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In the present scenario, alternative energy sources are required to achieve the future economic prosperity where shortage of fossil fuels will be a limiting factor and hamper the global economic growth. Therefore, interest in biofuel is increasing continuously. The best way of sustainable development is fossil fuel supplementation with biodiesel to reduce the fossil fuel demand. Biodiesel is a clean burning, ester-based, oxygenated fuel derived from natural and renewable sources. Till now, majority of the people have worked on the biodiesel derived from edible oil. Instead of using edible oil, non-edible oil needs to be explored as feedstock for biofuel because half of the world’s population is unable to afford the food oil as feedstock for fuel production. Looking at the significance of biodiesel and the resources of biofuel, in this paper, a comparative exhaustive study has been reported with for three important plants, namely Jatropha curcas, Pongemia pinnata and Balanites aegyptiaca. These plants were selected based on their biodiesel potential, availability, cultivation practices and general information available. The present study involves scientometric publications, comparison of fatty acid composition and biodiesel parameters. We have also compared climatic conditions for the growth of the plants, economic feasibility of biodiesel production and other ecological services. The study paves a way for sustainable solution to policy makers and foresters looking for selection of plant species as bioenergy resource.

Balanites aegyptiaca has been identified as a source of seed oil for biodiesel feedstock. Diversity in its population based on morphological descriptors and seed oil yield has been studied in order to evaluate the variation, association of morphological descriptors with oil yield and inheritance of the traits to facilitate the plans for genetic improvement and its conservation. From seven agro-climatic regions, 56 accessions of B. aegyptiaca were studied to evaluate variability based on morphological descriptors, viz. height, girth, leaf, fruit, pericarp, mesocarp, nut and kernel. The data were subjected to ANOVA, simple measures of variation and D2 statistics. Genetic variability among morphological descriptors was recorded. High heritability (> 0.8) and genetic advance (~ 360%) make kernel weight a suitable marker for genetic improvement of B. aegyptiaca for oil yield. Cluster analysis revealed that cluster V (Jaipur, Sikar, Jodhpur, Dungarpur, Alwar and Kota regions) had high oil. Cluster II with the highest intracluster distance (10,239) was found to be the most suitable for genetic improvement. The population of B. aegyptiaca in Udaipur, Jaipur, Sikar, Jodhpur, Alwar and Dungarpur may be protected for in situ conservation. The study helps in designing strategy to get enhanced oil from B. aegyptiaca and its conservation.

Microbial pathogens have always been a great threat to many life forms, including human. To control microbial infection, especially bacterial infection antibiotics have been a boon. However, with the changing scenario, the bacteria have also evolved and developed resistance against many antibiotics and these pathogens have become more fatal. On the other hand, plants and plant products have been used as a natural resource to control these microbes. The plant seed oil has also been explored for the same; however, comparatively less literature is available on antimicrobial activities of seed oil derived from plants. Looking at the importance of seed oil in this field, the present review article presents a brief discussion about various aspects of seed oil and their application against bacteria.

Development of the cuticular wax is an adaptive response toward different biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. Calotropis procera and Calotropis gigantea are perennial plants found in the arid regions, the geographical distribution pattern of the former and the latter is wide and restricted, respectively. In this study, the potential role of cuticular wax in adaptive responses of these species to the arid environment have been investigated. The transpiration, photosynthesis, and stomatal conductance of these species have been compared before and after organic solvents mediated removal of cuticular wax from their leaves. Dewaxing of the intact leaves were carried out with the help of organic solvents and the physiological parameters were studied using infrared gas analyzer. These parameters were further assayed temporally (0, 24 and 48 h) post-dewaxing to determine their potential ability to recuperate. Although transpiration and stomatal conductance were comparable in C. procera and C. gigantea, photosynthesis was significantly higher (~twofold) in the former compared with the latter under field conditions. Better recuperation ability was found in C. gigantea than C. procera with respect to these physiological traits. The study thus highlighted the pivotal role of cuticular wax in differential adaptive responses of C. procera and C. gigantea to arid climatic conditions.

