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This research aims to develop and assess the anti-arthritic properties of a topically herbal gel including leaf extracts from Cardiospermum halicacabum and Ricinus communis L. in rats. Utilizing gelling agents carbopol 940 (2.5, 5, 7.5 g), nine herbal gel compositions were created. Prepared formulations were then assessed for physical appearance, spreadability, viscosity, net content, pH, extrudability, in vitro diffusion profile, and main skin irritant tests. According to the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) recommendations, the stability research for the topical herbal gel composition was completed, and Freund's Complete Adjuvant (FCA) induced arthritis technique was used to assess the anti-arthritic efficacy. Additional procedures included measuring the body weight, paw volume, biochemical and hematological variables, histological analysis, and in vitro serum biomarker detection. The prepared gels followed the instructions and were uniform and stable. F5 performed better than the other compositions in terms of release kinetics (97.20%). The gel proved safe and non-toxic since no erythema or edema was seen during the skin irritation test. Comparing the herbal gel F5 comprising carbopol 940 to rats with arthritis, the topical treatment showed considerable (p <.001) anti-arthritic effect. The anti-arthritic action of the gel formulations was confirmed by decreased paw volume, absence of agglutination in reacting protein and rheumatic factor, a decline in TNFα level, restoration to baseline biochemical and hematological characteristics, decrease in thymus and spleen weight, and histopathological study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castor bean (Ricinus communis) is a crop of great economic importance in Brazil. It is used for producing oil used in the manufacture of cosmetics and biodiesel. The genus Phytophthora contains pathogens with a wide range of host plants, including ornamentals, fruit and vegetable crops. Among the symptoms induced by Phytophthora species are collar and root rot. This study aimed to identify Phytophthora species causing collar and root rot in castor bean seedlings in the Federal District and test their pathogenicity. Samples of symptomatic plants were collected in four satellite cities in Distrito Federal, Brazil. Fourteen isolates were obtained, and they were initially identified through the morphology of reproductive structures. The isolates were subjected to molecular characterization using phylogeny of the sequences from the ITS region and the Cytochrome Oxidase II gene. Ten isolates of the pathogen were tested for pathogenicity on seedlings of two castor bean accessions and species known to be hosts of P. nicotianae. The isolates were identified as P. nicotianae (12 isolates) and P. palmivora (two isolates). In the pathogenicity test, all isolates were capable of causing disease in castor beans. The isolates of P. nicotianae and P. palmivora varied in pathogenicity to other plant species. This is the first report of P. nicotianae causing collar and root rot in castor bean in the Central‐West Region of Brazil. It is also the first report of P. palmivora causing diseases in castor beans in South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Castor is an important non-edible oil seeds crop of Gujarat state. Yield potentiality of this crop has been considerably improved through several breeding techniques. Now days, a wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ricini) of castor has become a serious problem. The present study therefore, was under taken to use populations of P1, P2, F1, F2, BC1 and BC2 generations in each of six crosses of castor. The six crosses were selected in such a way that two crosses in each group of resistance X resistance, resistance X susceptible and susceptible X susceptible made available for detail study of gene effects for wilt resistance. Methods: The experiment was laid out in a compact family block design with three replications during kharif, 2017. The experimental materials consisted of four pistillate lines viz., VP-1, Geeta, SKP-84 and SKP-106 and six inbred lines viz., VI-9, JI-35, 48-1, SH-72, SKI-215 and PCS-124 selected from the germplasm maintained at the Castor and Mustard Research Station, S.D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar. Each entry was planted in a single row of 10 dibbles maintaining 120 cm row to row and 60 cm plant to plant distances. Result: The analysis of variance revealed significant difference among different generations for wilt incidence and seed yield indicating considerable variability in the material tested. The estimation of the gene effects revealed that additive as well as non-additive gene effects were observed for wilt incidence and seed yield in all the six cross. In the cross, VP - 1 X JI-35 the wilt incidence estimation of scaling test and gene effect was observed non-significant indicating non-allelic interaction was absent for this character, while for seed yield, all the crosses have significant scaling test indicating the presence of non-allelic interactions for this trait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to evaluate management of Meloidogyne incognita in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) using a rotation with castor bean (Ricinus communis L.), a potential cash crop. Reproduction of the nematode on castor bean in the greenhouse and effect of its planting on nematode populations on cotton in the field were tested. The effect of castor bean cake on nematode populations and its direct effect on cotton yield were also evaluated. Castor bean was a non-host to M. incognita in the trials. In addition, a preliminary field study showed that castor bean produced 1.2 t seed/ha when used in M. incognita infested areas, reduced populations of the nematode, and improved cotton productivity in the following season. Castor bean cake also reduced M. incognita populations. However, castor bean cake cannot be applied at doses above 100 kg/ha in the cotton planting furrow due to a phytotoxic effect on the crop. The most appropriate rate was 60 kg/ha applied to the furrow, decreasing in the nematode population at 80 days after planting and gall index as well as increasing cotton yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Past mining activities in northwestern Mexico have left a large number of abandoned mine tailings deposits, such as in San Felipe de Jesus, Sonora, that is known to be transferring metal(oid)s to nearby agricultural fields. Given the risk and the need to implement mitigation measures, in this paper, we describe the results of two experiments evaluating the phytostabilization potential of five plant species collected in the area. Methods: We evaluated the assisted phytostabilization approach using compost and nutrients and the soil capping approach using combinations of soil, gravel, clay, and tailings layers. Results: The assisted experiment revealed that seedlings were unable to establish under unamended treatments and only Ricinus communis showed potential under this approach. Compost and nutrients reduced the accumulation of As, Pb, Mn, and Zn in leaves of R. communis, but some were above the maximum tolerable levels for domestic animals. Under the capping approach, R. communis also showed better performance under some combinations of soil, gravel, and tailings layers than the other species. The accumulation of As, Pb, and Mn in leaves was below the maximum tolerable levels for domestic animals, indicating that soil capping has greater potential in this abandoned tailing deposit. Conclusion: The capping approach has more phytostabilization potential than the use of amendments, reducing the risk of incorporating metal(oid)s in the trophic web. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted at the College of Agriculture, University of Diyala, which located in the city of Baqubah, the center of Diyala Governorate in the Northeastern part of the capital of Iraq, Baghdad. The experiment aimed to study the effect of spraying with four concentrations of Camellia sinensis (green tea) extract (0, 50, 75 and 100) ml/l in the yield of seed and oil of two castor plant varieties: Zibo castor and Carmencita. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using a factorial experiment according to a Completely Randomized Block Design (RCBD). The results showed a significant superiority of the concentration of 75 ml/l, which recorded the highest averages of dry weight of leaves (g), number of fruits per plant, weight of 300 seeds (g), seed yield per plant (g/plant), oil percentage (%) and oil yield (kg/ha). These values were 171.6 (g/plant), 122 fruits/plant, 68.2 (g), 53.0 (g/plant), 41.9 (%) and 494.0 (kg/ha), respectively. The study also revealed the significant superiority of the Zibo castor variety, with the highest averages for the mentioned traits, reaching 179.4 (g/plant), 134 fruits/plant, 66.8 (g), 59.2 (g/plant), 43.0 (%), and 562.2 (kg/ha), respectively. Furthermore, the study results indicated significant differences between the means of some studied traits due to the interaction between the experiment factors. The combination of spraying green tea extract at a concentration of 75 ml/l with the Zibo castor variety recorded the highest averages for seed yield, oil percentage and oil yield, which reached 66.0 (g/plant), 43.3 (%), and 630.0 (kg/ha), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant mediated green synthetic route for silver and gold nanoparticles (AgNPs & AuNPs) from four plant families: Phyllanthaceae, Lamiaceae, Rutaceae and Euphorbiaceae and their therapeutic application of are summarized in the present review article. Silver and gold nanoparticles prepared from the mentioned plant families were visualized with various therapeutic applications viz., anti-microbial, ant-bacterial, anti-cancer and anti-oxidant activities etc. Owing to size and shapes, NPs green synthesized from various plants like Ricinus communis (Ag), Tectona grandis (Ag), Plectranthus amboinicus (Ag, Au), Phyllanthus emblica (Ag, Au), Ricinu communis (Ag), Leucas aspera (Ag, Au), Acalypha indica Linn. (Ag, Au) were envisioned with innumerable curative applications such as antimicrobial, anticancer, antibacterial, anti-oxidant, cytotoxicity, haemolytic and stimulating effect etc. In the current review, eco-friendly green synthetic itineraries for synthesis of AgNPs and AuNPs are mainly focused. Phyto-components present in plants such as anti-oxidant molecules, terpenes, alkaloids, coumarins like quercetin, d -allose, 1-valine, ocosenamide molecules etc. are the responsible reducing agents for the capping reaction (Ag+ to Ag0 and Au3+ to Au0) of nanoparticle from metal precursors like AgNO 3 and HAuCl 4. [Display omitted] • Bio-synthesis of AgNPs and AuNPs from four plant families: Phyllanthaceae, Lamiaceae, Rutaceae and Euphorbiaceae are summarized. • AgNPs and AuNPs green synthesized from plants belonging to Phyllanthaceae, Lamiaceae, Rutaceae and Euphorbiaceae families contain various medicinal applications like antimicrobial, anticancer, antibacterial, anti-oxidant, cytotoxicity etc. • Phyto-compounds present in plants are responsible for capping reaction of nano-particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This groundbreaking study is the first of its kind to investigate the genetic effects on seed yield and its constituent characters in castor, and specifically to explore linked digenic interactions in this crop species. The study used twenty-one generations, including P1, P2, F1, F2, F3, B1, B2, B11, B12, B21, B22, B1S, B2S, B1 × F1, B2 × F1, F2 × P1, F2 × P2, F2 × F1, B1 bip, B2 bip, and F2 bip, from two crosses of castor: SKI-346 × JI-35 (cross-1) and SKI-346 × SKI-215 (cross-2). The results of the study shed new light on the inheritance of these characters and provide valuable information for future research in this field. Special scaling tests were used to assess the significance of genetic effects, and the results showed that most of the characters exhibited significant genetic effects, including epistasis, which suggests that the expression of these characters was influenced by interactions between genes. Additionally, higher order epistasis and/or linkage were detected, indicating that the expression of these characters was also affected by interactions among multiple genes. The study found that duplicate type of epistasis was responsible for the inheritance of seed yield and its constituent characters in the two crosses of castor. A recommendation to improve the seed yield of castor is to utilize a combination of recurrent selection and pedigree breeding approaches over several cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The length of internodes plays a crucial role in determining the height of the castor plant (Ricinus communis L.). However, the specific mechanisms underlying internode elongation, particularly in the main stem of the castor plant, remain uncertain. To further investigate this, we conducted a study focusing on the internode tissue of the dwarf castor variety 071113, comparing it with the control high-stalk Zhuansihao. Our study included a cytological observation, physiological measurement, transcriptome sequencing, and metabolic determination. Our integrated findings reveal that the dwarf variety 071113 undergoes an earlier lignification development in the main stem and has a more active lignin synthesis pathway during internode intermediate development. In addition, the dwarf variety exhibited lower levels of the plant hormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), which had an impact on the development process. Furthermore, we identified specific enzymes and regulators that were enriched in the pathways of the cell cycle, auxin signal transduction, and secondary cell wall synthesis. Using these findings, we developed a model that explained the intermediate secondary growth observed in castor internode elongation and enhanced our comprehension of the dwarfing mechanism of the 071113 variety. This research provides a theoretical groundwork for the future breeding of dwarf castor varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, Pollen analysis was carried out on two honey samples from two different localities (Dabhad village and Vaghavaadi village) of Kheralu taluka, Mehsana district, Gujarat. Melissopalynological examinations were made to isolate and identify pollen types in the honey. The aim of the study is to determine whether the honey samples are unifloral or multifloral. Moreover, to determine pollen types to understand the forage patterns of bee species. Pollen analysis was performed using the acetolysis method. A total of seventeen morphotypes of pollen were identified. Brassica juncea (L.) Czern., Morus alba L., Sonchus oleraceus L., Solanum virginianum L., Foeniculum vulgare Mill., Ricinus communis L., Achyranthes aspera L., Tridax procumbens (L.), Amaranthus viridis L., Parthenium hysterophorus