Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences
Not a member yet
523 research outputs found
Sort by
Halotolerant Plant Growth Promoting Bacilli from Sundarban Mangrove Mitigate the Effects of Salinity Stress on Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) Growth
Get PDFPearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) is one of the major crops in dry and saline areas across the globe. During salinity stress, plants encounter significant changes in their physio and biochemical activities, leading to decreased growth and yield. Bacillus species are used as biofertilizers and biopesticides for pearl millet and other crops to promote growth and yield. The use of Bacillus in saline soils has been beneficial to combat the negative effect of salinity on plant growth and yield. In this context, the present study emphasizes the use of two Bacillus species, i.e. Bacillus megaterium JR-12 and B. pumilus GN-5, which helped in alleviating the impact of salinity stress on the growth activities in salt-stressed pearl millet. Pearl millet seeds were treated with two strains, B. megaterium JR-12 and B.pumilus GN-5, individually and in combination under 50, 100 and 150 mM of sodium chloride stress. The treated plants showed higher plant height, biomass accumulation, and photosynthetic apparatus than the non-treated plants. Additionally, the treated plants showed increased osmoprotectant levels under salinity stress compared to control plants. The antioxidant enzyme content was improved post-inoculation, indicating the efficient stress-alleviating potential of both strains of Bacillus species. Moreover, inoculation of these microbes significantly increased plant growth attributes in plants treated with a combination of Bp-GN-5 + Bm-JR-12 and the reduction rates of plant growth were found to be alleviated to 9.12%, 20.30% and 33%, respectively. Overall, the results of the present study suggested that these microbes could have a higher potential to improve the productivity of pearl millet under salinity stress
Acclimation to warm temperatures modulates lactate and malate dehydrogenase isozymes in juvenile Horabagrus brachysoma (Günther)
Get PDFDifferential expression of isozymes enables fish to tolerate temperature fluctuations in their environment. The present study explores the modulation of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and cytoplasmic malate dehydrogenase (sMDH) isozyme expression in the heart, muscle, brain, liver, gill, and kidney of juvenile Horabagrus brachysoma after 30 days of acclimation at 26, 31, 33, and 36°C. LDH and sMDH zymography were performed using native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The zymography revealed five distinct bands of LDH isoenzymes (labelled from cathode to anode as LDH-A4, LDH-A3B1, LDH-A2B2, LDH-A1B3, and LDH-B4) and three distinct bands of sMDH isoenzymes (labelled from cathode to anode as sMDH-A2, sMDH-AB, and sMDH-B2), with considerable variation in their expression in the tissues. Acclimation to the test temperatures did not influence the expression patterns of LDH or sMDH isozymes. Densitometric analysis of individual isozyme bands revealed a reduction in the densities of bands containing the LDH-B and sMDH-B molecules, while the densities of bands containing the LDH-A and sMDH-A molecules increased in the gills and muscle, indicating the role of these organs in adaptive responses to thermal acclimation. However, the total densities of the LDH and sMDH isozymes increased with higher acclimation temperatures, indicating that adaptation to increased temperatures in H. brachysoma is primarily characterised by quantitative changes in isozyme expression
Genomic DNA extraction from the medicinal plant Crocus sativus : Optimization of Standard Methods
Get PDFHigh-quality genomic DNA is essential for genomic and molecular investigations such as next-generation sequencing. However, DNA extraction from medicinal plants like Crocus sativus can be challenging due to their high secondary metabolite content, which can interact with nucleic acids and affect the quality and yield of extraction. This study aimed to optimize the quality and yield of DNA using the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) extraction method from the leaves, stigma, and saffron corm. This new method is easy to use and can be performed using standard equipment and inexpensive reagents. The modifications made to the CTAB lysis buffer in this study, with the addition of SDS, resulted in a yield of 4233 ng/µl of DNA per sample of saffron corm (100 mg). This protocol is efficient and cost-effective for DNA extraction for studies with large samples and limited resources. This method is expected to be widely used for large-scale plant extraction and has a broad application in PCR-based sequencing studies
Effect of Psidium guajava Juice on The Seminiferous Tubules Diameter and Epithelium Thickness in Rattus norvegicus Exposed by Lead Acetate
