS, FTIR, HPLC, and UV- spectrophotometer) for their bioactive secondary metabolites. Methods: In silico calculation was performed to reveal bioactive metabolites with the potential to be antibacterial, and their primary mode of action may include dissolving bacterial and fungal cell walls. Results: The antimicrobial activity of Adathoda beddomei was demonstrated against different pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria. Identification of endophytes was done based on external morphological characteristics with the help of a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Conclusion: Natural compounds derived from endophyte bacteria with a very low molecular mass can be used to discover new and important structures for different pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals.

First Report of Bulb Rot Disease of Banana Caused by Klebsiella variicola in China.

Banana (Musa spp.) is an economically important fruit and food crop globally as well as in China. In March 2023, a bulb rot disease was observed on more than 20% of cultivated dwarf bananas in a plantation in Wuming County of Guangxi Province, a major hub of banana production in China. Infected plants showed crackles at the basal part of stem and were relatively dwarf, while yellowing of the leaves was not observed. When the rhizomes were cut open, water-soaked lesions with a yellow or black margin can be seen in the bulb. In severe infections, the internal tissue became dry or wet rot, and there was typical dark-brown cavity formation in the bulb. The rot was limited to the bulb. To isolate the causal agent, dissected diseased tissues (5×5 mm) were surface sterilized with 75% ethanol (30 s) and 2% NaClO (3 min), followed by three rinses with sterile water. The sterilized sections were soaked in 2 mL of sterile water and shaken for 5 min in a vortex oscillator. The suspension was streaked on Luria-Bertani (LB) agar medium, and incubated at 28℃ for 24 h. Single colonies were re-streaked three times to obtain purified isolation. Twelve pure bacterial cultures with similar morphology were isolated from three plants taken from the field. The bacterial colonies were yellowish white, mucoid, round, and raised with translucent surfaces on the LB agar plate. Three strains Gxkv1, Gxkv2 and Gxkv3 were selected for further analyses. The 16S rDNA gene (GenBank Accession OR461756, PP094726 and PP109349) were amplified using primer pair 27F/1492R (Frank et al. 2008). Comparing 16S sequences against GenBank showed 99.86%-100% sequence identity to Klebsiella variicola strain (MZ475068) for the three isolates Gxkv1 (1,398/1,398 bp), Gxkv2 (1,398/1,396 bp) and Gxkv3 (1,398/1,398 bp). A multilocus phylogenetic analysis was conducted by neighbor-joining method (1,000 bootstrap values) based on three housekeeping gene sequences of gyrA (GenBank Accession No. OR515493, PP105747, PP105748), rpoB (OR515494, PP105751, PP105752 ) and infB (OR515495, PP105749, PP105750) genes which were amplified by gyrA-A/gyrA-C, CM31b/CM7 and infB867F/infB1819R primer sets, respectively (Rosenblueth et al. 2004). The results of phylogenetic analysis showed the three strains belong to the K. variicola clade. A pathogenicity test was conducted on six healthy 3-month-old dwarf banana plants by spraying 10 mL of bacterial suspensions of Gxkv1 (108 CFU/mL) into the rhizome which wounded with a sterilized needle; another six healthy control plants were sprayed with 10 mL of sterile water. Following inoculation, the plants were placed in a greenhouse at 28-32°C. After 30 days, all inoculated plants showed symptoms similar to those observed in the field, while the control plants remained healthy. Bacteria were successfully reisolated from the symptomatic tissues and identified to be K. variicola by PCR mentioned above. K. variicola has been reported to cause rhizome rot of banana in India (Loganathan et al. 2021), and to cause plantain soft rot in Haiti (Fulton et al. 2021). Besides, previous reports from China only showed K. variicola causing banana sheath rot (Fan et al. 2015, Sun et al. 2023). To our knowledge, this is the first report of bulb rot disease of banana caused by K. variicola in Guangxi Province, China. This finding will provide important information for studying the epidemiology and management of this pathogen.

Water depth-dependent stem elongation of completely submerged Alternanthera philoxeroides is mediated by intra-internodal growth variations.

