University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot

Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus L.f.) is an Indian native tree species that is under threat of decline in natural populations due to illicit felling in Eastern Ghats. In the present study, we assessed the genetic variation and population structure across 22 natural populations 16 highly polymorphic SSR markers in 361 individuals. The average number of alleles (Na) was 7.79, with an expected heterozygosity (He) of 0.65, which is lower than that of other woody plants. Interestingly, the Tirupati base-Sadashiva Kona population presented the greatest genetic diversity (He = 0.87), whereas the Chitaleti Pati base Camp population presented the least genetic diversity (He = 0.44). The analysis revealed that extensive genetic variation among populations (72

Introduction:Piperine (PIP), the active alkaloid found in black pepper (Piper nigrum), has gained attention for its potential therapeutic role in managing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) due to its anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering, antioxidant, and insulin-sensitising properties. Nevertheless, PIP's poor solubility limits its absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, thereby, compromising its systemic bioavailability. Consequently, the objective of this research has been to formulate piperine-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (PIP- SLNs) so as to increase its oral bioavailability and prolong its hepatic circulation time. Methods:Herein, PIP-SLNs were prepared by the hot homogenization method. The fabricated PIP-SLNs were characterized for size, zeta potential, surface morphology, entrapment efficiency and in vitro release performance. The impact of the optimized formula (F6) on key parameters associated with NAFLD, such as oral glucose tolerance (OGTT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) levels, and liver weight, was evaluated using a hyperlipidaemic Swiss albino mice model. Additionally, liver histopathology was examined pre- and post-treatment to assess the efficacy of PIP-SLNs in mitigating hyperlipidaemia. Results and discussion:Particle size, zeta potential, and drug entrapment efficiency of the optimized formula (F6) was found to be 191.2 ± 27.9 nm, - 20 ± 1.3 mV, 72.3% ± 2.8, respectively. Morphologically, the PIP-SLNs were found to be spherical. The optimized formulation (F6) exhibited sustained release up to 70% at 48 h, fitting the Higuchi model (R2 = 0.976) indicative of diffusion-driven release, with a Korsmeyer-Peppas exponent (n = 0.63), further confirming anomalous diffusion-relaxation transport. Most importantly, the NAFLD study demonstrated a significant (p < 0.05) drop in blood glucose levels, serum markers (AST and ALT, p < 0.001), total cholesterol and triglycerides (p < 0.05), and also liver weight (p < 0.028), which was far superior to those elicited by plain PIP suspension. These findings reiterate the potential of solid lipid nanoparticles in increasing the bioavailability and thereby its hepatic circulation of PIP, which in turn, significantly enhanced its hepatoprotective effect in NAFLD.

Phytoplasmas are phloem-limited, wall-less plant pathogens that impose significant biotic stress on host plants, resulting in substantial yield losses worldwide. However, their genetic diversity, host associations, and population structure in tropical agroecosystems remain poorly understood. This study presents a nationwide multilocus assessment of ‘Ca. Phytoplasma’ diversity, distribution, and population structure across Indian agroecosystems. A survey (2020–2023) across ten states identified 124 phytoplasma-positive samples from 42 host species and associated leafhopper insect vectors. Multilocus sequence analysis of 16S rRNA, secY, and rpl22 genes, supported by in silico RFLP, resolved the strains into five major ribosomal groups (16SrI, II, V, VI, and XI) encompassing 14 subgroups, with several strains (similarity coefficient ≤ 0.97) indicating candidate novel subgroups. Genetic diversity analysis revealed high haplotype diversity (Hd = 0.991) and substantial multilocus variation, with AMOVA showing > 50

The leguminous medicinal species Desmodium gangeticum (L.) DC., commonly known as Shalparni (Orila) was subjected to an experiment to evaluate the effect of drought stress on the growth, yield and composition of total root alkaloids. The field experiment was conducted at the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala. The bioactive principles accumulated by the medicinal plants are essentially responsible for their healing effects. However, the quality and quantity of these chemical metabolites are influenced by a multitude of factors, chief among them being abiotic factors. The trial adopted a randomized block design, with 12 treatment groups and 3 replicates. Variables incorporated into the trial included NPK fertilization, cow dung slurry application, 15/30 mm irrigation, high density panting and root endophyte fungal colonization (Piriformospora indica). Total alkaloids were extracted from pulverized root samples using 95% ethanol via., the Soxhlet extraction method, and the extraction yields were quantified. The experiment demonstrated a significant trade-off between biomass production and alkaloid concentration in the tested medicinal plants. The treatment high-density planting (T8) group with 30 mm irrigation had the highest root dry weight, reaching up to 1.73 t ha-1 , while the T3 extreme water stress group had the lowest root dry weight of only 0.91 t ha-1 . The total alkaloid content was observed to change in the opposite direction. The T12 blank control group recorded the highest value at 6.60%, while irrigation groups had values ranging from 4.20% to 4.67%. It was also found that colonization by Inoculation with Piriformospora indica (root endophyte) can accelerate alkaloid synthesis.

Downy mildew, caused by Plasmopara viticola, is one of the most destructive diseases of grapevine, causing severe yield and quality losses under Indian conditions. The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of selected Non-systemic fungicides against P. viticola under in vitro and field conditions during 2022–23 at the Main Horticulture Research and Extension Centre, Bagalkot, Karnataka, 587 104. Eleven non-systemic fungicides were tested under in vitro condition at three concentrations, viz., C1 (1/5 of the field dose), C2 (1/10 of the field dose), and C3 (1/15 of the field dose), using the sporangial germination inhibition technique. Field evaluation was conducted on eight-year-old ‘Thompson Seedless’ grapevines following three foliar sprays at seven day intervals in a randomized complete block design. In vitro studies revealed a significant concentration dependent reduction in sporangial germination, with Cyazofamid 34.5% SC recording the highest inhibition (90.20%) at C₃, followed by Mancozeb 75% WP and Zineb 75% WP. Field evaluation corroborated laboratory findings, as Cyazofamid 34.5% SC resulted in the lowest disease severity on leaves (8.90 PDI) and bunches (8.07 PDI), achieving maximum disease reduction (>88%) and the highest yield (15.20 tons/ha). Mancozeb 75% WP and Zineb 75% WP provided moderate to high disease suppression with appreciable yield improvement over the untreated control. Economic analysis indicated the highest benefit cost ratio with Cyazofamid 34.5% SC, followed by Mancozeb75% WP and Zineb 75% WP. The study highlights the effectiveness of selected Non-systemic fungicides for sustainable management of grapevine downy mildew under Indian conditions.