Get PDFLead is one of humans and animals' most common and hazardous heavy metals. This study aimed to investigate the effect of white guava (Psidium guajava) fruit juice on the seminiferous tubule diameter and epithelium thickness in rats (Rattus norvegicus) exposed to lead acetate. The research design was a completely randomized design (CRD). A total of 25 male rats with an average weight of 200 grams were used for the study, divided into 5 treatment groups, each consisting of 5 rats. The treatments were as follows: the control group (C) was given distilled water orally; the T0 group was induced with lead acetate (50 mg/Kg BW) orally; the T1, T2, T3 groups were induced with lead acetate (50 mg/Kg BW) and then given 25%, 50%, and 100% concentration of white guava fruit juice, respectively. All the treatments were conducted for 14 days. The histopathology slides of the testis were made with HE staining, and the seminiferous tubule diameter and epithelium thickness were measured. The data were analyzed using One Way ANOVA and Duncan test (p<0.05). The results showed that the control group (C) which was given distilled water only had a seminiferous tubule diameter and epithelium thickness of 336.24±23.32 µm and 66.46±4.39 µm, respectively. The T0 group which was induced with lead acetate only showed a reduction in the diameter and epithelium thickness of seminiferous tubules (243.38±49.35 µm and 44.08±14.45 µm). The members of the T1, T2 and T3 groups showed positive effects on the diameter (323.49±22.82 µm; 314.41±13.04 µm; 325.04±16.88 µm, respectively) and epithelium thickness (56.36±3.36 µm; 60.50±3.81 µm; 66.744±9.50 µm, respectively). There was no significant difference reported between each group. The administration of guava juice to rats induced with lead acetate can positively affect the diameter and epithelium thickness of seminiferous tubules
Influence of biofertilizer produced using drumstick (Moringa oleifera L.) unused parts on the growth performance of two leafy vegetables
Get PDFThe non-edible parts of Moringa oleifera, such as stems, branches or leaf petioles, have often been discarded while the leaves are consumed as a vegetable or are used to produce organic fertilizer. This study aimed to determine the optimal conditions for producing Moringa organic fertilizer (MOF) from previously unused parts and to compare these fertilizers with cow manure and bio-organic fertilizer. Seventy kilograms of the unused Moringa parts were blended with fifty kilograms of manure, 0.2 kilogram of Trichoderma-based product and two kilograms of superphosphate. The mixture was incubated at different intervals, including 5, 7 or 9 weeks. Next, the effects of MOF on the growth, yield, ascorbic acid content and Brix of lettuce and mustard spinach were also determined and compared with other organic fertilizers (cow manure and bio-organic fertilizer). Results of the study revealed that 25 tons per ha of MOF were significantly superior to those treated with cow manure and bio-organic fertilizer in the case of vegetable yields. Further, 7 weeks of MOF incubation was found suitable to produce an optimal yield during the various incubation period. These results suggested that the Moringa non-edible parts can make organic fertilizer and enhance growth, yield, and leafy vegetable production
Phytochemical investigations, in-vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial potential, and in-silico computational docking analysis of Euphorbia milii Des Moul
Get PDFEuphorbia milii Des Moul is a deciduous bush indigenous to Madagascar. The present study aims to investigate the presence of the phytochemical, in-vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial potency, and in-silico computational analysis of ethanolic and aqueous preparations of E. milii leaves and flowers. The ethanolic and aqueous extracts were tested for in-vitro antioxidant activity by DPPH, H2O2, TAC, and FRAP assay. In addition, antimicrobial potentials were assayed by agar well diffusion technique against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans for various clinical isolates. The qualitative phytochemical analysis results confirmed the existence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, and tannins. The quantitative analysis elicits the availability of a magnificent number of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, flavonols, and tannins. Among all the extracts, aqueous extracts of leaves exhibited potent antioxidant activity in DPPH, FRAP, and H2O2 assay with the IC50 value of 30.70, 60.05, and 82.92µg/mL, respectively. In agar well diffusion assay, all extracts displayed zone of inhibition varies from 2-24mm at different concentrations ranging from 10-320 mg/mL, whereas no activity was observed against Candida albicans. Furthermore, docking-based computational analysis has revealed that beta-sitosterol and taraxerol are the plant's active constituents responsible for their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Research findings suggest that the E. milii plant has an excellent prospect for further study for its extended antioxidative and antimicrobial potential. It could be a natural source of various ailments and can be utilized to develop new drugs
A Study of the Photodegradation Carbofuran and its Metabolites in Paddy Water Samples
Get PDFRice fields are one of the agricultural sectors in Malaysia that are heavily pesticide-treated. This study aimed to determine how carbofuran degrades in paddy water and how carbofuran metabolites such as carbofuran-phenol and 3-keto carbofuran reacted during the degradation. The experiment was conducted in two distinct conditions: the first water sample was exposed to sunlight, while the second water sample remained in the dark. During the 56 days of observation, the study discovered carbofuran decomposed slowly in both conditions. The water sample exposed to sunlight showed a faster degradation rate (0.04/day carbofuran) than the water kept in the dark (0.0186/day). The results also demonstrated that photolysis and hydrolysis enhanced the carbofuran degradation in the water. Both 3-keto carbofuran and carbofuran-phenol were detected as metabolites with low concentration levels, ranging from 0.03±0.301 to 0.23±0.142 ppm. These metabolites are considered 'emerging pollutants' as they can be detected in the environment and may post-treat as much as the parent compounds themselves. Hence, this study is trying to fill the research gap to assess the route and rate of carbofuran and its transformation products.
