Yucca Aloifolia Research Articles

Nutraceutical Properties of the Hydroalcoholic Extract and Phenolic Compounds from Yucca aloifolia Edible Flowers.

The flowers of Yucca aloifolia ("flor de izote") are considered a millenary food in the Northeastern Highlands of Puebla, Mexico. The present investigation reports on the chemical and biological activities of the hydroalcoholic extract (YAHF) obtained from this edible source. HPLC-MS profiling revealed twenty bioactive phenolic compounds with chlorogenic acid (16.5 mg g-1 DW), quercetin (9.5 mg g-1 FW), and their glycosides (rutin and quercitrin), as well as caffeic acid (8.4 mg g-1 DW) and ferulic acid (7.9 mg g-1 DW) as major compounds dissolved in YAHF. Six metabolites had potent anti-lipase (IC50<100 μg mL-1) and anti-ornithine decarboxylase activity (IC50<100 μg mL-1), whereas thirteen exerted strong anti-alpha-glucosidase properties (IC50<100 μg mL-1). The evaluation of YAHF in mice subjected to standard oral glucose tolerance tests and prolonged administration of hypercaloric/atherogenic diet (30 days), unraveled their ability to improve glucose and lipid profiles. YAHF and six phenolic compounds significantly reduced DLD-1 cell viability (IC50, 117.9 μg mL-1) and avoided polyamine accumulation linked to anti-ornithine decarboxylase activity. YAHF and its twenty constituents exerted low toxicity in probiotics (>1000 μg mL-1) and 3T3 fibroblasts (>2.5 mg-mL-1), sustaining their safeness for human consumption.

Computational investigation of Y. aloifolia variegate as anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) targeting HIV-1 protease: A multiscale in-silico exploration

IntroductionHuman Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a global challenge for the health sector due to the absence of a definitive cure. More than 38 million people are affected by the disease worldwide, with approximately 1.5 million new cases reported annually. This situation has spurred continued efforts in searching for drug candidates. Meanwhile, rutin, luteolin, and quercetin are compounds known for efficacy in treating infectious diseases. The compounds have also been detected in Yucca aloifolia (絲蘭) variegate L. Therefore, this study aimed to conduct a computational investigation utilizing multiscale in silico exploration to assess the potential of Y. aloifolia as an anti-HIV agent targeting HIV-1 Protease (H1P). MethodsFor the in silico study, the three-dimensional structure of H1P (PDB: 5V4Y) was retrieved and prepared using YASARA Structure. The binding pockets were identified using Cavity Plus server, and ligands were obtained from Y. aloifolia leaves alcohol extract. Furthermore, molecular docking was conducted with YASARA Structure to predict binding energies, followed by QSAR analysis for activity prediction. Density Functional Theory (DFT) analysis was performed to assess stability and reactivity, while toxicity was evaluated using ProTox 3.0. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and Molecular Mechanics Poisson–Boltzmann Surface Area (MM-PBSA) calculation were also conducted for further analysis. ResultsThe results showed that Ramachandran plot analysis indicated favorable residue distribution based on the evaluation of enzyme preparation quality. Cavity Plus identified potential binding sites, with cavity no.2 showing the highest druggability. Molecular docking showed rutin and isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside as top binders to H1P, with favorable binding energies. Moreover, post-docking analysis produced specific interactions between ligands and the receptor. PASS prediction indicated the potential of rutin and isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside (narcissin) as H1P inhibitors. DFT analysis assessed stability, showing comparable values for the investigated compounds. Toxicity analysis suggested both compounds to be non-toxic. Finally, MD simulation demonstrated the superior stability and binding affinity of rutin compared to isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside and the control drug, grl-09510. DiscussionRutin, hecogenin, and isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside from Y. aloifolia (絲蘭) leaves showed potential as H1P inhibitors through in silico study. Docking simulations indicated that rutin had the most favorable binding interactions, while MD simulation showed only the rutin-H1P complex to be stable, signifying the potential for further drug development. Rutin was identified as a promising lead for H1P inhibition due to its strong binding, stability, and predicted safety properties, underscoring the need for wet lab validation.

