Timir baran Jha

• Ph.D.
• Professor at Maulana Azad College , Kolkata

A well-documented karyo-morphological analysis has been presented in one unexplored cultivar of Capsicum annuum L., collected from South Sikkim, India, to determine the chromosome number. This report confirms that the cultivar contains 2n = 48 chromosomes, which are not produced through self-duplication. More studies are required to determine its a...

Selaginella, an extant genus of primitive vascular plants, has survived over 400 million years of evolution. In vitro morphogenesis in Selaginella microphylla is considered for the first time to establish a well-documented aseptic culture on half- strength Murashige and Skoog’s basal medium with 2ip (4.92–49.21 μM), or Kn (4.65–46.47 μM) or GA3 (2....

In vitro morphogenetic ability of plant cells has been demonstrated in diverse species of angiosperms and gymnosperms but no such report is available in the genus Selaginella till date. We have established an in vitro morphogenic root culture where indole butyric acid (IBA) induced profuse branched and unbranched roots in Selaginella microphylla. W...

Swertia chirata is an endangered Gentian species used as herbal medicine for various health ailments including liver disorders, malaria, and diabetes. The depletion of S. chirata from the wild for such applications is a concern. Slow rates of propagation because of poor seed germination and low seed viability are presently limiting factors for its...

Jatropha curcas L. is one potential source of non-edible biofuel-producing energy crop. Its importance also lies in its medicinal properties. The species is primarily propagated through heterozygous seeds, and thus the seed oil content varies from 4 to 40%. Moreover, due to its perennial nature, seed setting requires 2 to 3years time. The seed viab...

The genus Dipcadi Medik. (Subfamily: Scilloideae) has a narrow distribution in India and several overlapping morphological traits make the genus taxonomically challenging at the species level. Cytogenetic characterization can provide additional taxonomic data and can be used to evaluate genetic diversity at the species level. We have accomplished c...

Hot chilli species of Capsicum are one of the most significant spice crops in India having several genetically distinct cultivars. The present study was targeted to upgrade chromosomal database of 15 cultivars belonging to C. annuum L., C. frutescens L. and C. chinense Jacq. EMA-based fluorochrome banding with GC-specific stain Chromomycin A3 (CMA)...

Piper nigrum is an important age-old herbal plant of the family Piperaceae. Chromosomal analysis a part of genomic research to conserve plant genetic resources has confronted difficulties in this particular species with conventional methods primarily due to its very small chromosome size and rich cytoplasmic contents. Different chromosome number fr...

The influence of biotic, abiotic and climatic changes on crop production is becoming increasingly evident. Gaps in demand and supply of lentils, one of the few protein-rich crops in India, are gradually increasing. Of seven estimated species of lentil, six are wild and the other, Lens culinaris, is the only species under cultivation, with a large n...

The North Eastern Himalayan (NEH) regions of India are considered as one of the major repositories of the “Capsicum annuum complex” which comprises of three cultivated species namely C. annuum, C. frutescens, and C. chinense. The interspecific delimitation within this large complex is ill-defined due to poorly developed crossing barriers and lack o...

A morphologically different, perennial and highly pungent Capsicum cultivar ‘Dalle Khursani’ is available in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal over many decades. Its counterpart in Sikkim was identified as polyploid Capsicum cultivar with 2n = 4x = 48 chromosomes. However, cytogenetical status of the cultivar growing in West Bengal was lacking...

The most important and well-known medicinal plant among ~400 species of the genus Aloe is Aloe vera. It is widely used in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries. Identification and assessment of genetic relationship among the populations and cultivars is needed for conservation and sustainable utilization of this commercially important plant...

Determination of chromosome number and their analysis particularly in vast number of economically important medicinal tree species are far from complete. Chromosome analysis provides information on chromosomal behaviour and identifies the plant with a particular karyotype formula which is the basis of genome analysis in a particular species. The pr...

Crop improvement, conservation and utilization of plant genetic resources has benefited from chromosomal studies of germplasms. In the Indian sub continent, lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is a major rabi pulse crop with 2n = 2x = 14 chromosomes. Chromosomal studies were carried out on Indian lentils during the period of 1952 to 1991 employing orcei...

A large scale shoot multiplication from apical meristem in Aloe vera L. was obtained on MS with 35.5 μM BAP, 9.8 μM IBA and 81.4 μM adenine sulphate. Fifty micropropagated plants were successfully transferred to the field and maintained to attain reproductive phase. Field evaluation of micropropagated plants is important to assess predicted clonal...

Lentil is one of the oldest protein-rich food crop with only one cultivated and six wild species. India is one important cultivator, producer and consumer of lentils and possesses a large number of germplasms. All species of lentil show 2n = 14 chromosomes. The primary objective of the present paper is to search chromosomal landmarks through enzyma...

