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The study was undertaken in coffee agroforests of Kodagu, Karnataka, India from 2016 to 2018. The coffee plantation farmers were categorised into large, medium and small based on the land holding and assessed for their role in conservation of indigenous tree species. Circa situm conservation is the preservation of planted and/or remnant trees and wildings in farmland where natural forest or woodland containing the same trees was once found, but where natural vegetation has been lost or modified significantly through agricultural expansion. Making questionnaire survey and interaction with the coffee planters, the knowledge in tree planting was assessed. There were some indigenous trees that really played well in protection, conserving the soil and moisture, helped in pollination of coffee, supply of timbers and small scale timbers and fire wood. By known use value of tree species and respondents attitude towards planting indigenous trees, Dalbergia latifolia, Ficus racemosa and Acrocarpus fraxinifolius were planted in coffee farms which aided in creation of C. situm forest gene bank.

A protocol for indirect organogenesis of Salacia chinensis was established. Normally S. chinensis is propagated through seeds. However, due to the difficulty to obtain uniform plants in a short time period by seed germination, micro-propagation is a possible alternative method. For the micro-propagation, media with different concentration combinations of cytokinins and auxins were used to induce callus formation in three explants types: leaf segment, nodal segment and seeds. The rate of recurrence of callus formation from leaf on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with thidiazuron (TDZ) 0.5mg and TDZ 1mg was 100% and the maximum percentage of shoot let development from nodal segment on MS basal medium supplemented with BAP 6-(benzylamino purine) 3.5+ indole3-butyric acid (IBA) 1 mg/l was 78.3% when compared to other plant growth regulators (PGR) combinations used. The highest shoot regeneration response (85%) and the determined shoots (12.33 ± 0.33%) per callus were attained from leaf explants on MS medium containing 1-napthaleneacetic acid (NAA) 1mg/l + BAP 0.5 mg/l. The seeds showed highest percentage of shoot formation on MS medium supplemented with BAP 2mg + indole 3-acetic acid (IAA) 2mg/l and BAP 2mg + isopentenyl adenine (2iP) 2mg/l. Highest root formation (70±1.3%) was found in shoot regenerated using leaf segment on MS medium supplemented with IBA 0.5mg. The gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of methanolic extract of callus showed more compounds at higher percentage. HPLC-MS analysis of methanolic extract of callus showed higher concentration of Mangifera than in leaf extracts are reported for the first time.

As a pioneering work in the field of domestication of Pyrenacantha volubilis Wight, an anti-cancer drug (camptothecin) yielding plant, this study identifies superior seed sources of southern peninsular India for various parameters related to its growth and yield. The experiment was set up following the common garden experiment protocol in Completely Randomised Design. Laboratory extraction of camptothecin from whole seeds was carried out using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Whereas seeds from Kizhoor population were the heaviest (test weight of 171.5 g), seedlings obtained by sowing the seeds from Villiampakkam population performed better in terms of total yield per plant (5.25 g dry weight) as well as total camptothecin yield per hectare (223.125 g). Almost three times variation was observed in the experiment between the poorest and the best performing populations. We attempt to discuss the potential for domestication, large-scale planting and sustainable harvesting of this promising and versatile new cash crop.

Pyrenacantha volubilis Wight. is a dioecious liana occurring in small, clustered populations. The species had no documented use until the recent past, when it was identified to be a source of a highly traded anti-cancer drug – camptothecin. In the present study, we examine the genetic diversity of 12 fragmented natural populations of P. volubilis using morphological and molecular traits. Twelve polymorphic Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) primers and 29 agromorphological traits were used to discriminate the populations using UPGMA and NJ tree algorithms respectively. The ISSR amplicon profile had 133 distinct bands. The maximum number of amplicons were produced by UBC 844 (20 bands) and the average polymorphism was 80.07 per cent. The dendrograms obtained based on molecular and agro-morphological data are in close congruence. The Thiruvananthapuram population stood apart in both the analyses as a discrete outgroup: perhaps a consequence of local adaptation. Substantial genetic diversity exists among populations. This could be tapped in domestication, which is the only way forward for the long-term survival of this species. We also report for the first time a standardized method for extraction of genomic DNA from the leaves of P. volubilis.

The genus Salacia is an important element of the forest flora of the Western Ghats of Karnataka and is well known for its anti-diabetic properties. The region hosts a wide diversity with several taxa. The genus is considered as a taxonomically difficult one due to the complexity and diversity in floral characteristics. The species is still poorly understood with respect to its cytological characteristics. The present study explicates the diversity and distribution of Salacia species in the Western Ghats of Karnataka. Here, we also present the first report of the chromosome numbers of the species Salacia chinensis L. and Salacia oblonga Wall ex Wight and Ern Var. and is different from those of other previously reported Celastraceae genera. Conservation status of Salacia species of the Western Ghats of Karnataka has also been revised in this study. The diversity of floral morphology, leaf morphology, fruit and seed morphology, stem and root morphology were elaborated along with a dichotomous key to the Western Ghats species. Morphological study in S. chinensis L., S. malabarica Gamble, S. oblonga Wall ex Wight and Ern Var, S. macrosperma Wight, S. reticulata Wight and S. gambleana Whiting and Kaul is done for the first time using descriptor analysis. The paper describes 73 morphological traits that appear to be at least partly genetically controlled and can be used as descriptors of Salacia species.

