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Item Chemical characterization, phytotoxic, and cytotoxic activities of essential oil of Mentha longifolia(Springer, 2020) Singh, N; Singh, H.P; Batish, D.R; Kohli, R.K; Yadav, S.S.The present study assessed the phytotoxic and cytotoxic potential of the essential oil (EO) extracted from aboveground parts of Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed 39 compounds constituting 99.67% of the EO. The EO was rich in monoterpenoids (mostly oxygenated monoterpenes), which accounted for 89.28% of the oil. The major components in EO were monoterpene ketones such as piperitone oxide (53.83%) and piperitenone oxide (11.52%), followed by thymol (5.80%), and (E)-caryophyllene (4.88%). The phytotoxic activities of EO were estimated against Cyperus rotundus, Echinochloa crus-galli, and Oryza sativa (rice) through pre- and post-emergence assays at concentrations ranging from 10 to 250 μg/ml and 0.5–5%, respectively. In pre-emergence assay, the phytotoxic effect of EO was most pronounced on C. rotundus, thereby significantly affecting percent germination, plantlet growth, and chlorophyll content. On the contrary, the impact was comparatively lesser on rice, with ~ 40% germination in response to 250 μg/ml of EO treatment. In the post-emergence assay, the spray treatment of EO caused a loss of chlorophyll and wilting in test plants, and subsequently affected the growth of plants, even leading to death in some cases. The cytotoxic activity of (at 2.5–50 μg/ml) was studied in meristem cells in onion (Allium cepa L.) root tips. EO exposure to the onion roots induced various chromosomal aberrations such as chromosomal bridges, c-mitosis, stickiness, vagrant chromosomes, etc., and negatively affected the mitotic index. At 50 μg/ml, EO treatment triggered the complete death of roots. The study concludes that M. longifolia EO has phytotoxic activities due to the mito-depressive effect, along with other physiological effects on target plants. Therefore, EO of M. longifolia could be developed into a novel bioherbicide for sustainable management of weeds in agricultural systems. - 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.Item Suggestions for a national framework for publication of and access to literature in science and technology in India(Indian Academy of Sciences, 2020) Chakraborty, S; Gowrishankar, J; Joshi, A; Kannan, P; Kohli ,R.K; Lakhotia, S.C; Misra, G; Nautiyal, C.M; Ramasubramanian, K; Sathyamurthy, N; Singhvi, A.K.[No abstract available]Item Evaluating the role of phenology in managing urban invasions: A case study of Broussonetia papyrifera(Elsevier GmbH, 2020) Maan I.; Kaur A.; Singh H.P.; Batish D.R.; Kohli R.K.Multidisciplinary approaches are required for the management of invasive woody species in urban areas. In this context, phenological studies are a useful tool to understand tree development and devise suitable management strategies under urban forestry conditions. The significant role of phenology in attributing competitive advantages to invasive alien species has also been long recognized by community ecologists. Therefore, phenological calendars of invasive species may help in their detection, management and mitigation. In the present study, an attempt has been made to understand the invasive potential of an emerging invasive tree of urban landscapes, Broussonetia papyrifera (paper mulberry; Moraceae), through its phenological assessment by using a standardized numerical scale, BBCH (Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt, CHemische Industrie). The tree is native to southeastern and eastern Asia and the Pacific Islands, and is rapidly spreading across various tropical and subtropical regions. The phenology of B. papyrifera was described in eight principal growth stages (PGSs) with two developmental cycles in a year, presented as primary (January-June) and secondary (June-November) flushes. The observations were further supported by the corresponding dates, photographs, meteorological data (air temperature, precipitation, and photoperiod), and climatic water balance of the study area. Results suggest that the occurrence of two developmental cycles, a prolonged reproductive period, strategy to attract frugivores with brightly colored pulpy fruits, and ability to survive under a wide temperature range