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Castor is an important non-edible oilseed crop used in the production of high-quality bio-oil. In this process, the leftover tissues rich in cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin are regarded as by-products and remain underutilized. Lignin is a crucial recalcitrance component, and its composition and structure strongly limit the high-value utilization of raw materials, but there is a lack of detailed studies relating to castor lignin chemistry. In this study, lignins were isolated from various parts of the castor plant, namely, stalk, root, leaf, petiole, seed endocarp and epicarp, using the dilute HCl/dioxane method, and the structural features of the as-obtained six lignins were investigated. The analyses indicated that endocarp lignin contained catechyl (C), guaiacyl (G) and syringyl (S) units, with a predominance of C unit [C/(G+S) = 6.9:1], in which the coexisted C-lignin and G/S-lignin could be disassembled completely. The isolated dioxane lignin (DL) from endocarp had a high abundance of benzodioxane linkages (85%) and a low level of β-β linkages (15%). The other lignins were enriched in G and S units with moderate amounts of β-O-4 and β-β linkages, being significantly different from endocarp lignin. Moreover, only p-coumarate (pCA) incorporated into the epicarp lignin was observed, with higher relative content, being rarely reported in previous studies. The catalytic depolymerization of isolated DL generated 1.4–35.6 wt% of aromatic monomers, among which DL from endocarp and epicarp have high yields and excellent selectivity. This work highlights the differences in lignins from various parts of the castor plant, providing a solid theory for the high-value utilization of the whole castor plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dravya sangrahana is one of the criteria where different seasons are indicated for collecting different parts of the plants. As per ancient drug collection practice roots are to be collected in Hemanth-Shishira (winter) or Greeshma rutu(summer). Eranda(Ricinus communis) is an important medicinal plant roots of which are particularly indicated as Vrishya (spermatogenic). Hence study has been planned to conduct a comparative spermatogenic activity of Ernadamoola collected in Greeshma rutu and Pravarat rutu and Shishsira ritu. Materials and methods: Roots of Eranda(Ricinus communis) collected during Pravrut Ritu (EMP), Greeshma Ritu (EMG) and Shishira Ritu (EMS) shade dried separately, powdered. Spermatogenic activity study conducted on healthy albino rats divided among five groups. Testosterone was used as standard drug, whereas other three groups received sample collected in three different seasons for a period of 60 days. Next sperm analysis and histopathological study of prostate and seminal vesicle was conducted. Discussion and conclusion: Erandamoola(roots of Ricinus communis) has shown best spermatogenesis activity in experimental animals proving our ancient quotation as Vrishya. Also roots collected in different seasons have shown their difference among activity. Histopathological study of genital organs also shown positive result among spermatogenic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The neem tree has a long history of being referred to as a "wonder tree." Since the time of the Vedic civilization, neem has been used therapeutically in many different ways in India. The various components of the neem tree, including the stem, bark, roots, leaves, gum, seeds, fruits, and flowers, have a no. of chemical constituents and have been used as traditional medicines. The seeds, leaves, blossoms, and bark of this tree, are used for treating various diseases. Since ancient times, neem tree extracts have been widely employed in health management because they possess a number of health-promoting qualities. Some of the chemical constituents are named quercetin, azadirachtin, a number of limonoids, nimbosterol, etc. Objective: The aim of this review is to highlight the potential of Azadirachta indica in the treatment of various ailments and prospects associated with the delivery of Azadirachta indica. Methods: We reviewed the literature from journal publication websites and electronic databases, such as Bentham, Springer, Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus, etc. Results: The abundant availability of sources of Azadirachta indica makes a point in favor of exhaustive exploration of this plant. This plant has been used in the treatment of a number of ailments from ancient times by human beings and these are reported to be having anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antihyperglycemic, and antioxidant potential. Conclusion: There are a number of health benefits of Azadirachta indica. The neem tree (Azadirachta indica) is found to have various medicinal/pharmacological actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium carbonate-activated biochar derived from the stems of Ricinus communis (RCSB) and Colocasia esculanta (CESB) was used for the efficient removal of Cd2+ and Pb2+ (50 mg L–1 each) from synthetic wastewater. These two ions' adsorption is higher than that of other tested heavy metal ions (viz. Ni2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Hg2+, As5+, and Cr6+ ions). Different adsorption parameters (pH, metal concentration, time, dosage, and temperature) were studied to get the optimized result. The adsorption isotherm, kinetics, thermodynamics, and mechanism were studied. The adsorption isotherm studies indicate that heavy metal ion biosorption follows the Freundlich isotherm. The adsorption kinetic model can be best described as pseudo-second-order, and the adsorption mechanism is physical adsorption. The optimum conditions for the adsorption of Cd2+ and lead Pb2+ by activated biochars were: adsorption time 120 min, temperature 20–25°C, and pH between 6.8 and 7.2. The adsorption capacity of Cd-RCSB, Cd-CESB was ~55 mg g–1, and that of Pb-RCSB, Pb-CESB was found to be ~76 mg g–1. The adsorption thermodynamics showed that the adsorption was a spontaneous and endothermic process. Desorption studies show that biochar can be recycled for up to 5 cycles. All these results can be summed up to show that RCSB and CESB have good potential for removal of heavy metal ions (particularly Cd2+ and Pb2+) from an aqueous environment up to 99%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on an ethnobotanical study conducted in seven villages of West Karbi Anglong, Assam, India, to collect information about medicinal plants used by the ethnic Tiwa inhabitants. The study documented 55 plant species used for various ailments and classified these ailments into 11 disease categories, with the most commonly treated conditions being fever, cough, and wounds.

Mining activities have led to Cu and Cd contaminated of surrounding agricultural soil. To decrease the Cu and Cd accumulation in crops, the Ricinus communis L. (castor) has been used for phytoremediation. A pot experiment was served to investigate the effect of phosphate fertilizer (Ca(H2PO4)2) on the growth and Cu/Cd uptake of castor in contaminated soil. The results showed that the application of P fertilizer improved the leaf cell morphology, decreased the malonaldehyde (MDA) content of castor leaves, and increased the plant biomass (28.2–34.2%). Besides, phosphate fertilizer still facilitated accumulation Cu and Cd by castor. The addition of phosphate fertilizer increased the contents of Cu in the root of castor, improved the bioconcentration factor (BCF) of Cu, and observably enhanced the accumulation of Cu (up to 201 μg/plant) in castor. Applying phosphorus increased the percentage of residual Cd, diminished the percentage of acid extractable Cd in soil, and the accumulation of Cd in castor was not significantly increased. These results suggest that phosphorus alleviated the stress of heavy metals on castor leaves and enhanced the accumulation of Cu and Cd in castor by promoting the growth of castor. Applying