1. KAUTIR (Kerala Agricultural University Theses Information and Retrieval)

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Author: search.filters.author.Anite Titus.Subject: search.filters.subject.Medicinal plants

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    Variability studies in Bhringaraj(Eclipta prostrata L.)
    (Department of Plantation ,Spices, Medicinal And Aromatic Crops, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, 2024-12-23) Anite Titus.; Sangeetha, K S
    Eclipta prostrata L. (Bhringaraj), a member of the Asteraceae family, stands out as a well-known medicinal plant, popularly surged due to its historical therapeutic use in Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha formulations and acknowledged pharmacological properties. Bhringaraj is popularly known as the king of hairs due to its immense potential to promote hair growth. Furthermore, it is renowned for its hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, immunostimulant, antitumor, memory- enhancing, and anti-diabetic properties. Eclipta prostrata L. (vernacular names: false daisy, Bhringaraj, Keshraj, Karisalankanni, Kayyonni) is a herbaceous plant with diminutive branches and clusters of white axillary or terminal inflorescences, flourishes as an annual plant in moist habitats, where the whole plant holds substantial economic value. Despite its classification as Least Concern by the IUCN in 2016, there is a pressing necessity for the exploration and conservation of E. prostrata germplasm due to heightened demand for natural products leading to unsustainable harvesting practices. Scientific investigation is essential to elucidate the morphological characteristics, agronomic properties, and sustainable harvesting practices necessary for the conservation of its ecosystems, mainly focusing on the variability of genotypes suitable for commercial cultivation in India, especially in Kerala, where wild habitats are a primary source for medicinal plants. In this framework, the present investigation entitled “Variability studies in Bhringaraj (Eclipta prostrata L.)” was taken up with the objective of assessing the variability in morphological, yield, and quality parameters of Bhringaraj genotypes. The study was conducted at the experimental farm of the Department of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal, and Aromatic Crops, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, from 2023 to 2024. The study encompassed a total of twenty-five genotypes, which comprised collections from the ICAR-NBPGR Regional Station, Thrissur, as well as local collections sourced from various districts within Kerala, including Kottayam, Thrissur, Malappuram, Idukki, Trivandrum, Kasaragod, and Kollam. Significant variations in morphological, yield, and quality characters were identified through the examination of both qualitative and quantitative attributes. Qualitative traits, encompassing growth patterns, stem morphology, leaf and inflorescence characters, and seed attributes, weresystematically recorded, with the leaf attachment, leaf margin, inflorescence shape, and seed colour exhibiting no variability. Furthermore, considerable variations were noted in the quantitative characters pertaining to plant, leaf, inflorescence, and yield parameters. The biochemical metrics, encompassing total alkaloid, phenol, and saponin concentrations, exhibited a range of 0.60 to 6.20 per cent, 41.35 to 180.29 milligrams per gram, and 1.20 to 3.25 per cent, respectively, demonstrating notable variations. The comparative study of different solvents, comprising aqueous, ethanol, and methanol, in the preliminary phytochemical screening of E. prostrata demonstrated that ethanol was the most efficacious solvent for phytochemical extraction, followed by methanol for optimal yield. The evaluation of genotypic and phenotypic variance coefficients (GCV and PCV), alongside heritability and genetic advancement in E. prostrata accessions, indicated significant genetic diversity, as reflected by elevated GCV and PCV values across various traits such as plant height, number of primary and secondary branches per plant, number of nodes per plant, internodal length, leaf dimensions, days to first and 50 per cent flowering, and yield metrics. Thus, it suggested a broad genetic base with notable heritability and genetic gain, underscoring the significance of additive gene effects. Correlation analyses utilizing Pearson’s correlation coefficient indicated a noteworthy positive association between fresh whole plant yield per plant and various morphological traits, including plant height, internodal length, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, and inflorescence diameter. Additionally, the total alkaloid content showed a substantial positive correlation with plant height, internodal length, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, days to first flowering, and days to 50 per cent flowering. In contrast, a negative correlation was observed with the number of primary branches per plant. The evaluation and ranking of 25 E. prostrata genotypes based on yield-correlated traits led to the recognition of nine elite genotypes: EP 24, EP 7, EP 4, EP 11, EP 12, EP 16, EP 17, EP 20, and EP 15. Chemo profiling of methanolic extracts from selected nine superior genotypes and prostrate type, EP 23, through GC-MS analysis demonstrated a diverse range of phytochemicals, with n-hexadecanoic acid predominating in seven out of 10 genotypesWhile EP 15, EP 24, and EP 11 were characterized by major compounds including 6- [[5-(Hydroxymethyl)-2,5,8a-trimethyl-1,4,4a,6,7,8-hexahydronaphthalen-1-yl]methyl] -3-methylidene-7-oxabicyclo[4.1.0]heptane-2, 2-Hydroxy-3,5,6-trimethyl-benzo-1,4- quinone, and Quinic acid, respectively. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of quantitative traits identified 19 principal components, where the leading five components collectively explained 78.39 per cent of the variance with eigenvalues greater than one, alongside with significant clustering in the second and third quadrants and a scattered distribution of accessions across all quadrants. Further, the K prototype cluster analysis utilising the Gower distance and Ward D2 clustering methods grouped the genotypes into five clusters based on 16 qualitative and 19 quantitative traits. The majority of accessions were classified within Cluster II (12), with lesser representation in Cluster III (6) and Cluster V (4). Conversely, Cluster I (1) and Cluster IV (2) exhibited the lowest number of accessions. The current study revealed substantial diversity in 41 traits, comprising 12 qualitative, 22 quantitative, and three biochemical, associated with morphological, yield, and quality characteristics among 25 genotypes of E. prostrata. Ethanol is the most efficient solvent for phytochemical extraction, with methanol being the second most effective. The nine superior genotypes were identified as superior with a noteworthy positive correlation between fresh whole plant yield and yield-associated morphological traits, combined with distinct phytochemical profile variations among accessions identified through GC-MS analysis. These genotypes could be pivotal in advancing crop enhancement and breeding high-yielding varieties through selective breeding, thus facilitating the commercial cultivation of the crop. Further evaluation may be done on the vegetative propagation of E. prostrata for quick enhancement of elite types. Comprehensive chemo profiling and molecular characterization of genotypes, alongside the assessment of their pharmacological properties and potential clinical trials involving animal experimentation, as well as screening for downy mildewresistance, may be conducted.