HR LC-MS/MS metabolomic profiling of Yucca aloifolia fruit and the potential neuroprotective effect on rotenone-induced Parkinson's disease in rats.

Yucca aloifolia L. fruit (Yucca or Spanish bayonet, family Asparagaceae) is recognized for its purplish red color reflecting its anthocyanin content, which has a powerful antioxidant activity. This study aimed to investigate yucca (YA) fruit extract's protective effect on Parkinson's disease (PD). In vitro study, the anti-inflammatory activity of yucca fruit extracts was explored by measuring tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNF-R2) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-KB) to choose the most effective extract. Afterward, a detailed in vivo investigation of the protective effect of the most active extract on rotenone-induced PD was performed on male albino Wister rats. First, the safety of the extract in two different doses (50 and 100 mg/kg in 0.9% saline orally) was confirmed by a toxicological study. The rats were divided into four groups: 1) normal control (NC); 2) rotenone group; and third and fourth groups received 50 and 100 mg/kg yucca extract, respectively. The neurobehavioral and locomotor activities of the rats were tested by rotarod, open field, and forced swim tests. Striatal dopamine, renal and liver functions, and oxidative stress markers were assessed. Western blot analysis of brain tissue samples was performed for p-AMPK, Wnt3a, and β-catenin. Histopathological examination of striatal tissue samples was performed by light and electron microscopy (EM). The metabolites of the active extract were characterized using high-resolution LC-MS/MS, and the results showed the prevalence of anthocyanins, saponins, phenolics, and choline. Biochemical and histopathological tests revealed a dose-dependent improvement with oral Yucca extract. The current study suggests a possible neuroprotective effect of the acidified 50% ethanol extract (YA-C) of the edible Yucca fruit, making it a promising therapeutic target for PD.

Nutraceutical Potential of Seven “Quelites” Harvested in the Northern Highlands of Puebla-México

The northern highlands of Puebla harbor several plant foods consumed since pre-Columbian times. Most of the native vegetables from this geographical region are still uncharacterized at the nutraceutical level. This investigation was focused on the elucidation of chemical and biochemical properties of the edible organs from Rhamnus pompana, Solanum nigrescens, Sechium edule, Yucca aloifolia, Piper auritum, Amaranthus hybridus and Rumex obtusifolius, which are used as traditional foods in this region. The content of basic nutrients (including vitamins of the B complex), nutraceuticals (carotenoids, flavonoids, and fatty acids), phenolics (including antioxidant capacity), and inhibitory properties of these plants on specific enzymes linked to carbohydrate and lipid metabolism were determined. In addition, extracts of these plants were evaluated against pathogenic microorganisms of the gastrointestinal tract. Our results demonstrated statistically significant divergences (p &lt; 0.05) in the content protein (12.5 g/100 g), fiber (9.8 g/100 g), fat (81.2 mg/100 g), beta-carotene (2.48 mg/100 g), beta-cryptoxanthin (1.24 mg/100 g), thiamine (159.6 µg/100 g), riboflavin (106.4 µg/100 g), and vitamin B6 between Y. aloifolia and other plants studied. All plants showed low amounts of reducing sugars (&lt;150 mg/100 g) and sodium (&lt;70 mg/100 g), but the berries of R. pompana exhibited substantial differences (p &lt; 0.05) in the levels of vitamin C (14.6 mg/100 mg). The edible leaves of R. obtusifolius were particularly rich in quercetin (4.38 mg/100 g), kaempferol (2.38 mg/100 g) and lutein (2.52 mg/100 g), whereas the aerial parts of S. edule contained high concentrations of folate (50.6 µg/100 g). All plants showed variable phenolic content and antioxidant capacity; however, Y. aloifolia had the highest values (23 GAE/mg/g and 440 TEAC/µM/g). The ethanolic extracts from Y. aloifolia efficiently inhibited pancreatic lipase (IC50, 43.76 µg/mL) and alpha-glucosidase (IC50, 60.04 µg/mL), whereas those from S. edule inhibited alpha-glucosidase (IC50, 47.4 µg/mL) and HMG-CoA reductase (IC50, 33.6 µg/mL). Only the ethanolic extracts of R. pompana (IC50, 35.36 µg/mL) and Y. aloifolia (IC50, 53.28 µg/mL) inhibited ornithine decarboxylase. All plant extracts exerted moderated antimicrobial activity in at least one species associated with the gastrointestinal tract.