phosphate fertilizer effectively alleviated the stress of heavy metals on castor and significantly increased the biomass of castor. The reason of applying phosphorus enhanced the castor uptake Cu and Cd was that phosphorus promoted the growth of castor. Applying phosphorus markedly increased the percentage of residual Cd but diminished the percentage of acid extractable Cd in soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the hexane fraction of the crude extract of the fruits and seeds of Ricinus communis (HFFSRC) on eggs of Spodoptera cosmioides and Spodoptera frugiperda and on caterpillars of Spodoptera eridania, S. frugiperda, and S. cosmioides, under laboratory conditions through topical application and ingestion, as well as to identify the compounds in the hexane fraction through high-performance chromatography (HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS). To do so, three bioassays were conducted: (1) the effect of HFFSRC at 2% (20,000 mg·mL−1) on eggs of S. cosmioides and S. frugiperda, (2) the lethal effect of HFFSRC at 2% applied topically, and (3) the lethal effect of HFFSRC at 2% applied to soybean-leaf discs on first-, second-, third-, and fourth-instar caterpillars of the three insect species. It was found that 2% HFFSRC had an ovicidal effect on S. frugiperda and S. cosmioides, completely reducing larvae hatching and the insecticidal effect for the four instars of the three insect species when applied topically and on food. Five compounds were identified in the HFFSRC: three flavonoids, one ricinoleic acid, and one cinnamic acid. HFFSRC at 2% had an acute ovicidal and insecticidal effect on caterpillars of the studied species, configuring itself as a potential insecticide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poisonous plants are known for toxicity to humans and animals. They comprise a large group of plants in the world. This study aims to collect and systematically document the traditional knowledge of poisonous plants by interviewing Van Kieu and Pa Ko ethnic communities in Quang Tri province. A total of 56 poisonous plant species (27 herbs, 15 shrubs and 14 woody plants) of flowering plants belonging to 26 families and 50 genera were found in the study site. Based on the Recorded Poisonous Plant Proportion (RPPP) values, 25 commonly recorded poisonous plants were selected for analyzing Fidelity Level (FL) and Informants Consensus Factor (ICF). The ICF value of eye irritation, neurologic category, skin irritation, gastrointestinal category and respiratory/cardiovascular category was 0.97, 0.97, 0.96, 0.93 and 0.92, respectively. The most notable species (FL: 100%) in the gastrointestinal category were Ricinus communis L. and Millettia erythrocalyx Gagnep. In the respiratory/cardiovascular category, the most important species (FL: 100%) were Gelsemium elegans (Gardner & Champ.) Benth. and Strychnos vanprukii Craib. The presented results will provide fundamental information for further phytochemical and biological investigation to ascertain the toxic compounds of poisonous plants that may be used for the treatment of appropriate diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plants are rich in bioactive components that are utilized to treat various human ailments. They are crucial to healing as well. Phytochemical constituents are responsible for the medicinal activity of plant species. Phytochemical screening is an important step in identifying bioactive compounds present in particular medicinal plants. Hence, in this present work, phytochemical screening of leaf extract of some traditional medicinal plants, namely Cannabis sativa, Ricinus communis, and Bryophyllum pinnatum was carried out. The solvent extracts of the leaves of respective plants were prepared using the Soxhlet apparatus with acetone, chloroform, petroleum ether, and aqueous solvents. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of plants included tests for reducing sugars, flavonoids, steroids, glycosides, polyphenols, tannins, terpenoids, and coumarins. All eight tested phytoconstituents were found present in all three plants in any solvent extracts. Aqueous extract confirmed the presence of a maximum number of phytoconstituents in C. sativa in comparison to other solvents. Acetone confirmed the maximum and chloroform confirmed the minimum number of phytoconstituents in R. communis, while chloroform confirmed the maximum and aqueous extract confirmed the minimum number of phytoconstituents in B. pinnatum. These phytochemicals may be a source of innovative plant-based medications because their existence is connected with the therapeutic potential of these plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The synergism among extracts of Senna alata, Ricinus communis, and Lannea barteri, and their anti-infective activities were investigated. The data collected for the antimicrobial activity of the extracts combinations were interpreted to be one of the following categories: synergy; indifferent; additive; or antagonistic. The interpretation was made based on the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) results. FICI of ≤ 0.5 indicates synergism, > 0.5 to 1 indicates additive effects, > 1 to ≤ 4 indifference, and > 4 is considered to be antagonism. Results: Compared with the data of the individual extracts, the MIC values of the extract-extract combinations against all strains of the tested microorganisms were significantly lower, ranging from 0.97 to 1.17, 0.97 to 4.69, 0.50 to 1.17, 1.17 to 3.12 and 2.34 to 4.69 mg/mL for Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia and Candida albicans respectively. L. bateri aqueous-S. alata ethanol extracts and S. alata aqueous-R. cummunis ethanol extracts combinations showed a synergy effect against all the test microorganisms. The other combinations exhibited at least one additive effect. Neither antagonism nor indifference activity was observed. This study validates the relevance of combining these plants in treating infections by traditional medicine practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using invasive plants as non-conventional forage in livestock production can contribute to meeting climate change targets and provide a competitive advantage in a global market. This study evaluated the nutritional potential of several non-conventional plants: Pennisetum setaceum, Ricinus communis, Arundo donax, Acacia melanoxylon, Opuntia ficus-indica, Agave americana, Pittosporum undulatum, and Hedychium gardnerianum. Chemical composition, in vitro digestibility, gas production, and energy estimates were determined. Opuntia showed the lowest DM value (6.65%), while the highest was found for Acacia (39.43%). Ricinus recorded the highest levels of CP (23.56% DM), RFV (273.86), and in vitro gas production at 24 h (43.49 mL/200 mg DM). The highest NDF (80.39% DM), HEM (39.03% DM), and CEL (36.81% DM) values were observed for Pennisetum. Agave produced the highest amount of gas from the start to the end of incubation (22.68 to 48.99 mL/200 mg DM), while Acacia produced the least (3.83 to 14.78 mL/200 mg DM). The highest ME (8.72 MJ/kg DM) and NEL (5.06 MJ/kg DM) estimates were obtained for Agave. Correlations between the chemical compositions and feed quality indices of the plants were observed, showing strong negative correlations between ADF and DMD, OMD, and DMI (r > 0.86, p < 0.01). We can conclude that all these non-conventional plants have potential as an alternative feed for ruminants when there are fodder shortages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is one of ten oil crops in the world and has complex inflorescence styles. Generally, castor has three inflorescence types: single female inflorescence (SiFF), standard female inflorescence (StFF) and bisexual inflorescence (BF). StFF is realized as a restorer line and as a maintainer line, which was applied to castor hybrid breeding. However, the developmental mechanism of the three inflorescences is not clear. Therefore, we used proteomic techniques to analyze different inflorescence styles. A total of 72 diferentially abundant protein species (DAPs) were detected. These DAPs are primarily involved in carbon and energy metabolism and carbon fixation in the photosynthetic organism pathway. The results showed that DAPs are involved in photosynthesis to control the distribution of imported carbohydrates and exported photoassimilates and thus affect the inflorescence development of castor. In addition, these DAPs are also involved in cysteine and methionine metabolism. