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Z. A. Bhat , S. H. Ansari , H. M. Mukhtar , T. Naved , N. A. Khan , I. A. Chashoo

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the anti-hyperglycemic activity of alcoholic extract of Aralia cachemirica Decne ischolar_mains. Materials and methods: The alcoholic extract of Aralia cachemirica was tested for anti-hyperglycemic activity on normal fasted, glucose loaded and alloxan induced diabetic rats. Blood glucose levels were evaluated at 0,1 and 3 h in normal fasted rats at 0, 30 and 90 min in glucose loaded rats; at 0, 1 and 3 h in acute and at days 1, 3, 7 and 10 in sub-acute studies of alloxan induced diabetic rats after extract administration of 250 mg/kg. Results: In both acute and sub acute-studies the ethanolic extract showed statistically significant anti-hyperglycemic and an enhanced glucose tolerance activity while it had no effect on normal fasted rats. Conclusion: Aralia cachemirica posses statistically significant antihyperglycemic activity in both acute and sub-acute studies of alloxan induced diabetes and also has an enhanced glucose tolerance activity.

Keywords

Aralia cachemirica Decne, Roots, Anti-hyperglycemic, Glucose Tolerance

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H. M. Mukhtar , S. H. Ansari , M. Ali , T. Naved , Z. A. Bhat

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the anti-hyperglycemic activity of water extract of Psidium guajava stem bark. Materials and methods: The water extract of stem bark of Psidium guajava was tested for its hypoglycemic activity in normal glucose loaded and alloxan-induced hyperglycemic Wistar rats. Blood glucose levels were evaluated at intervals of 30 and 90 minutes in normal glucose loaded animals, at intervals of 0, 1 and 3 h in acute study and at days 1, 3, 7 and 10 during sub acute treatment after extract administration at an oral dose of 250 mg/kg. Results: During both acute and sub-acute tests, the water extract showed statistically significant and considerable anti-hyperglycemic activity and enhanced glucose tolerance in normal glucose loaded rats. Conclusion: Psidium guajava stem bark possessed statistically significant anti-hyperglycemic potential in alloxan induced diabetic rats and enhanced glucose tolerance in glucose loaded normal rats.

Keywords

Psidium guajava Linn., Hypoglycemic, Hyperglycemic

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H. M. Mukhtar , S. H. Ansari , T. Naved , Z. A. Bhat

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the hypoglycemic activity of ethanol extract of Psidium guajavaleaves. Materials and methods: The ethanol extract of leaves of Psidium guajava was tested for its hypoglycemic activity in alloxan-induced hyperglycemic Wistar rats. Results: In both acute and sub-acute tests, the ethanol extract, at an oral dose of 250 mg/kg, showed statistically significant and considerable hypoglycemic activity. Conclusion: Psidium guajava leaves possess statistically significant hypoglycemic activity.

Keywords

Psidium guajava Linn., Hypoglycemic Activity

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M. Ashraf ¹, G. H. Dar ¹, Z. A. Bhat ¹

Affiliations
1 Division of Plant Pathology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar Campus, Srinagar 191 121, Jammu and Kashmir, IN

Abstract

Studies were conducted on biomanagement of ischolar_main rot of pine (Pinus wallichiana) seedlings during 2008-2009 at Shalimar campus, Srinagar, Kashmir. The pathogens associated with the disease were isolated, morphologically characterized and identified as Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. pini (Schlecht.) Synd. and Hans. and Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn, and F. oxysporum proved more pathogenic. In bioassays all the biocontrol agents tested inhibited the mycelial growth of F. oxysporum and R. solani in dual culture, however, Trichoderma harzianum and T. viride were more effective. Pseudomonas fluorescens showed strong antibiosis and developed zone of inhibition against both the pathogens in vitro. Laccaria laccata caused hyphal lysis of the pathogens in dual culture. In vitro evaluation of the culture filtrate of test antagonists revealed that culture filtrate of P. fluorescens had maximum inhibitory effect on mycelial growth and spore/sclerotial germination of test pathogens followed by T. harzianum, T. viride and L. laccata. Inoculation of T. harzianum, P. fluorescens and L. laccata individually or in combination significantly improved the growth and biomass of Kail pine seedlings in vivo. Combined inoculations of biocontrol agents showed synergistic growth promoting action. Seed germination was improved by the biocontrol agents with drastic reduction by pathogenic microorganisms. Biocontrol agents inoculated individually or in combination reduced the pathogenic effect (ischolar_main rot) as compared to the control.

Keywords

Biomanagement, Pinus wallichiana, Root Rot, Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani.

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M. A. Bhat ¹, S. Simon ¹, N. A. Munshi ², Z. A. Bhat ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Plant Protection, Allahabad Agricultural Institute-Deemed University, Allahabad 211007, Uttar Pradesh, IN
2 Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (K), Shalimar Campus, Srinagar 191121, J&K, IN

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine some effective antagonistic bacterial inoculants for the biological control of Verticillium fungicola causing dry bubble disease of white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus). Out of the 32 bacterial inoculants isolated from the casing and compost materials and screened against V. fungicola, only 5 isolates were selected for further investigation. The cell free culture filtrates of these bacterial isolates were further evaluated against the pathogen and host fungus at different concentrations. The bacterial culture filtrates inhibited mycelial growth and conidial germination of V. fungicola to varied extents. The isolate PC-I showed maximum inhibition 71.50 per cent of mycelial growth and similar trends of inhibition were recorded in case of conidial germination (84.13 per cent of the pathogen) followed by PS-I, PS-II, Bacillus thuringiensis, BC-IX, BC-V and BC-IV, respectively. Azotobacter sp. proved less effective in inhibiting the mycelial growth of the pathogen. The culture filtrates of PS-I and PS-II stimulated the growth of A. bisporus at all the test concentrations, whereas the remaining culture filtrates inhibited its growth.

Keywords

Bacterial Inoculants, Casing, Compost, In vitro, Verticillium fungicola, White Button Mushroom.

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Z. A. Bhat ¹, F. U. Khan ¹

Affiliations
1 Division of Floriculture, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, S.K. University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar – 191 121, IN

Abstract

A study was carried out during 2005 - 2006 at the Division of Floriculture, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, SKUAST-K, Shalimar, to determine the effect of corm size (4.1-4.5, 4.6-5.0 and 5.1-5.5 cm) and spacing (10 x 20, 15 x 20 and 20 x 20 cm) on growth, flowering and corm production in gladiolus cv. White Prosperity. Largersized corms (5.1-5.5 cm) with wider plant spacing (20 x 20 cm) gave the best performance. Number of days taken to spike emergence, plant height, number of leaves plant^-1, spike length, number of florets spike^-1 and diameter of floret were observed to be significantly better with larger-sized corms. Minimum days taken to slipping were also found to be due to larger size of the corms. Number of corms plant^-1, corm weight, diameter of corm, number of cormel plant^-1 and cormels weight plant^-1, in terms of both quality and quantity, showed increasing trend with an increasing corm-size and spacing. Therefore, wider spacing and larger corm size may be recommended for realising better quality and higher production in gladiolus cv. White Prosperity under Kashmir conditions.

Keywords

Gladiolus, Corm Size, Spacing, Vegetative Growth, Flower Quality.

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