Comparative soil health status in landscape elements such as natural forests (NFs), sacred groves (SGs), and coffee plantations (CFPs) was undertaken in Central Western Ghats of Kodagu district, Karnataka, Southern India. Three bioclimatic zones: evergreen, transition, and dry deciduous forest belts were categorized according to rainfall and temperature. In each bioclimatic zone, three landscape elements were selected for the study. The amount of carbon stored per hectare was obtained considering soil depth (cm) and the percentage of soil organic carbon (SOC). In the selected sites, stratified random sampling was done for collection of soil samples of depths of 0–30 and 30–60 cm using soil sampling equipment. At each site and for each depth, total of three samples were randomly selected from different landscape elements and one composite sample was made. Soil organic content was done by volumetric titration method of Walkley and Black. In bioclimatic zone-1, SOC ranged from 64.14 to 19.89 Mg ha−1 across different landscape elements. At 0–0.30 m depth, SGs recorded the highest SOC (33.48 Mg ha−1). The content of SOC was highest in CFPs (64.14 Mg ha−1) and SGs (34.7 Mg ha−1). At 0–0.30 m depth, NFs of bioclimatic zone-2 had the highest SOC (39.36 Mg ha−1). At 0.30–0.60 m depth, CFPs were found to have more SOC (44.10 Mg ha−1) followed by NFs (40.50 Mg ha−1). In bioclimatic zone-3 the SOC content ranged from 16.38 Mg ha−1 to 65.94 Mg ha−1. At 0.03 m depth, CFPs recorded the highest SOC (25.74 Mg ha−1). Higher quantum of CO2e pools was recorded in SGs (122.53 Mg ha−1) followed by NFs (110.12 Mg ha−1) at 0.00–0.30 m soil depth in bioclimatic zone-1. At 0.30–0.60 m soil depth, CFPs noticed maximum quantum of CO2e pool (234.75 Mg ha−1). In bioclimatic zone-2, NFs had higher quantum of CO2e pools (144.05 Mg ha−1) followed by SGs (115.01 Mg ha−1) at 0.00–0.30 m soil depth. At 0.30–0.60 m soil depth the NFs recorded highest CO2e pools (527.25 Mg ha−1) followed by CFPs (161.40 Mg ha−1). In BCZ-3, at 0.00–0.30 m soil depth, CFPs recorded the highest quantum of CO2e pools (94.20 Mg ha−1) followed by SGs (65.77 Mg ha−1). At 0.30–0.60 m soil depth the NFs had the highest quantum of CO2e pools (241.34 Mg ha−1) followed by scared groves (181.93 Mg ha−1).

Assessing carbon sequestered through tree species components is of prime importance in the recent years. The study was conducted in three landscape elements such as natural forests (NFs), sacred groves (SG), and coffee plantations (CFP) of three bioclimatic zones that were categorized based on rainfall and temperature regimes in Kodagu district, Karnataka, India. Tree carbon stock was enumerated in each landscape elements by random sampling method by laying out a 20 m × 20 m sample plot in NF and SG and 25 m × 50 m that were laid out in CFP. Thus the total inventory consisted of 60 sample plots in NFs and SG and 24 plots in CFP in each landscape element of the three bioclimatic zones. The observation on tree height and diameter at breast height (DBH) was recorded. The average DBH was higher in bioclimatic zone-2 (0.61 m) that is a transitional forest belt, and species would rather grow both horizontally and vertically and when landscape elements are considered, SG had higher DBH (0.63 m). The height of trees was high in bioclimatic zone-1 (18.50 m) that is a dense closed forest and with protection as compared to other zones studied. When we compared the landscape elements, the indigenous trees had a higher height growth (19.83) in SG due to protection measures. The total tree carbon content in NFs was highest with 232.92 Mg ha−1 as compared to the SG and CFP with 219.18 and 170.43 Mg ha−1, respectively. Similarly, the interaction effects studied revealed that the bioclimatic zone-1 and NFs had a higher accumulation of tree carbon (305.09 Mg ha−1).

Wild jack (Artocarpus hirsutus Lam.) is an endemic perennial tree of Western Ghats of India. Wild jack, a timber purpose tree, is distributed in several Kaan community forests. Although local people consume unripe as well as fully ripe fruits and roasted seeds, wild jack is unrecognized as a fruit tree. It remains almost undocumented with respect to nutritional value in terms of biochemical composition. We carried out biochemical profiling of ripe fruits and seeds of wild jack. Every 100 g fruit pulp was composed of 12 g total soluble sugars, 16.7 g total starch, 441 μg total carotenoids (beta carotene equivalent) and 8.1 mg ascorbic acid, 0.4 mg GAE total phenol and showed total cupric reducing antioxidant activity of 1.9 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE). Every 100 g whole seed flour was composed of 6 g total soluble sugars, 6.6 g starch, 9.9 g total proteins, 3 mg GAE total phenol and 3.1 mg GAE total antioxidant capacity. Biochemical profiles of wild jackfruit and seeds were comparable with those of other Artocarpus fruits like jackfruit and bread fruit. Our findings suggest that wild jack deserves to be promoted as a minor fruit species of high nutritional importance and must be considered as a potential fruit crop species for further research.

