• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.146-153
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• 2012

In this study, the antioxidant property of leaf and callus extracts of five selected in vitro grown Ocimum species (Ocimum sanctum, Ocimum kilimandscharicum, Ocimum gratissimum, Ocimum basilicum, and Ocimum americanum) and their respective callus extracts was investigated. The callus cultures were successfully initiated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) (1mg L) combined with different concentrations (0.1-0.4 mg L) of kinetin as plant growth regulators. Total phenolic contents were estimated using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power, $Fe^{2+}$ chelating activity, and ${\beta}$-carotenelinoleic acid bleaching assays were used to determine the biological effects of the extracts. Interestingly, all the callus extracts exhibited significant (p<0.05) increase in phenolic contents and antioxidant activity. Furthermore, a liner correlation was obtained between the total phenolic contents and free radical scavenging activity ($R^2$ = 0.783). The extracts of leaves and calluses of Ocimum species exhibited activity in all the in vitro antioxidant assays, but its extent was less potent that the positive controls butylated hydroxyl anisole (BHA) and ascorbic acid. A higher accumulation of phenolics in the callus extracts suggests that isolation of high-concentration materials with antioxidant activivity is possible from in vitro callus cultures rather than field-grown plant organs. Furthermore, these extracts may be used as an effective preservative in the food industry.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.305-312
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• 2021

Background: Butterflies make an important part for plant-pollinator guild. These are nectar feeder or occasionally pollen feeder and thus proboscis of the butterfly species are considered as one of the most important variable in relation to the collection of food from plants. In butterfly-plant association, nectar source is principally determined by quality of nectar, corolla length, and nectar quantity. For the butterfly, nectar uptake is determined by proboscis length because flowers with long corolla restrict butterfly species containing shorter proboscis. Empirical studies proved that butterfly species with high wing loading visit clustered flowers and species with low wing loading confined their visit to solitary or less nectar rich flowers. The present study tries to investigate the flower preference of butterfly species from Lycaenidae family having very short proboscis, lower body length, lower body weight and wing span than the most species belonging from Nymphalidae, Pieridae, Papilionidae, and Hesperiidae. Results: Butterflies with shorter proboscis cannot access nectar from deeper flower. Although they mainly visit on less deeper flower to sucking nectar, butterflies with high wing loading visits clustered flowers to fulfill their energy requirements. In this study, we demonstrated flower choice of seven butterfly species belonging to Lycanidiae family. The proboscis length maintains a positive relationship with body length and body weight. Body length maintains a positive relationship with body weight and wing span. Wing span indicate a strong positive relationship with body weight. This study proved that these seven butterfly species namely Castalius rosimon (CRN), Taracus nara (TNA), Zizinia otis (ZOT), Zizula hylax (ZHY), Jamides celeno (JCE), Chilades laius (CLA), and Psuedozizeeria maha (PMA) visit frequently in Tridax procumbens (TPR), Ocimum americanum (OAM) and Syndrella nodiflora (SNO). The species do not visit Lantana camara (LCA) and Catharanthus roseus (CRO) plants. Conclusion: The present study proved that butterfly species visits frequently in Tridax procumbens (TPR), Ocimum americanum (OAM) but less frequently in Syndrella nodiflora (SNO). So, that study determined the butterfly species helps in pollination of these herbs that in turn helps the conservation of these butterfly species.