Juglans regia Linn.: A Natural Repository of Vital Phytochemical and Pharmacological Compounds.

Juglans regia Linn. is a valuable medicinal plant that possesses the therapeutic potential to treat a wide range of diseases in humans. It has been known to have significant nutritional and curative properties since ancient times, and almost all parts of this plant have been utilized to cure numerous fungal and bacterial disorders. The separation and identification of the active ingredients in J. regia as well as the testing of those active compounds for pharmacological properties are currently of great interest. Recently, the naphthoquinones extracted from walnut have been observed to inhibit the enzymes essential for viral protein synthesis in the SARS-CoV-2. Anticancer characteristics have been observed in the synthetic triazole analogue derivatives of juglone, and the unique modifications in the parent derivative of juglone have paved the way for further synthetic research in this area. Though there are some research articles available on the pharmacological importance of J. regia, a comprehensive review article to summarize these findings is still required. The current review, therefore, abridges the most recent scientific findings about antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-fungal, and anticancer properties of various discovered and separated chemical compounds from different solvents and different parts of J. regia.

Standardization of in vitro micropropagation of Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) using nodal explants.

Present investigation was carried out to arrive at an effective micropropagation protocol for Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) using nodal segments from actively growing plants as explants. Explants were collected from current season shoots during April-May just after the initiation of new flush. Combined sterilization treatment of explants with 1.0% NaOCl2 for 10 min followed by 70% ethanol for 10 s recorded highest culture survival (63.88%) and optimum culture asepsis (63.88%) followed by the treatment containing 0.1% HgCl2 for 10 min followed by 70% ethanol for 10 s with culture survival (61.11%) and culture asepsis (69.44%). Highest culture establishment (80.55%) and minimum days to bud sprouting (7.62 days) was recorded with Benzyl adenine + Kinetin (3.0 + 1.0 mgL-1) but maximum length (4.33 cm) and leaf number (7.78) of established micro shoots was recorded with Benzyl adenine + Kinetin (1.0 + 0.5 mgL-1). Maximum proliferated shoots (2.41) and an optimum proliferation percentage (77.78 %) was recorded with Benzyl adenine + Kinetin (3.0 + 0.5 mgL-1). Minimum size of proliferated shoots (2.02 cm) was recorded with Benzyl adenine + Kinetin (3.0 + 1.0 mgL-1) followed by 2.25 cm recorded with Benzyl adenine + Kinetin (3.0 + 0.5 mgL-1). Highest rooting (63.93%), primary root number/microshoot (4.74) and longest primary roots (34.67 mm) were recorded with IBA (2.0 mgL-1). IBA yielded better results than NAA in terms of higher rooting percentage and root number. However, days to root initiation were found minimum (22.00) with 2.0 mgL-1 of NAA. Highest ex vitro survival of rooted microshoots (89.67%) was recorded with IBA (2.0 mgL-1).

Optimization of an improved, efficient and rapid in vitro micropropagation protocol for Petunia hybrida Vilm. Cv. "Bravo".

An efficient protocol for in-vitro propagation of an important ornamental crop, Petunia hybrida Vilm. Cv. "Bravo" was developed. The explants that were used to carry out the experiment were Leaf segments, nodal segments and shoot tips. Nodal segments recorded highest per cent asepsis followed by shoot tips and leaf segments. Asepsis was found to be highest when the explants were sterilized with Fungicide (Carbendazim) 0.02% for the duration of 30 min followed by 0.1% HgCl2 for duration of 10 min and then ethanol 70% for 10 s. Longer duration of the sterilant treatment showed more necrotic effects on the explants, thus mercuric chloride treatment when given for 5 min proved to be more effective in terms of survival of the explants. Maximum establishment per cent was recorded in Murashige and Skoog (MS) media fortified with BAP (1.5 mg L-1) and IBA (0.5 mg L-1) in shoot tips and nodal segments, i.e. 97.90 and 95.74% respectively. Callus was efficiently induced and developed when PGR amalgamation of BAP (0.1 mg L-1) and 2,4-D (1.5mg L-1) was used. Kinetin at the concentration of 2.0 mg L-1 along with IBA at 0.5mg L-1 recorded highest callus regeneration in both leaf and internodal segment derived callus. Maximum proliferation percent of shoots (97.90%), highest number of shoots (20.50 explant-1) and maximum length of shoot (2.70 cm) was recorded in PGR combination of IBA and BAP both at 0.5 mg L-1 concentration level. Rhizogenesis was recorded to be highest in the MS media containing IBA 1.00 mg L-1. Best hardening media which recorded maximum survival per cent 92.50% was noticed on the media formulation comprised of equal ratio of perlite and vermiculite mix, under poly house conditions.

Standardization of in vitro micropropagation procedure of Oriental Lilium Hybrid Cv. 'Ravenna'.

Micropropagation protocol of Oriental Hybrid Lilium cv. Ravenna was developed using bulb scale segments (Basal and Tip) as explants. Surface sterilization of healthy bulb scales with carbendazim 200 ppm for 30 min, then 0.1 percent mercuric chloride for 10 min, then 70% ethyl alcohol for 30 s was superior to all other treatments in recording highest culture asepsis (77.08%) and higher explant survival (86.12%). Explant survival was higher in basal segments (88.54%) compared to tip segments (85.52%). Highest culture establishment was recorded in basal scale segments (68.26%) followed by tip scale segments (55.21%). MS medium augmented with 0.50 mgl-1 Naphthalene acetic acid and 2.0 mgl-1. 6-Benzylamino Purine recorded maximum culture establishment (76.17%), highest bulblet number/explant (5.52) with maximum length of shoots (2.20 cm) and number of leaves (3.39). This treatment combination of growth regulators resulted in highest shoot proliferation (83.33%) along with maximum shoot number (2.41explant-1), shoot length (2.35 cm) and leaf number (5.44) of micro shoots during proliferation stage. Rooting of explants was superior with Indole-3-butyric acid compared to Naphthalene acetic acid. Highest rooting of 92.71% along with maximum number of primary roots shoot-1 (12.06), maximum primary root length (3.17 cm) was documented in Murashige and Skoog medium added with Indole-3-butyric acid 1.50 mgl-1 with best ex vitro survival rate (98.96%) of rooted plantlets during primary hardening in perlite + vermiculite (1:1) mixture.