Teak (Tectona grandis L. f.) is one of the precious bench mark tropical hardwood having qualities of durability, strength and visual pleasantries. Natural teak populations harbour a variety of characteristics that determine their economic, ecological and environmental importance. Sequencing of whole nuclear genome of teak provides a platform for functional analyses and development of genomic tools in applied tree improvement. A draft genome of 317 Mb was assembled at 151× coverage and annotated 36, 172 protein-coding genes. Approximately about 11.18% of the genome was repetitive. Microsatellites or simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are undoubtedly the most informative markers in genotyping, genetics and applied breeding applications. We generated 182,712 SSRs at the whole genome level, of which, 170,574 perfect SSRs were found; 16,252 perfect SSRs showed in silico polymorphisms across six genotypes suggesting their promising use in genetic conservation and tree improvement programmes. Genomic SSR markers developed in this study have high potential in advancing conservation and management of teak genetic resources. Phylogenetic studies confirmed the taxonomic position of the genus Tectona within the family Lamiaceae. Interestingly, estimation of divergence time inferred that the Miocene origin of the Tectona genus to be around 21.4508 million years ago.

Vegetative propagation through air-layering was successfully done in Salacia macrosperma, a threatened medicinal plant of the Western Ghats to facilitate quick genetic gains by clonal multiplication as well as for mass multiplication.

Saraca asoca (Roxb.) De Wilde Syn. Saraca indica Linn belonging to the family Leguminosae, is one of the ancient medicinal plant of India and its bark is used in Ayurvedic preparations. In the present work, the barks were collected from mature trees of different geographical locations. Besides, one of the best chemotype is cultivated under different fertilizer treatments and the barks from 4 year old plants were taken up for analytical studies. The barks were extracted with methanol as well as aqueous-methanol solvent systems, and chemical compositions were compared using RP-HPLC-PDA-RI analysis. Different classes of compounds viz. pinitol, flavonols and polyphenols were detected through the analytical protocol developed by our laboratory. It was found that the barks collected from Uttar Pradesh (BLA, BLK), Sirsi, Karnataka (BSS) and Empress Garden, Pune (BEG) gave higher yield of the extracts and were more enriched with the above classes of compounds. For getting barks in a short period of time, the BSS plant saplings were experimentally cultivated under different fertilizer treatments. It was found that the plants treated with a combination of fertilizers such as poultry waste + biofertlizer, vermicompost + biofertlizer and farm yard manure + biofertlizer + diammonium phosphate yielded reasonably higher amounts of extracts, which were chemically close with the parent bark extracts. Among these treatments, the vermicompost + biofertlizer gave pinitol (729 mg), flavonoids (2872 mg) and polyphenols (1150 mg) in 100 g bark extracts. The antioxidant activities were evaluated by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging assay and interestingly it was noticed that the extracts contained improved percentage of flavonoids and pinitol showing better activity.

Garcinia gummi-gutta (L.) Roxb. (Clusiaceae) is an endemic, semidomesticated, fruit-yielding tree species distributed in the Western Ghats of India and Sri Lanka. Various bioactive phytochemicals, such as garcinol, benzophenones and xanthones are isolated from G. gummi-gutta and have shown antibacterial, antiviral and antioxidant activities. We sequenced the total genomic DNA using Illumina Hiseq 2000 platform and examined 241,141,804 bp high quality data, assembled into 773,889 contigs. In these contigs, 27,313 simple-sequence repeats (SSRs) were identified, among which mononucleotide repeats were predominant (44.98%) followed by dinucleotide and trinucleotide repeats. Primers were designed for 9964 microsatellites among which 32 randomly selected SSR primer pairs were standardized for amplification. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of genomic DNA in 30 G. gummi-gutta genotypes revealed polymorphic information content (PIC) across all 32 loci ranging from 0.867 to 0.951, with a mean value of 0.917. The observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.00 to 0.63 and 0.896 to 0.974, respectively. Alleles per locus ranged from 12 to 27. This is the first report on the development of genomic SSR markers in G. gummi-gutta using next-generation sequencing technology. The genomic SSR markers developed in this study will be useful in identification, mapping, diversity and breeding studies.

Garcinia L. (Clusiaceae) fruits are a rich source of (−)-hydroxycitric acid, and this has gained considerable attention as an anti-obesity agent and a popular weight loss food supplement. In this study, we assessed adulteration of morphologically similar samples of Garcinia using DNA barcoding, and used NMR to quantify the content of (−)-hydroxycitric acid and (−)-hydroxycitric acid lactone in raw herbal drugs and Garcinia food supplements. DNA barcoding revealed that mostly G. gummi-gutta (previously known as G. cambogia) and G. indica were traded in Indian herbal markets, and there was no adulteration. The content of (−)-hydroxycitric acid and (−)-hydroxycitric acid lactone in the two species varied from 1.7% to 16.3%, and 3.5% to 20.7% respectively. Analysis of ten Garcinia food supplements revealed a large variation in the content of (−)-hydroxycitric acid, from 29 mg (4.6%) to 289 mg (50.6%) content per capsule or tablet. Only one product contained quantifiable amounts of (−)-hydroxycitric acid lactone. Furthermore the study demonstrates that DNA barcoding and NMR could be effectively used as a regulatory tool to authenticate Garcinia fruit rinds and food supplements.

