The study aimed to profile the volatile phytocomposition of snow mountain garlic (SMG) compared to normal garlic and investigate the anti-Candida efficacy against clinically relevant multi-drug resistant isolates of Candida species.Herein, SMG has shown significantly superior fungicidal power at 2x-MIC dose against C. albicans and C. glabrata in killing kinetic evaluation unlike the fungistatic effect of normal garlic. GC-MS headspace-based profiling of SMG showed 5 unique volatile compounds and a 5-fold higher content of saponins than normal garlic. In an in-silico analysis, cholesta-4,6-dien-3-ol,(3-beta) was uniquely identified in SMG as a potential inhibitor with high binding affinity to the active site of exo-1,3-betaglucan synthase, an established anti-candida drug target crucial for the biofilm matrix formation, thus suggesting a plausible anti-Candida mechanism.The in-vitro and in-silico studies have demonstrated the Candida-cidal and anti-biofilm activities of SMG, distinguishing it from the Candida-static efficacy of normal garlic.This is the first report that identifies several phytochemical signatures of SMG along with a potential anti-Candida compound, that is cholesta-4,6-dien-3-ol,(3-beta)-, which appears worthy of detailed studies in the future to explore the utility of SMG as a fungal phytotherapy agent, especially against drug-resistant Candida sp.
<p>Feasibility of growing muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.), a warm season crop, was studied under a low-input cultivation system in open field condition in high altitude (elevation 3344 m) trans-Himalayan Ladakh region. The marketable yield of five cultivars in different treatments varied from 5.4±0.4 t.ha-1 to 18.8±1.7 t.ha-1 and 4.0±0.2 t.ha-1 to 15.8±1.0 t.ha-1 in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Treatment of black polyethylene mulch (BPM) increased marketable yield by 25 per cent to 155 per cent depending on year and cultivar. The marketable yield of the best performing cultivar (Pusa Madhuras) under BPM was 17.3 t.ha-1, which suggested that muskmelon can successfully be grown in open field condition in trans-Himalaya. The fruit become ready for harvest in mid-August. Number of fruit per plant ranged from 2.3 to 6.3, and TSS ranged from 8.9 to 14.1 °Brix depending on cultivar. Temperature 10 cm beneath the BPM was 2.9±0.4 ºC higher than in bare soil. BPM reduced 74 per cent weed and save 77 per cent time in manual weeding.</p>
Ladakh is the cold-desert high-altitude region located in the Trans-Himalayan region of India. This region is characterized by very harsh environmental conditions with hypobaric hypoxia-induced oxidative stress in domestic animals. In these circumstances this study has been carried out to analyze the effects of different seasons and high altitude stress on serum and milk antioxidant status of cow to monitor health and milk production. A total of 140 clinically healthy lactating Jersey cross-bred cows were used for the sample collection in the two successive season's viz. summer and winter. Blood lipid peroxidation was significantly (p < 0.05) higher during the winter season. Whereas, the blood and milk antioxidant capacity was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the winter season as compared to the summer season. Milk production showed significant (p < 0.05) higher in the summer seasons than the winter season. This study indicated unfavourable THI for dairy cattle which caused stress to Jersey crossbred cows. This physiological status was attributed to changes in antioxidant status in studied animals. This is also supported by the antioxidant capacity of milk samples. Hence, microenvironment management should be given utmost importance for the better cattle health management in this region for the better production level.
The study reveals that Ladakh is rich in vegetation, medicinal flora and endemic diversity. The traditional knowledge on native plant species highlights Amchi system of medicine and their traditional health-care system, both logistically as well as economically. The excessive extraction of medicinal plant resources for use in the pharmaceutical industry, has resulted in ruthless destruction of natural populations of medicinal plants. Present study, attempts to assess the current status of knowledge of medicinal plant resources of Ladakh and herbal products. It also focuses on the importance of documenting traditional knowledge and practices, related to conservation and sustainable utilization of medicinal plants of Ladakh. An approach for prioritizing strategies for action is proposed, which is a three step process, namely technology development, technology dissemination, technology assessment and refinement. Besides, the approach highlights the importance of involving indigenous communities, traditional institutions and NGOs to complement efforts of academics, scientists and government departments to ensure conservation and utilization of this resource.
Key words: Ladakh, medicinal plants, Amchi system, trans-Himalayas, conservation biology.
