Nature Environment and Pollution Technology

B. Digamber Rao ¹, M. Ramesh Babu ¹, N. Ellaswamy ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Botany, Kakatiya University, Warangal-506 009, A. P., IN

Abstract

Cyanobacteria are prokaryotic photoautotrophs capable of carrying out photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation simultaneously and they locate from different habitats are known to produce a diverse array of toxic bioactive compounds, particularly in terms of the physiology and ecology of the cyanobacteria that produce them, remains largely unknown. Although the potential of cyanobacteria as biofertiliser is well known, the attention has recently been focused on the biotechnological potential of cyanobacteria for obtaining pharmacologically active secondary metabolites which exhibit anticancer, antimicrobial, antifungal or anti-inflammatory, antiplasmodial, algicide, antiplatelet aggregation, immunosuppressive activities, expressing allelopathy character as well as the potential for development and application of these compounds as algicides, herbicides and insecticides. This review will discuss the existing evidence for the role of cyanotoxins, and specifically present relevant results from investigations into toxins of cyanobacteria from the published literature.

Keywords

Cyanobacteria, Cyanotoxins, Antimicrobial, Allelopathy, Algicide.

Full Text

   

B. Kumaraswamy ¹, L. Dup Singh ¹, M. Ramesh Babu ¹, B. Digamber Rao ¹

Affiliations
1 Algal Biotechnology & Hydrobiology Lab, Department of Botany, Kakatiya University, Warangal-506 009, A. P., IN

Abstract

A total of 105 algal members were reported from two freshwater reservoirs of Warangal (A.P.) including phytoplanktonic and euplanktonic algae belonging to 71 genera, in which 21 Cyanophyceae, 28 Chlorophyceae, 18 Bacillariophyceae and 4 Euglenophyceae genera were identified. Waddepally reservoir was observed with 67 species followed by Bhadrakali reservoir with 83 species of algae under investigation. This is a first report of freshwater algae from Warangal, as the previous reports were related to only Cyanophyceae from paddy fields and wet soil samples.

Keywords

Phytoplankton, Bhadrakali Reservoir, Waddepally Reservoir.

Full Text

   

B. Digamber Rao ¹, G. Shamitha ², G. Renuka ², M. Ramesh Babu ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Botany, Kakatiya University, Warangal-506 009, A.P., IN
2 Department of Zoology, Kakatiya University, Warangal-506 009, A.P., IN

Abstract

Soil samples were collected from different agro-climatic regions of north Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh. Sterilized nitrogen free BG-11 medium was used for isolation of nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria. Antifungal activity of four strains of Tolypothrix were studied. Methanolic extracts from biomass of selected Cyanobacteria were isolated and screened against four strains of fungi (Candida albicans, Candida guilliermondii, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus fumigatus). The growth of all fungal strains tested were inhibited by the culture extracts and C-phycocyanin. Bioassay studies of Eri silkworm expressed no symptom of ill-health after feeding the C-phycocyanin treated castor leaves (Ricinus cummunis), and body weight and silk gland weights were also increased compared to control sample. The present study is also envisaged on the impact of phycocyanin of Tolypothrix species on the carbohydrate content and amylase activity in Eri silkworm (Samia cynthia ricini). According to the obtained results it is concluded that extracts from Tolypothrix sp. could be used traditionally in the treatment of microbial infections and also for the increase of carbohydrate and amylase activity in the silkworm under investigation.

Keywords

C-Phycocyanin, Tolypothrix sps., Anti Fungal Activity, Biochemical Activity, Eri Silkworm.

Full Text