L., Cyanthillium cinereum (L.) H.Rob., Digera muricata (L.) Mart., Tagetes erecta L., Peristrophe bicalyculata (Retz) Nees, Eclipta prostrata (L.), Setaria glauca (L.) Beauv. & unknown pollen of plant. Among these plants, the pollen of Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. was recorded with 53.03% and 41.71% in the Dabhad locality as well as the Vaghavaadi locality with the highest frequency percentage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castor (Ricinus communis L.) seeds produce abundant ricinoleic acid during seed maturation, which is important for plant development and human demands. Ricinoleic acid, as a unique hydroxy fatty acid (HFA), possesses a distinct bond structure that could be used as a substitute for fossil fuels. Here, we identified all homologous genes related to glycolysis, hydroxy fatty acid biosynthesis, and triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation in castor seeds. Furthermore, we investigated their expression patterns globally during five seed development stages. We characterized a total of 66 genes involved in the glycolysis pathway, with the majority exhibiting higher expression levels during the early stage of castor bean seed development. This metabolic process provided abundant acetyl-CoA for fatty acid (FA) biosynthesis. Subsequently, we identified 82 genes involved in the processes of de novo FA biosynthesis and TAG assembly, with the majority exhibiting high expression levels during the middle or late stages. In addition, we examined the expression patterns of the transcription factors involved in carbohydrate and oil metabolism. For instance, RcMYB73 and RcERF72 exhibited high expression levels during the early stage, whereas RcWRI1, RcABI3, and RcbZIP67 showed relatively higher expression levels during the middle and late stages, indicating their crucial roles in seed development and oil accumulation. Our study suggests that the high HFA production in castor seeds is attributed to the interaction of multiple genes from sugar transportation to lipid droplet packaging. Therefore, this research comprehensively characterizes all the genes related to glycolysis, fatty acid biosynthesis, and triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation in the castor and provides novel insight into exploring the genetic mechanisms underlying seed oil accumulation in the endosperm of castor beans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the effects of Taraxacum officinale L. and Ricinus communis L. on growth and physiology of sunflower and maize plants. Seeds of sunflower (cv Parson 3) and maize (cv TP 1217) were surface sterilized and soaked in 0.3 % and 0.5 % aqueous extracts of T. officinale L. and R. communis L. prior to sowing, plants were grown in pots under natural conditions. Fresh and dry weight of shoot and root, chlorophyll, carotenoids, protein, proline, phenols and flavonoids and phytohormones contents in leaves of sunflower and maize were determined. The activities of antioxidant enzymes (Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Peroxidase (POD) and defense related enzymes viz. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) were also recorded in leaves of maize and sunflower at vegetative phase. Phytohormones indole acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA) and abscisic acid (ABA) were detected in T. officinale L. and R. communis L. Extract of T. officinale L. and R. communis L. significantly enhanced the shoot biomass in maize and sunflower as compared to control. Proline, phenolics, flavonoids, protein, chlorophyll, carotenoids and terpenoids content of fresh leaves were enhanced in all the treatments as compared to control. Activities of PAL, SOD, PPO and POD were also enhanced. Among all the treatments 0.3 % aqueous extract of T. officinale L. and 0.5 % aqueous extract of R. communis L. were more effective in sunflower and maize plants. The extracts of T. officinale L. and R. communis L. may be implicated to improve the growth and defensive system of maize and sunflower and induce tolerance to stresses by augmenting osmoregulation and enhancing the antioxidant and defense related enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castor is an industrial oilseed crop with great potential for biorefineries. However, little is known about the variability in the bioactive compounds in castor germplasm. This study evaluated seed weight, oil content, fatty acid profile, tocopherols, and phytosterols in 160 accessions of the USDA-ARS castor germplasm collection. The accessions were grown in Cordoba, Spain, under three different environmental conditions. Environmental and genotype-by-environment interaction effects were predominant for most traits, resulting in moderate to low broad-sense heritabilities, which ranged from 0.12 for total tocopherol content to 0.88 for hundred-seed weight. The genetic variability in the seed quality traits identified in the collection was lower than that reported previously for the germplasm of wild and semi-wild accessions from Spain, which is attributed to the lower genetic diversity in cultivated than in wild forms. The variation in seed quality traits in castor germplasm can be exploited to improve the concentration of bioactive compounds in castor cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the levels of heavy metals in the soil and castor bean plant after fertilization with sewage sludge (SS) subjected to different stabilization processes. The study was conducted in a Haplic Cambisol with the following treatments: control (CO), fertilization with solarized sewage sludge (SSS), composted sewage sludge (CSS), vermi composted sewage sludge (VSS), limed sewage sludge (LSS), and mineral fertilizer (MF). The experimental design included a subdivided plot scheme with fertilization being the primary factor and soil layers or leaf parts being the secondary factor. The data obtained were analyzed using analysis of variance and the Scott-Knott test with 5% significance. Fertilization with SSS, CSS, and LSS led to the highest increase in Zn in the soil, mainly in the surface layer. In the leaf tissues, Zn and Cu levels were higher with the CO and SSS treatments, whereas the Ni level was higher with SSS, CSS, VSS, and MF treatments. In general, Zn and Cu levels were higher in the leaf limb than in the petiole, whereas Ni, Pb, and Cr levels were higher in the petiole than in the leaf limb. In any case, no symptoms of toxicity in the plants and no risk of soil contamination were observed with any of the fertilization treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shemnkande NS, Lyantagaye SL, Mpenda FN. 2023. Antimicrobial potential and cytotoxicity of endophytic fungi crude extracts from Ricinus communis of Tanzania. Asian J Trop Biotechnol 20: 69-78. The study aimed to assess the antimicrobial potential and cytotoxicity of crude extracts from endophytic fungi found in Ricinus communis L. from Tanzania. The researchers isolated and identified fifty-one fungi species from the leaves and roots of R. communis. The isolates were morphologically characterized, considering color, size, shape, elevation, margin, and density parameters. The isolates were further analyzed using Sanger sequencing and bioinformatics tools to determine their phylogenetic relationships and identify the isolates. Two techniques were deployed to evaluate the antimicrobial potential: disc diffusion and microdilution. The disc diffusion method measured the inhibition zones formed by the fungi extracts