Horizon e-Publishing Group (HePG): E-Journals
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Diversity of edible plants with ethnomedicinal properties utilized by the Ayangans of Northern Philippines
No full textThis ethnobotanical study documents the customary wisdom on medicinal edible plants used by the Ayangan community of the Northern Philippines. Semi-structured interviews with 50 informants were conducted and assessed using quantitative indices such as the fidelity level (FL), informant consensus factor (ICF), frequency of citation (RFC) and use value (UV). The study recorded 64 medicinal edible plants from 33 families, the most prevalent of which is the Fabaceae family. The majority of the edible plants were classified as vegetables. The leaf was the most commonly exploited plant portion for medical purposes. The Ayangans used these plants to treat 57 medical conditions, with cough being the most frequently reported. The decoction was the predominant preparation method and direct consumption of fresh or cooked edible plants was the primary mode of administration using a single plant or plant part. Capsicum frutescens L. had the highest RFC, while Carica papaya L. had the highest UV. The species with 100% fidelity levels included Ageratum conyzoides L., Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle, Carica papaya L., Areca catechu L. and Psidium guajava L., highlighting their significance in traditional medicine. Dermatological conditions had the highest ICF. These findings can help protect local plant biodiversity, traditional knowledge and future pharmaceutical developments of the identified edible plants with medicinal properties
Effect of spraying with chitosan and whey on the content of nutrients and active compounds in leaves of Duranta erecta L.
No full textThe experiment was conducted in lathhouse of the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering, College of Agriculture / University of Basra during the agricultural seasons (2022 and 2023) on Duranta plants, to know the effect of spraying different levels of chitosan at levels (0, 100, 200) mg L-1 and whey, which are (0, 75, 150) ml L-1, on the content of nutrients and active compounds of Duranta plant leaves. The study followed the design of complete randomized sectors for factorial experiments with two factors of spraying chitosan and whey, with three concentrations for each, with three replicates for the treatment, so that the number of experimental units became 27 experimental units. The least significant difference (LSD) test was used at a significance level of 0.05) to compare the averages. The results show that the plants sprayed with chitosan at a concentration of 200 mg L-1 were significantly excelled and gave the highest nitrogen content in the leaves, which amounted to (3.070 and 3.483) %, phosphorus (0.260 and 0.286) % and potassium (2.486 and 2.742) %. The leaf content of active compounds increased when treated with chitosan at a concentration of 200 mg L-1, as the phenols content in the leaves reached (215.359 and 378.491) mg g-1 and flavonoids reached (20.257 and 19.426) mg 100 g-1, respectively, for both seasons of the study. The plants that were sprayed with whey protein at a concentration of 150 ml L-1 were significantly superior in giving the highest content of nutrients in their leaves, as the nitrogen content reached (3.439 and 3.769) %, phosphorus reached (0.269 and 0.300) % and potassium reached (2.596 and 2.906) %. The content of the leaves of the plant also increased. Duranta is one of the active compounds when sprayed with high concentration of whey, as the content of phenols reached (223.177 and 374.827) mg g-1 and flavonoids (21.232 and 20.271) mg 100 g-1 in the leaves respectively for both seasons of the study
Medicinal plants potential as anti-mycobacterial and mechanisms behind their active metabolites
No full textTuberculosis (TB) is a contagious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which most often affects the lungs, specifically pulmonary tuberculosis. One of the leading opportunistic diseases globally, affecting one-third population and resulting in approximately 1.5 million deaths annually. A weakened immune system against mycobacterial diseases has contributed to over 1.1 million people being co-infected with other life-threatening diseases, such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Abundant research highlighted the biotherapeutic potential of naturally occurring compounds against mycobacterial disorder. The increasing cases of MDR/XDR-TB are mainly derived from tuberculosis, coupled with the emergence of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) and multidrug resistance (MDR) strains, have made treatment more challenging. The condition emphasized the crucial requirement for novel plant-derived anti-TB medications. The persistence and latency of M. tuberculosis, along with drug resistance, have made tuberculosis treatment increasingly challenging. This review aims to comprehensively examine tuberculosis disease including current standard treatment, promising new drugs under development and the potential of medicinal plants and their bioactive compounds as alternative or supplementary therapies to combat mycobacterial infections, specifically focusing on the potential of plant-derived metabolites to act as effective antimycobaterial agents. It specifically highlights the role of plant-derived metabolites as effective antimycobacterial agents