help in the spread of B. papyrifera. The phenological scale provided in this study describes accurate and precise developmental stages of the tree that can be used to devise efficient management strategies for its control in urban areas. The information can also be exploited for assessing the climatic conditions required for its prevalence, predicting its future geographic range, and further research.Item Comparative cyto- and genotoxicity of 900 MHz and 1800 MHz electromagnetic field radiations in root meristems of Allium cepa(Academic Press, 2020) Kumar A.; Kaur S.; Chandel S.; Singh H.P.; Batish D.R.; Kohli R.K.In the last few decades, tremendous increase in the use of wireless electronic gadgets, particularly the cell phones, has significantly enhanced the levels of electromagnetic field radiations (EMF-r) in the environment. Therefore, it is pertinent to study the effect of these radiations on biological systems including plants. We investigated comparative cytotoxic and DNA damaging effects of 900 and 1800 MHz EMF-r in Allium cepa (onion) root meristematic cells in terms of mitotic index (MI), chromosomal aberrations (CAs) and single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay). Onion bulbs were subjected to 900 and 1800 MHz (at power densities 261 ± 8.50 mW m?2 and 332 ± 10.36 mW m?2, respectively) of EMF-r for 0.5 h, 1 h, 2 h, and 4 h. Root length declined by 13.2% and 12.3%, whereas root thickness was increased by 46.7% and 48.3% after 4 h exposure to 900 MHz and 1800 MHz, respectively. Cytogenetic studies exhibited clastogenic effect of EMF-r as depicted by increased CAs and MI. MI increased by 36% and 53% after 2 and 4 h exposure to 900 MHz EMF-r, whereas it increased by 41% and 67% in response to 1800 MHz EMF-r. Aberration index was increased by 41%–266% and 14%–257% during 0.5–4 h of exposure to 900 MHz and 1800 MHz, respectively, over the control. EMF-r exposure decreased % head DNA (DNAH) and increased % tail DNA (DNAT) and olive tail moment (OTM) at both 900 and 1800 EMF-r. In 4 h exposure treatments, head DNA (%) declined by 19% and 23% at 900 MHz and 1800 MHz, respectively. DNAT and OTM were increased by 2.3 and 3.7 fold upon exposure to 900 MHz EMF-r over that in the control, whereas 2.8 and 5.8 fold increase was observed in response to 1800 MHz EMF-r exposure for 4 h and the difference was statistically significant. The study concludes that EMF-r in the communication range (900 and 1800 MHz) adversely affect root meristems in plants and induce cytotoxic and DNA damage. EMF-r induced DNA damage was more pronounced at 1800 MHz than that at 900 MHz.Item Appraisal of phytotoxic, cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of essential oil of a medicinal plant Vitex negundo(Elsevier B.V., 2020) Issa M.; Chandel S.; Pal Singh H.; Rani Batish D.; Kumar Kohli R.; Singh Yadav S.; Kumari A.The excessive use of synthetic herbicides in agriculture has steered the development of resistance in weeds along with the production of toxic effects on the environment. Essential oils (EOs) are emerging as an alternative to the synthetic herbicides or agrochemicals because of their effectiveness and easy degradability. A study was, therefore, planned to investigate the phytotoxic, cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of EO extracted from Vitex negundo L., a medicinally important plant. Chemical characterization using GC–MS revealed that V. negundo EO is rich in sesquiterpenes with ?-Caryophyllene (27.80 %) as the major compound. The phytotoxic effect of the EO (0.10–2.50 mg/mL) was investigated against two agricultural weeds: Avena fatua L. and Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv. Germination percentage and early seedling growth (coleoptile and root length) decreased significantly with an increase in EO concentration in both the test weeds. The cytotoxic potential of the oil was explored in Allium cepa L. by accessing mitotic index (MI) and chromosomal aberration percentage, whereas the effect on DNA integrity was evaluated as a percentage of head DNA (HDNA) and tail DNA (TDNA), tail moment (TM) and olive tail moment (OTM). EO treatment altered the cell cycle as evinced by a significant decrease in MI and an increase in aberration percentage at concentrations ? 0.05 and ? 