Lentil is one of the oldest protein-rich food crop with only one cultivated and six wild species. India is one important cultivator, producer and consumer of lentils and possesses a large number of germplasms. All species of lentil show 2n = 14 chromosomes. The primary objective of the present paper is to search chromosomal landmarks through enzyma...

Lentil is one of the oldest protein-rich food crop with only one cultivated and six wild species. India is one important cultivator, producer and consumer of lentils and possesses a large number of germplasms. All species of lentil show 2n = 14 chromosomes. The primary objective of the present paper is to search chromosomal landmarks through enzyma...

The present study reports detailed and comparative karyomorphological and meiotic analyses in Swertia chirayita, S. nervosa and S. bimaculata of Eastern Himalaya. Chromosome analysis of these three Swertia species showed that the majority of cells were diploid with zygotic chromosome number 2n = 26 and gametic chromosome number n = 13. The mosaic c...

The genus Drimia (syn. Urginea), commonly called squill, represents a species complex, infrageneric delimitation being ill-defined due to morphological variability, population variation within species and polyploidy. In the present study, fluorescent chromosome banding and measurements of nuclear DNA content by flow cytometry were performed in five...

A large scale shoot multiplication from apical meristem in Aloe vera L. was obtained on MS with 35.5 μM BAP, 9.8 μM IBA and 81.4 μM adenine sulphate. Fifty micropropagated plants were successfully transferred to the field and maintained to attain reproductive phase. Field evaluation of micropropagated plants is important to assess predicted clonal...

Abstract Chromosome number is important cytological character and is species specific. Somatic chromosome analysis particularly in tree species remains less attended due to their long breeding cycle and small size. Somatic chromosome determination and analysis from Aegle marmelos L.Corr. – common name Bael, and Azadirachta indicia A. Juss. – common...

The Eastern Indian area of the Himalaya is highly acclaimed for its rich bioresources and traditional repository of medicinal plants. This region is considered to be the natural habitat of many species and populations of Swertia, an important and diverse genus of the Gentianaceae. The genus Swertia, popularly known as chirata, is one of the most im...

Two key enzymes of myo-inositol metabolism [l-myo-inositol-1-phosphate synthase (MIPS) and myo-inositol-1-phosphate-phosphatase (MIPP)] were identified for the first time in Pteridophyta in Lycopodium clavatum and Selaginella monospora. Both enzymes from both plants were partly purified and the degree of purity obtained from 47 to 75 folds. MIPS pr...

Solanum pseudocapsicum L. is an unexplored plant of Solanaceae having horticultural and medicinal importance. Earlier the in vitro morphogenic potential of this plant species has not been explored. Induction of direct organogenesis was obtained from internodes, leaf bases and root explants from in vitro grown seedlings and plants in MS supplemented...

Keeping in mind the immense commercial and pharmacological importance of the rare aphrodisiac herb safed musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum Sant et Fern), the present investigation describes the development of a rapid and efficient protocol for direct plant regeneration from leaf explants of two populations of C. borivilianum collected from different...

Chlorophytum borivilianum is a rare, near-endemic high value root crop. The fasciculated roots of the plant have the potential to synthesize valuable bioactives having aphrodisiac, anti stress and immuno modulatory properties. The present investigation describes an alternative protocol for the development of a stable, fast growing, non-transformed...

Seedless cultivars of banana are generally triploids, and diploids or tetraploids are rarer. In the present study, the karyomorphology of eight edible Musa cultivars of West Bengal was investigated for the first time to contribute to a better understanding of chromosome features and chromosome changes in the way of variation. Among the eight cultiv...

Chlorophytum borivilianum is a rare, near‐endemic high value root crop. The fasciculated roots of the plant have the potential to synthesize valuable bioactives having aphrodisiac, anti stress and immuno modulatory properties. The present investigation describes an alternative protocol for the development of a stable, fast growing, non‐transformed...

Introduction: The genus Swertia is known to contain many bioactive compounds having pharmacological activities. Biochemical fingerprinting can be useful in screening elite populations within and between Swertia species. The present work reports the estimation of two important bioactive compounds: swertiamarin and amarogentin and the evaluation of a...

Objective: The present report embodies detailed diagnostic features of five important Red listed Swertia species for easy and authentic identification along with HPTLC fingerprinting using the c-glucoxanthone mangiferin as a biomarker. The key objectives of this study were to reduce indiscriminate harvesting of different Swertia species from its na...