against selected bacterial strains (Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. In comparison, the microdilution technique determined the crude extracts' Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) against the bacterial strains. Cytotoxicity of the crude extracts was evaluated using the brine shrimp lethality assay; Brine shrimp larvae were exposed to the extracts to evaluate their potential toxicity. The study successfully isolated 51 fungi species from R. communis and observed significant morphological variation. Four endophytic fungi (Penicillium menonorum, Curvularia verruculosa, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus aculeatinus) exhibited potent antibacterial activity against B. subtilis, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and S. aureus, with low minimum inhibitory concentrations (3.125 µg/mL to 0.098 µg/mL). Cytotoxicity tests on brine shrimp larvae indicated the crude extracts' non-toxicity, suggesting their potential as safe therapeutic agents. The findings suggest that endophytic fungi from R. communis possess potential therapeutic applications against drug-resistant pathogens, warranting further investigation of their bioactive compounds and broader biotechnological uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corn nixtamalization generates a waste byproduct that requires diverse environmental preservation measures depending on the country. Such measures could include catalytic and advanced oxidation processes. This study aims to exploit the hemicellulose within the nejayote (32.5%) to create added value chemicals such as furfural using photocatalytic hydrolysis. In the present work, titania (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) were greenly synthesized using Ricinus Communis (RC), Moringa Oleifera (MO) or Bougainvillea Spectabilis (BS) plant extracts. Obtained nanoparticles were characterized using XRD, SEM, EDS, BET, XPS and UV–vis techniques. Furthermore, the photocatalytic performance of the obtained samples was evaluated in the furfural production from nejayote. Furfural yield reached 44% in 30 min using the BS synthesized material, which is 1.6 × the yield obtained by the material synthesized with MO extract (26.4% at 45 min) and 6 × the yield obtained by the material obtained with RC (7.2% at 90 min). Such results have not been reported before in the literature and could be the groundwork for novel waste treatments in the tortilla-making industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High photosynthetic efficiency is the basis of high biomass and high harvest index in castor (Ricinus communis L.). Understanding the genetic law of photosynthetic traits will facilitate the breeding for high photosynthetic efficiency. In this study, the dynamic QTL mapping was performed with the populations F2 and BC1 derived from 2 parents with significant difference in net photosynthetic rate (Pn) at 3 stages, in order to reveal the genetic structure of photosynthetic traits. In F2 population, 26 single-locus QTLs were identified, including 3/3/1 (the QTL number at stage I/II/III, the same below), 1/2/0, 1/2/2, 1/3/1, 0/1/1, and 1/1/2 QTLs conferring Pn, water use efficiency (Wue), transpiration rate (Tr), stomatal conductance (Gs), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) and chlorophyll content (Cc), with a phenotypic variation explained (PVE) of 8.40%/8.91%/6.17%, 5.36%/31.74%/0, 7.31%/12.80%/15.15%, 1.60%/6.44%/0.02%, 0/1.10%/0.70% and 2.77%/3.96%/6.50% respectively. And 53 epistatic QTLs (31 pairs) were identified, including 2/2/5, 5/6/3, 4/4/2, 6/3/2, 3/2/0 and 4/0/0 ones conferring the above 6 traits, with a PVE of 6.52%/6.47%/19.04%, 16.72%/15.67%/14.12%, 18.57%/15.58%/7.34%, 21.72%/8.52%/7.13%, 13.33%/4.94%/0 and 7.84%/0/0 respectively. The QTL mapping results in BC1 population were consistent with those in F2 population, except fewer QTLs detected. Most QTLs identified were minor-effect ones, only a few were main-effect ones (PVE > 10%), focused on 2 traits, Wue and Tr, such as qWue1.1, qWue1.2, FqTr1.1, FqTr6, BqWue1.1 and BqTr3; The epistatic effects, especially those related to the dominance effects were the main genetic component of photosynthetic traits, and all the epistatic QTLs had no single-locus effects except qPn1.2, FqGs1.2, FqCi1.2 and qCc3.2; The detected QTLs underlying each trait varied at different stages except stable QTLs qGs1.1, detected at 3 stages, qWue2, qTr1.2 and qCc3.2, detected at 2 stages; 6 co-located QTLs were identified, each of which conferring 2–5 different traits, demonstrated the gene pleiotropy between photosynthetic traits; 2 QTL clusters, located within the marker intervals RCM1842-RCM1335 and RCM523-RCM83, contained 15/5 (F2/BC1) and 4/4 (F2/BC1) QTLs conferring multiple traits, including co-located QTLs and main-effect QTLs. The above results provided new insights into the genetic structure of photosynthetic traits and important references for the high photosynthetic efficiency breeding in castor plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• There are at least 137 plants from 53 families used in traditional oral health care in West Africa. • Less than 50 % of the plants have been tested for their antimicrobial activities against oral pathogens. • Candida albicans, fusobacterium nucleatum, porphyromonas gingivalis, and streptococcus mutans are the most tested pathogens for antimicrobial studies. • Very few studies have examined the antimicrobial activities of isolated phytochemicals. The physiological condition of the oral cavity makes it a perfect place for microbial growth. Therefore, diseases associated with the oral cavity affect approximately half of the world's population, making them some of the most common diseases. In Africa, the use of medicinal plants for oral health is a longstanding tradition because of their accessibility and affordability. This study reviews the published literature on the plants used for treating oral diseases in West Africa and the scientific studies carried out on the plants regarding the validation of their ethnobotanical uses. The information used in this review was retrieved from various published articles downloaded from databases and journal websites. A total of 137 plant species from 53 families are presented in this review. The families Fabaceae (22), Asteraceae (8), Anarcadiaceae (6), Euphorbiaceae (6), Combretaceae (5), Myrtaceae (5), Rubiaceae (5), Apocynaceae (4), and Meliaceae (4) account for 47 % of the plants recorded in this review. Approximately 50 % of the plant species are trees; leaves are the most commonly used plant part, and decoction is the most preferred preparation method. Of the 137 plants, only 41 have been examined for their antimicrobial activities against oral pathogens, notably Candida albicans, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis , and Streptococcus mutans. Based on this, some of the most active plants with low MIC include Allium cepa, Argemone mexicana, Ricinus communis , and Syzygium aromaticum. A few studies have also tested the activities of isolated phytochemicals from some plants and evidence of beneficial synergism between two or three plants on oral infections. The conservation statuses of most of the species implicated in this review are least concerned (66); 5 species are vulnerable , 3 species are nearly threatened, and one species is endangered. This review revealed the need to intensify efforts on the ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies of plants used to treat various oral diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is an important oilseed crop worldwide whose inedible oil is widely used in the industrial, pharmaceutical, and agricultural sectors. Castor plants show high conversion potential for use as biorefining feedstocks. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of two nitrogen fertilization levels (0 and 120 kg N ha−1) on seed and oil yield. From a biorefinery perspective, the residual biomass of seed processing was analyzed in terms of fiber composition and biomethane production carrying out a biological pretreatment using two white‐rot fungi (Pleurotus ostreatus and Irpex lacteus). Nitrogen fertilization resulted in an increase in seed and oil yields and a difference in capsule husk composition. Fungal pretreatment of capsule husks showed promising effects on anaerobic digestion, increasing the biomethane yield compared to untreated biomass. The highest lignin degradation and the lowest cellulose loss during pretreatment were obtained with I. lacteus, and this fungal pretreatment resulted in the highest biomethane yield (103.2 NmL g−1 volatile solids) for the fertilized biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the use of castor oil plant (Ricinus communis) as filler in rotomolded parts using polyethylene (PE) and polylactic acid (PLA) as polymer matrixes. The vegetable shredded material was used in 5 and 10% weight following a dry blending procedure and then rotomolded to obtain cube test parts. This material was characterized to determine its chemical composition, thermal stability, and structure. The NaOH-treated material shows reduced hemicellulose content and higher thermal stability. Obtained composite materials were characterized in terms of mechanical (tensile, flexural, and impact) and thermal properties, morphology, and bio-disintegration behavior. The use of Ricinus as filler in rotomolded PE composite decreases, in general terms, mechanical properties of neat PE, while no significant changes in thermal or bio-disintegration properties are found. On the contrary, PLA composites show higher tensile strength and similar Young's modulus than the matrix, although with reduced flexural and impact properties. Alkali-treated Ricinus material produces parts with higher porosity and thus, lower mechanical properties than composites with untreated material. Finally, the incorporation of this vegetal material modifies to a great extent the thermal properties of the PLA matrix. The bio-disintegration rate increases due to the use of fibers, probably because of the higher moisture absorption of composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corn nixtamalization generates a waste byproduct that requires diverse environmental preservation measures depending on the country. Such measures could include catalytic and advanced oxidation processes. This study aims to exploit the hemicellulose within the nejayote (32.5%) to create added value chemicals such as furfural using photocatalytic hydrolysis. In the present work, titania (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) were greenly synthesized using Ricinus Communis (RC), Moringa Oleifera (MO) or Bougainvillea Spectabilis (BS) plant extracts. Obtained nanoparticles were characterized using XRD, SEM, EDS, BET, XPS and UV–vis techniques. Furthermore, the photocatalytic performance of the obtained samples was evaluated in the furfural production from nejayote. Furfural yield reached 44% in 30 min using the BS synthesized material, which is 1.6 × the yield obtained by the material synthesized with MO extract (26.4% at 45 min) and 6 × the yield obtained by the material obtained with RC (7.2% at 90 min). Such results have not been reported before in the literature and could be the groundwork for novel waste treatments in the tortilla-making industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castor (Ricinus communis L.) locally known as ‘Gulo’ is a species of flowering plants in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae) which contains a vast number of plants mostly native to the tropics. Castor belongs to a monotypic genus Ricinus and sub-tribe Ricininae. It was initially believed to have four centers of origin: East Africa (Ethiopia), Northwest and South West Asia and Arabian Peninsula, India, and China. However, Ethiopia is considered to be the most probable site of origin because of the presence of high diversity. The overall objective of this research was conducted to test environmental adaptability of castor bean genotypes at wondogenet, Ethiopia. The experiment was conducted at Wondogenet Agricultural Research Center’s (WGARC) on-station testing site during the main cropping season of 2022. Highly significant (P<0.01) differences among varieties were observed in the testing site for days to plant height, number of capsules per plant, number of nods per plant, nod length, number of branches per plant and seed yield per hectare. Caster seed yield for genotypes tested at the tested area ranged from 1114 to 1451.27 kg/ha, and the mean value was 1235.95 kg/ha. The top yielders included Acc#95, Acc#82, and Hiruy, with 1451.27, 1294.03, and 1260.27 kg/ha, respectively. Compared with environmental variance, genetic variance was larger for plant height, number of racem per plants, length of main racem, number of capsuls per plant, number of nodes per plants, node length and number of branches per plants. Therefore, the higher proportion of phenotypic variance observed on these traits was due to the larger proportion of genotypic variance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hsp70 proteins function as molecular chaperones, regulating various cellular processes in plants. In this study, a genome-wide analysis led to the identification of 22 Hsp70 (MeHsp70) genes in cassava. Phylogenetic relationship studies with other Malpighiales genomes (Populus trichocarpa, Ricinus communis and Salix purpurea) classified MeHsp70 proteins into eight groups (Ia, Ib, Ic, Id, Ie, If, IIa and IIb). Promoter analysis of MeHsp70 genes revealed the presence of tissue-specific, light, biotic and abiotic stress-responsive cis-regulatory elements showing their functional importance in cassava. Meta-analysis of publically available RNA-seq transcriptome datasets showed constitutive, tissue-specific, biotic and abiotic stress-specific expression patterns among MeHsp70s in cassava. Among 22 Hsp70, six MeHsp70s viz., MecHsp70-3, MecHsp70-6, MeBiP-1, MeBiP-2, MeBiP-3 and MecpHsp70-2 displayed constitutive expression, while three MecHsp70s were induced under both drought and cold stress conditions. Five MeHsp70s, MecHsp70-7, MecHsp70-11, MecHsp70-12, MecHsp70-13, and MecHsp70-14 were induced under drought stress conditions. We predicted that 19 MeHsp70 genes are under the regulation of 24 miRNAs. This comprehensive genome-wide analysis of the Hsp70 gene family in cassava provided valuable insights into their functional roles and identified various potential Hsp70 genes associated with stress tolerance and adaptation to environmental stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the acaricidal activity of synthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles using aqueous flower extract of Calotropis gigantea and encapsulated Azadirachta indica, Ricinus communis on synthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) against ticks Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. The titanium dioxide nanoparticles were synthesized by addition of