Complete submergence, especially deep submergence, poses a serious threat to the growth and survival of plants. One study previously showed that Alternanthera philoxeroides (a herbaceous perennial plant) submerged at depth of 2m presented fast stem elongation and reduced stem elongation as water depth increased. In the present study, we aimed to figure out from the morphological and anatomical perspective how the differential growth response of the plant to water depth was achieved. We investigated the elongation of different stem parts and the relationship of stem elongation to cell size and number in A. philoxeroides by conducting experiments using a series of submergence depths (0m, 2m, 5m, and 9m). The results showed that, in comparison with unsubmerged plants, completely submerged plants exhibited enhanced elongation at depths of 2m and 5m but suppressed elongation at depth of 9m in immature stem internodes, and displayed very little elongation in mature stem internodes at any depths. The stem growth of A. philoxeroides at any submergence depth was chiefly caused by the elongation of the basal parts of immature internodes. The elongation of the basal parts of immature internodes was highly correlated to both cell proliferation and cell enlargement, but the elongation of the middle and upper parts of immature internodes correlated nearly only with cell enlargement. This study provided new information on the growth responses of A. philoxeroides to heterogeneous submergence environments and deepened our understanding of the growth performance of terrestrial plants in habitats prone to deep floods.

Effect of Initial pH on the Microbial Growth, Final pH Value, Crude Protein and Ash Level of Agaricus bisporus Cap and Stem in Submerged Fermentation

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of submerged fermentation with Lactobacillus spp. on the nutritional composition of Agaricus bisporus cap and stem. Fresh A. bisporus was provided, and the cap and stem parts were separated and cut into small pieces. Afterward, distilled water (400 ml) and urea (8.4 g) were added to the mushroom parts (100 g) and placed in different fermentation flasks. The fermentation flasks containing mushroom caps or stems were divided into two groups, and the pH levels of the fermentation medium were adjusted to 6 and 7. Fermentation flasks were autoclaved at 121°C for 15 minutes and Lactobacillus spp. was inoculated to each flask at 1 ml (108 CFU/ml). A positive control group was formed by allocating one uninoculated flask for each replicate of each pH value. Fermentation flasks were incubated for 48 hours at 30°C. After fermentation, fermented and inoculated mushroom cap and stem were analyzed to determine the crude protein, ash content, Lactobacillus spp. count and pH value. Lactobacillus spp. count was higher (P=0.028) in the pH 6 group of mushroom cap and tended to be higher (P=0.078) in the pH 6 group of mushroom stems compared with the pH 7 group. Submerged fermentation decreased (P<0.001) the ash content of the mushroom cap and stem in both pH values except the cap with pH 7 compared with the uninoculated mushroom. Similarly, the fermented mushroom cap and stem had lower (P<0.01) final pH values in both initial pH values. Lactobacillus spp. increased (P<0.001) the crude protein content of the mushroom cap with pH 6 but did not alter the crude protein content with pH 7. Besides, submerged fermentation decreased (P<0.001) the crude protein content of mushroom stem with both pH values. The results indicate that submerged fermentation using Lactobacillus spp. can be used to improve the nutritional composition of mushroom caps with pH 6.

Biochemical Analysis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized by the Endophytic Fungus Plectosphaerella oligotrophica S8A26 Associated with Anaphalis contorta

Endophytic fungi associated with medicinal plants produce compounds that have vast biological activities. Anaphalis contorta is a highly therapeutic plant that has been used in traditional medicine by various communities. In the present study, the endophytic fungus Plectosphaerella oligotrophica S8A26 was isolated from the stem part of A. contorta and assessed for its plant growth promotion abilities, and showed positive results for phosphate solubilization and ammonia production. The secondary metabolites were analyzed for the presence of seven biochemicals, which indicate the presence of flavonoids, phenols, saponins, and steroids. The total flavonoid content and total phenolic content were recorded to be 25.67 µg of QE/mg of EE and 5.06 µg of GAE/mg of EE, respectively. The isolate was allowed to synthesize silver nanoparticles and characterized using X-ray diffraction, Energy Dispersive X-ray, Particle size distribution, and Zeta potential. XRD analysis has shown the AgNPs are crystalline with an average size of 24.81 nm. EDX study reveals silver as the main component with 48.63%. Particle size distribution indicates that the majority of the particles occur in the size range of 65–70 nm. Zeta potential value of −31.8 mV shows that the AgNPs are stable. Studies like the biological activities of the endophyte as well as AgNPs, secondary metabolite profiling, and the isolation of bioactive compounds would constitute important future research.