In the present study 20 SPAs of teak distributed in southern, central and northern parts of Karnataka, India are selected. Phenotypic parameters of standing trees of different SPAs were recorded. Further, seed yield was also recorded and compared with site quality and stand growth parameters. Result showed that there was a greater variation among SPAs for phenotypic growth characters as well as site quality. The overall growth of SPAs of Madikeri zone (Southern region) was found to be superior with respect to tree height, clear bole height and DBH.SPAs belonged to Dandeli (Northern region) recorded more DBH and nearly round stem. SPAs of Yallapur seed zone showed comparatively less growth over Madikeri zone. SPA of Dandeli zone recorded the more tree volume and top height, followed by SPA of Madikeri zone. Considering site quality of different SPAs, all the studied SPAs of Karnataka are growing under relatively poor site conditions. Sixteen out of twenty SPAs, nearly 80% were growing in areas with site quality classes IV and V. Interestingly, none of the studied SPAs belonged to either class I or II. Association study showed that tree height (r=0.403) and clear bole height (r=0.412) showed positive relationship with seed yield. Furthermore, site quality showed a weak positive relationship with seed yield (R2 =0.052) among SPAs indicating poor site quality could be a major factor for low seed yield. It is concluded that SPAs of Madikeri and Dandeli zones performed better in growth and stem form. Therefore, it is suggested to collect quality seeds from these seed zones.

Rohitukine, a chromone alkaloid, has gained considerable international attention in recent years because of its novel semi-synthetic derivative, flavopiridol and P-276-00. Both these molecules are in advanced stages of clinical development and trial for cancer treatment. Recently, flavopiridol was approved as an orphan drug for treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia cancer. The natural occurrence of rohitukine is restricted to only four plant species, Amoora rohituka and Dysoxylum binectariferum (both from the Meliaceae family) and from Schumanniophyton magnificum and Schumanniophyton problematicum (both from the Rubiaceae family). Recently, an endophytic fungi isolated from D. binectariferum was reported to produce rohitukine in culture. In this study, we report the production of rohitukine and its subsequent attenuation by endophytic fungi, Fusarium oxysporum (MTCC-11383), Fusarium oxysporum (MTCC-11384) and Fusarium solani (MTCC-11385), all isolated from D. binectariferum and Gibberella fujikuroi (MTCC-11382) isolated from Amoora rohituka. The fungal rohitukine which was analyzed by HPLC, LC-MS and LC-MS/MS was identical to reference rohitukine and that produced by the plant. The rohitukine content in the mycelial samples ranged from 192.78μg to 359.55μg100g(-1) of dry weight of and in broth it ranged from 14.10 to 71.90μg100ml(-1). In all the fungal cultures, the production declined from first to fourth sub-culture. Studies are underway to unravel the mechanism by which the fungi produce the host metabolite in culture.

We compared morphological and genetic attributes of progeny obtained from three seed production areas (SPAs) and three corresponding unimproved stands (UIS) of teak (Tectona grandis L.f) at three broad teak growing regions in the state of Karnataka, India. In general, seed morphological parameters such as seed weight, seed size and seed emptiness were significantly superior in SPAs compared to UISs. Seed germination percentage was also higher in seeds from SPAs. Seedling performance measured at two monthly intervals for six months was observed to be superior in SPAs at two of the three regions compared. Although the genetic diversity of progeny of SPAs was lower than UIS at all regions, the values were moderately high. Germination percent was positively correlated with fruit weight and kernel weight per seed, while diversity indices were negatively correlated with fruit weight, fruit diameter and kernel weight per seed. SPAs proved important as a source of moderately improved planting material with no severe threat to the genetic diversity of future plantations.

1Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Royal Enclave, Srirampura, Jakkur Post, Bangalore 560 064, India 2School of Ecology and Conservation, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK Campus, Bangalore 560 065, India 3Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK Campus, Bangalore 560 065, India 4Department of Forest Biology and Tree Improvement, College of Forestry, University of Agricultural Sciences, SIRSI campus, Dharwad 581 401, India

Coscinium fenestratum is a critically endangered medicinal plant, well-known for its bioactive isoquinoline alkaloid berberine. The species has been over harvested from its natural habitats to meet the huge requirement of raw drug market and industrial consumption. This has lead to a rapid decline in the population size and has also led to local population extinction at few locations in the Western Ghats, India. In this study, inter-simple sequence repeat markers were used to investigate the genetic variation and population structure of seven extant populations of C. fenestratum from the central Western Ghats, India. Eight primer combination produced a total of 57 unambiguous bands, of which (47.1 %) were polymorphic. The species exhibited a moderate to low level of intra population genetic diversity (Hs = 0.347 ± 0.008; Ht = 0.378 ± 0.006 (POPGENE) and Hs = 0.262 ± 0.0028; Ht = 0.204 ± 0.020 (HICKORY)). The populations were low to moderately differentiated from one another (GST = 0.221) and geographical distance was not significantly correlated with genetic distance, suggesting that these long-lived, geographically distant remnant populations were once connected through gene flow. There was a significant amount of genetic variation among populations (19.85 %). The Bayesian software STRUCTURE and HICKORY were used to further reveal the genetic structure of C. fenestratum. The results revealed weak population structure (K = 2) with one single widespread gene pool, and indicated that gene flow and inbreeding are likely to be the major driving force in shaping current population genetic structure of C. fenestratum. Thus, an understanding of the genetic diversity and population structure of C. fenestratum can provide insight into the conservation and management of this species.

Teak (Tectona grandis L. f.; family Verbanaceae) is an important plantation tree species in the tropics and in India one of the first species to be prioritized for improvement. Improvement efforts for the last 50 years have essentially concentrated on augmenting quality seed production by establishing seed production areas (SPA) and clonal seed orchards (CSO). Presently, these two form the main sources of quality planting material for teak throughout the country. However, there is no information on the genetic quality of such sources nor information on the progeny used in plantation programmes. Reports of studies based on coniferous and tropical species provide conflicting results on the impact of domestication on the genetic diversity of populations (Chaisurisri and El Kassaby 1994; Rajora 1999; Moran et al. 2000; Godt et al. 2001; Icgen et al. 2006). Also the impact of domestication on the genetic diversity of progeny populations is poorly understood (Stoehr and El-Kassaby 1997; Schmitdtling and Hiplins 1998). Such studies become pertinent not only for gauging the impact of selection on reforestation stock, but also for effective genetic conservation of existing breeding populations. We therefore address two issues in the present study: (i) the change in genetic diversity with increasing levels of improvement, and (ii) the impact of the above change on genetic diversity of progeny populations.