C. gigantea flower extract with titanium sulphate solution and thus synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using DLS (Dynamic Light Scattering) and zeta potential, FT-IR (Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy) and SEM (Scanning electron microscope). The maximum efficacy was observed for A-TiO2 (A. indica coated TiO2 NPs) with LC50 and LC99 values of 8.264 and 47.097 ppm. Biofabricated TiO2 NPs posses high acaricidal activity and can be used as alternative to chemical acaricides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed at assessing the resistance of Delonix regia wood treated with an eco-friendly bio preservative exploring castor (Ricinus communis) seed oil identified as a promising candidate for wood antifungal treatment, attributed to its documented antimicrobial properties. Sixty wood block samples of conditioned Delonix regia were treated with five different concentration levels (0 %, 25 %, 50 %, 75 % and 100 %) of formulated fungicides prepared from Sohxlet extracted oil of castor seeds and the untreated wood samples served as the control. The wood blocks were exposed to Pleurotus ostreatus (white rot fungi) and Sclerotium rolfsii (Brown rot fungi) for 14 weeks and parameters including preservative absorption, oil yield, and weight loss of the wood samples subjected to treatment were assessed. Using Analysis of variance (ANOVA) to analyze the data obtained, the mean oil yield of seeds of Ricinus communis extracted was 37.75%. The100% concentration level had the best performance with the highest absorption of 92.68 (kg/m3) while the least absorption (69.96 kg/m3) was recorded for the 25% concentration except for the control (0%) which was 118.60kg/m3. Statistically significant variations in weight loss were observed across different concentration levels, with a significance level of p < 0.05 and it ranged from 35.02 -31.42(%) for white rot while it ranged from 42.32 to 31.98(%) for brown rot apart from the control which was recorded to be 38.25% and 45.28% respectively. It can therefore be established that Delonix regia wood can be preserved with Ricinus communis seed oil extract against white rot and brown rot fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The estimates of combining ability and nature of gene action were worked out by Line x Tester analysis (Kempthorne, 1957). The experimental material included 45 entries containing six pistillate lines (DPC 9, DPC 21, D PC 24, YRCP 1, YRCP 2 and JP 65), five monoecious lines (TMV 5, SKI 215, 48-1, M3/28-3-1, and JM 6), thirty cross combinations, and four standard checks (YRCH 1, YRCH 2, ICH 66, and YTP 1). Four hybrids (DPC 9 x M3/28-3-1, DPC 9 x TMV 5, JP 65 x M3/28-3-1 and JP 65 x 48-1) exhibited high and significant positive economic heterosis for seed yield. The combining ability analysis demonstrated that the mean sum of squares due to genotypes and crosses were significant for all yield and its contributing traits. The magnitude of genetic variances for 11 quantitative traits revealed the predominance of dominant gene action for all the traits except oil content and hundred seed weight. For most traits, testers contributed more to total variance than the lines and L x T interaction. DPC 9, DPC 24, TMV 5, and JP 65 were identified to be the best general combiners for seed yield and its yield components. The hybrids DPC 9 x M3/28-3-1, DPC 9 x TMV 5, JP 65 x M3/28-3-1, and JP 65 x 48-1 were the most effective specific combiners for seed yield and also exhibited significant and high standard heterosis in the desired direction for seed yield and majority of the yield contributing traits. Hence, these parents and cross combinations could be effectively utilized for development of high yielding castor hybrids [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Experimental analysis of PCM/Ag/Ricinus Communis (PARC) have performed by SS with compare in CSS. • Productivity/thermal efficiency of 28.5%/38.3% (PRC), 66%/44% (ARC), and 96.5%/48.5% (PARC). • Day the yield and thermal efficiency of SS and CSS with and without PARC is increased about 116.4%/51.5%. • Average SS productivity/thermal efficiency for PARC is 124.2%/52%. • An enviro-economic analysis of SS is 0.024 and 0.019 $/L for CSS. • The enviro-parameter of SS and CSS used PARC have 6.67 tons and 14.7- tons of CO 2 per year. This experimental work has been performed in Paraffin wax-phase change materials (P) by analysis of new design for single distiller (SS) tested then verified in P with a mixture of the Ag nanoparticles (A) in Ricinus Communis leaves extracts (RC) to find out which new design of SS performed better at the challenging site is the main objectives. An effect of SS in a water basin was elevated with performance to comparing the CSS. Additionally, the with and without mixing of PCM/Ag/Ricinus Communis (PARC) was employed in the basin of SS, and CSS results indicated the productivity rise/thermal efficiency of 28.5%/38.3% (PRC), 66%/44% (ARC), and 96.5%/48.5% (PARC), respectively. The yield and thermal efficiency were measured at approximately 116.4% and 51.5%, respectively, for the samples (PARC) obtained from the basin areas with (SS) and without (CSS). Finally, the average new SS productivity rise/thermal efficiency for PARC with basin area is showed the highest values of 124.2%/52%. An environmental and economic analysis of SS has been considered and achieved in distillery nature water with budgets were 00.024, then 00.019 $/litter a conventional solar still (without) SS (with) PARC, respectively. The environmental parameters of SS (6.67 tons) and CSS (14.7 tons) used with and without PARC have considered with a CO 2 per annual, individually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High photosynthetic efficiency is the basis of high biomass and high harvest index in castor (Ricinus communis L.). Understanding the genetic law of photosynthetic traits will facilitate the breeding for high photosynthetic efficiency. In this study, the dynamic QTL mapping was performed with the populations F2 and BC1 derived from 2 parents with significant difference in net photosynthetic rate (Pn) at 3 stages, in order to reveal the genetic structure of photosynthetic traits. In F2 population, 26 single-locus QTLs were identified, including 3/3/1 (the QTL number at stage I/II/III, the same below), 1/2/0, 1/2/2, 1/3/1, 0/1/1, and 1/1/2 QTLs conferring Pn, water use efficiency (Wue), transpiration rate (Tr), stomatal conductance (Gs), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) and chlorophyll content (Cc), with a phenotypic variation explained (PVE) of 8.40%/8.91%/6.17%, 5.36%/31.74%/0, 7.31%/12.80%/15.15%, 1.60%/6.44%/0.02%, 0/1.10%/0.70% and 2.77%/3.96%/6.50% respectively. And 53 epistatic QTLs (31 pairs) were identified, including 2/2/5, 5/6/3, 4/4/2, 6/3/2, 3/2/0 and 4/0/0 ones conferring the above 6 traits, with a PVE of 6.52%/6.47%/19.04%, 16.72%/15.67%/14.12%, 18.57%/15.58%/7.34%, 21.72%/8.52%/7.13%, 13.33%/4.94%/0 and 7.84%/0/0 respectively. The QTL mapping results in BC1 population were consistent with those in F2 population, except fewer QTLs detected. Most QTLs identified were minor-effect ones, only a few were main-effect ones (PVE > 10%), focused on 2 traits, Wue and Tr, such as qWue1.1, qWue1.2, FqTr1.1, FqTr6, BqWue1.1 and BqTr3; The epistatic effects, especially those related to the dominance effects were the main genetic component of photosynthetic traits, and all the epistatic QTLs had no single-locus effects except qPn1.2, FqGs1.2, FqCi1.2 