Overlapping Leaves Prevent Reproductive Organ from Overheating in an Alpine Plant

The alpine subnival belt (4300-5000 m a.s.l.) of Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains (HHM) experiences a summer monsoonal climate, with heavy rain fall interrupted by short periods of intense solar radiance in the growing period. Low temperature caused by rain (or cloud) slows the development of flowers and seeds; there has been an extensive interest in study how low temperature drives the evolution ofhighly-specialized morphological features in alpine plants. For example, the densely pubescent inflorescences of Saussurea medusa (known as ‘Himalayan woolly plant’) have a key role in temperature control and water repellence in cool and humid summer. On the other hand, the overlapping large semi-translucent bracts covering racemes of Rheum nobile (known as ‘Himalayan glasshouse plant’) function to warm floral tissues and have protective effects against UV-B radiation and rain. 

However, none of the research has ever focused on the selective pressure of high temperature caused by transient strong solar radiation (particularly in the midday) in alpine plant. High temperaturereduces pollen viability and some species have evolved cooling mechanisms(evaporation and self-shading) in tropical environments. In a recent study, we used Eriophyton wallichii Bentham (Lamiaceae), an alpine perennial herb with woolly structures (particularly in leaves, corolla and calyxes) and overlapping leaves covering reproductive organs, to explore the specialized morphology of an alpine plant adapted to growth and reproduce in sites characterized by transient heavy rainfall and strong solar radiation.

Bauhinia tomentosa L. And Bauhinia malabarica Roxb. (Caesalpiniaceae) Phytochemical Screening

In Indian traditional system of medicine, importance of Bauhinia species is well evidenced from earlier literature. Tender leaves, flowers and young pods of B. tomentosa and B. malabarica are consumed by various ethnic groups in India. In the present study, edible and therapeutically important plant parts of both the species were extracted with different solvents systems. The species Bauhinia tomentosa L. is a small scrambling shrub that grows throughout southern India, Assam and Bihar. It has been valued in Ayurveda and Unani system of medication for possessing variety of therapeutic properties.

The mineral content of the leaves shows that they are a prominent source of calcium and iron. Young shoots are also edible and are used to treat worm infestations, leprosy, wounds, menorrhagia, gout, scrofula, wasting diseases, cough, haemorrhage, urinary disorders, glandular swellings and goiter. Despite this interesting health virtue and being a well known natural source of food, meager information is available regarding the phytochemical investigations of these plants. Therefore, the present study was carried out to elucidate the total phenolics, tannin, total flavonoid, condensed tannin and vitamin C content in various parts of B. tomentosa and B. malabarica in order to explain the multifaceted role of these medicinal plants.

Berberine content in Coscinium fenestratum grown in Sri Lanka

Coscinium fenestratum or yellow vine, as it is sometimes referred to in English, is a flowering woody climber, native to South Asia and Mainland Southeast Asia. It is rare and critically endangered in many of its habitats.Coscinium fenestratum is a member of the family Menispermaceae and the genus Coscinium. The plant is known by many different names, such as:Tree turmeric, False calumba, Colombo weed, Weniwel, Daru Haridra (in Sanskrit), Mara Manjal (in Tamil and Malayalam),Haem herb (in Thai),Voer Romiet (in Khmer) etc.. Its natural habitat spans South Asia and parts of Southeast Asia, from India to Indonesia. It can only thrive in a tropical climate and prefers mixed and dense evergreen forest, with fertile soil and high moisture. 

 

The plant has a long history as a medicinal plant in the various traditional medicines of the region where it grows.  This includes Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha medicine in India, Sinhalamedicine in Sri Lanka, the Kru Khmer healing traditions in Cambodia, traditional Vietnamese medicine of Thuoc Nam, etc.. There is speculation that it might also have found a modern use in the illegal drug market industry.The primary active ingredient in Coscinium fenestratum is berberine. Because of the growing populations and industrialization of Asia, the demand for Coscinium fenestratum has increased manifold in the last decades, decimating the natural distribution of the plant dramatically. It is therefore now listed as rare and critically endangered in many of its habitats.

QTL Mapping and Gene Cloning of Durable Resistance to Blast in Rice

Rice blast, caused by Pyricularia grisea Sacc., is a destructive disease of rice in most rice growing areas around the world. Breeding efforts have been made to introduce genes for blast resistanceinto desirable genetic background. Resistance to rice blast is categorized two types, complete (true) and incomplete (field resistance). Complete resistance is a hypersensitive reaction, often a complete form of resistance, and is characterized by a resistant infection type. More than 20 loci for complete blast resistance have been identified.

Rice blast, caused by Pyricularia grisea Sacc., is a destructive disease of rice in most rice growing areas around the world. Breeding efforts have been made to introduce genes for blast resistance into desirable genetic background. Resistance to rice blast is categorized two types, complete (true) and incomplete (field resistance). Complete resistanceis a hypersensitive reaction, often a complete form of resistance, and is characterized by a resistant infection type. More than 20 loci for complete blast resistance have been identified. Although cultivars with complete resistance were developed, the resistance has rapidly been broken down by compatible races of the pathogen. Field resistance, incomplete and usually polygenic, is a susceptible infection type that allows effective control of a parasite under natural field conditions and may be durable when exposed to new races of blast.