Influence of genetic dissimilarity among teak (Tectona grandis Linn. f.) clones on flowering synchrony was studied in a Clonal Seed Orchard (CSO) of teak in Karnataka, Southern India. Flowering phenology was monitored for all the 24 teak clones of the CSO and flowering synchrony between clones was assessed adopting a novel ‘overlap index’. Genetic dissimilarity among these clones was assessed adopting DNA based ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeats) analysis. Large variation in the time of ‘flower initiation’ and of ‘peak flowering initiation’ was observed among the clones belonging to diverse sources, suggesting large asynchronous flowering. Cluster analysis based on ISSR marker indicated that the clones originating from a same source clustered together and there was a clear segregation based on their origin. Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative association between the average Jaccards’s dissimilarity index between pairs of clones and average peak flowering overlap index. Clones from geographically diverse regions had high genetic dissimilarity and also showed high flowering asynchrony within them.

The communcation records a white flowered form of Impatiens talbotii Hook.f.

The seed production area (SPA) is an improved plantation managed for production of quality seeds for a large-scale plantation programme. The soil nutrient is one of several factors affecting seed production among SPAs. The status of soil nutrients and their effect on seed production are poorly understood. Hence, the present study was undertaken in 20 seed production areas located in different seed zones of Karnataka, South India. Results showed that there was a greater variation among SPAs in various soil properties like soil pH, organic carbon, available NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium). Some of the studied parameters recorded significant variations among three different depths: 0-20 (top), 20-40 (middle) and 40-60 cm (bottom). For instance, organic carbon and available potassium showed significant variations at different depths, where the highest content was recorded in the top layer, followed by middle and bottom layers. Considering associations between soil properties and tree growth, organic carbon was positively associated with dbh (diameter at breast height; r = 0.500), stem roundness ( r = 0.351) and stem volume ( r = 0.250). Similarly, available nitrogen positively influenced the stem volume ( r = 0.250). Though the fruit yield varied among SPAs, none of the studied soil parameters showed a significant influence on fruit yield indicating that some other factors like genetic ones, phenology, rainfall overlapping with peak flowering might control it. Data on site quality showed that all existing SPAs studied were growing in poor site conditions, however, this could be one of the factors affecting overall seed yield among SPAs. Hence, it is recommended to undertake a few important silvicultural interventions like application of fertilizer/organic manure, soil working, spraying of floral hormone and others to improve the existing seed production level.

Rohitukine is a chromane alkaloid possessing anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and immuno-modulatory properties. The compound was first reported from Amoora rohituka (Meliaceae) and later from Dysoxylum binectariferum (Meliaceae) and Schumanniophyton problematicum (Rubiaceae). Flavopiridol, a semi-synthetic derivative of rohitukine is a potent CDK inhibitor and is currently in Phase III clinical trials. In this study, the isolation of an endophytic fungus, Fusarium proliferatum (MTCC 9690) from the inner bark tissue of Dysoxylum binectariferum Hook.f (Meliaceae) is reported. The endophytic fungus produces rohitukine when cultured in shake flasks containing potato dextrose broth. The yield of rohitukine was 186 μg/100 g dry mycelial weight, substantially lower than that produced by the host tissue. The compound from the fungus was authenticated by comparing the LC-HRMS and LC-HRMS/MS spectra with those of the reference standard and that produced by the host plant. Methanolic extract of the fungus was cytotoxic against HCT-116 and MCF-7 human cancer cell lines (IC(50) = 10 μg/ml for both cancer cell lines).

Aims Nothapodytes nimmoniana (Family Icacinaceae) is a deciduous tree species distributed in Asia facing severe population decline. Wood chips from the tree are a source of camptothecin, a globally soughtafter alkaloid with cancer-treating properties, and are harvested unsustainably in natural forests. We studied the pollination ecology of the species and asked if there are constraints in pollination and fruiting success in its natural populations. We also discuss the potential effects of wood extraction on pollinators and reproductive success in the population. Methods The study was carried out during the flowering season in two populations with varying exploitation levels, both located in the Protected Area Network in the Western Ghats of Karnataka State. We assessed floral resource availability and measured pollinator diversity and activity in the canopy from the perspective of the biology of the species. We quantified pollinator abundance and percent fruit set as a function of population density. Important Findings Flowers belong to the fly pollination syndrome and are open to visits by generalists such as Apis dorsata and Trigona iridipennis. Fruiting success did not vary between exploited and unexploited sites, but there was a significant difference in pollinator assemblage. In a lean male flowering year, fruit set was low, suggesting pollen limitation in the population. No fruiting was recorded in the second year at the site where trees were felled soon after the flowering period. We argue that when male floral resources are altered in exploited populations, pollinators of generalist nature may show a shift in foraging pattern. Also, generalist plants may be as susceptible to pollination loss as are specialist plants. The need for outcrossing in the species would probably exacerbate this vulnerability.