Further records of non-native succulents within Asparagaceae sensu lato as casual or naturalising aliens in Tunisia and North Africa

Recent botanical surveys undertaken in central and northern Tunisia (North Africa) since 2014, mainly within coastal regions, yielded new records for non-native succulents (casual or naturalising aliens) of vascular plant species belonging to Asparagaceae sensu lato (Dracaena draco (L.) L. subsp. draco, Sansevieria hyacinthoides (L.) Druce, S. trifasciata Prain, Yucca aloifolia L. and Y. gloriosa L.). The reported taxa belong to three genera that represent first records for the vascular flora of Tunisia. Among these new taxa, Sansevieria hyacinthoides is first reported for North Africa and the Mediterranean area whereas Yucca aloifolia is here reported for the first time for North Africa. Distributions and morphological descriptions, as well as phenology and habitat, are given for each of these new records. Notes on their actual status and field photographs are provided.

Yucca aloifolia (Spanish bayonet)

This datasheet on Yucca aloifolia covers Identity, Overview, Distribution, Dispersal, Diagnosis, Biology &amp; Ecology, Environmental Requirements, Natural Enemies, Impacts, Uses, Prevention/Control, Further Information.

Obtention and characterization of polypropylene composites reinforced with new natural fibers from Yucca aloifolia L.

The use of fibers chemically extracted from the leaves of Yucca aloifolia L. as reinforcement in polymeric matrix composites of polypropylene was investigated. The fibers were extracted by mercerization by varying the temperature, time, and NaOH concentration to obtain fibers with a balanced relationship between mechanical, chemical, thermal, and morphological properties that promote their use in polymer matrix composites . The fibers were characterized by tensile testing , scanning electron microscopy (SEM), attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, chemical composition, and thermogravimetric analysis . The analyses indicate an excellent potential for their application as reinforcement in polymer matrix composites. Statistical analysis indicates that all treatment factors used in this work (temperature, time, and NaOH concentration) are influential in the mechanical, morphological, chemical, and thermal characteristics of the fibers. Composites were prepared using a polypropylene matrix with 10%, 20%, and 30% of chemically extracted Y. aloifolia L. fibers and characterized by tensile tests , Izod impact tests, and SEM. The mechanical characterization of the composites revealed excellent results for yield strength and Young's modulus , corroborating the potential use of Y. aloifolia L. fibers as reinforcement of the polymeric matrix. • The fibers of Y. aloifolia L. underwent different alkaline treatments and their mechanical behavior was studied. • A total of 184 individual fibers were submitted to the tensile test and SEM analyses. • The tensile strength of Y. aloifolia L. exceeds others natural fibers widely used as reinforcement reported in literature. • Composites with different concentrations of fiber reinforcement were obtained and mechanical tested. • Comparing with neat polymer the composites with 30% of fibers raise 16.35% in Yield Strength and 31.69% in Young's modulus.

Characterization of natural cellulosic fibers from Yucca aloifolia L. leaf as potential reinforcement of polymer composites

In this work lignocellulosic fibers were obtained from Yucca aloifolia L. leaves and their chemical, morphological, thermal and mechanical properties were studied. The fibers were pullout from the leaves and characterized by infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical characterization, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), single fiber tensile tests and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The cellulose crystallinity index found was 69.43%. The fibers presented a high cellulose content, ~ 52.5%, and they are thermally stable until 193.4 °C. The tensile test for single fibers showed average results for the tensile strength of 800 MPa, Young's modulus of 39 GPa, and 2% strain at failure. Morphological analysis indicated the presence of a large number of parenchymal cells and not cellulosic constituents in fiber surface. These results indicated that Yucca aloifolia L. fibers have potential to application in polymeric matrices as fibrous reinforcement material.

