Coupled Development of Salt Glands, Stomata, and Pavement Cells in Limonium bicolor

Salt-resistant plants have different mechanisms to limit the deleterious effects of high salt in soil; for example, recretohalophytes secrete salt from unique structures called salt glands. Salt glands are the first differentiated epidermal structure of the recretohalophyte sea lavender (Limonium bicolor), followed by stomata and pavement cells. While salt glands and stomata develop prior to leaf expansion, it is not clear whether these steps are connected. Here, we explored the effects of the five phytohormones salicylic acid, brassinolide, methyl jasmonate, gibberellic acid, and abscisic acid on the development of the first expanded leaf of L. bicolor and its potential connection to salt gland, stomata, and pavement cell differentiation. We calculated the total number of salt glands, stomata, and pavement cells, as well as leaf area and pavement cell area, and assessed the correlations between these parameters. We detected strong and positive correlations between salt gland number and pavement cell area, between stomatal number and pavement cell area, and between salt gland number and stomatal number. We observed evidence of coupling between the development of salt glands, stomata, and pavement cells in L. bicolor, which lays the foundation for further investigation of the mechanism behind salt gland development.

THE EFFECT OF CHROMIUM STRESS ON MICRO-ANATOMICAL PROFILE OF CHILI (Capsicum annuum L.)

Chromium contamination can affect morphological, physiological, and anatomical changes, especially in chili vegetative organs. This research aims to understand micro-anatomical structure of the vegetative organs of chili subjected to chromium stress. The aim of the research is to know whether there is a micro-anatomical character difference between contaminated and uncontaminated chromium. The experimental methods using a completely randomized design (CRD). The independent variable is five levels of chromium concentration, i.e., 0; 50; 100; 200; and 300 ppm. The method of preparing anatomical preparations of the stem using a non-embedding and embedding method. The parameters observed in root and stem are organ diameter, xylem, thick of epidermis, and cortex. In contrast, leaf organ parameter includes thick cuticle, epidermis, mesophyll, stomata size (length and width), and stomatal number. The research results showed that organ anatomical structure, i.e., root, stem, and leaf in chromium stress condition did not change. Chromium deposition causes a decrease in root diameter, xylem, thick cortex roots, stem diameter, xylem, the thickness of the epidermis and cortex, leaf epidermal thickness, mesophyll, size of stomata width and number. In contrast, the chromium stress causes an increase in the thickness of the root epidermis (43,18%), cuticle thickness (36,36%), and leaf stomata length (33,33%) of chili as chromium concentrations increase. The anatomical structure of chili leaves changes after being contaminated chromium stress.

Phytopharmacognostic Evaluation of the Leaves OF Gnetum africanum Welw (Gnetaceae)

Background: Gnetum africanum Welw (Gnetaceae) also called African salad and Afang in Ibibio language is an evergreen, perennial, shade-tolerant vine with woody stems which can climb up to 12m or more from a tuberous root-stock. It has culinary and medicinal importance. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate pharmacognostic parameters of Gnetum africanum. Methods: The leaves were identified, collected, air-dried, pulverized, weighed and subjected to the evaluation of its microscopy, micromeritics, chemomicroscopy, fluorescence, soluble extractive values, moisture content and ash values using standard procedures. Results: The results obtained from microscopy revealed that the leaf has brachyparacytic, stomata, 3-5 armed and stellate trichromes on the abaxial surface. The epidermal cell wall pattern was undulate on the abaxial surface and sinuous on the adaxial surface. Stomatal number was found to be 3.1 ± 0.25 on the abaxial surface and Stomatal index was found to be 16.8% on the abaxial surface. The micromeritics analysis of the leaf powder revealed passable flow with the angle of repose of 420. The result of chemomicroscopy of the leaf revealed the presence of mucilage, lignin, calcium oxalate crystals, starch and oil. For water-soluble extractive value, the result was 13.25%w/w, methanol-soluble extractive value 4.25%w/w, ethanol-soluble extractive value 4%w/w, moisture content 10.5%w/w, total ash value was 5%w/w, acid-insoluble ash value 1%w/w, water-soluble ash value 2%w/w and sulfated- ash value 6% w/w. Conclusion: The results obtained from the pharmacognostic study provides information for the identity, quality and purity of Gnetum africanum.