0.025 mg/mL, respectively. In response to 0.10 mg/mL EO treatment, HDNA decreased by 9.37 %, whereas an increase of ?1.67, 4.70 and 1.80 fold was observed in TDNA, TM and OTM, respectively. The study concludes that V. negundo EO induced cytotoxic and genotoxic effects might be accountable for the phytotoxicity of EO against weeds, and thus holds a good potential for use under sustainable agricultural systems.Item Insights into the tolerance and phytoremediation potential of Coronopus didymus L. (Sm) grown under zinc stress(Elsevier Ltd, 2020) Sidhu G.P.S.; Bali A.S.; Singh H.P.; Batish D.R.; Kohli R.K.Zinc (Zn) is a vital micronutrient for plants, but its abundance can be calamitous. In this study, a screenhouse experiment was conducted over a 6-week period to assess the effect of soil enrichment with Zn regimes (100, 250 and 500 mg kg?1) on growth, Zn accumulation, photosynthetic pigment concentration, oxidative stress markers and activities of antioxidant enzymes in Coronopus didymus. Results revealed that Zn concentration in C. didymus roots and shoots reached up to 1848 mg kg?1 DW and 1845 mg kg?1 DW at 500 mg kg?1 Zn regime, respectively. The plant growth (root-shoot length and biomass) increased, while leaf pigment concentration and soluble protein content in C. didymus tissues decreased progressively with the increased Zn regimes in the soil. At 500 mg kg?1 Zn regime, hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde level increased ?219% and 111% in roots, while ?170% and 105% in shoots, with respect to the control. Likewise, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities increased significantly with elevated Zn levels. Contrarily, compared to the control, CAT activity declined gradually and reached a minimum of ?45% in roots and 12% in shoots under highest Zn regime. The results suggested that C. didymus displayed high Zn accumulation and emerged as a tolerant plant species towards Zn stress. Elevated Zn regimes provoked reactive oxygen species generation in C. didymus tissues which was effectively neutralised and scavenged by the antioxidant enzymes, thus marked its efficacy to be potentially employed in phytoremediation and reclamation of Zn-contaminated soils.Item Patterns of plant communities along vertical gradient in Dhauladhar Mountains in Lesser Himalayas in North-Western India(Elsevier B.V., 2020) Ahmad M.; Uniyal S.K.; Batish D.R.; Singh H.P.; Jaryan V.; Rathee S.; Sharma P.; Kohli R.K.Mountains are definitely the most rugged, yet frail resources and biodiversity-rich regions of the world. Environmental variables directly affect species composition, growth patterns, and the ecosystem resulting in a drastic change in the vegetation composition along ascending elevations. The present study investigated vegetation composition, nestedness, and turnover in plant communities along a vertical gradient (2000 to 4000 m) in Dhauladhar Mountains, Lesser Himalayas, India. We determined how ?-diversity pattern and nestedness-related processes or turnover (?-diversity) causes dissimilarity in plant communities' composition along the vertical gradient. Overall, 21 permanent plots (20 � 20 m2) at every 100 m interval from 2000 to 4000 m were established. A sampling of shrubs and herbaceous species was done by marking sub-plots of 5 � 5 m2 and 1 � 1 m2, respectively, within permanent plots. We observed an inverted hump-shaped pattern for evenness index (E), a unimodal hump-shaped pattern for Shannon index (H?), Margalef's richness index, and ?-Whittaker (?w) diversity, and mild-hump-shaped pattern for Simpson index (?) across the elevational gradient. Turnover (?sim) and the nestedness-resultant component of ?-diversity (?sne) significantly differed across the elevational gradient. The observed ?-diversity patterns revealed that the species replacement rate was less in the mid-altitude communities as compared to lower and higher altitude communities. It was largely attributed to the ecotonic nature of mid-altitudes, which benefited mid-elevational communities rather than low or high altitude communities. Besides lower altitudes, the increased human interference has led to disturbance and subsequent homogenization of flora across the mid-altitudes. With respect to this, the present study signifies the need for preserving the mid-altitudinal communities, without undermining the importance of conserving the low and high altitude communities. � 2020 Elsevier B.V.Item ?