Pepper leaf curl Bangladesh Virus (PLCBV) and weed interaction: Consequences for growth, yield and biochemical vicissitudes in chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)
No full textThe present study examines the impact of weeds on disease occurrence of Pepper Leaf Curl Bangladesh Virus (PLCBV) and its subsequent impact on growth, yield and biochemical parameters in chilli. The experiment was conducted at the agriculture farm of DAV University, Jalandhar. The field trial revealed a strong correlation between weed presence and leaf curl disease, with the highest disease incidence observed in open plots without weeding. The incidence of PLCBV, with the highest disease incidence (83.3%) was recorded 75 days after transplanting the chilli plants. The study highlighted the role of common weeds like Physalis spp., Solanum spp., Solanum spp. in higher disease incidence. Molecular identification of casual virus PLCBV was executed in chilli and weeds through PCR with degenerate primers. The key growth and yield parameters including plant height, fruit dimensions, number of fruits per plant, number of branches and overall yield were negatively impacted. Biochemical parameters such as photosynthetic pigment content, flavonoids, phenolic content, ascorbic acid, proline, protein content and malondialdehyde (MDA) were also analyzed, along with the enzymatic activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX). Results indicated that infected plants showed reduced plant height, fruit length, fruit diameter, yield and content of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, lycopene, carotenoid, ?-carotene and other beneficial compounds like flavonoids, phenolic content, ascorbic acid and protein compared to healthy plants. Conversely, proline content, MDA and enzymatic activities were higher in infected plants. The current study concludes that weeds and PLCBV exacerbated major negative and detrimental consequences in chilli in terms of biochemical, growth and yield parameters
Assessing designer seed and pink pigmented facultative microbes mitigating drought on cotton yield under rainfed condition
No full textFifty-one percentage of India’s net sown area comes under rainfed agriculture which contributes to nearly 40% of total food production. But constant fluctuations in total rainfall and its distribution severely affect the yield of rainfed crops. Such uncertainty in crop production necessitates the need to enhance the productivity from rainfed areas to meet the growing population demand by adapting suitable technologies. Considering these constraints, a field trial was carried out during 2022-23 at Agricultural Research Station (ARS), TNAU, Kovilpatti, India to evaluate the impact of drought mitigation technology on sustainable yield and economics of cotton grown in dryland situations. The trial conducted in Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD), treatment comprised of sowing of hardened seed (1% KCl) and designer seed in factor A and 6 different drought mitigation technologies viz., Pusa hydrogel at 2.5 kg ha-1 as basal, Mepiquat chloride spray at 250 ppm at 45 and 60 DAS, Cycocel at 250 ppm as foliar spray at 45 and 60 DAS, Cotton plus at 6.25 kg/ha as foliar spray at flowering and boll development stage, Pink Pigmented Facultative Methylotraphs (PPFM) spray at 500 mL/ha at square formation, flowering and boll enlargement stage along with control (no soil/foliar application) in Factor B and simulated thrice. Sowing designer cotton seed along with spraying PPFM at 500 mL ha-1 at square growth, flowering and boll enlargement stages recorded higher growth attributes, yield attributes and yield of cotton under rainfed conditions. Hence, farmers can get a higher percentage of the total (gross) income (13.5 and 31), net income (return) (28 and 62) and B:C value (12 and 23) when adopting sowing of designer cotton seed with spraying PPFM at 500 mL/ha respectively
Study on estimation of infiltration rate with different soil conditioners and evaluation of infiltration models
No full textSoil conditioners enhance soil properties, particularly for moisture conservation in rain-fed agriculture. This study evaluated the effects of various soil conditioners, including hydrogel (0.001 t ha-1 and 0.002 t ha-1), gypsum, coir pith and press mud on the infiltration capacity of sandy clay loam soils at the Agricultural Engineering College and Research Institute in Kumulur, Tamil Nadu, a semi-arid region. Infiltration was measured using a double-ring infiltrometer and four models, Kostiakov, Horton, Green-Ampt and Philips, were used to predict the infiltration rates. Initial infiltration values measured were 19.2, 18, 16.8, 12, 10.8 and 9.6 cm h-¹ for treatments with hydrogel (0.002 t ha-1), hydrogel (0.001 t ha-1), gypsum, coir pith, press mud and the control(without conditioner), respectively. Results showed that hydrogel significantly improved infiltration, with the highest rate observed at 0.002 t ha-1 (19.2 cm h-1), compared to the control (8.2 cm/h-1). The Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency of the Philips model varied from 0.75 to 0.95 for the different soil conditioners and provided the most accurate prediction of infiltration rates, followed by the Horton model. This study highlights the importance of soil conditioners in improving water retention and infiltration, which are essential for effective water management in agricultural systems, particularly in semi-arid regions
Effect of different orgopriming and foliar spraying treatments on seed yield and its components of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.)