Rohitukine, a chromane alkaloid, is a precursor of flavopiridol, a promising anti-cancer compound. Currently in Phase III clinical trials, flavopiridol is a potent inhibitor of several cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). Rohitukine was first reported from Amoora rohituka (0.083% dry weight) followed by that in Dysoxylum binectariferum (0.9% dry weight), both belonging to the family Meliaceae. Here, we report incredibly high yields of rohitukine (7% dry weight) in trees of D. binectariferum from the Western Ghats, India. Crude extracts of the tree were found to be highly effective against ovarian and breast cancer lines tested.

There has been a growing concern about the increasing number of species that are globally threatened. Developmental projects, and increased dependence on forests both for sustenance and livelihood have rendered many species threatened. In the Indian context, more than 150 species are critically endangered and require immediate intervention to sustain their populations. A number of plant species are destructively extracted solely from the forests. Apart from anthropogenic threats, several species are threatened due to invasive species and climate change. In the light of increasing and continued threats, species recovery is the only viable option for restoring many of them from extinction. Here, we review the existing recovery programmes in the country and suggest a comprehensive approach in the conservation and recovery of many of the critically endangered species. We highlight issues that need to be addressed and discuss strategies for recovering the critically endangered species in the country.

Camptothecin (CPT), a monoterpene alkaloid, is an important anti-cancer compound obtained from several plant sources including Camptotheca acuminta (from China) and Nothapodytes nimmoniana (from India). Currently, by far the highest levels of CPT (approximately 0.3% w/w) are reported from Nothapodytes nimmoniana, a small tree distributed in the Western Ghats, India. In recent years because of the heavy demand, there has been a serious threat of extinction of the populations of the tree in the Western Ghats forest of south India. Several studies have chemically profiled populations of the species in the Western Ghats to identify sources of high yield and therefore to enable the sustainable production and harvesting of CPT. In this study, using both high-performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we report for the first time the identification of trees that produce at least 5- to 8-fold more CPT than hitherto reported. Furthermore, we show for the first time the production of a few minor camptothecines, including 10-hydroxy camptothecin, in the stem and root bark extracts of the tree. These results have important implications for not only harnessing the high-yielding individuals for clonal multiplication but also for exploiting some of the minor camptothecines, which also have been shown to have important anti-cancer and anti-viral activity.

Dysoxylum malabaricum (white cedar) is an economically important tree species, endemic to the Western Ghats, India, which is the world's most densely populated biodiversity hotspot. In this study, we used variation at ten nuclear simple sequence repeat loci to investigategenetic diversity and fine scale spatial genetic structure (FSGS) in seedlings and adults of D. malabaricum from four forest patches in the northern part of the Western Ghats. When genetic variation was compared between seedlings and adults across locations, significant differences were detected in allelic richness, observed heterozygosity, fixation index (FIS), and relatedness (P\0.05). Reduced genetic diversity and increased relatedness at the seedling stage might be due to fragmentation and disturbance. There was no FSGS at the adult stage and FSGS was limited to shorter distance classes at the seedling stage. However, there was clear spatial genetic structure at the landscape level (\50 km), regardless of age class, due to imited gene flow between forest patches. A comparison of the distributions of size classes in the four locations with published data from a more southern area, showed that large trees (diameter at breast eight, DBH, [130 cm) are present in the southern sacred forests but not in the northern forest reserves. This pattern is likely due to stronger harvesting pressure in the north compared to the south, because in the north there are no cultural taboos regulating the extraction of natural resources. The implications for forest conservation in this biodiversity hotspot are discussed.

In the Malnad region of the central Western Ghats, Karnataka, ethnic people conserve village forests called kaan forests as the abode of sylvan deities. Ethnic taboos have kept kaan forests in a virgin state over the course of centuries. In recent times, the strong taboo around these kaan forests has lessened, and the withdrawal of managing rights of kaans has affected valued species. Of 103 kaan forests (totalling 5,254 ha) in the region, 24 (= 12 ha) well-managed kaan forests were inventoried floristically during 2008 to 2009. The results provided identification of a total of 303 species in 237 genera and 79 diverse families. Of these, 34 species belong to rare, endangered, or threatened categories 116 were endemics, and 150 were evergreen species. kaan forests are still essentially of climax character, and are the abode of ecologically sensitive plant species. Affording more powers to the local communities in protecting the local biodiversity would be more effective in conserving them.

1Conservation Genetics, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Royal Enclave, Srirampura, Jakkur Post, Bangalore 560 064, India 2School of Ecology and Conservation, 3Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK Campus, Bangalore 560 065, India 4Biology Department, Concordia University, 7141, Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Canada H4B1R6 5Department of Forest Biology and Tree Improvement, College of Forestry, University of Agricultural Sciences, SIRSI campus, Dharwad 581 401, India

Camptothecin (CPT), a quinoline indole alkaloid, is one of the important inhibitors of eukaryotic DNA topoisomerase I. The highest concentration of this alkaloid has been reported from the fruits of Pyrenacantha volubilis Hook. Here we report the spatial and temporal distribution pattern of CPT in seeds and fruits of P. volubilis. Temporally, CPT content was highest in mature but unripe fruits compared to ripened fruits. Spatially, cotyledonary tissues of the seed had the highest amount of CPT followed by seed coat and fruit coat. This pattern is best explained by selection to deter fruit predators during fruit development, but attracting the fruit dispersers when fruits are mature and ripe.

