Muhammad Jafar Jaskani

Antioxidant and Antipathogenic Activities of Citrus Peel Oils

Abstract The present study was focused on unexplored Pakistani citrus species viz. sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis Vars. Jaffa, Blood Red and Mosambi), Mandarins (Citrus reticulata Var. kinnow) and grapefruits (Citrus paradisi Var. Shamber) for peel oil yield, chemical composition and antipathogen activities. The chemical composition of citrus peel oil was analyzed through gas chromatographic - mass spectrometric analysis. Six compounds viz. D-limonene, d-carvone, Z-5-nonadecane, thujol, trans-P-mentha-2,8-dienol and heneicosane were commonly present in all cultivars. However, D-limonene (40.9–76 %) was a major compound in all citrus peel oils. The high amounts of phenolic compounds were recorded in the peel oil with a maximum amount in grapefruit (8.58 mg/g) and minimum in Kinnow mandarin (5.20 mg/g). Jaffa orange cultivar showed a highest radical scavenging activity (70.14 %). Furthermore, peel oils were tested for their antimicrobial activities against five pathogenic bacterial strains viz. Staphylococcus aureus, Eschrichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Proteus vulgaris, Staphylococcus epidermidisand two pathogenic fungal strains viz. Aspergillus flavus and Trichophyton alba. Citrus peel was found effective against all tested micro-organisms and in particular Jaffa orange essential oil was highly effective against all microbial strains growth and Salmonella typhi was the most inhibited strains among all.

Combined Application of Boron and Zinc Influence the Leaf Mineral Status, Growth, Productivity and Fruit Quality of ‘Kinnow’ Mandarin (Citrus nobilis Lour × Citrus deliciosa Tenora)

The deficiency of mineral nutrients, particularly of boron (B) and zinc (Zn) in many citrus orchards of Pakistan affect yield and quality. Effect of foliar application of B and Zn on leaf mineral nutrients, growth, productivity, and quality of ‘Kinnow’ were studied. Trees were sprayed with 37 mM boric acid and 49 mM zinc sulfate either alone or in combination at fruit setting stage or fruit setting and pre-mature stages. Leaf phosphorus (P), potassium (K), B, and Zn were significantly increased with treatments. Lowest fruit drop and maximum fruit weight and number, highest level of ascorbic acid, and reducing sugars were recorded in the trees sprayed with combine application of B and Zn at fruit set stage. In conclusion, combined application of B and Zn at fruit setting stage can be used effectively to increase nutrient uptake, reduce fruit drop, and increase yield with better quality of ‘Kinnow’ mandarin fruit.

Heavy metal accumulation imparts structural differences in fragrant Rosa species irrigated with marginal quality water

Wastewater is an alternative to traditional sources of renewable irrigation water in agriculture, particularly in water-scarce regions. However, the possible risks due to heavy metals accumulation in plant tissues are often overlooked by producers. The present study aimed to identify heavy metals-induced structural modifications to roots of scented Rosa species that were irrigated with water of marginal quality. The chemical and mineral contents from the experimental irrigation canal water (control) and treated wastewater were below the limits recommended by the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) for medicinal plants. The experimentally untreated wastewater contained electrical conductivity (EC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and heavy metals (Co, Cu, Cd, Pb) that were above the recommended limits. The responses by wastewater-treated Rosa species (Rosa damascena, R. bourboniana, R. Gruss-an-Teplitz, and R. centifolia) were evaluated. The experimental data revealed that treated wastewater significantly increased the thickness of collenchyma (cortex and pith) and parenchyma tissues (vascular bundle, xylem, and phloem) of R. Gruss-an-Teplitz. Root dermal tissues (epidermis) of R. bourboniana also responded to treated wastewater. R. damascena and R. centifolia were the least affected species, under the experimental irrigation conditions. Collenchyma and dermal tissues were thicker in R. damascena and R. Gruss-an-Teplitz under untreated wastewater conditions. In parenchyma tissues, vascular bundles were thicker in R. damascena in untreated wastewater conditions, while the xylem and phloem of R. Gruss-an-Teplitz were thicker where treated wastewater was applied. In tissues other than the vascular bundle, the differences in anatomical metrics due to the experimental irrigation treatments were greater during the second year of the experiment than in the first year. The contents of metals other than chromium in the roots and stems of roses were below the WHO limits, under all of the experimental irrigation conditions. Rosa centifolia contained higher heavy metals content than the other experimental species, and heavy metals content was associated with anatomical changes due to the treatments. We conclude that, under conditions of wastewater irrigation, R. Gruss-an-Teplitz was highly resistant; R. damascena was moderately resistant while R. bourboniana and R. centifolia were the most susceptible to irrigation with marginal quality water. This is the first report of plant tissue responses to wastewater irrigation by the experimental species. Regarding the accumulation of heavy metals in rose plant tissues, the results confirm that untreated wastewater must be treated to grow Rosa species where water is scarce.