Graphical abstract, Highlights • Growth kinetics of C. vulgaris is influenced by NPs exposure. • NPs exposure influence proline, carotenoid, activity of SOD, CAT and LDH. • NPs exposure disintegrate cellular membrane. • Zinc and iron oxide NPs are more toxic to C. vulgaris compared to bulk counterpart., Usage of nanoparticle in various products has increased tremendously in the recent past. Toxicity of these nanoparticles can have a huge impact on aquatic ecosystem. Algae are the ideal organism of the aquatic ecosystem to understand the toxicity impact of nanoparticles. The present study focuses on the toxicity evaluation of zinc oxide (ZnO) and iron oxide (Fe2O3) nanoparticles towards freshwater microalgae, Chlorella vulgaris. The dose dependent growth retardation in Chlorella vulgaris is observed under ZnO and Fe2O3 nanoparticles and nanoform attributed more toxicity than their bulk counterparts. The IC50 values of ZnO and Fe2O3 nanoparticles was reported at 0.258 mg L−1 and 12.99 mg L-1 whereas, for the bulk-form, it was 1.255 mgL-1 and 17.88 mg L−1, respectively. The significant decline in chlorophyll content and increase in proline content, activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase, indicated the stressful physiological state of microalgae. An increased lactate dehydrogenase level in treated samples suggested membrane disintegration by ZnO and Fe2O3 nanoparticles. Compound microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy confirm cell entrapment, deposition of nanoparticles on the cell surface and disintegration of algal cell wall. Higher toxicity of nanoform in comparison to bulk chemistry is a point of concern.

The present investigation was carried out to characterize four different types of psyllium seeds including one landrace for their nutritional, structural, antioxidant profile and biological active compounds. DSC analysis showed the highest peak temperature (TP) of 107.57 ºC in RI-89 and end set temperature (TE) of 130.2 ºC for HI-5 cultivar. FT-IR analysis displayed strong absorption bands at frequencies 960, 1380, 1740, 2280 and 3280cm-1. SEM micrographs of each cultivar showed compact and irregular mass of fiber at various magnifications. Protein, fat, ash and total carbohydrate content of psyllium seed flour were recorded up to 13.33, 0.38, 5.0 and 77.88 %, respectively. Ethanol was found to be a suitable solvent than methanol to extract the phytonutrients from psyllium seed flour. DPPH free radical scavenging activity (FRSA) of methanolic and ethanolic extract varied between 31 to 39 % and 38.9 to 43 %, respectively. However, ABTS-FRSA varied between 31.7 to 32.9 % and 33.2 to 34.3 %, for methanolic and ethanolic extract, respectively. Total flavonoids and total phenolic content was recorded up to 2.92 mg RE/g and 4.37 mg GAE/g, in ethanolic extract. The reducing power (RP) and Metal chelating activity (MCA) also varied significantly (p≤0.05) among the cultivars. The MCA ranged from 33.20 to 34.81 % in methanolic extracts and 34.62 to 36.07 % in ethanolic extracts. The lowest absorbance for reducing power was found in methanolic extract of landrace (0.16), whereas, the highest was found in ethanolic extract of RI-89 (0.37). Physico-chemical properties including oil and water absorption capacity of both seed and flour did not vary significantly among the cultivars, whereas significant difference was observed in seed hydration capacity among cultivars evaluated. Among the physical properties, L/W ratio ranged from 1.80 to 199, whereas porosity and angle of repose were of 59.2 to 67.7 % and 23.20 to 27.02º, respectively. Static coefficient of friction was found less using steel (0.484 to 0.667) as a test surface compared to wood (0.679 to 0.744) and plastic (0.536 to 0.560). Bulk density, true density and porosity of various psyllium seed cultivars varied between 0.57 to 0.63 g/cm3 and 1.50 to 1.77 g/cm3 and 58.2 to 67.7%, respectively. Geometric mean diameter (Dg), Arithmetic mean diameter (Da) and surface area of seeds (A) varied from 1.49 to 1.60 mm and 1.68 to 1.79 mm and 5.91 to 6.78 mm2, respectively.

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is the fourth most important cereal crop but very little of this grain is used as a human food. However, it has attracted attention from researchers and food processors ...

Heavy metal contamination of water bodies has been a cause of grave concern around the globe. Analysis of various industrial effluents has revealed a perilous level of Cr (VI) and Ni (II). Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) producing bacterium. EPS has a great potential in the sequestration of heavy metal ions. In the present study efforts have been made to understand the effect of time, pH, and temperature on production of EPS by P. aeruginosa (MTCC 1688). The extracted EPS has been applied for removal of Ni (II) and Cr (VI) ions from aqueous system. The results revealed that highest EPS yield (26 mg/50 mL) can be obtained after 96 h of incubation at pH 6 and 32 °C temperature in 50 mL of culture. Treatment of 10 mg/L Cr (VI) and Ni (II) with 30 mg/L EPS resulted in the removal of 26% and 9% of Cr (VI) and Ni (II), respectively. Fourier-transform infrared spectral analysis revealed the involvement of -OH, -NH, C-O, diketone, and ester functional groups of EPS in the attachment of Cr (VI) ion while involvement of amide and -C[bond, double bond]O groups in Ni (II) binding with EPS. Scaling-up the production of EPS using bioreactor may further help in developing an efficient process for treatment of water polluted with Cr and Ni.