The Myristicaceae family is a primitive angiosperm family and is characterized by species that are highly endemic to the Western Ghats area of India. Myristica malabarica is confined to the evergreen forests of Western Ghats and Sri Lanka. In this paper we describe for the first time the development of eleven polymorhpic microsatellite markers for Myristica malabarica, which had 2-14 alleles per locus. These microsatellite markers could be used to study the population genetic structure of the species.

Nothapodytes nimmoniana is a medicinally important tree species that occur in the Western Ghats, a megadiversity hotspot in southern India. Inner stem bark of the tree contains an important anti-cancer alkaloid, camptothecin for which the natural population of the tree is heavily harvested. In this paper, we report the isolation and characterization of eight polymorphic microsatellite loci using enrichment hybridization protocol. Analysis of 36 individuals representing two populations revealed three to 12 alleles per locus. Observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.21 to 0.94 for the two populations. None of the loci tested showed linkage disequilibrium. These markers are invaluable for evaluating the genetic structure and assessing the genetic impacts of harvesting of N. nimmoniana in the Western Ghats to formulate strategies for conservation of the species.

The study assesses distribution and population status of Saraca asoca from Sahyadri-Konkan ecological corridor. Eighteen localities at various protection levels ranging from wildlife sanctuary to private forests were selected and spatially mapped to arrive at a distribution map. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test indicated that the size class distribution of S. asoca from the sacred groves differed both from formally protected sites and private forest. S. asoca trees from sacred groves had the highest mean girth at breast height (GBH) values than the other two protection levels. GBH of S. asoca was in inverse proportion with the cumulative disturbance index.

Differential development of sinks that depend on a common resource pool has been viewed as a consequence of an autocatalytic feedback process of flow of resource units into them. The feed-back process implies that the stronger a sink is relative to its competitors, the greater is its probability of getting further resources as a non-linear function of its resource drawing ability and sink size. We show that this model contrasts with that of the sink-strength dependent model in its prediction of the subsequent development of the initial asymmetry of growing leaves when their resource drawing ability is enhanced. By artificially enhancing the resource drawing ability of the leaves of Mestha (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) by external application of growth regulators, we test these predictions and show that the results are in conformity with the autocatalytic model proposed by Ganeshaiah and Uma Shaanker.

Monoecious figs reward their pollinators—agaonid wasps—by allocating a proportion of the flowers for egg laying, and retain the rest for seed production. It has been suggested that these proportions could be regulated by producing short-styled and long-styled flowers such that pollinator wasps could only use the former as their ovipositor does not reach the ovules of the latter. Thus the wasps can lay eggs only in the short-styled flowers and raise their offspring, and the ovules of uninfested, long-styled flowers can develop into seeds. This implied that figs bear dimorphic female flowers, with a bimodal distribution of style length. However, recent studies have shown that style length is distributed normally, with no evidence of bimodality. Therefore the regulation of allocation of flowers to the wasps does not seem to be through the production of two distinct kinds of female flowers. In this article we suggest that two factors govern the proportion of flowers rewarded to the wasps: (i) passive regulation, which is a consequence of the optimization of wasp ovipositor length, and (ii) active regulation, where figs are selected to enhance the variance of style length. We show that these arguments lead to certain predictions about the optimum ovipositor length, the proportion of the flowers available to the wasps, and the coefficient of variation of style length. We also show that data for 18 fig-wasp associations conform well with these predictions. We finally suggest that the regulatory process outlined here can be extended to evolution of style length in dioecious fig species also.

In this study, the production of camptothecine and its derivatives, in thirteen species of the family Icacinaceae, namely, Apodytes dimidiata , Codiocarpus andamanicus , Gomphandra comosa , Gomphandra coriacea , Gomphandra polymorpha , Gomphandra tetrandra , Iodes cirrhosa , Iodes hookeriana , Miquelia dentata , Miquelia kleinii , Natsiatum herpeticum , Pyrenacantha volubilis and Sarcostigma kleinii is reported. Seeds of M. dentata were found to produce the highest content of camptothecine (1.0–1.4% by dry weight of seeds). Full scan LC–MS and ESI-MS/MS analysis of M. dentata revealed, besides camptothecine, a number of other derivatives, namely, 10-hydroxycamptothecine, 9-methoxycamptothecine, 20-deoxycamptothecine. Crude extract preparations of the seeds of M. dentata were effective against a breast cancer cell line (IC 50 = 3.82 μg/ml for MDA MB273 cell lines) and two ovarian cancer cell lines (IC 50 = 2.8 μg/ml for NCI/ADR-RES and 4.5 μg/ml for SKOV). These results are the first reports of camptothecine and its derivatives in these species and offer rich alternative plant sources for the anticancer compound, camptothecine.

5 pages; International audience; This article documents the addition of 411 microsatellite marker loci and 15 pairs of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) sequencing primers to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Acanthopagrus schlegeli, Anopheles lesteri, Aspergillus clavatus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus terreus, Branchiostoma japonicum, Branchiostoma belcheri, Colias behrii, Coryphopterus personatus, Cynogolssus semilaevis, Cynoglossus semilaevis, Dendrobium officinale, Dendrobium officinale, Dysoxylum malabaricum, Metrioptera roeselii, Myrmeciza exsul, Ochotona thibetana, Neosartorya fischeri, Nothofagus pumilio, Onychodactylus fischeri, Phoenicopterus roseus, Salvia officinalis L., Scylla paramamosain, Silene latifo, Sula sula, and Vulpes vulpes. These loci were cross-tested on the following species: Aspergillus giganteus, Colias pelidne, Colias interior, Colias meadii, Colias eurytheme, Coryphopterus lipernes, Coryphopterus glaucofrenum, Coryphopterus eidolon, Gnatholepis thompsoni, Elacatinus evelynae, Dendrobium loddigesii Dendrobium devonianum, Dysoxylum binectariferum, Nothofagus antarctica, Nothofagus dombeyii, Nothofagus nervosa, Nothofagus obliqua, Sula nebouxii, and Sula variegata. This article also documents the addition of 39 sequencing primer pairs and 15 allele specific primers or probes for Paralithodes camtschaticus.

