Category Archives: b_original_articles

Hanif Ur Rahman¹*, Mirza Ali Khan¹, Shahid Khan¹, Faiza Ashraf¹, Sibghat Ullah¹, Bait Ullah¹, Dost Muhammad Khan¹, Said Sajjad Ali Shah²

¹Foot and Mouth Disease Research Center, Veterinary Research Institute, Peshawar- Pakistan

²Veterinary Research Institute, Peshawar –Pakistan

 Abstract

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease mostly caused by serotype A, O, and Asia-1 of virus that is endemic in Pakistan. FMD Serotype ‘O’ is responsible for more than 60% of outbreaks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. During the present study, a total of 50 samples of FMDV serotype ‘O’ virus were selected from field outbreaks samples preserved at the center. The nucleotide sequences of the VP1 coding region from all the virus samples were determined. The phylogenetic analysis of FMDV serotype ‘O’ viruses circulating in different areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan was determined. This indicated continuous mutation from 2012 to 2015 due to the presence of two different sub lineages within ‘O’ PanAsia-II lineage. The current study reveals that the presences of two different sub lineages of FMDV O PanAsia-II were identified which are circulating in different regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. The emergence of new variants are possibly responsible for the failure of vaccine in the country and creates hindrances in the control of disease in the region.

Keywords: Serotype O, VP1 Coding region, Sequencing, O PanAsia-II, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Farheen Nazli¹*, Bushra², Muhammad Mazhar Iqbal³, Fatima Bibi⁴, Zafar-ul-Hye⁵,

Muhammad Ramzan Kashif¹ and Maqshoof Ahmad⁶

¹Pesticide Quality Control Laboratory Bahawalpur-63100, Pakistan

²Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan

³Soil and Water Testing Laboratory, Chiniot, Pakistan

⁴Mango Research Station, Multan, Pakistan

⁵Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan

⁶Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur-63100, Pakistan

 Abstract

The intensity, quantity as well as capacity factors are important to predict the amount of nutrient in soil required for maximum plant growth. Sorption isotherm considers these three factors so believed to be one of the most important techniques in soil which control the fate and mobility of nutrients. The field experiment was conducted to find out site-specific and crop-specific potassium requirement for potato crop. The potassium adsorption isotherm was constructed and Freundlich model was used to theoretically work out different soil solution K levels (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mg L^-1). The K fertilizer doses were calculated against these specific soil solution levels. Field experiment was conducted with seven model based K fertilizer treatments (0, 49, 94, 139, 183, 228, and 273 kg K ha^-1) and three replications in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) using potato as test crop.  The results showed that growth parameters like plant height, leaf area and chlorophyll significantly contributed to potato tuber yield. Different yield response models were tested and it was observed that linear plus plateau and quadratic plus plateau predicted equally well the optimum fertilizer K rate both for yield and quality attributes of potato. For maximum potato tuber yield i.e.34.41 Mg ha^-1 the economic optimum K was 100 kg ha^-1. Optimum fertilizer K rates (at 95 % relative yield) for potato tuber yield, dry matter percentage, protein, starch contents and vitamin C contents were 100, 103, 180, 230 and 200 kg K ha^-1, respectively. So, it is suggested that adsorption isotherm technique should be used to calculate site specific and crop specific fertilizer requirements of crops and 100 kg ha^-1 is recommended as optimum potassium fertilizer for potato crop. Moreover, the K fertilizer application would improve crop quality that would support the quality based marketing system in Pakistan. 

Keywords: Potato, Quadratic plus plateau, Adsorption isotherm, Yield, Quality

Dwiyati Pujimulyani¹, Wisnu Adi Yulianto¹, Astuti Setyowati¹, Seila Arumwardana², Rizal Rizal²

¹Faculty of Agroindustry, University of Mercu Buana Yogyakarta, Jl Wates Km. 10, Argomulyo, Sedayu, Bantul, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta 55753, Indonesia

²Aretha Medika Utama, Biomolecular and Biomedical Research Center, Jl Babakan Jeruk 2, No 9, Bandung 40163, West  Java, Indonesia

 Abstract

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder and characterized by high blood glucose level that defects in secretion of insulin. Oxidative stress and excess of free radicals have been documented in diabetes occurrence. Curcuma mangga Val. is one of traditional medicine that has potency for diabetic treatment.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the antidiabetic and antioxidant effects of Curcuma mangga Val extract (CME) and fractions. In this study, the antioxidant activity of four fractions of CME (water, hexane, ethyl acetate, and butanol fraction) were measured using nitrite oxide (NO) and H₂O₂-scavenging activity assay, while antidiabetic activity of those fractions were measured by α-glucosidase activity assay. These fractions were also compared to antidiabetic drug, namely acarbose. In the NO-scavenging activity, the butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) had the highest activity (IC₅₀ 69.75 µg/mL) compared to all fractions of CME and acarbose (ACR). Ethyl acetate fraction of C. mangga extract (EACM) showed the highest in H₂O₂-scavenging activity (IC₅₀ 162.78 µg/mL) compared to marker compound (BHT) (IC₅₀ 179.86 µg/mL) and other fractions. Hexane fraction of C. mangga (HCM) showed the highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ 182.45 µg/mL).

