Peelu (Salvadora oleoides Decne.): An Unexplored Medicinal Fruit with Minerals, Antioxidants, and Phytochemicals.

The Peelu (Salvadora oleoides Decne.) fruit is well known for its nutritional and medicinal values. The current study analyzed the chemical composition of Salvadora oleoides fruit. Fresh Peelu fruits were harvested, and physicochemical properties, proximate composition, macro- and micronutrients, and phytochemical properties were determined. Moreover, ethanol and methanol fruit extract was analyzed for physicochemical properties. The Peelu fruit seemed to be a potential source of essential macro- ((nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg)) and micronutrients (zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), and copper (Cu)). The fruit had significant biochemical properties (total soluble solids (TSS), total acidity (TA), and TSS : TA ratio) with appreciable moisture, crude fiber, and ash contents. The fruit extracts demonstrated significantly higher antioxidants and phenolics, ascorbic acid contents, and carotenoids. Phytochemical screening of fruit revealed the presence of coumarins, flavonoids, phlobatannins, tannins, and terpenoids. Physicochemical and sensory evaluation of extracts indicated its potential for further in vivo study trials. The Peelu fruit was found to be a good source of mineral nutrients, proximate contents, vitamins (ascorbic acid and carotenoid), phytochemicals (total phenolic sand antioxidant contents), and pharmaceutically important metabolites that can be used as functional drink.

Marginal quality water arbitrated essential oil contents in metal hoarded flower petals of scented roses.

Climate change and the consequent alteration in agricultural circumstances enhance the susceptibility of fresh water use particularly in water-scarce regions. Marginal quality water reuse is a common alternative practice but possible perils of metal accretion in plant parts are mostly ignored. The present research aimed to probe the impact of treated wastewater (TWW) and untreated wastewater (UTWW) on metal accumulation in flower petals and their influence on essential oil contents of fragrant Rosa species (R. Gruss-an-teplitz, R. bourboniana, R. centifolia, R. damascena) in a peri-urban area of Faisalabad, Pakistan during January, 2017 to December, 2018. The mineral and chemical contents in canal water (CW) and TWW were less than recommended levels of national environmental quality standards (NEQS) for wastewater of Pakistan. The experimentally UTWW possessed higher electrical conductivity (EC), biological and chemical oxygen demand (BOD and COD), and some metals (Pb, Co, Cr) that were above the permissible levels. The experimental data revealed that except Cr other metals contents in the flower petals were less than the WHO recommended limits (for medicinal plants) under experimental irrigation regimes. Rosa centifolia and R. damascena possessed higher metal i.e. Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr, Co contents while Fe and Ni contents were higher in R. Gruss-an-Teplitz and R. bourboniana respectively. There were twelve constituents which were detected in essential oil by gas chromatography. Major constituents were phenyl ethyl alcohol, citronellol, geranyl acetate, γ- undelactone, methyl eugenol, and limonene whose share was 48.17%, 41.11%, 8.46%, 4.82%, 4.44%, and 4.15% respectively whereas concentrations of other 06 constituents were less than 3.7%. Phenyl ethyl alcohol, lion shared constituent of essential oil was found highest (48.17%) in R. Gruss-an-Teplitz whereas minimum level was recorded in R. damascena (28.84%) under CW. In contrast, citronellol (chief component of fragrance) was highest in R. damascena (41.11%) in UTWW while the lowest level was found in R. Gruss-an-Teplitz (17.41%) in CW. This study confirmed the variations in metal concentrations of Rosa species due to different absorbability of each metal in flower petals. It also indicates that wastewater did not affect the composition but there were quantitative differences in aroma constituents and chemical composition of essential oil.

Cadmium Partitioning, Physiological and Oxidative Stress Responses in Marigold (Calendula calypso) Grown on Contaminated Soil: Implications for Phytoremediation.

Marigold (Calendula calypso) is a multipurpose ornamental plant, but its cadmium (Cd) tolerance and phytoremediation potential is unknown. The proposed study was carried out to unravel Cd partitioning, physiological and oxidative stress responses of C. calypso grown under Cd stress. Plants were grown for four months in pots having different soil Cd levels: 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg kg-1 soil. Plant growth, biomass, photosynthetic pigments, leaf water contents, stomatal conductance, and membrane stability index were not decreased at 25 mg kg-1 Cd. At higher levels of Cd stress, activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, APX, CAT, POD) increased to mitigate H2O2 and lipid peroxidation. Cadmium uptake in plants increased with increasing soil Cd levels, and roots accumulated a greater portion of Cd, followed by shoots and flowers, respectively. On the basis of Cd accumulation and its tolerance, it was determined that C. calypso can be successfully grown for phytostabilization of Cd contaminated soils.

Effect of Antioxidants, Amino Acids and Plant Growth Regulators on in vitro Propagation of Rosa centifolia.

BACKGROUND: Rosa centifoliais commercially propagated by asexual means but in vitro propagation ensure the production of disease free and healthy plants and browning of explants creates hurdle in their multiplication. OBJECTIVES: The aim was to reduce oxidative browning of shoots of R. centifolia in MS medium during in vitro propagation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Axillary buds of R. centifolia were sterilized with 70% ethyl alcohol for 4 min and 5% sodium hypochlorite for 2 min followed by three washing with sterilized double distilled water. In order to control oxidative browning, Ascorbic acid (100 mg.L-1), citric acid (100 mg.L-1) and activated charcoal (3 g.L-1) were used while to control withering of shoots, different concentrations (3.0 mg.L-1, 6.0 mg.L-1, 9.0 mg.L-1) of either glutamine, asparagine and proline were put into trial. Different concentrations of Benzyl aminopurine (BAP) and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) were used for in vitro shoot and root formation. RESULTS: Minimum browning percentage (20%) was achieved in the presence of activated charcoal (3.0 g.L-1) and pretreatment of explants with running tap water. Asparagin (9.0 mg.L-1) produced maximum shooting (93%), minimum withering (6.67%), and it took longer period (27 days) for shoots to wither. BAP (3.0 mg.L-1) + NAA (0.5 mg.L-1) was produced the highest number of shoots (1.63), in a shortest periods (9 days). For root production, NAA (1.5 mg.L-1) + BAP (0.5 mg.L-1) reduced the time to 11 days with maximum number of roots (4.33) and root length (4.20 cm). CONCLUSIONS: The supplement of activated charcoal (3.0 g.L-1), a sparagin (9.0 mg.L-1) and combination of BAP and NAA in the MS medium is effective for in vitro propagation of R. centifolia.