No full textCoriander is one of the most essential spices in India. Coriander\u27s extended germination period often delays crop establishment. The largest coriander-producing country, India must explore innovative agronomic practices to accelerate early growth and enhance overall productivity. So, a field experiment was conducted at Sagdividi Farm, Department of Seed Science and Technology, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh, during the Rabi season of 2023-24 to evaluate the effects of orgopriming and foliar spray treatments on the growth and yield attributes of coriander variety Gujarat Coriander-3 (GC-3). The experiment was designed in a factorial randomized block design (FRBD), comprising six priming agents with control and three foliar spray treatments with a control, applied at 35 and 55 DAS (days after sowing). The results indicated that orgopriming with tender coconut water significantly increased field emergence by 25.37 %, plant height by 19.62 %, number of umbels per plant by 23.99 %, number of umbellate per umbel by 21.04 %, number of seeds per umbellate by 25.06 %, number of seeds per umbel by 19.58 %, 1000 seed weight by 12.04 %, seed yield per plant by 15.13 % and reduced number of days to 50 % flowering by 12.38 % as compared to control. Foliar spraying with Jivamrut (10 %) significantly increased plant height by 5.80 %, number of umbels per plant by 8.98 %, number of umbellates per umbel by 8.75 %, number of seeds per umbellate by 19.38 %, number of seeds per umbel by 12.02 %, 1000-seed weight by 8.57 % and seed yield per plant by 9.42 % compared to the control. The interaction of Bijamrut (10 %) priming and Jivamrut (10 %) foliar spraying produced the highest plant height with an increase of 40.48 % compared to control. Therefore, priming coriander seeds with tender coconut water and foliar application of Jivamrut (10 %) can enhance seed yield and its related traits
Metabolic compounds of biocontrol agents from organic inputs for managing chilli anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum acutatum
No full textChilli anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum acutatum L. is a major constraint to crop yield and quality. This study, 35 bacterial isolates were obtained from four organic bio-inputs, Panchagavya, Jeevamruth, fish amino acid, and Arappu buttermilk extract, to develop a biocontrol agent against this disease. These isolates were biochemically and molecularly confirmed to be Bacillus spp. The isolates were evaluated for antagonistic potential and plant growth-promoting activity through in vitro assays. Most effective Bacillus isolates (PG12 and PG2) were analyzed using thin-layer chromatography, revealing antibiotics such as iturin (Rf = 0.3) and surfactin (Rf = 0.7). These compounds were further confirmed by PCR amplification of specific genes, producing amplicons of 647 bp and ~620 bp, respectively. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis identified antimicrobial volatile compounds such as fatty acids, lipopeptides, peptides, and aldehydes in these isolates. The effectiveness of these potent isolates against C. acutatum was compared with the existing bioagent (Pseudomonas fluorescens) and botanicals (e.g., Neem) under greenhouse and field conditions using various combinations. The potent isolates of B. subtillis proved effective in minimizing damage caused by chilli anthracnose in pot culture and natural conditions. The existing study focuses on adopting these isolates in commercial formulation with increased efficacy and shelf life to increase farmers\u27 income
Optimizing puddling efficiency: A comparative analysis of 13 and 16 hp power tillers in rice cultivation
No full textPuddling is a critical soil preparation technique in rice cultivation, essential for creating a conducive environment that enhances water retention and nutrient availability in paddy fields. This study investigated the impact of power tiller horsepower and the number of passes on puddling effectiveness in alluvial clay soil under field conditions in Tamil Nadu, India. Two power tillers were evaluated: a 13 hp and a 16 hp model, using single, double and triple pass treatments. The 16 hp power tiller, launched in 2023, features a 16 hp engine, self-start capability and a ride-on design, while the 13 hp power tiller, available for around 20 years, is well-established. The results showed that the 16 hp power tiller consistently achieved higher puddling indices compared to the 13 hp model: 33.64%, 45.22% and 53.56% for 1, 2 and 3 passes, respectively, versus 36.28%, 43.78% and 48.83% for the 13 hp model. Similarly, the infiltration rate for the 16 hp model was significantly lower (2.17 mm, 1.67 mm and 1.25 mm for 1, 2 and 3 passes) compared to the 13 hp model (10.67 mm, 2.33 mm and 1.50 mm). This indicates superior soil compaction and reduced permeability with the 16 hp power tiller. Cost analysis revealed that the 16 hp power tiller is more cost-effective, with an operational cost, along with better fuel efficiency (0.075 litre/hp/hour). The findings support the recommendation of using a 16 hp power tiller with two passes to achieve optimal soil conditions for rice cultivation, enhancing water management, productivity and cost efficiency in paddy fields
Zero carbon agriculture: Sustainable practices and technologies for carbon-neutral food production
No full textSince the Industrial Revolution, global expansion has primarily depended on the extraction of natural resources. Anthropogenic activities, such as the widespread use of fossil fuels, deforestation and other types of land-use change, have increased levels of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere, contributing to global climate change. The most essential task in the world is to become carbon neutral by 2050 to counteract the deteriorating global climate change. To achieve this goal, it is required and challenging to modify present industrial processes to minimise GHG emissions and enhance CO2 removal from the atmosphere. The study suggested technologies to accelerate our race to C neutrality in a variety of areas, including renewable energy, sustainable food systems (increasing soil C sequestration and lowering C emissions), preserving the health of earth\u27s largest C stores (restoring and protecting marine and forest ecosystems) and C-neutral chemical industrial production. The wealth of information offered in this study has the potential to enthral the global population and encourage the creation of innovative solutions to avert climate change while also supporting human activities. It also includes carbon sequestration solutions to facilitate the energy sector\u27s net zero