Phosphate solubilization potential of native rhizospheric microflora and their impact on growth of Madhuca latifolia(Mahua):An oil yielding medicinal plant of India

Madhuca latifolia is an economically important medicinal and oil yielding plant of India having slow growth rate.As microbial application to the rhizosphere of host plant are beneficial for growth and development of plants,a comprehensive experimental study by using native microflora of Madhuca latifolia had been carried out in the nursery conditions.Isolation and identification of native rhizospheric soil revealed the occurrence of 17 different types of bacteria(gram negative and positive)and 30 numbers of fungi belonging to myceloid type,Aspergillus,Alternaria,Colletotrichum,Fusarium and Penicillium.Present study was confined to phosphate solubilizing microbes for which solubilization potential(solubilization index and solubilization efficiency)was evaluated.Inoculation experiments in pot culture with red laterite soil were set in two experimental categories(1)non-transplanted and(2)transplanted.Plants grown under both the conditions with and without microbial application were maintained up to 120 days and final data recorded for morphological,physiological growth and as soil parameters.The mineral solubilizing potential of native microbial strains has been expressed.Fungal inoculants were more effective than the bacterial inoculants as far as the growth and development of plants concerned.Among all,bacteria MLB-1,MLB-6,Aspergillus terreus and non-sporulating dematiaceous form of fungi were prominent in improving plant growth.This has also been confirmed the useful and beneficial impact of indigenous organism.The records made during the study is useful for development of bioinoculants for forest trees,nursery of quality planting material which will also helps in establishment at plantation site.

Diversity of Endophytic Fungi in Banana Cultivars of Assam India

Endophytic fungal isolates(139 no.)were obtained from 143(62 roots,18 fruits and 54 leaves)samples of 15 dif­ferent varieties of banana collected from 10 sites in Assam,India during 2018-2019.Overall isolation frequency from surface-sterilized tissue ranged from 10%-80%(as per site)and 6%-70%(as per variety of banana).All isolates were segregated into 40 different types on the basis of macromorphological and micro morphological characteristics.Forty different fungal taxa were isolated belonging to 14 genera including Absidia,Arthrinium,Aspergillus,Bipolaris,Cla­dosporium,Curvularia,Dendrophion,Fusarium,Humicola,Mortierella,Mucor,Penicillium,Paecilomyces,Verticilli­um and one mycelium sterile.Among them,Cladosporium cladosporioidies and Paecilomyces sp.frequently occurred in most of the sites surveyed whereas Cladospoirum cladosporioides and Aspergillus sp.8,Fusarium graminseram were most frequently isolated from different varieties.However,all sites differed in their fungal diversity.Banana samples from Narigoan and Jorhat have been found with maximum fungal species followed by marigoan samples so as to Banana varieties Amrit Sagar endowed 27 no.of fungi followed by Jehaji and Honda which were associated with a maximum 14 fungal sp.Isolation frequency and relative abundance of Cladosporium cladosporiodes(80%,4.6),Paecilomyces farinosus(80%,4.6)followed by Penicillium ruburm,Aspergillus sp.8&9(70%,4.02)were recorded as maximum comparatively in different sites.However,Aspergillus sp.8,Mortieralla sp.and Pacilomyces farinosus are isolated frequently from different banana varieties(73.33%,4.93).

Structure, composition and diversity of tree species in tropical moist deciduous forests of Eastern India: a case study of Nayagarh Forest Division, Odisha

Quantitative assessment of tree species diversity from sample plots in seven forest ranges of Nayagarh Forest Division in Odisha state in the Eastern Ghats of India was made during the period April, 2011 to November, 2013. A total of 120 transects(1000 m × 5 m) were laid in Nayagarh, Odogaon, Pancharida, Khandapada, Dasapalla,Mahipur, and Gania forest ranges and tree stems of at least 30 cm GBH were measured. The regeneration potential of trees was assessed from 5 m × 5 m sample plots located within the main transect. A total of 177 tree species belonging to 120 genera and 44 families were recorded from the study area. Shorea robusta, Buchanania lanzan, Lannea coromandelica, Terminalia alata and Cleistanthus collinus were the predominant tree species. The stand density varied in the range of 355.33–740.53 stems ha)-1) while basal area ranged from 7.77 to 31.62 m2ha-1. The tree density and species richness decreased with increasing girth class. The highest number of species and maximum density was recorded in the girth class of 30–60 cm. The Shannon–Weiner and Simpson Indices with respect to trees with C30 cm GBH varied in the range of 2.07–3.79 cm and 0.03–0.37 cm respectively and the values of diversity indices are within the reported range for tropical forests of Indian sub-continent. The families, Dipterocarpaceae,Anacardiaceae, Combretaceae and Euphorbiaceae contributed to maximum species richness, stand density, and basal area. Regeneration of many tree species was observed to be poor. The present study provides baseline data for further ecological studies, forest management, and formulation of site-specific strategies for conservation of biological diversity in moist deciduous forests of Eastern India.

