Farheen Mazher , Sonu Sharma

Abstract

Acorus calamus L. (family Acoraceae) a perennial herb is an endangered plant species of medicinal importance. Micropropagation protocol for A. calamushas been standardized. Shoots obtained from the meristems culture on MS medium with BAP (2.0-3.0 mg/l), NAA (0.5-1.0 mg/l), and Kinetin (0.5-1.0 mg/l) in various combinations, showed good results of shoot induction and multiplication in 30 days culture. These shoots were elongated, ischolar_mained in-vitro and the plantlets were successfully hardened. The high rate of direct shoot-ischolar_main multiplication and their high rate of post- hardening survival shows that this protocol could be easily adopted for large scale production.

Keywords

Acorus Calamus, Medicinal Importance, In-vitro Clonal Propagation

Full Text

     

M. Ayoub Dar , S. Nautiyal , Meena Bakshi , Farheen Mazher

Abstract

Genetic parameters for nine pod and seed traits and per cent germination were worked out in thirty seed sources of Acacia nilotica mostly from the State ofHaryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. Values for variahility in expected genetic gain were calculated for all individual characters. Seed length, seed width and 100 seed weight exhibited high genetic variability, heritability and genetic gain. Correlation study reveled that pod thickness; pod weight, seed length, seed width, seed thickness and 100 seed weight had significant and positive association with germination percentage. These traits, therefore should be given priority for improving germination in Acacia nilotica.

Keywords

Genetic Parameters, Acacia Nilotica, Seed Length, Heritability, Genetic Gain AndGermination

Full Text

     

Farheen Mazher , Pratibha Singh

Abstract

The oil content in rhizomes of four-month old tissue culture raised and field grown Acorus calamus plants were extracted by soxhlet extraction method and analyzed by Gas Liquid Chromatography. The main chemical component found was β-asarone. Percentage of averageminimum β-asarone content was found 88.40% in the rhizome of 5 month old tissue cultured plants. The maximum β-Asarone average content 88.74% was recorded from rhizomes of twelve month old plants. β-asarone content varied between 64.27% of five month old plants and 82.61% in 12 months old plants. The leaves of in-vitro raised A. calamus showed minimum β-asarone content with an average of 79.82% in five monthold plants whereas maximum β-asarone averagecontent 81.71% was recorded from twelve monthold plants.

Keywords

Acorus Calamus, Rhizome, β-asarone, Tissue Culture, Gas Liquid Chromatography

Full Text

     

Farheen Mazher

Abstract

Acorus calamus, commonly known as sweet flag, has long been known for its medicinal value. It is cultivated in many countries because of the demand of its essential oil and powder. It is widely employed in modern herbal medicine as an aromatic stimulant and general brain tonic. Main chemical constituents are asarone and β-asarone present in rhizome and leaves. The wild source of medicine is shrinking day-by-day. There is a need for conservation and sustainable use of such plant of immense medicinal value.

Keywords

Acorus calamus, Medicinal Plant, Essential Oil, Conservation

Full Text