Camptothecin and 10-hydroxycamptothecin are two important precursors for the synthesis of the clinically useful anticancer drugs, topotecan and irinotecan. In recent years, efforts have been made to identify novel plant and endophytic fungal sources of camptothecin and 10-hydroxycamptothecin. In this study we have isolated endophytic fungi strains from Apodytes dimidiata (Icacinaceae), a medium sized tree from the Western Ghats, India. The fungi were identified as Fusarium solani using both ITS rDNA sequencing and spore morphology. Two strains, MTCC 9667 and MTCC 9668 were isolated, both of which produced camptothecin and 9-methoxycamptothecin in their mycelia; one of the strains, MTCC 9668 also produced 10-hydroxycamptothecin, though in small amounts. The yields of camptothecin in MTCC 9667 and MTCC 9668 were 37 and 53 microg/100g, respectively, after 4 days of incubation in broth culture. The yields of 10-hydroxycamptothecin and 9-methoxycamptothecin in MTCC 9668 were 8.2 and 44.9 microg/100g, respectively. Further research in optimizing the culture conditions of these fungal strains might permit their application for the production of camptothecin and 10-hydroxycamptothecin.

Camptothecin (CPT), a pyrrolo quinoline alkaloid, is one of the most promising anticancer drugs of the 21st century. The compound was first isolated from the Chinese deciduous tree, Camptotheca acuminata. CPT exhibits a broad spectrum of antitumor activity both under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Irinotecan (CPT11) and Topotecan (TPT), two water-soluble derivatives of CPT, have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for treating colorectal and ovarian cancers as well as against several types of brain tumor in children. Although CPT has been reported to exist in several species, the highest concentration (about 0.3 %) to date has been realized from Nothapodytes nimmoniana. The tree commonly referred to as “stinking tree” is native to warmer regions of South India. In the last few decades, driven by the enormous demand for CPT, there has been a decline of at least 20 % in the population, leading to red listing of the species. In recent years, efforts have been initiated in India to identify high-yielding individuals and populations of N. nimmoniana in its natural distribution range with the ultimate aim of using these lines to develop clonal orchards, as well as in developing in vitro production systems.In this chapter, we briefly review the overall status of N. nimmoniana as a source of CPT. Drawing upon existing literature as well as ongoing work at our laboratory, we discuss the basic patterns of accumulation of CPT in N. nimmoniana. We review the population variability for CPT accumulation along the distributional range of the species in the Western Ghats, India. Using a relatively new tool, namely the ecological niche model, we predict the chemical hot-spots of the species in the Western Ghats and offer a test of this prediction. Finally, we discuss strategies for a sustainable model of extraction of CPT from N. nimmoniana.

Aromatic pickle mango (locally called ‘Appemidi’) is a special type of mango (Mangifera indica L.) harvested and semi-domesticated from riverine habitats of the central Western Ghats, India. Recently, it has been provided with the geographical indication (GI) tag. These types are recognized by the local people based on their aroma and taste apart from fruit shape and size. In spite of its commercial importance, there are very few attempts to formally characterize these types for further use. Twelve farmers’ identified varieties collected from a fifteen year-old mango orchard were characterized adopting standard mango descriptors developed by the IPGRI. In the present study 12 varieties of aromatic pickle mango were characterized through a set of distinguishing traits and delineated adopting simple forking method to individual varieties unambiguously.

Diversity of tropical fruit tree (TFT) species, their occurrence and relationship with cultivated species in homegardens and their use by humans has rarely been studied systematically in Central Western Ghats. Among all the nine villages sampled in three bioclimatic zones, a total of 10,202 individuals belonging to 55 species were recorded. Mangifera indica was the predominantly (n=4,496) found TFT species in the home-gardens and farmlands of Uttara Kannada district. Richness was highest in up-ghat zone (10.92) and substantial lower in coastal zone (5.95) and lowest in eastern plains (4.04). Major factors contributing to low richness is the increasing replacement with exotic commercial crops (cashew) in coastal zone and the low rainfall and varied climatic conditions in eastern zone. Villages of the up-ghat zone, on an average, showed richness index of 10.92 while its value reduced nearly by half when villages of the coastal zone were considered (5.95). The lowest average richness index was found among the villages of the eastern plains (4.04). Overall, nearly one third of all TFT species (36.36 per cent) were non-native to the Western Ghats which was similar in all three zones. However, non-native trees were dominant in coastal zone (54.96%) and less prominent in up-ghat (31.58%) and eastern zone (13.42%). Average family income derived from TFT was Rs 9.595 in coastal zone, Rs 4.207 in up-ghat zone and Rs 10,591 in eastern zone. Contribution of native and non-native TFT species to total household income is low in all three zones, highest contribution was measured in eastern zone (8.18% of the total family income) and coastal zone (7.56%) and even lower in up-ghat zone (2.27%). Correlation analysis showed a positive relationship between diversity and total household income. Regression analysis showed that total family income postivily contributes to the level of TFT diversity found on farmlands, this contribtion was most significant in coastal and up-ghat zone.