Hybridization History and Repetitive Element Content in the Genome of a Homoploid Hybrid, Yucca gloriosa (Asparagaceae).

Hybridization in plants results in phenotypic and genotypic perturbations that can have dramatic effects on hybrid physiology, ecology, and overall fitness. Hybridization can also perturb epigenetic control of transposable elements, resulting in their proliferation. Understanding the mechanisms that maintain genomic integrity after hybridization is often confounded by changes in ploidy that occur in hybrid plant species. Homoploid hybrid species, which have no change in chromosome number relative to their parents, offer an opportunity to study the genomic consequences of hybridization in the absence of change in ploidy. Yucca gloriosa (Asparagaceae) is a young homoploid hybrid species, resulting from a cross between Yucca aloifolia and Yucca filamentosa. Previous analyses of ∼11 kb of the chloroplast genome and nuclear-encoded microsatellites implicated a single Y. aloifolia genotype as the maternal parent of Y. gloriosa. Using whole genome resequencing, we assembled chloroplast genomes from 41 accessions of all three species to re-assess the hybrid origins of Y. gloriosa. We further used re-sequencing data to annotate transposon abundance in the three species and mRNA-seq to analyze transcription of transposons. The chloroplast phylogeny and haplotype analysis suggest multiple hybridization events contributing to the origin of Y. gloriosa, with both parental species acting as the maternal donor. Transposon abundance at the superfamily level was significantly different between the three species; the hybrid was frequently intermediate to the parental species in TE superfamily abundance or appeared more similar to one or the other parent. In only one case—Copia LTR transposons—did Y. gloriosa have a significantly higher abundance relative to either parent. Expression patterns across the three species showed little increased transcriptional activity of transposons, suggesting that either no transposon release occurred in Y. gloriosa upon hybridization, or that any transposons that were activated via hybridization were rapidly silenced. The identification and quantification of transposon families paired with expression evidence paves the way for additional work seeking to link epigenetics with the important trait variation seen in this homoploid hybrid system.

LC\u2013MS/MS and GC\u2013MS profiling as well as the antimicrobial effect of leaves of selected Yucca species introduced to Egypt

Few studies thoroughly investigated different Yucca species introduced to Egypt. As a part of our ongoing investigation of the Yucca species; Yucca aloifolia and its variety Yucca aloifolia variegata, Yucca filamentosa, and Yucca elephantipes (Asparagaceae) were extensively subjected to phytochemical and antimicrobial investigation. Yucca species cultivated in Egypt showed no antimicrobial effect. GC/MS of the lipoid contents of Y. aloifolia variegata was carried out. Twenty-six fatty acids were identified. Saturated fatty acids established almost twice the unsaturated ones and constituted 64.64% of which palmitic acid and palmitoleic acid signifying 58.28% and 30.98%, respectively. Hydrocarbons were 21 constituting 39.64% of the unsaponifiable fraction. Only three sterols 42.36% were detected, major was γ-sitosterol. LC–MS/MS comparison of the 4 plant extracts imply that Y.aloifolia variegata L extract was the richest, which was apparent through its superior biological activity. LC–MS/MS analysis of the total alcoholic extract (Alc) of the leaves of Y.aloifolia variegata L. was performed using MS-techniques at different voltages; equal to 35 and 135 eV. Negative and positive-ion modes analyses at low fragmentation energy allowed the tentative identification of 41 and 34 compounds, respectively. The LC–ESI–MS/MS analysis in the positive mode proved to be better in the identification of saponins.