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) results demonstrated that the proteomics data collected in this study were reliable. Our findings indicate that the carbon cycle and amino acid metabolism influence the inflorescence development of castor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignocellulosic biomass is a source of carbohydrates that can be used in the production of biogas. The aim of this study was to obtain biogas from biomass waste (leaves, stems and seed bagasse) of Ricinus communis, applying pretreatments such as temperature and humidity. We examined the effect of these pretreatments on the biomass, two enzymatic pretreatments (cellulase and cellobiohydrolase), two chemicals (NaOH and HCl) and two controls (dried castor straw and seed bagasse) on the methane content. The experiment was performed in two anaerobic digestion (AD) assays at a controlled temperature (37 °C) and at room temperature, with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 55 days. The results showed that the residues of the seed bagasse produced the highest biogas yields both at room temperature and at the controlled temperature since this material at 37 °C produced 460.63 mL gVS−1 under cellulase pretreatment; at room temperature, the highest level of production was found for the control (263.41 mL gVS−1). The lowest yields at the controlled temperature and room temperature were obtained from residues of Ricinus communis treated with cellobiohydrolase and the seed bagasse treated with alkaline (15.15 mL gVS−1 and 78.51 mL gVS−1, respectively). Meanwhile, the greatest amount of methane was produced by seed bagasse treated with cellobiohydrolase at a controlled temperature (92.2% CH4) and the lowest content of CH4 (15.5%) was obtained at a controlled temperature from castor straw under the control treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes shows the damage of cells and organs because of improper sugar metabolism. It results in oxidative damage which causes microvascular and macrovascular complications. It will become the requirement of drug development that acts towards hyperglycemia and oxidative damage. For drug development, plants containing various bioactive compounds and minerals with fewer side effects were used. Among various plants, we used Mangifera indica leaf and Ricinus communis stem. The study was designed to explore a phytochemical analysis of the ethyl acetate extract of Mangifera indica and the aqueous extract of Ricinus communis to evaluate its in vitro antidiabetic activity by using α-amylase assay. In our present study, the phytochemical analysis was done for ethyl acetate extracts of Mangifera indica leaves and aqueous extracts of Ricinus communis stem to know the bioactive compounds present in these extracts. The Mangifera indica leaves extract showed 72.5% inhibition in 1000 µl concentration and 48.7% inhibition in 50 µl concentration. The Ricinus communis stem showed 57.0% inhibition in 1000 µl concentration and 40.6% inhibition in 50 µl concentration. The plant extracts showed significant enzyme inhibitory activity, so the compound isolation, purification and characterisation which is responsible for inhibiting activity, has to be done for the usage of the antidiabetic agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the morphometric, weight, viability, and germination evaluation under two temperature and relative humidity conditions, in sixteen local varieties of castor bean (Ricinus communis) from several states of Mexico (E1-E16), as well as two commercial varieties (k75B and k93B). Design/Methodology/Approach: The following morphometric characteristics were analyzed using a vision system: area, elongation index (EI), and Feret's diameter (FD). Viability and germination tolerance (germination percentage (GP)), germination speed (GS), and emergence speed index (ESI)) were evaluated under two conditions of relative humidity and temperature (T1 - RH 80%/T 20 °C; T2 - RH 30%/T 40 °C), using a completely randomized block experiment design, with four replicates of 75 seeds. Results: There are morphometric differences (EI, area, and FD) between and within the study varieties. There are significant differences between T1 and T2 regarding the following variables: days of radicle emergence (T1: 44.71 and T2:11.6), germination percentage (T1: 48.37 and T2: 56%), ESI (T1: 34.07±12.72 and T2: 77.02-23.78), and GS (T1: 9.93 and T2: 24.60). The results obtained show a positive correlation between the morphometric properties and the germination percentage in T1; however, there was no correlation in T2. Study Limitations/Implications: There were no limitations to carry out this study. Findings/Conclusions: The E4 and E15 local varieties obtained a >93% productive potential in T1, while the E3 and E16 local varieties obtained a >78% productive potential in T2. Meanwhile, the k75B commercial variety had a better performance in T1 (89.75%) than in T2 (78.67%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae, Acalyphoideae) is a highly variable species known as the castor oil plant. This study aimed to describe R. communis using several methodologies, such as vegetative morphometry, leaf surface ultrastructure, soil analysis, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis, to understand the diversity of this species. The morphological analysis revealed that some samples had purple stems while others were grayish-green. The purple-stemmed R. communis phenotype reflects the intra-specific diversity of the species. The multivariate analysis of 25 R. communis samples based on 34 vegetative morphometric characteristics revealed that they belonged to three main groups (morphotypes). Each group attained some specific characteristics discriminating it from the other groups. Selected samples from each group were investigated using SEM, soil analysis, and GC-MS. The performed GC-MS technique revealed that six major compounds were detected in the chromatograms of the studied samples. The highest percentages of n-Hexadecanoic acid and 9,12,15-Octadecatrienoic acid were recorded. Ricinus communis demonstrated adaptive growth capability, where plants inhabiting coastal sites are salt-sensitive, while inland plants are relatively drought-tolerant species. The intra-specific variation between R. communis morphotypes indicated the possibility of the direct and indirect use of these varieties in genetic improvement programs of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop plant remediation and detoxification of Zn-contaminated soils may pose a significant threat to food safety and, thus, human health. Therefore, the current study was carried out to assess the ability of six non-food crop plants (NFCP); Zea mays L. cultivar 360 (T360), Z. mays cultivar 123 (T123), Helianthus annuus L., Brassica juncea (L.) Czern., Ricinus communis L., and Simmondsia chinensis (Link) C.K. Schneid to remediate and restore Zn-contaminated soils. The investigated plants tolerate 150 mg/kg of Zn content of the soil, where they had tolerance index (TI) > 1 for all growth criteria, except the root dry weight (DW) of S. chinensis. Z. mays T123 and R. communis were the most susceptible plants, while B. juncea and S. chinensis were moderately tolerant, while H. annuus was the most tolerant to high Zn concentrations in a growing medium. Increasing the soil Zn content led to a significant increase (p < 0.05) in Zn concentration in the various tissues of the six NFCPs. The studied NFCP did not translocate Zn to their