Growth promoting effect of microbial inoculants on Acacia nilotica grown under nursery conditions

Present study was carried out on Acacia nilotica seedlings grown under different bioinoculation treatments by using laboratory grown liquid cultures of 10 fungal isolates,11 Rhizobium isolates and 5 other bacterial isolates.Microbial cultures were screened for their effects on growth of Acacia nilotica grown in greenhouse conditions.The selected microbial inoculants were assessed as considering their individual performance or in combination with the other inoculants in specific ratios.The higher performance was shown with the combination of Penicillum chrysogenum Thom.1,B 5 bacterial isolate,R10 and/or R11 isolates of Rhizobium.Further,it was observed that the above microbial mixed culture inoculation was promoted plant growth specifically number of leaves and the leaf biomass.Therefore,nursery application of mixed microbial inoculants,specifically as above could be beneficial for the production of quality planting material(QPM)of Acacia nilotica and subsequent field applications.

Diversity of endophytic phosphate solubilising fungi associated with Pomatocalpa decipiens(Lindl.)J.J.Smith-an endangered orchid in Barbara forest of Odisha,India

Investigations were done to obtain potential phosphate solubilising strains from endophytic mycoflora isolated from the orchid,Pomatocalpa decipiens.928 endophytic phosphate solubilising fungal isolates were obtained from 2400 leaf segments(0.38%recovery)from rare epiphytic orchid Pomatocalpa decipiens present in the Barbara hills of Odisha(India).A number of isolates belonged to different genera such as Paecilomyces,Curvularia,Aspergillus,Cladosporium,Penicillium,Colletotrichum,while others,which were unidentified were classified as mycelia sterilia.Root sampling done from 25 different sites resulted in isolation of 20 endophytic phosphate solubilising fungal isolates from 300 segments(0.1%recovery).Aspergillus,Paecilomyces,Fusarium,Penicillium,and mycelia sterilia were mostly obtained.The qualitative and quantitative assessments of Phosphate(P)solubilisation were performed using TCP and Rock phosphate as P source for those strains.Aspergillus niger(leaf isolate)showed a maximum of 33.2 and 22.7%solubilisation in presence of TCP and Rock phosphate respectively whereas Aspergillus niger(Root isolate)showed a maximum of about 23.9%and 36.2%solubilisation in presence of TCP and Rock phosphate respectively.

In vitro antioxidant assessment and a rapid HPTLC bioautographic method for the detection of anticholinesterase inhibitory activity of Geophila repens

OBJECTIVE： Geophila repens （L.） I. M. Johnst. （Rubiaceae）, a small, creeping, perennial herb, is claimed to have memory-enhancing property. The goal of this study was to assess its antioxidant and anticholinesterase activity and conduct a rapid bioautographic enzyme assay for screening acetylcholinesterase （ACHE） and butyrylcholinesterase （BChE） inhibition of G. repens extracts. METHODS： Antioxidant activity of G. repens extracts was assessed by performing 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl （DPPH）, nitric oxide （NO）, superoxide （SOD）, hydroxyl （OH） and total antioxidant capacity （TAC） assays. Anticholinesterase activity was investigated by quantifying the AChE and BChE inhibitory activities of chloroform （CGR）, ethyl acetate （EGR） and methanol （MGR） extract fractions from G. repens leaves. A rapid high-performance thin-layer chromatography （HPTLC） bioautographic method for the detection of AChE and BChE inhibition was performed. RESULTS： Among all extract fractions, EGR exhibited the highest half maximal inhibitory concentration （IC50） in DPPH, SOD, NO, OH and TAC assays, with IC50 of （38.33 ± 3.21）, （45.14 ±1.78）, （59.81± 1.32）, （39.45 ± 0.79） and （43.76 ± 0.81 ） μg/mL respectively. EGR displayed competitive, reversible inhibition of AChE and BChE activities with IC50 of （68.63±0.45） and （59.45 ±0.45）μg/mL, respectively. Total phenolic and flavonoids contents of EGR were found to be 360.42 mg gallic acid equivalents and 257.31 mg quercetin equivalents per gram of extract. Phytoconstituents of the EGR extract that were inhibitors of cholinesterase produced white spots on the yellow background of HPTLC plates in the bioautographic test. CONCLUSION： The results of this study revealed that phenols and flavonoids could be responsible for the antioxidant, anticholinesterase activities of G. repens.