Starch spectra of Ampelopteris prolifera (Retz.) Copel, a new addition to the existing lexicon and its comparison with a local potato cultivar (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Kufri Jyoti).

Novel kinds of starch spectra were generated from a lesser-known plant, making this investigation unique. The recent trend of starch characterization shows the establishment of novel bioresources from nonconventional unexplored databases. The present endeavor was made to obtain the starch fingerprint of Ampelopteris prolifera (rhizome) belonging to seedless vascular plants. For comparison, a commercial local cultivar of potato (Kufri Jyoti) was taken. The starch particle of A. prolifera shows much uniqueness depicting its novelty viz., crystallinity index of 60.04 %, powder diffractogram at (2θ scale)17.57° to 39.78°; this diffractogram pattern is reported from this study as newer one i.e. R type(whereas potato starch is CB type); characteristic peak at 2θ = 20.07° suggests starch-lipid complex formation and V type crystallinity (i.e. RS 5 type); FTIR spectra showing the presence of more short chain branching; high gelatinization temperature(84.62 ±â€¯0.10), particle size and zeta value of A. prolifera is 4.00 ±â€¯0.81 µm and - 18.91 ±â€¯3.58 mV respectively. Bragg's peak from the single crystal X-ray diffraction has been generated for the first time of A. prolifera. Extraction of the starch particle was performed in chilled water. Therefore, the present study suggests wide-spectrum commercial utility and cost-effective production.

Recent Advances in the Phytochemistry of Bryophytes: Distribution, Structures and Biological Activity of Bibenzyl and Bisbibenzyl Compounds.

Research on bryophyte phytochemistry has revealed the presence of different phytochemicals like fatty acids, terpenoids, small phenolic molecules, etc. Small phenolic molecules, i.e., bibenzyls (of two aromatic rings) and bisbibenzyls (four aromatic rings), are unique signature molecules of liverworts. The first bisbibenzyls marchantin A and riccardin A were discovered in two consecutive years, i.e., 1982 and 1983, respectively, by Asakawa and coworkers. Since then, about 70 bisbibenzyls have been reported. These molecules are characterized and identified using different spectroscopic techniques and surveyed for different bioactivity and structure-activity relations. Biochemistry is determined by the season, geography, and environment. In this review, quantitative and qualitative information on bibenzyls and bisbibenzyl compounds and their distribution in different liverworts across, geographies along withtraditional to advanced extraction methods, and characterization techniques are summarized. Also, a comprehensive account of characteristic spectra of different bisbibenzyl compounds, their subtypes, and their basic skeleton patterns are compared. A comprehensive table is provided here for the first time presenting the quantity of bibenzyls, bisbenzyls, and their derivatives found in bryophytes, mentioning the spectroscopic data and mass profiles of the compounds. The significance of these compounds in different bioactivities like antibiotic, antioxidative, antitumor, antivenomous, anti-influenza, insect antifeedant, cytotoxic, and anticancerous activities are surveyed and critically enumerated.

Vessel elements of two thelypteroid ferns-part I.

BACKGROUND: Hydraulically efficient xylem was evolved in the vascular plants as an apomorphy of the group. Main xylem components involved in water conduction are tracheid and vessel. Vessels, in which two ends are perforated, constituted major evolutionary innovation within vascular plants, presumably providing more efficient solute conduction. Not all vascular plants have vessels. In pteridophytes vessels are present only in seven genera. The contention lies regarding the presence and distribution of vessel in pteridophytes are the impulsive force of this investigation. METHODS: Tracheary elements are isolated following the standard maceration technique, then hand-razor cut longisections are passed through the aqueous alcohol grades and air-dried samples are placed on stub, sputter coated with gold and examined with SEM. RESULTS: Two thelypteroid ferns viz. Ampelopteris prolifera (Retz.) Copel. and Thelypteris interrupta (Willd.) K. Iwats. are having vessel elements in root, rhizome, stipe, rachis, primary vein/costa, root-rhizome and rhizome-petiole junction i.e. through entire vascular connection of the plant body though the vessel network is interrupted and joined with parenchyma at the end in some places. Presence of vessel elements in the costa of pteridophytic taxa is first time reported by this study. Vessel end-walls are obliquely placed (root, rhizome, and stipe) but oblique to horizontal orientation is noticed in the primary vein/costa. End-walls are with simple, intermediate and compound perforation plates observed through SEM imaging as well as with tissue specific stain. Studied taxa are grown either in terrestrial microclimate of two contrasting environments i.e. sun and shade (A. prolifera) or in open swampy land (T. interrupta) with moderate to highly disturbed places as rapid proliferating populations showing interpopulation variations of tracheary elements length-width(s) and vessel end-wall length-width(s). CONCLUSION: Vessel elements are present throughout the entire vascular connections of the plant body of A. prolifera (Retz.) Copel. and T. interrupta (Willd.) K. Iwats. Interpopulation variation of tracheary elements length-width(s) and vessel end-wall length width(s) are noticed. Till date only seven genera of pteridophytes are reported for the presence of vessel and these two genera are the new addition with the previous.