grains/seeds; consequently, they can be used safely for Zn-contaminated soils. The Zn content in root and shoot was negatively correlated with the TI of their length and weight, while the translocation factor (TF) of Zn from root to shoot was positively correlated to the TI of the root length and weight. The six studied NFCPs were arranged based on their phytoremediation efficiency as follows: B. juncea (31.86%) > Z. mays T123 (31.14%) > Z. mays T360 (27.59%) > H. annuus (20.85%) > S. chinensis (20.29%) > R. communis (15.3%). All tested NFCPs accumulated significant concentrations of Zn in their roots and shoots, a high Zn uptake potential, and biomass at 150–450 mg/kg of Zn treatments, indicating that these plants are good candidates for the implementation of a new strategy of cultivating NFCP for phytoremediation of Zn-contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates an efficient and sustainable route of preparing Ag nanoparticles (NPs) using 1-5 mmol/L aqueous silver nitrate with leaf extracts of five plants--Musa balbisiana (banana), Azadiracta indica (neem), Ricinus communis (castor-oil plant), Tridax procumbens (tridax), and Cardiospermum halicacabum (balloon vine) for their wide availability. These synthesized nanoparticles were characterized with the help of ultraviolet (UV)-visible (Vis) spectrophotometer. The peaks were observed in 418-493 nm. For M. balbisiana, A. indica, R. communis, and C. halicacabum, the average size of nanoparticles was in the range of 90-100 nm. For T. procumbens, it was 39-60 nm as determined by dynamic light scattering. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis showed the peak in silver region confirming presence of elemental silver. Field emission scanning electron microscopy showed that the particles were of a spherical shape in M. balbisiana sample with an average size of 33.87 nm as well as in T. procumbents sample with an average size of 28.512 nm. Ag NPs showed effective antibacterial and antifungal activity against representative pathogens of bacteria and fungi. 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity of Ag NPs was found to be in the range of 8.9%-78.86%. H2O2 radical scavenging activity was recorded in the range of 6.036%-57.342%. The nanogel was prepared from synthesized Ag NPs, and its properties like viscosity and stability were evaluated. The results confirmed that this protocol is a simple, rapid, one-step, eco-friendly, nontoxic, and alternative conventional physical/chemical method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Aphids, thrips, whiteflies, mealy bugs and mites could cause significant yield losses in horticultural crops. Many synthetic chemicals highly hazardous to non‐target organisms and the environment are in use in their management. Botanicals are ideal for safe sustainable pest management by keeping synthetic chemical use at a minimum. We studied the insecticidal properties of three botanicals viz., Annona squamosa, Ricinus communis and Sapindus mukorossi seed extracts against sucking pests viz., aphids (Aphis gossypii and Aphis craccivora) on okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) and bittergourd (Momordica charantia), thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis) on chilli (Capsicum frutescens), whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) on eggplant (Solanum melongena), mealy bugs (Maconellicoccus hirsutus) on betel vine (Piper betle) and mites (Tetranychus urticae) on eggplant (Solanum melongena) under laboratory conditions. The bioassay showed that A. squamosa seed extract has potent insecticidal properties on all sucking pests, except T. urticae. Though S. mukorossi seed extract exhibited no insecticidal property, had a significant acaricidal property. A. squamosa and S. mukorossi seed extracts will therefore be additional botanicals for use in organic farming for managing the sucking pests effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The early seedling stage is considered the most vulnerable period for plants, especially under salinity conditions. The castor plant (Ricinus communis) is a well-known oil and energy crop worldwide that can survive under stressful conditions. However, the specific mechanisms of this species during its early seedling stage under salt stress are still not clearly understood. Here, the physiological and transcriptome changes in the cotyledons and roots of the castor plant were evaluated. The results indicated that salt stress (150 mM NaCl, 6 d) increased malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline content, whereas it decreased dry weight (DW) and soluble sugar content. The Illumina Hiseq 2500 platform was used to analyze transcriptome profiles in the cotyledons and roots under salt stress conditions. The results showed that 1580 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found in the cotyledons (880 upregulated and 700 downregulated) and 1502 DEGs in the roots (732 upregulated and 770 downregulated). Furthermore, we found that salt stress significantly regulated 22 genes (e.g., 29520.t000005, 29633.t000030, and 29739.t000024) involved in protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum of the cotyledons. However, salt stress induced the expression of 25 genes (e.g., 30068.t000101, 30076.t000022, 29970.t000022, and 29957.t000027) involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis in the roots. In addition, a large number of genes participating in plant hormone signal transduction, starch and sucrose metabolisms, and arginine and proline metabolisms were induced in both cotyledons and roots. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the different expression patterns in cotyledons and roots as well as their synergic relationship contributed to enhancing the salt tolerance of castor plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pollution of soil with heavy metals is an increasingly serious worldwide problem, and cadmium (Cd) has attracted attention because of its high toxicity to almost all plants. Since castor tolerates the accumulation of heavy metals, it has the potential for heavy metal soil remediation. We studied the mechanism of the tolerance of castor to Cd stress treatments at three doses: 300 mg/L, 700 mg/L, and 1,000 mg/L. This research provides new ideas for revealing the defense and detoxification mechanisms of Cd-stressed castor. By combining the results of physiology, differential proteomics and comparative metabolomics, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the networks that regulate the response of castor to Cd stress. The physiological results mainly emphasize the super-sensitive responses of castor plant roots to Cd stress and the effects of Cd stress on plants' antioxidant system, ATP synthesis and ion homeostasis. We confirmed these results at the protein and metabolite levels. In addition, proteomics and metabolomics indicated that under Cd stress, the expressions of proteins involved in defense and detoxification, energy metabolism and other metabolites such as organic acids and flavonoids were significantly up-regulated. At the same time, proteomics and metabolomics also show that castor plants mainly block the root system's absorption of Cd2+ by enhancing the strength of the cell wall, and inducing programmed cell death in response to the three different doses of Cd stress. In addition, the plasma membrane ATPase encoding gene (RcHA4), which was significantly upregulated in our differential proteomics and RT-qPCR studies, was transgenically overexpressed in wild type Arabidopsis thaliana for functional verification. The results indicated that this gene plays an important role in improving plant Cd tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted in 2020 at Bhattadev University, Bajali, Assam, India to evaluate the effects of castor, Ricinus communis L. and an alternative host plant, Ficus benghalensis L., on the morpho-economic traits of the Eri silkworm, Samia ricini Donovan and to identify the suitable host plant. During this