To conclude, the fractions of C. mangga extract could be used as an alternative in the development of antioxidant and antidiabetic medicine.

Keywords: Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, Curcuma mangga, Diabetes

Wahyu Widowati¹, Teresa Liliana Wargasetia¹, Ervi Afifah², Tjandrawati Mozef³,

Hanna Sari Widya Kusuma², Hayatun Nufus², Seila Arumwardana², Annisa Amalia², Rizal Rizal²

¹Faculty of Medicine, Maranatha Christian University, Jl. Prof drg. Suria Sumantri No.65, Bandung 40164, West Java, Indonesia

²Aretha Medika Utama, Biomolecular and Biomedical Research Center, Jl Babakan Jeruk 2, No. 9, Bandung 40163, West Java, Indonesia

³Research Center for Chemistry, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Serpong, Indonesia

Abstract

Antioxidant agent can eliminate the free radicals due to oxidative stress that has been reported as the main cause of diabetes mellitus. This study evaluated the effect of Curcuma longa rhizomes and its compounds curcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin as antioxidants and antidiabetic activity. The phytochemical assay was performed with modified Farnsworth method. Quantitative curcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin and curcumol of C. longa extract (CLE) were evaluated using HPLC. The antioxidant assay was performed with 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzo thiazoline-6-sulfonate acid) (ABTS) and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay. Antidiabetic properties were measured by inhibitory activity of α-, β-glucosidase, and α-amylase. This study suggested that CLE has terpenoids in high level. Based on HPLC test, CLE contained curcumin (16.92%), curcumol (15.51%), and bisdemethoxycurcumin (5.27%). Bisdemethoxycurcumin has DPPH scavenging activity (IC₅₀= 64.94±2.44 µg/ml), curcumin has the highest activity (IC₅₀=0.92±0.03 µg/ml) in ABTS assay, while CLE has the highest activity in FRAP assay (IC₅₀=311.10 µM Fe(II)/µg) in the highest concentration (250.00 µg/ml). In antidiabetic assay, bisdemethoxycurcumin has the highest in α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activity (IC₅₀=3.76±0.33 µg/ml; 1.79± 0.15 µg/ml), while in β-glucosidase inhibitory activity curcumin has the highest activity (IC₅₀=1.03±0.03 µg/ml). CLE and its compounds possess antioxidants and antidiabetic activities. 

Keywords: Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, Bisdemethoxycurcumin, Curcuma Longa, Curcumin

Saima Batool*

Department of Botany, Govt. Degree College for Women, Samanabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan

 Abstract

Effects of nickel toxicity on photosynthetic pigments and dry matter yield of Cicer arietinum L. (Chickpea) varieties were observed. Nickel as NiCl₂ was applied to the soil in solution form @ 0mgL^-1(Control), 25mg L^-1, 50mg L^-1, 100mg L^-1 and 150mg L^-1. All the treatments were replicated six times. Experiment was laid down in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with two factor-factorial arrangement. A significant decrease in growth, chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll and carotenoid contents was observed with increasing concentrations of nickel application. A similar decreasing trend was also noted for dry matter yield of the plants which may be attributed to decreased pigment contents and decreased photosynthetic activity. Chickpea was found to be an indicator of nickel toxicity showing its inhibitory effects on various growth and biochemical parameters.  

Keywords: Nickel, Chlorophylls, Carotenoids, Dry Matter, Chickpea

Ferid Abdulhafiz, Fatimah Kayat, Suhana Zakaria

Faculty of Agro-Based Industry, University Malaysia Kelantan, 17600, Jeli, Kelantan, Malaysia

 Abstract

Improvement of banana through conventional method have been very difficult due to ploidy and sterility of most popular cultivars. Hence, given the difficulties in conventional breeding, mutation breeding was attempted to induce variability and obtain improved banana varieties. Therefore, banana cv. Tanduk shoots meristem (1.5 x 1.0 cm) were exposed to γ rays at doses ranging from 10-70 Gy. Subculture was conducted up to four cycle followed by induction of rooting. The radio-sensitivity of in vitro shoots towards radiation was assessed through the percentage of the explants that survived the treatment. The highest survival rate (74%) among γ treated explants recorded was in 10 Gy treatment and the lowest survivality (20%) was in 70 Gy. The lethal dose (LD₅₀) which had caused 50% mortality to the irradiated material was found to be 37 Gy. The result on shoot growth showed that the highest shoot number (5) per explant recorded at radiation dosage of 20 Gy, followed by 3 shoots per explant at a dosage of 10 Gy and  highest shoot length (3.43 cm) was observed at 10 Gy followed by 20 Gy and 30 Gy treatment caused significant reduction in shoot length. Similarly, 10 Gy induced maximum root length, whereas explants irradiated with 20 Gy and 30 Gy caused the reduction in root length significantly. Gamma rays at the lower dosage of 10 and 20 Gy imposed a significant impact on shoot growth and 30 Gy caused reduction in growth. Hence, the present research was conducted to study the effect of γ radiation on banana plant, while observing growth traits in γ irradiated explants. 

Keywords: Mutation breeding, In vitro mutagenesis, LD₅₀