The Effect of Rhizospheric Fungal Species of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), on In-Vitro Growth of the Tomato Early Blight Pathogen

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a globally consumed crop, susceptible to various biotic and abiotic stresses. Among biotic stresses, plant diseases, particularly Early Blight caused by Alternaria spp. leads to heavy losses in the field and post-harvest stages. The conventional use of synthetic agrochemicals to control these diseases poses environmental risks, underscoring the need for sustainable alternatives. Hence, this study aimed to assess the potential of rhizospheric fungi in controlling Alternaria spp. Infected tomato leaves, stem parts, and fruits were collected from commercial cultivations in four agro-ecological regions in Sri Lanka (two from mid-country in the wet zone, and two from the intermediate zone). All samples were washed using running tap water, and 1cm2 sections, including the edges of lesions, were cut, surface sterilized, placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA), and incubated at room temperature until colonies appeared. Fungal colonies that emerged from lesions, were sub-cultured onto fresh PDA, and pure cultures were obtained using the hyphal-tip purification method. Alternaria isolates were identified morphologically and confirmed the pathogenicity by Koch’s postulate method. Species-level identification involved genomic DNA extraction and sequencing ITS regions. The soil dilution plate technique was used to isolate rhizospheric fungi from two agroecological regions. Composite samples (10 g) of soil attached to the roots of 5 uprooted healthy plants, from each field were used. Soil suspensions were inoculated onto PDA using the spread-plate method and incubated at room temperature for 5 days. A total of 27 isolates were obtained and morphologically identified up to the genus level after preparing pure cultures. The dual-culture plate technique was used to assay percentage inhibition, and according to Tukey’s pairwise comparison, Trichoderma sp. and Purpureocillium lilacinum exhibited significantly high (p≤0.05) inhibition of Alternaria colony growth, (68.25±1.18% and 64.35±3.31% respectively). Microscopic observations of inhibition zones between Alternaria and antagonistic rhizospheric fungal colonies, including Trichoderma sp. and P. lilacinum showed the presence of mycoparasitism-related structures, such as haustoria, coils, loops, and knobs. Qualitative assay for fungal chitinase enzyme production demonstrated high activities in P. lilacinum, Trichoderma sp. and Acremonium sp., whereas in a quantitative assay for fungal glucanase enzyme, testing the ability of fungal culture filtrates to release 1µg of glucose per minute, from Beta-glucanase solution, P. lilacinum, Trichoderma sp., and Paecilomyces sp. showed significantly high (p≤0.05) activities (105.14± 3.62, 100.11±4.09 and 99.83 ±6.44 μg glucose/L respectively). In conclusion, this study highlights the potential of rhizospheric fungi like P. lilacinum and Trichoderma sp. as effective biocontrol agents against Alternaria spp. and these findings lay the groundwork for future applications in enhancing tomato crop resilience against pathogens and promoting sustainable and eco-friendly agricultural practices.
 