study, all the larval, cocoon parameters were recorded and all the data were statistically analysed by using student t- test at p < 0.05 level in SPSS software (version 26). The result of the present study reveals that commercial characteristics such as mature larval weight (g), Cocoon weight(g), pupal weight (g), shell weight(g), shell ratio%, ERR% was found to be highest in Castor (8.74 ± 0.39 g, 3.45 ± 0.12 g, 2.89 ± 0.12 g, 0.52 ± 0.01 g, 15.43 ± 0.80%, 76%) than banyan (6.28 ± 0.11 g, 1.95 ± 0.03 g, 1.69 ± 0.03 g, 0.24 ± 0.01 g, 12.57 ± 0.77%, 60%). Significant differences at 5% level were recorded concerning the Larval duration (days), Larval weight(g), pupal weight(g), cocoon weight(g), shell weight(g), shell ratio %. Thus the present study reveals that erisilkworm reared on the leaves of castor showed superiority than banyan. But castor plant is not available throughout the year and, as we found in this study, erisilkworm can be successfully reared on banyan leaves, so considering the rearing performance of the Eri silkworm on banyan leaves future investigation can be carried out to identify the best secondary food plant for the erisilkworm among banyan, barkessuru, papaya, and other secondary host plants of Eri silkworm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ricinus communis L. shows certain tolerance to and good accumulation ability with heavy metals. Endophytic bacteria−enhanced phytoremediation is an effective method to improve heavy metal extraction efficiency. Here, for better application of castor in phytoremediation, the Illumina high−throughput sequencing was carried out to reveal the endophytic bacterial community in the tissues of castor grown in two locations, and traditional microbial cultivation was used to isolate endophytic bacteria from castor. The dominant bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Acidobacteria, and Proteobacteria was absolutely dominate in all castor tissues. There were significant differences in the composition of endophytic bacterial communities between castor grown in two sites, with obvious variation in the relative abundance of the dominant phylum. The samples from two sites also had their own unique dominant bacterial genera. The analysis of alpha diversity illustrated that the diversity and species richness of endophytic bacteria community in different parts of castor sampled in Tonglushan mining area were lower than those in Gangxia village, Yangxin county. In total, there were 44 endophytic bacteria strains isolated from the tissues of castor, of which 42 strains possessed three or more growth−promoting properties. Most of these isolates were tolerant to Cu or Cd to varying degrees. Eight isolates were selected for further Cu mobilization and soil incubation experiments. Strains TR8, TR18, TR21, YL1, YS3 and YS5 could well solubilize Cu2(OH)2CO3 in medium. Strain YS3 had the best effect on increasing soil DTPA−Cu and DTPA−Cd contents by 8.4% and 6.9%, respectively. Inoculated endophytic isolates were conducive to the conversion of heavy metal forms from insoluble to relatively unstable, and could increase available phosphate content in soil (10.8–29.2%). Therefore, the plant growth−promoting endophytes screened from castor have great application prospects and can provide important support for the microbial−assisted phytoremediation of heavy metal−contaminated soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Biomass energy contributes nearly 14% of the total global energy. Therefore, biomass briquettes can be effectively considered an alternate source of fossil fuels. The present study aims at utilizing Senna auriculata and Ricinus communis waste generated locally for the production of biomass briquettes with 10% of tapioca starch as binder. The biomass wastes are blended at various proportions such as 0:100 (S1), 25:75 (S2), 50:50 (S3), 75:25 (S4) and 100:0 (S5) respectively, and the concentration of binder was maintained to be constant. The characterization of the prepared biomass briquettes includes the analysis of physical characteristics, proximate analysis, elemental analysis, SEM analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetric analysis and XRD analysis. The results of the proximate analysis have revealed that the biomass briquettes possess lower percentage in terms of moisture content, ash content, sensible fixed carbon and high percentage of volatile matter content. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis has shown that the carbon and oxygen are the major elements for all the biomass briquettes. SEM analysis has revealed that the surface of the biomass briquettes is identified with irregular surface, lumps, cavities and few deposits of carbon particles. Thermogravimetric analysis and DSC analysis have reconfirmed the spontaneous burning characteristics of biomass briquettes. XRD analysis has proved that the bonding between each element present in the biomass briquettes is either monoclinic, tetragonal, orthorhombic or anorthic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of Ricinus Communis (RC) (seeds and husks) has been carried out at a temperature range of 120-250 °C, 1 h of residence time, and corresponding autogenous water pressures (2-40 bar) to investigate the production of energy-dense solid (hydrochar) and liquid (bio-crude) biofuels. RC, an oilseed and phyto-depurant plant, exhibits high resistance to drought and climatic variations, and abilities to adapt to polluted and low fertility environments. RC, although is originally from tropical Africa, is also widespread and spontaneously grown in the south of Italy and in particular in the Sicilian region. Dried hydrochars were extracted with acetone (7.5 ml/gr), leading to a bio-crude fraction and a solid residue. The results showed that the bio-crude mass yield increased with increasing HTC temperature up to 47.6% at 250 °C. The bio-crude showed no significant changes in higher heating value (HHV) which was of 35.3 MJ/kg on average. The hydrochar mass yield varied between 78 and 63% at 120 and 250 °C, respectively, and the corresponding acetone-extracted hydrochars showed HHVs of 19.47 and 23.72 MJ/kg. Hydrothermal carbonization proved to be an efficient thermochemical treatment for the production of valuable bio-char and energy-dense bio-crude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castor (Ricinus communis L.) seed oil is the commercial source of ricinoleate, a valuable raw material used in many industries. Oleoyl-12-hydroxylase (RcFAH12) is a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of ricinoleate, accumulating nearly 90% of the triacylglycerol in castor seeds. Little is known about the transcriptional regulation of RcFAH12. We used rapid amplification of cDNA 5′ ends (5′RACE) to locate the transcription start site (TSS) of RcFAH12, and the sequence of a 2605 bp region, −2506~+99, surrounding the TSS was cloned. We then investigated these regions to promote β-glucuronidase (GUS) expression in transgenic Arabidopsis by the progressive 5′ and 3′ deletions strategies. The GUS staining showed that the GUS accumulation varied in tissues under the control of different deleted fragments of RcFAH12. In addition, the GUS expression driven by the RcFAH12 promoter markedly accumulated in transgenic seeds, which indicated that RcFAH12 might play an important role in the biosynthesis of ricinoleic acid. This study will lay a potential foundation for developing a tissue-specific promoter in oil-seed crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ticks are very important ectoparasites transmitting diseases to animals and humans and their natural control is an urgent need. The efficacy of nine novel aqueous plant extracts against Hyalomma dromedarii, semi-fed males, was evaluated through the adult immersion test; seven concentrations were applied (10, 20, 40, 90, 110, 130, and 170 mg/ml) for each plant extract. Plants could be arranged according to their Mortality (MO) percent, 15 days post-treatment (PT) with 170 mg/ml, as follows: 96% by