Extraction of biosurfactants from plants is advantageous than from microbes. The properties and robustness of biosurfactant derived from the mesocarp of Balanites aegyptiaca have been reported. However, the dark brown property of biosurfactant and lack of knowledge of its biocompatibility limits its scope. In the present work, the decolorization protocol for this biosurfactant was optimized using hydrogen peroxide. The hemolytic potential and biocompatibility based on cell toxicity and proliferation were also investigated. This study is the first report on the decolorization and toxicity assay of this biosurfactant. For decolorization of biosurfactant, 34 full factorial design was used, and the data were subjected to ANOVA. Results indicate that 1.5% of hydrogen peroxide can decolorize the biosurfactant most efficiently at 40 °C in 70 min at pH 7. Mitochondrial reductase (MTT) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) assays on M5S mouse skin fibroblast cells revealed that decolorized biosurfactant up to 50 µg/mL for 6 h had no significant toxic effect. Hemolysis assay showed ~ 2.5% hemolysis of human RBCs, indicating the nontoxic effect of this biosurfactant. The present work established a decolorization protocol making the biosurfactant chromatically acceptable. Biocompatibility assays confirm its safer use as observed by experiments on M5S skin fibroblast cells under in vitro conditions.

In the present scenario, alternative energy sources are required to achieve the future economic prosperity where shortage of fossil fuels will be a limiting factor and hamper the global economic growth. Therefore, interest in biofuel is increasing continuously. The best way of sustainable development is fossil fuel supplementation with biodiesel to reduce the fossil fuel demand. Biodiesel is a clean burning, ester-based, oxygenated fuel derived from natural and renewable sources. Till now, majority of the people have worked on the biodiesel derived from edible oil. Instead of using edible oil, non-edible oil needs to be explored as feedstock for biofuel because half of the world's population is unable to afford the food oil as feedstock for fuel production. Looking at the significance of biodiesel and the resources of biofuel, in this paper, a comparative exhaustive study has been reported with for three important plants, namely Jatropha curcas, Pongemia pinnata and Balanites aegyptiaca. These plants were selected based on their biodiesel potential, availability, cultivation practices and general information available. The present study involves scientometric publications, comparison of fatty acid composition and biodiesel parameters. We have also compared climatic conditions for the growth of the plants, economic feasibility of biodiesel production and other ecological services. The study paves a way for sustainable solution to policy makers and foresters looking for selection of plant species as bioenergy resource.

Heavy metal contamination of water bodies has been a cause of grave concern around the globe. Analysis of various industrial effluents has revealed a perilous level of Cr (VI) and Ni (II). Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) producing bacterium. EPS has a great potential in the sequestration of heavy metal ions. In the present study efforts have been made to understand the effect of time, pH, and temperature on production of EPS by P. aeruginosa (MTCC 1688). The extracted EPS has been applied for removal of Ni (II) and Cr (VI) ions from aqueous system. The results revealed that highest EPS yield (26 mg/50 mL) can be obtained after 96 h of incubation at pH 6 and 32 °C temperature in 50 mL of culture. Treatment of 10 mg/L Cr (VI) and Ni (II) with 30 mg/L EPS resulted in the removal of 26% and 9% of Cr (VI) and Ni (II), respectively. Fourier-transform infrared spectral analysis revealed the involvement of –OH, –NH, C–O, diketone, and ester functional groups of EPS in the attachment of Cr (VI) ion while involvement of amide and –C 000000000000 000000000000 000000000000 111111111111 000000000000 111111111111 000000000000 000000000000 000000000000 O groups in Ni (II) binding with EPS. Scaling-up the production of EPS using bioreactor may further help in developing an efficient process for treatment of water polluted with Cr and Ni., Highlights • Culture conditions for the highest EPS production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa have been optimized. • The highest EPS yield (26 mg/50 mL) can be obtained after 96 h of incubation at pH 6 and 32 °C temperature. • Treatment of contaminated water with EPS resulted in removal of 26% and 9% of Cr (VI) and Ni (II), respectively. • FTIR studies revealed the involvement of –OH, –NH, C–O, diketone, and ester groups of EPS in the attachment of Cr (VI) ion. • FTIR studies revealed the involvement of amide and –CO groups in Ni (II) binding with EPS.