 Keywords: Rhizospheric fungi, Mycoparasitism, ITS region, Chitinase enzyme, Glucanase enzyme

GC-MS profiling of anticancer and antimicrobial phytochemicals in the vegetative leaf, root, and stem of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal

Withania somnifera has been used for a long time in traditional medicine. Its crude extract, dried powder, and purified metabolites from mature plants have shown promising therapeutic potential. To further investigate its potential, the detection of phytochemicals with anticancer and antimicrobial properties in the vegetative stage is essential. Hence, this study was done to identify phytochemical constituents using GC-MS analysis for anticancer and antimicrobial activities in the vegetative stage from methanolic extracts of stem, leaf, and root in W. somnifera. The air-dried plant parts were extracted with methanol at low pressure to concentrate using a rotary evaporator at 40°C. To identify phytochemicals, Shimadzu GCMSQP2010, Japan, was used with the NIST107.LIB database. The GC-MS identified 35 unique phytochemical peaks at the vegetative stage in W. somnifera. In leaves, the antibacterial phytochemicals included cyclotrisiloxane, hexamethyl, with a high abundance, and cyclohexasiloxane, dodecamethyl, with the least abundance. In roots, the phytochemicals 2,2-dimethoxybutane, with high abundance, and cathinone, with least abundance, were found to have antibacterial properties, whereas trans-2,3-epoxyoctane, with high abundance, and 2,2-dimethoxybutane, with least abundance, were found to have anticancer properties. In stem, the antibacterial phytoconstituents octasiloxane, 1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7,9,9,11,11,13,13,15,15-hexadecamethyl, and benzenemethanol, alpha.-(1-aminoethyl), were found to be the most abundant and least abundant, respectively, while arabinitol and pentaacetate had both anticancer and antibacterial activities. At the vegetative stage, GC-MS studies of stem, leaf, and root parts revealed the occurrence of potential phytochemicals for antibacterial and anticancer activities in W. somnifera.

Distribution, Diversity and Biochemical Analysis of Endophytic Fungi Associated with Chromolaena odorata

Chromolaena odorata is a medicinal plant that possesses several properties, including antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, etc., and has been used in traditional medicine in various parts of the world. Medicinal plants are associated with endophytic fungi that have potential biological activities as well as protect the plant from biotic and abiotic agents. In this study, endophytic fungi were isolated from the leaves, stems, roots, and inflorescence of C. odorata and identified morphologically. Nineteen sporulating endophytic fungi belonging to 9 genera, 8 families and 4 classes, and three sterile forms were obtained. The isolation data recorded were used to calculate Isolation rate, Colonization frequency, Infection rate and Relative occurrence of different groups of fungi. The highest Isolation rate was found in the stem part (34.75%); the highest overall Colonization frequency (%) was shown by Chaetomium globosum (8.51%); the maximum Infection rate was found in root segments (77.86%); and the maximum isolate belongs to Sordariomycetes, showing 43.50%. Simpson’s dominance index, Simpson’s diversity index, Species richness, Shannon-Wiener index and Evenness (E) index were calculated to reveal diversity indices. The maximum diversity was recorded in the leaf part (0.99), and the maximum number of endophytic fungal species was observed in stem segments. The production of biochemicals was analyzed qualitatively, and it was observed that all the isolates produce flavonoids and phenols. This indicates that endophytic fungi are a storehouse of natural compounds and can be applied in agriculture, medicine, and pharmaceutical industries.

Phytochemical profiling, antibacterial and antioxidant potential of different parts of invasive plant Sonchus wightianus DC

The aim of the present investigation was to elucidate the phytochemical characterisation, antimicrobial and antioxidant efficacies of methanol extracts of leaf, stem, and root parts of S. wightianus. The phytochemical characterisation by GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of different phytocompounds such as Lupenone (38.02% in leave extract), Leupeyl acetate (33.43% in root extract), 24- Noursa −3, 12- diene (27.16% stem extract). S. wightianus methanol extracts demonstrate IC50, 8.52 µg/ml, 7.72 µg/ml and 9.08 µg/ml using DPPH, FRAP and MCA scavenging assay, respectively. The antibacterial activity of different methanol extracts was evaluated against four microorganisms with a mean zone diameter of inhibition ranging from 13 to 19 mm. For quantitative phytochemical analysis, the highest Total Phenolic Content (TPC) and Total Flavonol Content (TFC-2) were found for steam methanol extract (321.7 mg GAE/g of dry extract, 162.4 mg QE/g of dry extract respectively).