In vitro plant development and root colonization of Coleus forskohlii by Piriformospora indica.

The present study was conducted for optimization of in vitro substrates under aseptic conditions for interaction of Piriformospora indica with the medicinal plant Coleus forskohlii. It aims to test the effects of different substrates on P. indica colonization as well as growth parameters of the in vitro raised C. forskohlii. Interaction of in vitro C. forskohlii with root endophyte P. indica under aseptic condition resulted in increase in growth parameters in fungus colonized plants. It was observed that P. indica promoted the plant's growth in all irrespective of substrates used for co-culture study. The growth was found inferior in liquid compared to semisolid medium as well as there was problem of hyperhydricity in liquid medium. P. indica treated in vitro plantlets were better adapted for establishment under green house compared to the non treated plants due to fungal intervention.

Adaptive expression of host cell wall degrading enzymes in fungal disease: an example from Fusarium root rot of medicinal Coleus.

Quantity of extracellular proteins and activities two cell wall degrading enzymes pectinase and cellulase were determined in the culture filtrate of Fusarium solani, the causal organism of root rot of Coleus forskohlii. Substitution of carbon source in the medium with either pectin or carboxymethyl cellulose led to the increased production of extracellular proteins by the fungus. Pectinase and cellulase activity in the culture filtrate was detected only when the growth medium contained substituted carbon source in the form of pectin and CMC, respectively. Pectinase activity was highest after 5 days incubation and then decreased gradually with time but cellulase activity showed a steady time dependent increase. In vitro virulence study showed the requirement of both the enzymes for complete expression of rot symptoms on Coleus plants. Thus the present study established the adaptive, substrate dependent expression of the two enzymes by the fungus and also their involvement in the root rot disease of Coleus forskohlii.

Studies on rhizosphere microbial diversity of some commercially important medicinal plants.

A preliminary study was made on four medicinal plants viz., Ocimum sanctum L., Coleus forskholii Briq, Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don. and Aloe vera in order to identify and enumerate the rhizosphere, non-rhizosphere and diazotrophic microorganisms in soil. The diazotrophic bacterial population studied includes Azospirillum, Azotobacter and Pseudomonas. The rhizosphere bacterial populations were 23.33 x 10(6)g(-1) in O. sanctum followed by C. roseus (20.46 x 10(6)g(-1)), A. vera (18.44 x 10(6)g(-1)) and C. forskholii (16.64 x 10(6)g(-1)). The fungi populations were 19.44 x 10(4)g(-1) in C. roseus, 18.66 x 10(4)g(-1) in O. sanctum, 16.44 x 10(4)g(-1) in A. vera and 14.22 x 10(4)g(-1) in C. forskholii. The actinomycetes population was 12.22 x 10(5)g(-1) in O. sanctum, 10.44 x 10(5)g(-1) in C. roseus, 8.44 x 10(5)g(-1) in A. vera and 6.22 x 10(5)g(-1) in C. forskholii. The diazotrophic bacterial population of Azospirillum, Azotobacter and Pseudomonas is 8.2 x 10(4)g(-1), 12 x 10(4)g(-1), 6 x 10(4)g(-1) in the rhizosphere soil. In all the four medicinal plants the microbial population is more in the rhizosphere soil, when compared to non-rhizosphere soil. These results are helpful in developing a biofertilizer consortium for these commercially grown medicinal plants.