Macro and microscopic evaluation of Gmelina arborea Roxb. – A botanical pharmacognostic approach for quality control of raw drug material

Gmelina arborea Roxb. of family Verbenaceae, is one of the highly valued medicinal plant used in numerous traditional medical formulations. It belongs to the ‘Dasamoola’ group of ayurvedic medicinal plants and hence widely exploited. Pharmacognostic techniques involving macroscopic, microscopic and also dry powder analysis serve as botanical methods which help in the correct identification of the crude drug. Leaf constants such as stomatal number, stomatal index, vein islet number, vein termination number also have been determined. Better quality control practices in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries demand the correct identification of the dried plants or powdered drug thereby detects and prevents the adulterations, if any. The challenge ahead of this investigation is to validate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of the plant following standard methodology.

Morphological and Anatomical Changes by Cochicine in Seedling of Impatiens balsamina L.

Impatiens balsamina L. is a plant that is widely cultivated in Bali. The flower of this plant is used as a component of offering in Hindu religious ceremonies. The flower petals are thin and wilt easily, therefore genetic modification is needed to get better quality. This research aimed to study the effect of 0.01% colchicine with soaking periods of 4 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours and 24 hours to seedlings of I. balsamina. Seeds of I. balsamina were germinated and sprouted seeds were treated with 0.01% colchicine for 4 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours and 24 hours. The sprouted seeds were then transfer to polybag with soil media. The experiment was designed with randomized blok design with five replicates. Observations were done on plant height, length and width of leaf, stem diameter, number of stomata as well as observation on plant stem cortex cells. Results showed that colchicine reduced plant height at three weeks after planting, while plant stem diameter increased. Control plants had the smallest leaf length and width. The number of stomata decreased at plants derived from colchicine treated sprouted seeds and the lowest stomatal number observed was at soaking duration of 24 hours.

Keragaman Stomata Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. (Moench)

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. (Moench.) is high nutrition compound potential for diabetes and Alzheimer. Yield is one of the characters have to improve in plant breeding program through stomata characterization. The variability for 14 genotypes showed significantly for stomatal length, stomatal width, epidermal cell number, chloroplast number, stomatal number, stomatal index and stomatal density. Stomatal density for P2 was 256.80 mm2 that was nonsignificant with Zahira (265.31 mm2) and Naila (204.08 mm2). Genotypes P2, Zahira and Naila showed low stomatal density that mean efficiency for water management in leaves. The high stomatal index causing high photosynthesis and high yield. Stomatal index were high for genotypes P1 (40.31) and P2 (35.69). Naila has low stomatal index but Zahira as significant as genotype P2. Zahira could be high yield genotype candidate.Keyword : candidate, density, index, genotype

Effect of plant growth regulators on leaf area, chlorophyll content, carotenoids, stomatal count and yield of cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) var. Bhaskara

<p>An experiment was conducted to study the effect of exogenous application of growth regulators at three important growth stages<br />(flushing, flowering and fruiting) on leaf area, chlorophyll content, carotenoids, stomatal count and yield of cashew var. Bhaskara.<br />Irrespective of growth stages, foliar application of GA3 @ 50 ppm and ethrel @ 50 ppm was found to be superior in all the<br />parameters and on par with each other compared to other growth regulators. Out of nine treatments of different growth regulators;<br />the highest leaf area was recorded in trees sprayed with GA3 @ 50 ppm and ethrel @ 50 ppm. At flushing stage, spraying with GA3<br />@ 50 ppm resulted in highest stomatal number (21.9) and carotenoids (0.41) whereas unsprayed (control) trees recorded least<br />stomatal number (11.6) and carotenoids (0.19). Thus, leaf area, chlorophyll content, carotenoids and stomatal count increased in<br />trees sprayed with growth regulators than unsprayed trees. Spraying of ethrel @ 50 ppm recorded highest nut yield<br />(14.3 kg tree-1) followed by NAA @ 25 ppm + GA3 50 ppm (12.9 kg tree-1). This study demonstrated the potential of ethrel as well<br />as GA3 in improving various biochemical parameters viz., chlorophyll ‘a’, chlorophyll ‘b’, carotenoids and leaf area in cashew<br />which are important determinants in increasing nut production.</p>