Cuticle is the protective layer of aerial parts of plants. The present study investigates the effects of species, season, solvent, size, and side of leaves on cuticular wax yield in Calotropis procera and Calotropis gigantea. Epicuticular wax has been isolated using acetone and chloroform separately. Statistical data revealed that C. procera had a higher cuticular wax yield (0.1573 mg cm−2) than C. gigantea (0.1197 mg cm−2). Season and size of the leaves were observed to significantly influence wax yield in both the species. However, side of leaf does not influence the wax yield in both species.

Moringa oleifera Lam. (MO), a fast-growing medium-sized tree, is extensively grown in many countries in Asia, North and South America, Africa, Europe, and Australia/Oceania with a semi-arid climate. The miracle MO has a wide range of culinary, nutraceutical, pharmacological and phytochemical properties and is one of the most extensively researched tree species. Largely, the pharmacological applications of various bioactive phytochemicals from M. oleifera have been based on anecdotes and the mechanistic details governing their activities have been elusive. Therefore, there has been a much-needed paradigm shift from anecdotes to empirical evidence. The draft genome sequence of MO in 2015 was a significant development and a prelude for various basic and applied studies by employing state-of-the-art biotechnological interventions. This review presents a critical analysis of the emerging biotechnological advances made in MO comprising studies on the whole genome and chloroplast genome, identification of transcription factors (TFs), genes involved in metabolic pathways, miRNAs, and novel proteins. These studies provided a fillip for the improvement of commercially viable traits and elucidation of the intricate molecular mechanisms governing a vast repertoire of pharmacological and other attributes in MO.

Carbon sequestration potential in terms of above and below ground biomass carbon and soil organic carbon in orchards of Emblica officinalis in semi-arid Rajasthan has been estimated. Total carbon stock in soil was calculated using allometric equations. Physico-chemical properties of topsoil and subsoil have been studied using standard methods. Chakaiya variety was found to be most suitable for C sequestration with 66.32 kg/plant above ground biomass out of the three varieties of E. officinalis under study namely chakaiya, kanchan and narendra. The age difference of 2 years between two orchards of the same variety (Chakaiya) had no significant difference in their above ground biomass. Total C stock varied from 19.16 to 19.39 Mg ha−1 in 12 years of old plantations. Variation in nitrogen content in subsoil samples has been observed. But, it remained unchanged in topsoil. From the carbon sequestration potential point of view, E. officinalis is an efficient native genotype with 23.48 Mg ha−1 biomass in 14 years duration in the semi-arid region.

Simple Summary Higher plants face a variety of stress conditions. There are a number of different antioxidant enzymes that help plants to cope with these stresses. During stresses, SOD catalyses the removal of •O2− by dismutating it into O2 and H2O2. The CAT converts the H2O2 into water and O2. POX works in the extracellular space for scavenging H2O2. Plant GPX catalyses the reduction of H2O2 and HO2 to water and lipid alcohols, respectively. GR catalyses the reduction of oxidised glutathione (GSSG; dimeric) to reduced glutathione (GSH; monomeric). APX utilises ascorbate as a specific electron donor to scavenge H2O2 to water. Abstract The stationary life of plants has led to the evolution of a complex gridded antioxidant defence system constituting numerous enzymatic components, playing a crucial role in overcoming various stress conditions. Mainly, these plant enzymes are superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferases (GST), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), which work as part of the antioxidant defence system. These enzymes together form a complex set of mechanisms to minimise, buffer, and scavenge the reactive oxygen species (ROS) efficiently. The present review is aimed at articulating the current understanding of each of these enzymatic components, with special attention on the role of each enzyme in response to the various environmental, especially abiotic stresses, their molecular characterisation, and reaction mechanisms. The role of the enzymatic defence system for plant health and development, their significance, and cross-talk mechanisms are discussed in detail. Additionally, the application of antioxidant enzymes in developing stress-tolerant transgenic plants are also discussed.

Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS) of microbial origin are complex biopolymers and vary greatly in their chemical composition. They have a great potential in chelation of metal ions. In this work, the effect of growth phase, temperature and pH on production of EPS by two bacteria Azotobacter beijreinckii and Bacillus subtilis have been studied. Extracted EPS was used to remove Cr(VI) from aqueous system. A. beijreinckii produced maximum EPS after 24h at pH 7 and temperature 30°C while B. subtilis produced maximum EPS after 96h at pH 7 and temperature 37°C. For an initial concentration of 10ppm, 26% and 48% Cr(VI) removal was recorded for EPS derived from A. beijreinckii and B. subtilis respectively. The presence of functional groups on EPS and their interaction with Cr(VI) was confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra analysis. In both the bacteria, carboxyl and phosphate groups show involvement in metal binding.

The present investigation is the very first report about the effect of γ-irradiation along with moisture on antioxidant properties of mung bean. Mung bean cultivars were conditioned to moisture level of 10 (control), 12, and 14% and treated with different doses of γ-irradiation (1.0, 2.5, and 5.0 kGy). The total phenolic content (TPC) decreased upon very low (1 kGy) and low dose (2.5 kGy) of γ-irradiation while significantly increased upon further increase in dose (5 kGy) at 10% moisture. However, γ-irradiation (1 and 2.5 kGy) at 12% moisture increased the TPC by 8 and 9%, respectively, and at 5 kGy dose lowered by 15% as compared to control. Antioxidant activity (AOA) was decreased by 10% (1 kGy and 10% moisture) and increased by 13% (5 kGy and 10%) while significantly increased at all doses (at 12%) by 106%. Total flavonoids content and reducing power also affected significantly upon γ-irradiation at various moisture. Industrial relevance The present investigation is the first report revealing the impacts of moisture-mediated γ-irradiation of mung bean. Since γ-irradiation is a popular method for safe storage of food including legumes and cereals, the moisture content between 10 and 14% was considered safe for grain storage. But γ-irradiation of mung bean at these levels of moisture significantly changed the antioxidant potential. By selecting suitable moisture content and dose of γ-irradiation, the antioxidant potential of mung bean may be improved to get the maximum health benefit. Therefore, the legume processing industry can utilize these combinations (moisture and dose of irradiation) to improve the antioxidant properties of mung bean.

Plastic and polythene as hydrophobic materials become a grave concern due to their non-biodegradable nature, cumbersome recycling and waste management. Cuticular wax derived from Calotropis procera is explored as an eco-friendly and safe hydrophobic material. The effects of duration of exposure to solvent, solvent type, size and side of the leaf on cuticular wax yield have been studied. Leaf with the smallest area (10 cm2–25 cm2) was found to be the most suitable to isolate the wax. GC–MS analysis of the wax revealed that the wax consists of mainly esters, alkane and alkene. Mitochondrial reductase (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay have been carried out on M5S cell line at various concentrations and the results indicate that up to 1 μg/ml (acetone as solvent) and 3 μg/ml (chloroform as solvent) use of wax has no toxic effect. To evaluate the hydrophobic potential of the wax in developing hydrophobic paper water regains and contact angle has been measured. The gain in hydrophobicity of the paper is evident from the rise in contact angle (≥90˚) of paper coated with wax. Scanning electron micrograph and FTIR spectra generated physical and chemical evidence of coating of wax on paper.

Mesocarp of Balanites aegyptiaca fruit contains high amount of saponin. Due to the presence of saponins, tribes have been utilizing it as a detergent from ages. But the detergent properties of this plant material have not been characterized so far. Therefore, in the present investigation detergent properties of this plant material have been studied and compared with sodium dodecyl sulfate, Tween-80 and Triton X-100. This is a very first report of density, surface tension, viscosity, pH, electric conductivity, foaming potential, foam stability, detergency, and dirt dispersal potential of dried mesocarp at various concentrations (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% (w/v)). Surface tension of 10%, 20%, and 30% mesocarp solution is similar to that of Triton X-100 (10% w/v). The detergency of this plant material is very high as even 20% solution of mesocarp is able to remove 88% sebum from hair tresses. The relative viscosity of this acidic biosurfactant is less than that of Triton X-100 (10%) and Tween-80 (10%). Foams are also less stable in comparison to chemical detergents. B. aegyptiaca is a recalcitrant genotype and can withstand salt as well as drought conditions and can serve as a good source of natural detergent and income for the local people, even if planted either on wasteland or along the boundary of farms.