and qCc3.2; The detected QTLs underlying each trait varied at different stages except stable QTLs qGs1.1, detected at 3 stages, qWue2, qTr1.2 and qCc3.2, detected at 2 stages; 6 co-located QTLs were identified, each of which conferring 2–5 different traits, demonstrated the gene pleiotropy between photosynthetic traits; 2 QTL clusters, located within the marker intervals RCM1842-RCM1335 and RCM523-RCM83, contained 15/5 (F2/BC1) and 4/4 (F2/BC1) QTLs conferring multiple traits, including co-located QTLs and main-effect QTLs. The above results provided new insights into the genetic structure of photosynthetic traits and important references for the high photosynthetic efficiency breeding in castor plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Popular tree Neem (Azadirachta indica) is a member of the Meliaceae family. Many foods are prepared using bark, leaves, flowers, seeds, oil, and other materials in the Traditional System of Medicine. For pharmaceutical uses, neem has been the subject of several patent applications. The pharmacognosy, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities that have been documented thus far are all thoroughly examined in this review. As a source of several therapeutic substances in Indian culture and a plant that thrives in tropical and semi-tropical regions, neem is the most beneficial traditional medicine. All parts of the neem tree--bark, leaves, fruits, seeds, and extracts--are utilized in traditional medicine. Its extracts are anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, antibacterial, anti-fungal, anthelmintic, and anti-allergic. The names "free tree of India," "wonder tree," "Nature's drug store," "Village dispensary," "Divine tree," "heal all," and "Panacea of all Diseases" are also used to neem. In current times, non-toxic herbal items should be used with specific concentration to control animal and human ailments. There is much room for this amazing plant to be used more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current novel work investigates synchronized ultrasound and microwave (MW + US) applications with an appropriation of Ricinus communis oil (RCO) and used cottonseed cooking oil (UCCO) blends for biodiesel production. The study aims at process optimization, kinetic and energy analysis of biodiesel production where fuel properties improved. The effect of oil/methanol proportion, CaO %, RCO + UCCO blend ratio, and reaction time is examined using Box-Behnken investigational design. The appropriation of blended oil proportion as a process parameter has been deliberated for the first time. The optimized conditions were methanol:oil ratio: 9.7:1; CaO wt%: 2.8 wt%, reaction time: 12.3 min, and 59:41 of RCO:UCCO blend proportion with highest biodiesel yield of 92.11 ± 0.06%. The blended oil transesterification kinetics followed the pseudo-first-order, with activation energy 1.8 times lower than the conventional process. Blended oil biodiesel showed ∼7.5% enhanced calorific value and two-time viscosity reduction than RCO biodiesel. Fuel properties found equivalent to ASTM-D6751 biodiesel standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the performance of dwarf castor hybrids ('C1012', 'C857', 'C856'), compared to a local selected genotype, in four subsequent sowing dates (SW1, SW2, SW3, SW4), a trial was conducted at the experimental farm of the University of Catania (Sicily, Italy). The length of the growing season decreased with the increase of the sowing date in the average genotypes from 160 to 94 days, respectively, for the first and the last sowing date. According to the RED—Renewable Energy Directive, the genotype 'C856' was the earliest (112 days), resulting in suitability as a catch crop for biomass production. The results showed that early spring sowings negatively impact dwarf hybrid production (1.2 and 1.5 Mg ha−1 in SW1 and SW2, in the average of the three hybrids), which reached the highest yield in the third sowing date (2.0 Mg ha−1), preferring warmer temperatures for the germination of seeds. On the contrary, the 'Local' genotype reached the highest yield (1.6 Mg ha−1) in the first sowing date and linearly decreased in the subsequent ones. Nonetheless, the third sowing date positively influenced the oil content and the oil yield in all dwarf genotypes except the 'Local' genotype, which showed the highest oil yield in the first sowing date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) originated in East Africa and then diffused to warm-temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions of the world. The high lipid content in the castor beans is extracted for use in pharmaceutical and industrial applications. The castor oil lipid profile is naturally composed of 90% ricinoleic acid and the remaining 10% is mainly composed of linoleic, oleic, stearic, and linolenic fatty acids. The highly toxic compound ricin within the seeds is insoluble in oil, making castor oil free from this toxin and safe to use for industrial and cosmetic applications. Among the main uses of castor oil are reported industrial uses such as component for lubricants, paints, coatings, polymers, emulsifiers, cosmetics, and medicinal uses as a laxative. There is also significant commercial potential for utilization of the whole castor bean plant such as animal feed, fertilizer, biofuel, and also for phytoremediation. Several breeding programs have been planned to improve the castor's characteristics needed for its current or potential uses. In this review, after summarizing data on castor bean agronomy and uses, we focus on the main advances in Castor bean classical and biotechnological breeding programs, underlining the high potential of this oil crop. In particular, the main challenges of castor breeding programs are to increase yield, mainly through the selection of growth habits allowing mechanized harvest, and beneficial compound content, mainly the oil, and to decrease the toxic compounds content, mainly ricin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop a method for the isolation, culture, and PEG-mediated protoplast transfection from leaves of in vitro-grown plants of Ricinus communis. Results: Factors such as the enzymatic composition and the incubation time were evaluated. The enzymatic solution, containing 1.6% Cellulase-R10 and 0.8% Macerozyme-R10, with 16 h of incubation, was the best condition to achieve a high protoplast yield (481.16 × 104 protoplasts/g FW) with a high percentage of viability (95%). The combination and concentration of enzymes have been shown to affect the protoplast isolation efficiency significantly. Furthermore, we found that a higher number of protoplasts (8.5 × 105 protoplast/g FW) was obtained at a longer incubation time, but their viability decreased. We obtained a simple and efficient protocol to isolate protoplast from Ricinus communis leaves and culture. A PEG-mediated protoplast transfection protocol was also established to introduce plasmid DNA into Ricinus communis genotypes cultivated in Colombia. Thus, strengthening advances in the genetic improvement processes for this crop are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is an oilseed crop, that is cultivated in arid and semi-arid region. Seed yield per plant of castor significantly effective by different environmental factors, but planting density also influence on seed yield. A field experiments were conducted in 2016 and 2017 to investigate the effects of in-row plant spacing (30, 40, 50 and 60 cm) on seed yield and weight