Optimizing the culture conditions for L-Asparaginase production from endophytic fungus Curvularia sp. LCJ413 through conventional and statistical approach
Get PDFL-Asparaginase (L-ASNase) is a crucial anti-tumour drug used to cure acute lymphocytic leukaemia. The current study aimed to enhance the production medium for the endophytic fungus Curvularia sp. LCJ413 that showed significant L-ASNase activity. L-ASNase production from Curvularia sp. LCJ413 was examined in six different media to select an appropriate liquid medium. Among the various media tested, Modified Czapek Dox broth (MCDB) exhibited the maximum L-ASNase activity (8.81 ± 0.52 U/mL). Physical (pH and temperature) and nutritional (carbon, nitrogen, inducer, and their concentrations) parameters were also optimized to boost L-ASNase production. Results of the study suggested a temperature of 28°C at pH 7 with 2 g/L maltose, 10 g/L L-Asparagine, and 25 g/L ammonium sulphate as the optimal carbon, inducer, and nitrogen source resulted in a high L-ASNase activity of 18.9 ± 0.40 U/mL. The statistical enhancement of L-ASNase by Response Surface Methodology (RSM) produced 20.11 U/mL of L-ASNase, which was 2.2 fold higher than the non-optimized medium. This is the first study on L-ASNase production from the endophytic Curvularia sp. LCJ413 isolated from Vitex negundo medicinal plant. Continuous fermentation with the medium composition provided in the study can produce L-ASNase on a large scale
Peruvian plant resources as potential natural controllers of adult Aedes aegypti
Get PDFAedes aegypti is an important vector of tropical diseases like Dengue, Zika, Chikungunya, and Yellow Fever and affects mainly countries located in tropical and subtropical zones, including Peru. Synthetic insecticides are used to control this vector, but they also cause a residual effect on the environment, whereas the vector has developed resistance to these compounds, so there is a current need to search for new control alternatives, such as the use of abundant natural resources. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the biocidal activity of extracts and oils from Cymbopogum citratus, Rosmarinus officinalis, and Minthostachys mollis on adult Aedes aegypti, as well as to evaluate their quality parameters. Furthermore, the chemical profile of the three species was assessed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The results showed that the aqueous/ethanolic extracts and the essential oils from the three evaluated species presented a biocidal effect on adult A. aegypti. Regarding the analysis of the chemical profile, 15 compounds were identified in R. officinalis, while 29 compounds were identified from C. citratus and 30 compounds from M. mollis. Moreover, the extracts and oils presented quality parameters according to standards. In conclusion, the biocidal potential of the C. citratus, R. officinalis, and M. mollis on A. aegypti adults was reported so that they can be seen as a real natural alternative for the control of tropical diseases transmitted by this vector so that plant products are more eco-friendly and subject to lower resistance by target organisms
Estimation of Carbon pool in various agricultural crops in peatlands of West and Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
Get PDFTropical peat is an important natural ecosystem, and its natural state plays an important role in climate regulation. These peatlands globally provide vital environmental benefits, especially in case of their enormous carbon storage potential. Peat land also functions as a source of livelihood for the community, especially for agricultural activities, and this will lead to the potential loss of carbon stock in peatlands. This study examines plants' potential to create Carbon to offset carbon dioxide emissions and different land use types. The study focused on Central and West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Peat soil samples were collected from various types of land from 0-15, 15-45, and 45-100 cm depth and analyzed for physical and chemical parameters. The cylinder chamber method with infrared gas analysis model EGM-4 was used to measure CO2 emissions. Plant carbon sequestration was measured in a 6.25 m2 plot in the study sites of Central Kalimantan. The study showed that type of commodity and period of management affect the carbon content in peat with different land uses, and it is affected by soil bulk density, organic matter content, and CO2 emission. In the case of study crops, oil palm, rubber, corn, and mustard emit the highest CO2. Further, corn crop has the highest potential to fix carbon dioxide and produces more Carbon per hectare than the Carbon emitted from corn-planted under peatland conditions. The study indicated that the type of commodity and the time of its management affected the carbon content in peat with different land uses, and carbon content got the change with soil bulk density and soil organic matter content