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The banana is very popular globally for its flavour, nutrition, and economic value. However, slow regeneration from suckers, and diseases, there is shortfall of clean planting materials. Though, the in vitro micropropagation is effective for rapid production of planting materials, but due to high cost, the small-scale poor farmers unable to afford. The macropropagation technique offers an alternative and cost effective way to produce planting materials. This study present a simple, efficient and cost efficient macropropagation protocol of banana for formulation of effective potting mix. The experimental design was based on different corm/pseudostem splitting technique and different combinations of potting mix substrata. The overall optimum response in macropropagation techniques was found in PIF (T 3) and Split corm + PIF method (T 5) and Forest soil (P 3) and Saw dust + Sand (P 5). For the study banana cultivar Grand Nain (G9) was taken as a model plant. The regenerated plantlets was assessed for genetic stability using two markers i.e., RAPD and SCoT and found that the regenerates were 97.37–100 % genetically stable. Protocol developed is simple, reproducible, cost effective and sustainable and can be followed by the unskilled farmers. Though, in this study the G9 cultivar was used as model, the technique can be effectively used for other banana cultivars. [Display omitted] • Formulation of organic potting mix for macropropagation of banana using G9 cultivar as model. • Optimized the corms splitting technique for efficient shoot regeneration. • The unskilled farmers can follow the protocol and produced their clonal planting materials for small to medium-scale farming. • Regenerates establishes easily in the cultivation plot. • Genetic stability assessments indicate 97.37–100 % genetically stable regenerated plantlets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild legumes are widely dispersed and can survive in challenging environments as bacteria dwell in their nodules and help each other. Although Nagaland is home to many wild legume varieties, research on the microbial diversity that goes along with them is still in its infancy. This work aimed to characterize several wild legume root nodules and distinguish possible rhizobial isolates using RAPD and nif-directed RPO1 primer. Nodule bacteria were isolated in Yeast extract culture media. Based on their colony morphology, 150 isolates were selected for performing RAPD with nif-directed RPO1 primer. Eighty-four isolates were bonded with RPO1 primer, and a few biochemical tests were conducted on RPO1-positive isolates. Activities that promoted plant development were also investigated for these isolates. Of all the isolates, 18 exhibited phosphate solubilization capacity, while 38 isolates were found to produce IAA. This study entails a large variety of rhizobia in the nodules, which were able to promote growth. Hence, these isolates promise to be bio-fertilizers that could improve agricultural operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The undertaken study was conducted to isolate and characterize the plant growth promoting rhizobacteria from the rhizospheric soil of Musa itinerans collected from Zaphumi village, Nagaland, Northeast India. The purified bacterial isolates were screened for plant growth-promoting traits namely phosphate solubilization, IAA production, siderophore production, and ammonia production. Out of the 25 isolates, the three best isolates with maximum growth promoting traits were selected and considered for further study for heavy metal and salinity tolerance. All three isolates were able to produce siderophore, whereas, only isolate EZ30 was able to produce IAA. Phosphate solubilization ability was the highest in EZ27 (272.89±2.46), followed by EZ30 (109.70±5.47) and EZ11(89.12±1.87). The isolates also exhibited variable levels of cadmium (30- 280µg/ml) and salinity resistance (2-14%). Based on 16S-rRNA gene sequence analysis, these bacterial isolates were identified as Kosakonia arachidis, Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas monteilii. The highest salinity tolerance was shown by P. putida (14%), whereas K. arachidis (4%) and P. monteilii (4%) exhibited similar level of tolerance. The cadmium tolerance was the highest for P. monteilii (280 µg/ml), followed by K. arachidis (80 µg/ml) and P. putida (30 µg/ml). Inoculation of Cicer arietinum L. with these three isolates significantly enhanced the growth parameter such as shoot and root length (p≤ 0.05), root and shoot fresh weight and dry weight (p≤ 0.05), except for EZ27 and EZ11 where there was no significant difference in shoot dry weight (p≥ 0.05). Overall, the three selected PGPR strains showed potential biofertilizer traits (phosphate solubilizing, IAA producing, siderophore production, salinity, and cadmium tolerant) to be used in the agricultural fields promoting sustainable practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mushrooms are known to mankind since early human civilization and are gaining importance because of their nutritional and medicinal properties. Till date 37 wild edible mushrooms are reported from Nagaland. In this study, nutritional analysis including total phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidant activity was done for ten popular WEM species. Total protein content was found to be high which ranged from 62.27 g/100 g (Lentinus sajor-caju) to 18.77 g/100 g (Lentinus squarrosulus var. squarrosulus); total carbohydrate content ranged from 38.44 g/100 g (Lentinula edodes) to 5.31 g/100 g (Schizophyllum commune); reducing sugar content ranged from 7.81 g/100 g (Termitomyces heimii) to 2.33 g/100 g (S. commune). Crude fiber ranged from 11.1% (A. auricula-judae) to 1.71% (L. squarrosulus) and ash content ranged from 10.66% (L. squarrosulus) to 3.12% (L. squarrosulus var. squarrosulus). The highest phenolic content was observed in L. squarrosulus (18.7 g/100 g) and highest flavonoid content was observed in L. sulphureus (9.3 g/100 g). All the ten mushroom species exhibited antioxidant activity against DPPH free radical, but highest activity was recorded in L. tigrinus (47.5 μg/ml, IC50). Hence, mushrooms are valuable natural resource to mankind and should be exploited judiciously for the betterment of society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paris polyphylla Smith. is a perennial herb, over exploited for its medicinal value and other anthropogenic activities like traditional method of Slash and Burn' (Jhuming) farming practice has reduced much of its habitat. As such the need to describe its potential habitats arises; this is achieved with Climate Suitability Modeling. The model was developed using 12 presence points. Temperature of coldest quarter and precipitation of warmest quarter act as an important determinant in the development of the model, these climatic variables correspond with the climatic conditions in the predicted areas which is necessary for post dehiscence maturation of seeds. Ground truthing work was being carried out to ascertain the highly predicted areas and plants were also introduced in areas predicted as suitable as well as in areas predicted as not suitable to confirm the usefulness of the model. The model also corresponds with an experiment on seed germination by temperature stratification. The study gives a different approach on validation of habitat modeling in addition with the statistical significance by observing plant response introduced in areas predicted suitable and unsuitable as well as matching plant physiology and the influences of the climatic variables on it. This work introduces a new concept modeling named 'Mosaic Model' for those species which are sensitive to different climatic conditions. In this concept model a big area can be fragmented into small areas depending on different climatic conditions. Model can be prepared for each area followed by stitching of these small models into one model (Mosaic model). This model would be able to predict the distribution of a species growing in diverse environmental condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panax pseudoginseng Wall. (Araliaceae) is a highly threatened medicinal plant. The plant population is declining rapidly owning to high exploitation for medicinal uses along with limitation within the plant itself in its reproductive behavior and seed habit. Sprouting of buds takes place from mid-February and flowers from late May till early June. Centripetal inflorescence is exhibited with continued nature of flowering. Timing of anthesis is between 6:30-7:30 AM and plants are usually self-pollinated. Seeds are dispersed by wind, gravity, small animals and birds. Plant showed positive correlation between plant height and number of leaflets. Berry production starts from 2-leaves plants onwards. Two-seeded fruit was found to be most dominant. Higher stage plants exhibits higher dormancy. Seeds of P. pseudoginseng exhibits long dormancy and demands pre-sowing stratification. Seeds stratified at both warm at 25°C for 3 months followed by cold stratification at 4°C for 4 months exhibited 68.20% germination in the seed bed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hsp90 is a major protein involved in the stabilization of various proteins in cancer cells. The present investigation focused on the molecular docking simulation studies of flavanols as inhibitors of Hsp90 at the high affinity adenosine triphosphate (ATP) binding site and analyzed absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADME-toxicity). The molecular docking analysis revealed that the flavanols showed competitive inhibition with ATP molecule at the active site and enhanced pharmacological parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bambusa nagalandiana Naithani is an indigenous bamboofound in Nagaland and Mizoram, India. The species is a sympodial bamboo and identified by its yellow culm with green stripes. Because of its beautiful architecture the species is used for ornamental purpose, construction work and furniture making. The young shoots are also used as vegetable. Due to narrow distributional range and high demand for various purposes the species is under threat in the natural habitat. Present communication reports a successful attempt to develop protocol for macropropagation from culm segments and branch cuttings of this economically important threatened bamboo species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]