-Pinene moderates Cr(VI) phytotoxicity by quenching reactive oxygen species and altering antioxidant machinery in maize(Springer Verlag, 2019) Mahajan P.; Singh H.P.; Kaur S.; Batish D.R.; Kohli R.K.We examined the possible role of monoterpene ?-pinene in providing protection against Cr(VI) toxicity in maize (Zea mays). Treatment with β-pinene (10 μM) significantly alleviated Cr(VI) accumulation and recuperated Cr(VI) caused decline in root and coleoptile growth in maize. ?-Pinene addition caused a decline in Cr(VI)-induced accumulation of superoxide anion, hydroxyl ion, hydrogen peroxide and confirmed by in-situ detection of ROS using histochemical localization. It suggested that the ?-pinene quenches/neutralizes enhanced ROS generated under Cr(VI) exposure. ?-Pinene also reduced Cr(VI)-induced electrolyte leakage, thereby suggesting its role in membrane stabilization. Further, ?-pinene regulated the activity of scavenging enzymes, thereby suggesting a role in modulating Cr(VI)-induced oxidative damage. In conclusion, our results suggest that the addition of ?-pinene has a protective role against Cr(VI) stress and provides resistance to maize against Cr(VI) toxicity.Item Appraisal of immediate and late effects of mobile phone radiations at 2100�MHz on mitotic activity and DNA integrity in root meristems of Allium cepa(Springer-Verlag Wien, 2019) Chandel S.; Kaur S.; Issa M.; Singh H.P.; Batish D.R.; Kohli R.K.The present study evaluated the potential of 2100�MHz radiofrequency radiations to act as cytotoxic and genotoxic agent. Fresh onion (Allium cepa L.) roots were exposed to electromagnetic field radiations (EMF-r) for different durations (1�h and 4�h) and evaluated for mitotic index (MI), phase index, chromosomal aberrations, and DNA damage. DNA damage was investigated with the help of the comet assay by assessing various parameters like % head DNA (HDNA), % tail DNA (TDNA), tail moment (TM), and olive tail moment (OTM). Effects of EMF-r exposure were also compared with that of methyl methanesulfonate (MMS; 90�?M), which acted as a positive control. The post-exposure effects of EMF-r after providing the test plants with an acclimatization period of 24�h were also evaluated. Compared to the control, a significant increase in the MI and aberration percentage was recorded upon 4�h of exposure. However, no specific trend of phase index in response to exposure was detected. EMF-r exposure incited DNA damage with a significant decrease in HDNA accompanied by an increase in TDNA upon exposure of 4�h. However, TM and OTM did not change significantly upon exposure as compared to that of control. Analysis of the post-exposure effects of EMF-r did not show any significant change/recovery. Our data, thus, suggest the potential cytotoxic and genotoxic nature of 2100�MHz EMF-r. Our study bears great significance in view of the swiftly emergent EMF-r in the surrounding environment and their potential for inciting aberrations at the chromosomal level, thus posing a genetic hazard. � 2019, Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.Item β-Pinene moderates Cr(VI) phytotoxicity by quenching reactive oxygen species and altering antioxidant machinery in maize(Springer, 2019) Mahajan, P; Singh, H.P; Kaur, S; Batish, D.R; Kohli, R.K.We examined the possible role of monoterpene β-pinene in providing protection against Cr(VI) toxicity in maize (Zea mays). Treatment with β-pinene (10 μM) significantly alleviated Cr(VI) accumulation and recuperated Cr(VI) caused decline in root and coleoptile growth in maize. β-Pinene addition caused a decline in Cr(VI)-induced accumulation of superoxide anion, hydroxyl ion, hydrogen peroxide and confirmed by in-situ detection of ROS using histochemical localization. It suggested that the β-pinene quenches/neutralizes enhanced ROS generated under Cr(VI) exposure. β-Pinene also reduced Cr(VI)-induced electrolyte leakage, thereby suggesting its role in membrane stabilization. Further, β-pinene regulated the activity of scavenging enzymes, thereby suggesting a role in modulating Cr(VI)-induced oxidative damage. In conclusion, our results suggest that the addition of β-pinene has a protective role against Cr(VI) stress and provides resistance to maize against Cr(VI) toxicity. © 2018, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.