Parthenium hysterophorus, is a perennial herb, found throughout the world and considered as weed. It causes reduced productivity of soil and health hazards to cattle as well as human. But, easily available biomass of this weed offers a cost effective source, which can be used in lignocellulosic biofuel production. Biofuel is in great demand because as a renewable source of energy it can partly fulfill the growing demand of fuel in the era of global industrializations. In the present study, experiments have been designed and carried out to explore the potential of Parthenium hysterophorus as a source of biomass to produce bioethanol. Cellulose and hemicellulose of leaf and stem biomass of P. hysterophorus are converted to sugars using acid and enzymatic hydrolysis. These sugars are then subjected to fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The results indicate that enzymatic hydrolysis of plant material is better as compared to acid hydrolysis. The maximum production of 219.67μL/mL ethanol is found in enzymatically hydrolyzed mixture of leaves and stem (1:1 w/w). In acid hydrolyzed material, the maximum yield of ethanol is found in leaf biomass (157.57 μL/mL). Therefore, utilization of enzymatic hydrolysis of P. hysterophorus derived plant materials would be an eco-friendly approach for bioethanol production. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 36: 294–296, 2017

The cuticular wax layer covers the aerial surface of plants and acts as a barrier between plants and the environment. The cuticle plays a key role in the protection of plants from pathogens, UV light, and transpiration. Variation in the wax quality and quantity is influenced by factors like the solvent used for extraction, species, ontogeny, and season. Compounds isolated from the cuticle layer have been studied by various methods and were found to play an important role from the ecological and physiological points of view. These compounds include esters, alcohols, ether, alkane, and aldehydes. Nonpolar compounds help reduce water loss in plants. The wax can be explored for its potential applications in developing sustainable green packaging material. This review article will facilitate biologists and nonbiologists to get comprehensive and updated knowledge about various aspects of cuticular wax including its chemical composition and variations among different species and seasons. Further studies of the wax composition will pave the way for classification of plant species and an understanding of plant protection from biotic and abiotic stresses.

Increasing demand for clean and sustainable energy resources has enhanced the importance of biodiesel. Balanites aegyptiaca is an underexplored plant with biodiesel potential and wide range adaptability. In the present study, variations in oil yield in samples of Balanites aegyptiaca collected from the different agro-climatic zone of Rajasthan have been explored. The fatty acid analysis was carried out using GC-FID and oil samples were compared for their fatty acid composition. Based on data of fatty acids, biodiesel parameters were estimated using a dry lab. The study reveals that out of the seven agro-climatic regions under study Jodhpur, Dungarpur, Udaipur, Kota and Alwar regions are the suitable regions to get high oil yield of B. aegyptiaca with statistically no significant difference in the oil yield. The oil is rich in oleic acid irrespective of the region. Oleic acid varied from ~39% to ~58% of the total fatty acids content. Density, kinematic viscosity, iodine value and cetane number of the biodiesel derived from the oil samples collected from all the regions follows the European biodiesel standards (EN 14214). The study will help in exploring the possibility of getting biodiesel from this salt and drought tolerant plant.

There is an urgent need for a biodegradable, hydrophobic material that can be used in developing packaging materials. In this preliminary study, epicuticular wax has been extracted from the leaves of Calotropis procera and Alstonia scholaris using various solvents (i.e., ethanol, methanol, benzene, and acetone). The highest wax amounts were found to be 0.54 µg/cm2 and 0.13 µg/cm2 from Alstonia scholaris and Calotropis procera, respectively. The highest hydrophobicity (29.57%) was found to be in paper discs coated with epicuticular wax extracted with benzene from the adaxial surface of Calotropis procera.

The exigency in identification of suitable plant species with easy establishment and survival in drought prone areas, degraded land and salt affected regions to increase C sequestration has led the authors to explore. Desert date (Balanites aegyptiaca) belongs to family Balanitaceae, with very good C sequestration potential. It can withstand drought prone conditions and high salt content present in soil. The present short communication explains various aspects of the plant which will be beneficial in increasing soil C stock.

Piper longum, also known as long pepper, contains an alkaloid named as piperine having several medicinal applications. Piperine is useful in cough, chronic bronchitis, fever, headache, toothache and cold etc. A study was conducted to ascertain the variation in piperine content among the eight genotypes of Piper longum. These genotypes were collected and cultivated at Dapoli to exclude environmental influence on piperine production. The fruit extracts of these genotypes were analyzed using HPLC technique for estimation of piperine content. It was observed that genotype collected from Pandur, Maharashtra had the maximum (11.27 ppm) piperine content followed by genotype collected from Kolkewadi, Maharashtra (9.92 ppm). Our results will help the cultivators to select high piperine yielding variety for future cultivations.