Biochemical diversity in wild and cultivated pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) in Pakistan

ABSTRACT The present study was conducted to screen out elite pomegranates through determination of biochemical diversity in wild and cultivated genotypes for a breeding program and for fresh/processed use in industry. The results showed high morphological diversity in accessions of wild pomegranate fruits as compared to cultivated genotypes. The first six principal components covered 80.75 and 75.49% diversity in 53 wild and 62 cultivated pomegranate genotypes, respectively. High values of the coefficient of variance (10.78–18.62%), and a high range of minimum to maximum values of total soluble solids, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid content, total soluble sugars, and total phenolic content (0.10–1.25, 5.88–29.96, 9.69–19.85 and 175.05–595.42), respectively, were recorded in the studied genotypes. Ascorbic acid content had a strong correlation with antioxidant activity (0.952%), super dismutase oxides (0.94%), catalase (0.921%), and titratable acidity (0.91%). Peroxides had a strong correlation (0.88%) with catalase, and 0.81% each with super dismutase oxides and antioxidant activity. Wild and cultivated pomegranates were clustered successfully in separate groups, based on biochemical traits. A variety improvement program and selection of high-quality pomegranate genotypes could help to reduce pomegranate-related malnutrition issues in the human diet.

Physiological and Anatomical Response of Fragrant Rosa Species with Treated and Untreated Wastewater

The present study assessed the response of physiological and anatomical characteristics of four widely cultivated fragrant Rosa species. Water analysis showed that all minerals and chemicals were in permissible level in canal water and treated wastewater, whereas untreated wastewater contained higher EC, biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and heavy metals like Cd, Co, Cu, Pb. There was considerable variations among different Rosa species regarding response to wastewater irrigations. Under treated wastewater, R. bourboniana showed highest photosynthetic rate, high transpiration rate and maximum chlorophyll contents than other Rosa species whereas stomatal conductance of R. Gruss-anTeplitz was highest under treated wastewater. Leaf anatomical characteristics showed that R. Gruss-an-Teplitz under untreated wastewater showed large cortical cell area, vascular bundle area, large spongy cell area and thick midrib while large epidermal thickness of R. centifolia was recorded under treated wastewater. Large palisade cell and phloem area and thick leaves (lamina) were found in R. damascena under treated wastewater while large metaxylem area of R. bourboniana in untreated wastewater. The study showed that treated wastewater was most suitable and desirable irrigation treatment than canal water and untreated wastewater while R. bourboniana and R. Gruss-an-Teplitz was dominant Rosa species regarding physiological characteristics, while all species showed great diversity in leaf tissue architecture under treated and untreated wastewater.

FUNCTIONS OF PLANT'S BZIP TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS

Basic leucine zipper protein refers to a grand transcriptional factor family of all eukaryotes that is involved in various developmental and stress responses like flower development, plant height, maturation of seeds, biotic and abiotic stress signaling. About 127 bZIPs in Arabidopsis, 70 in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), 266 in soybean (Glycine max), 47 in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), 70 in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), 140 in rice, 102 in wheat and 218 in maize have been discovered. In this review, the classification of bZIP is according to the binding specificities of bZIPs as well as their role in transcription.

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.

Morpho-genetic profiling and phylogenetic relationship of guava (Psidium guajava l.) as genetic resources in Pakistan

Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is an open-pollinated crop having 25-40% dissimilarity index which promotes heterozygosity and adds new cultivars. Morpho-genetic characterization of 37 guava accessions was carried out for genetic variability and structure of guava germplasm located in Punjab province, Pakistan. Principal Component analysis (PCA) was subjected to analyze the morphological diversity and for genetic analysis we applied cluster analysis, using the PyElph software. PCA distributed thirty one traits into six components and first two components accounted 39.5% of total variation. A dendrogram constructed on the basis of morphological traits which showed 34% dissimilarity index among thirty seven guava accessions and divided them into 6 groups. For genetic characterization 18 microsatellites were used, the size of reproducible and scorable bands ranged from 150 to 320 bp. The 18 primer pairs amplified 85 alleles with an average number of 4.7 alleles per locus and no more than two displayed bands (nuclear SSR loci). The phylogenetic tree based on molecular analysis showed 50% dissimilarity index among selected guava accessions and separated them into 4 groups.

Gender Identification in Date Palm Using Molecular Markers

Breeding of date palm is complicated because of its long life cycle and heterozygous nature. Sexual propagation of date palm does not produce true-to-type plants. Sex of date palms cannot be identified until the first flowering stage. Molecular markers such as random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), sequence-characterized amplified regions (SCAR), and simple sequence repeats (SSR) have successfully been used to identify the sex-linked loci in the plant genome and to isolate the corresponding genes. This chapter highlights the use of three molecular markers including RAPD, SCAR, and SSR to identify the gender of date palm seedlings.

Initiation and Maintenance of Cell Suspension Cultures of Two Citrus Species for Protoplast Isolation

Cell suspension cultures were initiated from six month old ovule-derived embryogenic calli of two Citrus species named Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle cultivar Sweet lime and Citrus reticulata Blanco cultivar Kinnow. The growth rate of cells was observed on two different media MT basal medium + 0.5 g L −1 malt extract (EME) and MT containing half strength NH4NO3 and KNO3, supplemented with 1.55 g L -1 glutamine and 0.75 g L -1 KCl (H+H). Kinnow and Sweet lime cells showed a sigmoidal growth pattern on (H+H) and (EME) liquid media, when PCV was plotted against time. The logarithmic phase of cells started from 4 th to 10 th day and after that a stationary phase observed in cells with elongated vacuoles. This indicated that citrus cells active phase started soon after subculture and ends after two weeks. These embryogenic suspension cultures were later used for protoplast isolation which is a key step towards somatic hybridization.