Swertia bimaculata Hook.f. & Thoms., a less bitter species of the genus Swertia, is phytochemically important for its bioactive compounds (xanthones). Flower buds and immature capsules were collected from in vivo donor plants from South Sikkim during the month of September 2009. Three to five per cent (3-5%) seeds within the intact or split capsule...

Aseptic leaf explants of a Capsicum annuum with 2n = 2x = 48 chromosomes were used for the first time to produce genetically uniform plants. In vitro shoot organogenesis from leaf explants was achieved on Murashige and Skoog's (MS) medium with different concentration and combinations of BA (6.66–44.38 μM), Kn (2.32 μM), GA3 (5.20–13.00 μM) and IAA...

Understanding the molecular basis of morphogenesis in the model plant Selaginella

Karyotype analysis and meiotic behavior in a dioecious cucurbit Coccinia grandis, carrying heteromorphic sex chromosomes, has been carried out using conventional and fluorochrome dyes. Distinct differences in karyo-type formula with 15m+4M+2sm+2m: sm+1m: st for male plant and 14m+6M+2sm+2m: st for female plant were observed with orcein staining. In...

Swertia bimaculata Hook.f. & Thoms., a less bitter species of the genus Swertia, is phytochemically important for its bioactive compounds (xanthones). Flower buds and immature capsules were collected from in vivo donor plants from South Sikkim during the month of September 2009. Three to five per cent (3-5%) seeds within the intact or split capsule...

Karyotype analysis and meiotic behavior in a dioecious cucurbit Coccinia grandis, carrying heteromorphic sex chromosomes, has been carried out using conventional and fluorochrome dyes. Distinct differences in karyo-type formula with 15m+4M+2sm+2m: sm+1m: st for male plant and 14m+6M+2sm+2m: st for female plant were observed with orcein staining. In...

Chlorophytum Ker-Gawl is a large and taxonomically complex genus having two basic chromosome numbers (x = 7 and 8). The genus includes few medicinally important species as well as some ornamentals having horticultural value. The present investigation deals with detailed comaparative chromosome analysis from somatic and gametic cells of two medicina...

Plant tissue culture and molecular biology techniques are powerful tools of biotechnology that can complement conventional breeding, expedite crop improvement and meet the demand for availability of uniform clones in large numbers. Jatropha curcas Linn., a non-edible, eco-friendly, non-toxic, biodegradable fuel-producing plant has attracted worldwi...

Chlorophytum borivilianum Sant et Fern is a rare, near-endemic, high value medicinal herb. The tuberous roots of C. borivilianum, known popularly as safed musli are rich in various bioactives, constituting a wide range of medicinal properties and are used extensively in Ayurvedic and Unani medicines as a general tonic and immunomodulatory agent. Th...

Aloe vera L. Burm. f. is used as a popular folk medicine with many cultivars growing naturally or in cultivation in different parts of the world. The present report describes the methods of in vitro propagation and conservation as well as detailed chromosomal analysis of two morphologically indistinguishable cultivars of Aloe vera obtained from NBP...

An efficient micropropagation protocol has been developed using shoot apical meristem as explants in a high barbaloin content ʹbitterʹ cultivar of Aloe vera L. The protocol involves induction, multiplication and in vitro rooting of the regenerated shoots and their acclimation under ex vitro conditions. 35.5 μM BAP and 9.8 μM IBA in combination with...

Jatropha curcas has been acknowledged worldwide as a premier biofuel crop. It is regarded as a biodiesel 'miracle tree' to help alleviate the energy crisis, reduce the countries dependence on foreign oil imports and generate income in rural areas of developing countries. It is becoming a poster child amongst some proponents of renewable energy. Ind...

First generation immature seeds (R1) were collected from a field transferred micropropagated plant and seeds were induced to develop organogenic calli in Swertia chirata, a traditional revenue earning medicinal plant. Half strength MS medium with different growth regulators namely, BA, Kn (2.22–4.44 μM), NAA (2.69–5.37 μM), and 2.26 μM 2,4-D were u...

In vitro germplasms of ipecac (Cephaelis ipecacuanha Rich.), an important medicinal plant, maintained through reduced growth conditions for more than 12-years, were used as source material for micropropagation. MS with different combinations of Kn (2 mg/l), BAP (2 mg/l), 2iP (2-3 mg/l), NAA (0.2 mg/l) and adenine (40-100 mg/l) as additive was used...

Swertia chirata is an endangered gentian species that prefers to grow at higher altitudes. This ethnomedicinal herb is known primarily for its bitter taste caused by the presence of important phytochemicals that are directly associated with human health benefits. Due to a continuous loss of habitat and inherent problems of seed viability and seed g...

