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Cultivation of Piper longum L. till recently was not very common; still it is extensively collected from the wild, threatening the very existence of the plant. Hence, it is alarming that there is an urgent need not only cultivate this plant but also develop conservation strategies. Conventional propagation is overwhelmed with problems of poor seed viability low percentage of germination, scanty and delayed rooting of vegetative cuttings indicating there is a need for alternative propagation methods. In vitro technique is an alternative approach to solve the problem. Therefore, the current research was aimed at developing a promising in vitro mass propagation protocol for Piper longum L. using leaf as explant. Murashige and Skoog medium was used throughout the experiment. For callus induction, MS medium supplemented with alone or in combination of IAA (1 to 2 mg/l) and BAP (1 to 2 mg/l) were used. Shoot induction was undertaken on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations and combinations of Kinetin and BAP (1 to 3 mg/l). Emerged shoots were transferred onto elongation medium supplemented with 2 mg/l Zeatin and 1 mg/l GA3. In vitro rooting was achieved on ½ MS medium+NAA 1 mg/l. Accordingly, the highest calli were induced on MS+1 mg/L IAA+1 mg/L BAP. Among the various treatments, the maximum percentage (91.50 ± 3.54) in vitro shooting was observed on MS+2 mg/L BAP+1 mg/L Kinetin. In vitro rooted shoots were successfully acclimatized in the greenhouse conditions. Therefore, it is possible to deduce that the current protocol is promising for in vitro mass propagation of Piper longum L. to solve the reproduction and cultivation problem of the plant.

The effect of various enzymes on the extraction of the volatile oil of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) is reported in the present study. The oil yield, after pre-treatment of cumin seeds with cellulase, pectinase, protease and Viscozyme, was in the range 3.2–3.3% compared to 2.7% in a control sample. Profiling of the cumin oil by GC–MS showed that the total hydrocarbon content was 63.7%, 66.1% and 70.1% in control, cellulase and Viscozyme treated samples, respectively. However, there was no change in the content of cuminaldehyde, the principal flavour-impact constituent, in any of the volatile oils. The study demonstrated that enzymes facilitated the extraction of cumin oil with increase in oil yield, with little change in either flavour profile or physicochemical properties of the oil.

Application of enzymes to garlic prior to steam distillation/hydrodistillation resulted in a two fold increase in the yield of oil. The oil yield in case of cellulase, pectinase, protease and viscozyme pretreatment was in the range of 0.39-0.51%, as against 0.28% in a control sample by steam distillation, and in the range of 0.45-0.57% by hydrodistillation as against 0.31% in a control sample. Profiling of the garlic oil thus obtained was carried out by GC-MS. Di-2-propenyl trisulfide (52%) along with the corresponding di- and tetra-sulphides (11% and 5%) constituted the major portion of the oil. The other major flavour compounds identified were methyl 2-propenyl trisulfide (11.8%), vinyl dithiins (9.9%) and dithianes (4.1%). The studies demonstrate that enzymes facilitate the extraction of garlic oil, resulting in an increase in the yield of oil, with little change either in flavour profile or physicochemical properties of the oil.