DNA fingerprinting, biological and chemical investigation of certain Yucca species

Yucca aloifolia, Y. aloifolia variegata, Y. elephantipes and Y. filamentosa were investigated. DNA sequencing was performed for the four plants and a genomic DNA fingerprint was obtained and provided. The cytotoxic activities against four human cancer cell lines were investigated. The ethanolic extracts of leaves of Y. aloifolia variegata prevailed, especially against liver cancer HepG-2 and breast cancer MCF-7. In vivo assessment of hepatoprotective activity in rats also revealed the hepatoprotective potential of the ethanolic extracts of the four plants against CCl4- induced rats’ liver damage. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the flavonoid and phenolic content of the promising species was performed using HPLC. The analysis identified and quantified 18 flavonoids and 19 phenolic acids in the different fractions of Y. aloifolia variegata, among which the major flavonoids were hesperidin and kaemp-3-(2-p-coumaroyl) glucose and the major phenolic acids were gallic acid and protocatechuic acid.

Yucca aloifolia Seed Oil: A New Source of Bioactive Compounds

Yucca aloifolia Linn (Y. aloifolia), also known as Spanish bayonet, is a drought-tolerant plant containing important bioactive compounds in various parts of the plant. Y. aloifolia is used as a natural medicinal herb. The purpose of the present study was to characterize and evaluate the seed oil extracted from Y. aloifolia seeds. The oil content of the seeds was 16.23%. The principal fatty acids in the oil were linoleic acid (73.38%), oleic acid (13.52%) and palmitic acid (8.18%). The oil has high vitamin E activity because of an appreciable concentration of tocols (204 mg/100 g), particularly tocotrienols, which represent 79% of the total amount of tocols. Tocotrienols have powerful antioxidant, anticancer, neuro/cardio protective and cholesterol-lowering properties. The thermal profile of Y. aloifolia seed oil was examined differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Y. aloifolia seed oil is considered to be healthy dietary oil.

Phytochemical Study of Steroidal Sapogenin “Tigogenin” Present in the Leaves of Yucca aloifolia Cultivated in Iraq

This study detects the presence of the most important steroidal sapogenin “Tigogenin” in the leaves of Yucca aloifolia widely cultivated in Iraq. The absence of any study concerning the Tigogenin content of this medicinal plant in Iraq, and the industrial importance of Tigogenin depending on its role as a precursor in the synthesis of some steroidal drugs, acquired this study its value. This study concerned with extraction, identification, isolation, and purification of Tigogenin from the leaves of Yucca aloifolia. Extraction of this compound was carried out using two methods. Identification of this compound was done using thin layer chromatography (TLC) where different solvent systems had been tried. Libermann – Burchard reagent was used for detection. This identification was further augmented by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and then this steroidal saponin was isolated and purified. The identification of isolated Tigogenin was carried out using melting point (M.P.), Thin layer chromatography (TLC), infrared spectroscopy (IR) and High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) . This study confirms the presence of Tigogenin in the leaves of Yucca aloifolia cultivated in Iraq. Also the result of this study showed that the second extraction method was the best, because the amount of both extract and Tigogenin were higher than one extraction method.&#x0D; Key words : Yucca aloifolia , Steroidal saponin , "Tigogenin"

Endogenous variability of sizes and mass of seeds of Spanish bayonet (Yucca aloifolia L.) in Nikita botanical garden depending on artificial pollination type

Endogenous variability of sizes and mass of seeds of Spanish bayonet (Yucca aloifolia L.) in Nikita botanical garden depending on artificial pollination type

Gas exchange and leaf anatomy of a C3-CAM hybrid, Yucca gloriosa (Asparagaceae).