Ricinus communis; followed 84% by Alchemilla vulgaris, Cichorium endivia, Quercus cortex, and Salvia rosmarinus. Three, seven, and 12 days PT, the LC50 values of the highly effective group including R. communis (100.11, 30.34, and 30.22%), A. vulgaris (140.11, 60.94, and 50.38%), C. endivia (120.56, 60.13, and 30.80%), Q. cortex (110.87, 50.05, and 30.13%) and S. rosmarinus (110.73, 50.26, and 40.35%) were calculated. The LT50 values for the highly effective plants were 1.000, 3.136, 2.282, 4.498, and 2.614 days, PT with 170 mg/ml, for R. communis, A. vulgaris, C. endivia, Q. cortex, and S. rosmarinus and their LT99 values were 9.224, 19.840, 19.296, 22.928, and 29.907 days, respectively. The relative toxicity of the A. vulgaris, Allium sativum, C. endivia, Cyperus rotundus, Lepidium sativum, Q. cortex, R. communis, and S. rosmarinus were 1.0, 1.6, 1.6, 1.2, 1.3, 1.7, 1.7, and 12 times, more effective than Lawsonia inermis, respectively. Phytochemical analyses indicated the presence of phenolic, tannin, and flavonoid compounds. This study recommended using R. communis for tick control, followed by Alc. vulgaris, Ci. endivia, Q. cortex, and S. rosmarinus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, basal kernel blight caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (PSS) has been recognized as the most serious disease of barley. Recently, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based gene sequencing is a more powerful tool to identify bacterial pathogens from seeds as well as other plant materials. The disease can be controlled by chemical treatment in the field which has harmful consequences on the environment and biodiversity. The application of plant extracts for the eco-friendly management of seed-borne pathogens is a popular new biocontrol method. Therefore, this study aimed at isolating and identifying PSS from seeds of barley and assessing the antimicrobial potential of the extracts of some plants viz., Citrus limon, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Ricinus communis, Psidium guajava, Murraya koenigii, Withania somnifera, Eucalyptus globulus and Tecomella undulata to promote effective biocontrol strategy. A total of 28 bacterial pathogens were isolated and tested for various biochemical tests. Results of the LOPAT test (+--+) and GATTa test (++--) primarily indicated the presence of PSS. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed on PCR-amplified products with 8F and 1492R primers. The two isolates HV 03 and KASS showed 99.8 and 99.6% homology with strain PSS strain KFB 86 which was isolated from Ficus carica in Serbia. The highest antibacterial activity in vitro was obtained with methanol extract of W. somnifera, P. guajava, E. globulus and M. koenigii. The results specified that the plant extracts which showed promising antibacterial activity may be considered an effective tool for the management of disease caused by PSS in barley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macrodactylus nigripes (Bates) is a pest that attacks corn crops, causing economic losses in production. In order to find agroecological alternatives for its management, the objective was to evaluate the effect of the application of Argemone mexicana L., Ricinus communis L, Beauveria bassiana (Bals) Vuill and Metharrizium anisoplae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin, as well asthe collection of M. nigripes with a beating net in corn crops. The experiment was conducted under a completely randomized block design with four repetitions, where the five control methods were tested and compared with the control treatment (water). R. communis and A. mexicana significantly decreased plant infestation by M. nigripes, increasing production by 36% and 30%, respectively. These results show that both treatments alternated with zote soap can be a good alternative for the management of this pest species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ricinus communis is an important oilseed crop worldwide and is also considered one of the best potential plants for salt‐affected soil improvement in northeast China. However, little is known about photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism in this plant, nor the distribution of carbohydrates in cotyledons and roots under salinity stress.In the present study, seedling growth, gas exchange parameters (PN, E, gs and Ci), carbohydrate (fructose, sucrose, glucose, soluble sugar and starch) metabolism and related enzymes and genes were measured in Ricinus plants.Under salt stress, PN of cotyledons decreased significantly (P < 0.05), resulting in weak photosynthetic capacity. Furthermore, salt stress increased sucrose and glucose content in cotyledons, but decreased soluble sugar and starch content. However, sucrose increased and starch decreased in roots. This may be correlated with the increasing sugar metabolism under salinity, including notable changes in sugar‐related enzyme activities (SPS, SuSy, α‐amylase and β‐amylase) and gene expression of RcINV, RcSUS, RcAmY, RcBAM and RcGBE1.The results suggest that salinity reduces photosynthesis of cotyledons, alters carbohydrate allocation between cotyledons and roots and also promotes starch utilization in cotyledons and starch biosynthesis in roots, leading to a functional imbalance between cotyledons and roots. Together, these findings provide insights into the crucial role of sugar metabolism in improving salt‐tolerance of Ricinus during the early seedling growth stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Biblica & Patristica Thoruniensia is the property of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bulletin of Botanical Research is the property of Bulletin of Botanical Research Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Castor bean plants yield commercially important oilseeds with multiple uses; they are characterised by tolerance to drought and adaptation to marginal soils in arid and semi-arid regions. In northern Mexico, a large amount of arid land is categorised as ejidos: a system of mixed land ownership managed under a specific legal system, where land users have access to common or individual (parcelled) land. This work aimed to examine the suitability of castor bean cultivation on unused marginal land in ejido land. To determine the environmental suitability of the ejido lands of Coahuila, Mexico, we adapted a land productivity index (PI) from an existing method; it consisted of a set of biophysical indicators (edaphic factors, climate, and topography) adapted to castor bean cultivation. We then complemented this index with a cultural component, assessing the ethnobotanical knowledge of the people, their willingness to implement a new crop type, and the type and current use of the land. As a result, we found that 114,300 ha of ejido land (1.76% of the total) were very suitable for castor bean cultivation according to the environmental-PI and that 808,524 ha of ejido land (12.4% of the total) was very suitable according to the cultural-PI. We also hypothesised that the willingness of ejidatarios to cultivate castor beans was related to their degree of knowledge about the plant and the land available for its cultivation; however, their willingness was mostly related to differences in land tenure: ejidatarios who own parcelled land were more interested in obtaining benefits from the land through the implementation of novel crops, compared to those who only have access to common land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castor bean is cultivated in Romania as an ornamental plant and very little for its seeds rich in oil used in the textile and chemical industry or in pharmacy and cosmetics. Castor oil is at the same time a good melliferous and energetic plant. In 1989, 26,300 ha of castor were cultivated in Romania, and currently insignificant areas are cultivated. Interest in this culture has grown a lot in recent years due to the development of castor hybrids with clearly superior productions compared to the old varieties. The research aimed at the development of an economically efficient cultivation technology, in the pedoclimatic conditions of the north of Moldova. A numar of 6 castor hybrids of French origin were tested, cultivated in rows at a distance of 70 cm, using precision seeders from corn in 3 variants of spacing per row: 70 cm, 100 cm and 130 cm. The highest seed productions were for the hybrid LS-CB-18-04 (4,871 kg/ha) and hybrid LS-CB-18-02 (4,774 kg/ha), at a sowing distance of 130 cm per row (10,989 plants/ha). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weeds negatively influence agricultural production. However, those losses depend on weed specie, its time of emergence, and period of interference on agricultural crops. Synthetic herbicides are commonly used to control these plants species; however, they may cause damage to the environment, human beings and animals health, and this problem justify the need to develop alternative bioherbicides. To evaluate the allelopathic potential of Ricinus communis (Castor bean) and light spectrum variation on the emergence and growth of Cyperus rotundus L., a trial was carried out in a protected environment with 15% of brightness reduction at the Center for Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the Paraíba State University. Four aqueous extract concentrations of R. communis leaves were tested (0, 5, 10, and 15%) and four light spectrums variations (white, purple, blue, and red lights). Variables such as emergence, length, dry matter accumulation and growth rates of shoots and root of C. rotundus seedlings were assessed. Data were analyzed by normality test, analysis of variance, polynomial regression, and averages test. Soot and root emergence, length, and dry matter accumulation of C. rotundus seedlings were reduced due to the allelopathy caused by R. communis aqueous extract leaves (15% concentration) and under purple or red light spectrum radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Castor bean or ricin-induced intoxication or terror events have threatened public security and social safety. Potential resources or materials include beans, raw extraction products, crude toxins, and purified ricin. The traceability of the origins of castor beans is thus essential for forensic and antiterror investigations. As a new imaging technique with label-free, rapid, and high throughput features, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) has been gradually stressed in plant research. However, sample preparation approaches for plant tissues still face severe challenges, especially for some lipid-rich, water-rich, or fragile tissues. Proper tissue washing procedures would be pivotal, but little information is known until now. Methods: For castor beans containing plenty of lipids that were fragile when handled, we developed a comprehensive tissue pretreatment protocol. Eight washing procedures aimed at removing lipids were discussed in detail. We then constructed a robust MALDI-MSI method to enhance the detection sensitivity of RCBs in castor beans. Results and Discussion: A modified six-step washing procedure was chosen as the most critical parameter regarding the MSI visualization of peptides. The method was further applied to visualize and quantify the defense peptides, Ricinus communis biomarkers (RCBs) in castor bean tissue sections from nine different geographic sources from China, Pakistan, and Ethiopia. Multivariate statistical models, including deep learning network, revealed a valuable classification clue concerning nationality and altitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ricinus communis is a species distributed worldwide. Its seeds are used to produce castor oil, which can be used for the production of biofuels; yield improvement can be achieved with elicitors that are substances of biological origin that can induce increased productivity of primary and secondary metabolism, when applied to plants. Salicylic acid (SA) is a natural constituent of plants, and applied exogenously acts as an elicitor. The aim of this work is to evaluate the oil content of castor bean plants elicitated with 900, 600, 300, and 100 µM of salicylic acid and its emissions derived from biodiesel made with the oil in blends (0, 10 and 20%) with commercial fuel in a 296 cc diesel cycle engine; elicitation was foliar sprayed. The oil content increased 39% when 900 µM SA was applied compared to control, and the evaluation of emissions showed the maximum reduction with 20% of Ricinus communis biodiesel (RCB) in all different RPM rates. Otherwise, the use of SA could be a method to increase oil content in castor plants as there is no difference in emission reduction derived from the SA application compared to control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparative impact of two phyto‐piscicides viz. mahua (Bassia latifolia) oil cake (MOC) and castor (Ricinus communis L.) bean cake (CBC) upon the mineralizing heterotrophs was tested in outdoor experimental tanks. Following a sharp decline, aerobic heterotrophs and cellulose decomposing bacterial population recovered and the population density remained significantly higher than the pre‐treatment level, indicating strong heterotrophic potential of both the phyto‐piscicides in the culture system. Among the nutrient mineralizers, the sustained negative effect of both the piscicides was observed in denitrifying and ammonifying bacteria, whereas population of nitrifying and phosphate solubilizing bacteria was not affected. Because of narrower C: N ratio, CBC underwent faster decomposition thereby expressed it is manurial value quicker than MOC after exerting toxicity at the beginning. However, with distinctly higher N:P ratio CBC treatment might result in P limitation and toxicity when acting as manure in the culture system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioremediation of hydrocarbons-contaminated soils, using enzymes, is considered an alternative technology for soil remediation, obtaining shorter remediation times, greater removal efficiencies, and less waste generation. The lipases from invasive plants such as castor bean (Ricinus Communis L.) could represent an opportunity for its application in this purpose. This paper reports the results of evaluating enzymatic treatment at different conditions for the remediation of used lubricating oil-contaminated soils. Four assays were performed for the removal of the contaminant in a soil sample: (1) natural attenuation and (2) biostimulation with urea (10% w/v), both used as blanks, (3) enzymatic treatment with lipases at ambient conditions (room temperature, soil pH) and (4) enzymatic treatment with lipases at ideal conditions (temperature 37 °C, pH 4.5). After seven weeks of treatment, removal percentages of 14.23 ± 1.92%, 35.71 ± 5.17%, 14.11 ± 6.71%, and 94.26 ± 1.91%, respectively, were obtained. The degradation of the contaminant was analyzed by Fourier-transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for each assay. Results show the potential of the lipases for catalyzing the degradation of this contaminant in the soil at ideal conditions, representing an alternative technology to be applied as treatment ex-situ. This paper is the first study known to show the utilization of castor bean lipase for the remediation of hydrocarbons-contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an essential element, copper (Cu) is involved in various metabolic processes in plants. However, this metal becomes a potential stress factor when the concentration reaches the threshold level. A comparative analysis was conducted to investigate the potential role of two cytokinins [kinetin (KIN) and 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP)] in Cu stress alleviation in Ricinus communis seedlings by assessing the metal bioaccumulation, antioxidation mechanisms, anatomical changes as well as analysis of various essential elements and bioactive compounds in the cotyledonary leaves. Application of KIN and BAP regulated the Cu toxicity in castor