BACKGROUND::In dioecious plants, morphological adjustment to climate change may differ between male and female individuals due to greater reproductive effort in females. Not accounting for sexual variation could lead to incorrect assessment of a species response to climate change. OBJECTIVES:The ai m of this study was to assess how important gender-specific responses are to Hippophae rhamnoides in changing trans-Himalayan environments. METHOD:Leaf morphological characters of male and female Hippophae rhamnoides individuals along an altitudinal gradient (2797-4117 m) and plants raised in 'common-garden' experiment was measured. RESULTS: Leaves become smaller in length and area, but became thicker with decreasing specific leaf area (SLA) with increasing altitude in both the gender. Leaf size, area, thickness, chlorophyll and petiole length were found to be higher in males than in females, while female had a higher SLA. When cuttings from the plants were grown in a common-garden experiment, the altitudinal effect disappeared for all morphological variables suggesting that most leaf morphological variation in H. rhamnoides is environmentally determined. In the event of climate change, our study showed that phenotypic plasticity would be a crucial determinant of plant response in mountainous region. Effect of altitudinal gradient on leaf morphology was more conspicuous in males suggesting that males are more responsive to change in environmental conditions.. CONCLUSION:The results suggested that males will adapt better to the changing climate and may lead to a male-biased population in the event of climate change. Stressful environments cause added detrimental impact on female than on male.
Photosynthesis is the basis of life on earth that converts light energy into chemical energy and is the primary component of crop yield. Significant increase in crop yield by enhancing photosynthesis can answer to global food security. With the increase in population size and limited land availability, efforts have been made to grow crops in tough terrains like high altitude areas. As one ascends a mountain, environmental conditions such as heavy UV influx, arid landscape and long winter season can result in various physiological, biochemical and molecular alterations in plants which may affect photosynthesis. In the present review, we focused on critical biological process in plants i.e. photosynthesis with regard to high altitude areas. We also reviewed the role of abiotic factors which play a key role in regulating photosynthesis at altitudinal gradient. Ladakh, often refereed as cold desert due to its high altitude and cold arid climate, is a region where a limited patch of land is available for agriculture due to tough terrain. Over centuries, farmers in Ladakh have evolved self-sustained farming systems notwithstanding scarce resources, amidst a climatically challenging environment. In Leh-Ladakh region, only five months (May to September) are available for farming while the rest of the year is extreme cold and not conducive for crop cultivation snow covered (October to March).As a result, almost no agricultural practices take place during winter season and people are dependent on stored food crops. Army troops are supplied with vegetables and fruits from Chandigarh by Air route which is quite expensive. Earlier, to enhance the yield per hectare of agricultural crops with increasing demand was possible through breeding programs and farming practice but now crops yields are reaching a plateau. One fundamental component of plant productivity that has not been used to select for increased yield is photosynthesis.
Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR) is one of the laboratories of Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) New Delhi located at Leh, at an altitude of 3500 amsl. It was established in 1962 and is a pioneer organization which mainly focuses on cold arid agro-animal technology. With the help of updated R&D technologies and novel inputs in cold arid agro animal technologies, our mission is to enhance the availability of fresh food for troops in Ladakh. In order to enhance the productivity at high altitude, laboratory and field research is targeted to increase yield potential in agricultural crops. Recent studies have shown that increase in crop yield can be achieved with enhanced photosynthesis. With this objective in mind, Defence Institute of high Altitude Research (DIHAR) situated in Leh–Ladakh aims to enhance the productivity at high altitude, and is targeted to increase yield potential in agricultural crops. Over the century, grain yield has almost doubled yet there is no significant change in the rate of photosynthesis per unit leaf area. In the present study, we reviewed different physiological factors which change as altitude increases and their effect on photosynthesis and subsequently on crop productivity.
'Ek Pothi Lehsun', also known as snow mountain garlic, is a type of garlic grown in the high mountainous region of Jammu and Kashmir state of India. The present study aimed to develop a protocol for propagating snow mountain garlic in-vitro using corm seed as an explant. The study also assessed the antifungal potential of in vitro-grown bulbils against different Candida species. Four different concentrations of NAA and 2,4-D were tested for their effectiveness in promoting root formation, and eighteen different combinations of BAP (µM), KN (µM) and TDZ (µM) were investigated for effective proliferation of shoots with varied lengths. Shoot with maximum length (5.03±1.40) was obtained in MS medium containing 1.0 µM TDZ after 24 days of inoculation, whereas MS basal media was found effective for rooting plantlets. Rooted micro shoots were acclimatized successfully in hardening treys with a percent survival of nearly 80%. Seven different concentrations of Sucrose, i.e. 5%, 7%, 10%, 15%, 17%, 20%, and 25% were investigated for effective bulbil formation. Bulbil with a maximum diameter of 0.86 cm was obtained in 20% sucrose-containing MS media in 5 days. Further, the antifungal potential of aqueous extract (TC-SMG) of in vitro grown bulbils was investigated against three Candida sp. A zone of inhibition of 22.30±0.33 mm, 17.3±0.33 mm and 19.3±0.33 mm was observed against C. albicans, C. tropicalis and C. glabrata respectively, by using 200 mg/mL extract after 24 hrs depicting the remarkable potential of TC-SMG as an antifungal agent. In vitro culture of snow mountain garlic has demonstrated promising antifungal properties against Candida species.
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