in different portions of the raceme under drip irrigation along with mulching. The results indicating reduction in-row spacing, significantly reduced seed yield and weight per plant. Reduction percentage were greater in secondary and tertiary racemes as compared to primary racemes. Seed weight and yield in basal portion of raceme was also decreased by reducing in-row spacing. In comparison to raceme portion, seed weight was more reduced in the middle portion and showed no change in the upper portion of the raceme as compared to basal portion. Seed yield and weight per unit area was increased owing to the larger plant population with decreasing in-row spacing, but below the threshold value of in-row spacing (30 cm), seed fresh weight yield were decreased. Therefore, it was concluded, higher planting density by reducing the in-row spacing may increase castor fresh weight yield. Yield may be increased further by increasing the seed weight in the basal portion of the raceme, especially for primary racemes, while maintaining the seed weight in the upper and middle portions of the raceme. Further studies needed to explore different planting density effect on seed yield under different environmental factors within different portions of raceme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dermatophytosis has been the most common cause of superficial fungal infections which invade the keratinized tissues of body such as nail, hair, and skin, respectively. Although these infections are treatable and many commercial drugs are available that can be applied topically (clotrimazole, fluconazole, itraconazole, miconazole, voriconazole) on the infected areas but they have very low efficacy and has high probability of relapse. To increase the efficacy of treatment, the patient receives supplementary oral medicines for prolong duration that leads to hepatotoxicity. Previously, it has been reported that some wild medicinal plants possess antifungal capacity due to the presence of bioactive molecules. In present study, these phytochemicals (viz. tannins, saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids) derived from three test plants [Acacia nilotica (babul), Catharanthus roseus (sadabahar) and Ricinus communis (Arandi)] are used as sources of direct medicinal agents to develop an antidermatophytic drug formulation against the clinical fungal isolates associated with affected population. The mechanism of their antifungal potential of partially purified phytochemicals were analyzed using agar well diffusion method, food inhibition assessment and DNA cleavage analysis. The data revealed that the alkaloids are the most potent component possessing antifungal property that is recommended to be used to formulate topical ointment for the dermatophytic infection after competent regulatory approvals. This can be used as promising source of alternative treatment approach and as a competent substitute for chemically synthesized hepatotoxic drugs that are available in market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castor (Ricinus communis) seeds are rich in a type of hydroxy fatty acid called ricinoleic acid, which is in high demand for the production of plant-based plastics, lubricants, and hydraulic oils. However, the high content of ricin, a toxic protein, in these seeds has restricted further expansion in the area of castor cultivation. Therefore, the development of ricin-free castor is needed. Genome editing technology, although successfully applied in several plant species, is still in the developing stages in castor and awaits the identification of an endogenous U6 promoter with robust function. Here, we searched for U6 small nuclear RNA (snRNA) genes in the castor genome. This led to the identification of six U6 snRNA genes. The promoters of these U6 snRNA genes were cloned, and their function was examined in castor cells using the particle delivery method. The results showed that a U6 promoter length of approximately 300 bp from the transcription start site was sufficient to activate gene expression. This study provides insights into the endogenous castor U6 promoter sequences and outlines a method for verifying the function of U6 promoters in plants using the particle delivery system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

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 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.

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]

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]

The effect of bio-fertilizers and super-absorbents on the modification of water-deficit stress was studied in castor. A field experiment was conducted with a split-plot design based on a completely randomized block design with three replications. The first factor included four levels (70, 100, 130, and 160 mm of evaporation pan A Class) in the main plot; the sub-factor was the application of four bio-fertilizer treatments (Azospirillum, Citrobacter, Azospirillum + Citrobacter, and control); and the superabsorbent at two levels (superabsorbent consumption and control) as a factorial was placed in the sub-plots. With the intensification of the waterdeficit stress from 70 to 160 mm of evaporation, the number of seeds per plant, the 1,000-kernel weight, and the oil percentage significantly dropped. All three bio-fertilizer treatments significantly increased the number of grains, 1,000 kernel weight, and oil percentage compared to the control. Citrobacter in all four irrigation levels significantly increased the content of photosynthetic pigments, grin yield, oil yield and proline content and decreased the catalase activity and malondialdehyde content. The application of the super-absorbent under the stress condition of 160 mm significantly raised the content of chlorophyll b, soluble sugar, grain yield, oil yield, and proline compared to the control treatment. Among the combinations of bio-fertilizer and superabsorbent treatments, the highest photosynthetic pigments' content, grain yield, and oil yield and the lowest catalase enzyme activity belonged to Azospirillum + superabsorbent consumption. However, the maximum soluble sugars and the minimum malondialdehyde content belonged to Citrobacter + superabsorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant extracts are a great source of molecules with insecticidal activity and are used to control pests in various crop production systems. In this study, we evaluated the aphidicidal properties in vitro of the n-hexane extract of leaves of castor-bean (Ricinus communis L.; Euphorbiaceae) at different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10 kg m-3) against apterous adults of corn leaf aphid (Rhopalosiphum maidis Fitch) and the yellow sugarcane aphid (Sipha flava Forbes). The observed effects were dose-dependent, and the highest concentration evaluated (10 kg m-3) caused 82% mortality in R. maidis and 79% in S. flava. To identify chemical compounds, present in the extract we used mass gas chromatography, identifying 16 compounds. Palmitic acid was the major compound, with 45.34% abundance. The data obtained indicate the existence of insecticidal compounds in the castor-bean n-hexane extract, which could be used as an alternative bioinsecticide in the integrated management of these two aphid species. [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]

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]

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]

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]