While the majority of plants use the typical C3 carbon metabolic pathway, ~6% of angiosperms have adapted to carbon limitation as a result of water stress by employing a modified form of photosynthesis known as Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). CAM plants concentrate carbon in the cells by temporally separating atmospheric carbon acquisition from fixation into carbohydrates. CAM has been studied for decades, but the evolutionary progression from C3 to CAM remains obscure. In order to better understand the morphological and physiological characteristics associated with CAM photosynthesis, phenotypic variation was assessed in Yucca aloifolia, a CAM species, Yucca filamentosa, a C3 species, and Yucca gloriosa, a hybrid species derived from these two yuccas exhibiting intermediate C3-CAM characteristics. Gas exchange, titratable leaf acidity, and leaf anatomical traits of all three species were assayed in a common garden under well-watered and drought-stressed conditions. Yucca gloriosa showed intermediate phenotypes for nearly all traits measured, including the ability to acquire carbon at night. Using the variation found among individuals of all three species, correlations between traits were assessed to better understand how leaf anatomy and CAM physiology are related. Yucca gloriosa may be constrained by a number of traits which prevent it from using CAM to as high a degree as Y. aloifolia. The intermediate nature of Y. gloriosa makes it a promising system in which to study the evolution of CAM.

Yucca aloifolia oil methyl esters

Yucca aloifolia Linn (Y. aloifolia) is a drought-resistant arid land plant that grows in most soil types. In this work, Y. aloifolia seed oil (YAO) was evaluated for the first time as a potential biodiesel feedstock, which contains 16.23% oil (w/w) whereas the acidity of the oil was 11%. Two step processes i.e. acid-catalyzed esterification to reduce the acid value of YAO and then standard base-catalyzed transesterification procedure were used to synthesis the Y. aloifolia methyl esters (Yame) at optimization conditions. YAO has a high content of linoleic acid (70.77 %) followed by oleic acid (12%), and palmitic acid (8.59%). The fuel properties of biodiesel derived from YAO including density, iodine value, kinematic viscosity, cetane number, flash point, pour point, cloud point, and gross heating value were evaluated and compared with the limits of ASTM D6751 standards. The comparison showed that the biodiesel obtained from Y. aloifolia oil could be used as an alternative fuel for diesel engines.

Yucca aloifolia (Asparagaceae) opts out of an obligate pollination mutualism.

• According to Cope's 'law of the unspecialized' highly dependent species interactions are 'evolutionary dead ends,' prone to extinction because reversion to more generalist interactions is thought to be unlikely. Cases of extreme specialization, such as those seen between obligate mutualists, are cast as evolutionarily inescapable, inevitably leading to extinction rather than diversification of participating species. The pollination mutualism between Yucca plants and yucca moths (Tegeticula and Parategeticula) would seem to be locked into such an obligate mutualism. Yucca aloifolia populations, however, can produce large numbers of fruit lacking moth oviposition scars. Here, we investigate the pollination ecology of Y. aloifolia, in search of the non-moth pollination of a Yucca species.• We perform pollinator exclusion studies on Yucca aloifolia and a sympatric yucca species, Y. filamentosa. We then perform postvisit exclusion treatments, an analysis of dissected fruits, and a fluorescent dye transfer experiment.• As expected, Yucca filamentosa plants set fruit only when inflorescences were exposed to crepuscular and nocturnal pollinating yucca moths. In contrast, good fruit set was observed when pollinators were excluded from Y. aloifolia inflorescences from dusk to dawn, and no fruit set was observed when pollinators were excluded during the day. Follow up experiments indicated that European honeybees (Apis mellifera) were passively yet effectively pollinating Y. aloifolia flowers.• These results indicate that even highly specialized mutualisms may not be entirely obligate interactions or evolutionary dead ends.

First Report of Cucumber mosaic virus Subgroup IA Isolate Infecting Yucca aloifolia in Italy.