seedlings via modulation of metal uptake and antioxidation mechanisms. The increase in antioxidant enzyme activities during Cu stress was further increased upon exposure to cytokinin treatments, and the enhancement reached up to 25 folds for CAT, 16 folds for POD, and 8 folds for SOD over the control, which helps the plant to alleviate the toxic effects of Cu stress. The FTIR analysis of the cotyledonary leaves revealed that the functional groups associated with cell wall materials contributed to the Cu sequestration in the cell wall, supported by the xylem wall thickening as observed in the SEM analysis. The GCMS analysis revealed that most of the secondary metabolites identified were phenolic and flavonoid compounds with antioxidant properties, which help the castor seedlings withstand the Cu stress, and the presence of these compounds was more prominent in cytokinin-treated seedlings. Findings revealed that BAP was more effective than KIN to withstand the Cu stress effects in castor seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diverse source of early genotypes is obligatory for breeding high yielding early castor (Ricinus communis L.) cultivars. One hundred and twenty-five medium duration genotypes including three checks were evaluated for the presence of genetic diversity and variability. Genetic distance, variance components and correlation coefficients were estimated for seven seed related quantitative traits. Significant genotypic differences were observed among the collections for these traits. High heritability and high genetic advance were noticed for seed length, seed breadth, Length/Breadth ratio, shelling percentage, 100 seed weight and seed yield per plant, thus mode of gene action reported was additive. Genetic diversity analysis based on dendrogram, phenogram and circular form grouped the entries into seven groups and it computed inter and intra cluster distance. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed that the first three components cumulatively accounted for 72.57 per cent of the total variation. Seed yield per plant showed a significant association with shelling percentage and 100 seed weight. Also, direct effects were high and positive through seed breadth, Length/Breadth ratio and 100 seed weight. The promising genotypes identified (ICIRG 2272103 and RG 1673) and the information generated would be useful for breeding early/medium cultivars as well to understand the physiological mechanism related to earliness in castor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was carried out in June-Janauary (2021-2022) at the Laboratory of the Department of Microbiology, Chimanbhai Patel College of Agriculture, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University (SDAU), Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat, India. 15 promising endophytic bacterial isolates from castor plants showing higher dry matter accumulation in seedlings of wheat were subjected to detailed characterization for their molecular and plant growth promoting abilities. The bacterial isolate Erc7 performed best for plant growth promoting activities viz., ammonia and IAA production, phosphate solubilization, nitrogen fixation, HCN production and antagonistic activity against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ricini in-vitro which cause wilt in castor plant. Pot trials involving wheat seed inoculation (rabi 2021-22) with bacterial isolates showed that the treatment with endophytic bacterial isolate Erc7 showed maximum shoot and root length (47.65 cm, 10.50 cm), shoot fresh and dry weight (824.90 mg, 308.83 mg), root fresh and dry weight (122.37 mg, 36.20 mg), spike length (09.76 cm) and number of seeds in central tiller plant-1 (15.33). PCR amplification of 16S rRNA genes and ARDRA profiling using restriction enzymes AluI, TaqI and HpaII grouped the 15 isolates in 2 clusters (A and B) at a Jaccard's similarity co-efficient of 0.54. The best PGPR isolate Erc7 was gene sequenced for 16S rRNA gene. The sequence was submitted to the NCBI Genbank (Accession number ON514555). Upon BlastN It showed maximum similarity to Bacillus cereus. The isolates Erc7 showed presence of diplobacillus endospores which is a typical characteristic of Bacillus cereus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castor oil plant (Ricinus communis L.), as a non-comestible energy harvest, it can be utilized for different biofuels preparation. Extracted castor oil was utilized for biodiesel (BD) preparation by transesterification method, whereas the castor plant remains, including stalk, seed cake, and leaves, were used for ethanol and biogas preparation. Operating setting effects, like methanol to castor oil plant ratio, temperature, and reaction time on BD income production were examined. The best BD yield reached 91% at oil molar ratio 9:1 methanol to castor oil mass ratio obtained at 60°C during 60min. This yield corresponded To 910g BD per kg castor plant oil. According to tracking the distillation process of the obtained BD it is positive and it is located between light and heavy diesel, Also, the latter (BD) is not harmful to the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The members of the family Euphorbiaceae planted as ornamental plants are rich sources of medicinally important phytochemical antioxidants. The study aimed the comparative evaluation of phytochemical composition and antioxidant potential of different parts of seven different plants of family Euphorbiaceae including Euphorbia hirta, Euphorbia prostrata, Chrozophora tinctoria, Euphorbia milli, Euphorbia cotinifolia, Euphorbia tirucalli, and Ricinus communis. The selected parts of the plants were extracted in 70% methanol and the extracts were subjected to phytochemical screening and phytochemical and antioxidant analysis. The data were statistically analyzed by one-way analysis of variance. The root, stem, and leaves of each of the selected plants consisted of tannins, saponins, flavonoids, and glycosides with few exceptions. The terpenoids and anthocyanins were mostly found in the studied parts of E. tirucalli, and R. communis. The total extract yield, total phemolics, total flavonoids, total tannins, and ascorbic acid content of the extracts ranged from 2.42±0.53 to 10.20±2.02, 0.07±0.01 to 0.34±0.1, 0.07±0.02 to 0.81±0.04, 0.12±0.02 to 0.29±0.05, and 0.17±0.03 to 0.51±0.04 g/100 g dry weight respectively. The content were found to be statistically different (p<0.05) in the studied parts of the selected plants The antioxidant potential in terms of total antioxidant activity, anti-radical capacity, and reducing power was also found to be statistically different (p<0.05) in different parts of the studied plants except for ascorbic acid content of stem. E. tirucalli, R. communis, and E. milli were found to be comparatively good in phytochemical composition while R. communis showed the highest antioxidant potential among the selected plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of FUUAST Journal of Biology is the property of Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science & Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The collected amount of nectar and pollen by the insect pollinators mainly depends upon the time spent on individual flowers referred to as the foraging speed. An experiment conducted at Department of Entomology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana evaluated the foraging speed of different insect pollinators on flowers of castor Ricinus communis cv. GCH-7 and DCH-177. Apis cerana F. was observed with maximum foraging speed (6.26 sec/ flower) followed by Apis mellifera L. (5.12 sec/ flower), Apis dorsata F. (4.20 sec/ flower), Apis florea F. (3.74 sec/ flower). The least foraging speed was observed with Xylocopa iridipennis Lepeletier (2.67 sec/ flower). Data taken at different time interval in a day indicated that the peak foraging speed of pollinators is between 10.00- 12.00 hr, while the least one was at 16.00-18.00 hr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]