Energy remains the mainstay for the entire civilized world. The concept dates back to 1885 when Rudolf Diesel built the first diesel engine with the full intention of running it on vegetative source. The Kyoto protocol has prompted resurgence in the use of biodiesel throughout the world. There is a growing interest in Jatropha curcas as a biodiesel...

JATROPHA CURCAS L. (Euphorbiaceae) or physic nut is an all-purpose, zero-waste perennial plant. It is considered as a potential source of non-edible fuel-producing plant along with its different medicinal properties and grows well in the tropical and subtropical climate in India. The seeds contain 4-40% viscous oil known as 'curcas oil'. The oil is...

Extraction and analysis of paclitaxel and other taxanes in bark, needle leaves and stem segments of male and female plants of Taxus wallichiana, representing several populations, indicate that significant variation in taxane content exists within the population. Bark accumulated maximum amount of paclitaxel in almost all plants. Populations located...

Excised root cultures of Gloriosa superba reached 7.5g dry wtl–1 and accumulated 24040g colchicine g–1 cell dry wt after 4 weeks growth. While all precursors (except trans-cinnamic acid) enhanced colchicine content of root cultures without adversely affecting root growth, treatment with p-coumaric acid + tyramine (each at 20mgl–1) increased colchic...

Cashewnut embryos as small as 1–2 mm were successfully cultured to obtain complete plantlets. The best results for both radicle emergence (99.7%) and seedling development (95.5%) were obtained in embryos 11–14 mm in size, cultured in MS basal media with BA (2 mg/l) and GA3 (2 mg/l). Plants obtained were successfully transferred to the field with a...

Cell culture of Taxus wallichiana Zucc (= T. baccata ssp wallichiana Zucc. Pilg.) (Himalayan yew) has been established and taxol-producing cell lines selected by cell line cloning. Cell line NC110 derived from needle leaf of a 40-year-old tree growing in Darjeeling Himalayas produced 0.018% taxol in B5 basal medium supplemented with 2,4-D (2 mg/l),...

Organogenesis and regeneration of adventitious shoots from stem callus in Camellia sinensis ev. Nandadevi was affected by explant type, nature of calli lines established and cytokinin type used. Callus cultures were established from three types of explants viz., stem epidermal layers (E1), transversely cut stem segments (E2) and longitudinally cut...

In vitro plant propagation was developed for seedling shoot tips, leaf axils, and cotyledonary nodes of cashew, Anocardium oecidentale. Factors affecting multiplication rate included age of explant source, explant type, medium composition, light requirements, and transfer frequency. Cotyledonary nodes produced more buds than other explant types. No...

A procedure has been developed for the clonal propagation of Glochidion multiloculaire Muell-Arg. (Euphorbiaceae) through shoot tip culture. Shoot tips produced multiple shoots when cultured on Murashige and Skoog's medium with BA (1 mg/l) and IAA (1 mg/l). Shoot buds also developed when callus, induced from leaf and stem explants, growing in the p...

Cotyledons from immature embryos of Camellia sinensis O. Kuntze var. T-78, an elite Darjeeling tea clone, were exposed to various levels of 2,4-D, NAA, IBA, BAP and Kin (1–10 mg/1). While no embryos were formed in MS basal medium without growth regulators, the auxins tried were also inefficient in stimulating primary embryogenesis. Somatic embryos...

Shoot cultures of Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntz var. T-78, an elite Darjeeling tea clone, were established from cotyledonary nodes and shoot tips of germinated seedlings as well as from nodal explants of field grown plants. Shoot multiplication rate ranged from 4x in nodal explants to 35x in cotyledonary nodes after 18 weeks of culture. Rooting w...

Cotyledons from immature embryos of Camellia sinensis O. Kuntze var. T-78, an elite Darjeeling tea clone, were exposed to various levels of 2,4-D, NAA, IBA, BAP and Kin (1-10 mgll). While no embryos were formed in MS basal medium without growth regulators, the auxins tried were also inefficient in stimulating primary embryogenesis. Somatic embryos...

Production of the ipecac alkaloids, emetine and cephaeline was studied in cell suspension and excised root cultures of Cephaelis ipecacuanha. A two-stage cell suspension culture was developed for enhanced accumulation of the alkaloids. In the first-stage, suspension cultures were established in Murashige and Skoog's (MS) medium containing 2,4-D and...

Shoot cultures of ipecac, Cephaelis ipecacuanha Rich. were established by inoculating seedling nodal explants onto modified Murashige and Skoog's medium supplemented with 8 mg/l kinetin, 0.05 mg/l NAA and 200 mg/l adenine. Upto 12 new axillary shoots per explant were induced after 12 weeks incubation. Shoot cultures were also established by placing...