Yucca aloifolia L. (Spanish bayonet), family Asparagaceae, is the type species of the genus Yucca. It is native to Mexico and the West Indies and is appreciated worldwide as an ornamental plant. In 2013, during a survey for viruses in ornamental plants in the Campania region of southern Italy, symptoms consisting of bright chlorotic spots and ring spots 1 to 3 mm in diameter with some necrotic streaks were observed on leaves of two plants of Y. aloifolia growing in a nursery located in the Pignataro Maggiore municipality, Caserta Province. Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) infection was suspected because the symptoms resembled those caused by CMV in Yucca flaccida (1). A range of herbal plant indicators was inoculated with sap extracts of symptomatic Y. aloifolia plants and developed symptoms indicative of CMV. Furthermore, 30 nm isometric virus particles were observed in the same Y. aloifolia sap extracts by transmission electron microscopy. The identity of the virus was confirmed by positive reaction in ELISA tests with CMV polyclonal antisera (Bioreba) conducted on sap extracts of symptomatic Y. aloifolia plants and systemically infected symptomatic hosts (i.e., Nicotiana tabacum, N. glutinosa, Cucumber sativus cv. Marketer, Solanum lycopersicum cv. San Marzano). The presence of CMV in the two naturally infected Y. aloifolia and other mechanically inoculated plants was further verified by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. Total RNAs were extracted with the E.Z.N.A. Plant RNA Kit (Omega Bio-Tek), according to the manufacturer's instructions. RT-PCR was carried out with the ImProm-II Reverse Transcription System first-strand synthesis reaction (Promega) using the primer pair CMV1 and CMV2 (2). These primers amplify part of the CP gene and part of the 3'-noncoding region of CMV RNA3 and were designed to produce amplicons of different sizes to distinguish CMV isolates belonging to subgroups I or II (3). RT-PCR products were obtained from both naturally infected Y. aloifolia and mechanically inoculated plants as well as from PAE1 isolate of CMV (2), used as positive control, but not from healthy plants. Based on the length of the amplicons obtained (487 bp), the CMV isolate from Y. aloifolia (named YAL) belonged to subgroup I (3). The amplified RT-PCR products were purified with QIAquick PCR Purification Kit (Qiagen), cloned in the pGEMT vector (Promega), and three independent clones were sequenced at MWG (Ebersberg, Germany). Sequences obtained from the two CMV-infected Y. aloifolia plants were identical. This sequence was deposited at GenBank (Accession No. HG965199). Multiple alignments of the YAL sequence with sequences of other CMV isolates using MEGA5 software revealed highest percentage of identity (98.9%) with the isolates Z (AB369269) and SO (AF103992) from Korea and Japan, respectively. Moreover, the YAL isolate was identified as belonging to subgroup IA, based on the presence of only one HpaII restriction site in the 487-bp sequence, as previously proposed (2). Although CMV seems to not be a major threat currently for the production of Y. aloifolia, because the farming of this plant is performed using vegetative propagation, particular attention should be given to the presence of the virus in donor mother plants in order to avoid the dispersion of infected plants that could serve as sources for aphid transmission to other susceptible plant species. To our knowledge, this is the first report of CMV infection of Y. aloifolia in the world.

EFFECT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF NITROGEN AND PHOSPHATE FERTILIZER ON THE VEGETATIVE GRWOTH AND CHEMICAL CONTENT OF YUCCA ALOIFOLIA L.

The present study was carried out in laths house to study the effect of four levels of fertilizer (0.0, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0) g as ammonium sulphate (21% N) and four levels of Phosphate fertilizer (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5) g as tri-super Phosphate (45% P2O5) per pot diameter 30 cm, mixed with soil surface on the vegetative growth and chemical content of Yucca aloifolia L. plants. The results refers that all studies parameters affected significantly by Nitrogen fertilization and Phosphate fertilization and the interaction between them on the concentration (2.0 gm/pot N with 1.5 gm/pot P) which total increased on height stem and leave number and stem diameter 13.44 cm and 11.61 leave and 2.98 cm in the end of study. While leaves area of plant and percent of chlorophyll and Nitrogen and Phosphor 2577.88 cm2 and 60% and 5.37% and 0.77% respectively in the end of study.

Antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal activities and phytochemical analysis of dagger (Yucca aloifolia) leaves extracts

Sobia1, Muhammad Zubair1*, Nasir Rasool1, Asim Mansha1, Fozia Anjum1, Munawar Iqbal2, Muhammad Mushtaq2 and Muhammad Shahid1