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Vateria indica is persistent tree used in Unani sources for the medication and classified as critically endangered. Thus, endophytes for alternative methods to explore these endangered Plants having rich source pharmaceuticals’ active molecules for drug development and production. Endophytes comprises unexplored microbes as a potential source of rich pharmaceutically bioactive compounds attributable to their relationship with the host. In the current study, we have isolated endophyte fungi Cladosporium from the plant Vateria indica and performed phytochemical screening of its ethanolic extract to detect the phytochemicals using thin layer chromatography (TLC), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), UV–visible spectrophotometry (UV–VIS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). GC–MS analysis revealed the presence of an anticancer compound hydroxymethyl colchicine, antioxidant compound benzoic acid, and antimicrobial 2-(4-chlorophenoxy)-5-nitro in endophyte fungal extract of plant Vateria indica. Moreover, in silico analysis of bioactive compounds identified by GC–MS analysis using the Autodock Vina and SwissADME confirmed excellent anticancer activity methanone, [4-amino-2-[(phenylmethyl) amino]-5-thiazolyl] (4-fluorophenyl)- and hydroxymethyl colchicine against 6VO4 (Bfl-1 protein) as per Lipinski rule. Furthermore, we also demonstrated the excellent antioxidant of endophytic extract compared to plant extract by DPPH and ABTS assay, as well as antimicrobial activity against both Gram (+ ve) and Gram (− ve) bacteria. Moreover, the endophytic extract also showed its antimitotic activity with a mitotic index of 65.32, greater than the plant extract of 32.56 at 10 mg/ml. Thus endophytic fungi Cladosporium species isolated from plant Vateria indica might be used as a potential source for phytochemical anticancer hydroxymethyl colchicine, an antioxidant benzoic acid, and antimicrobial 2-(4-chlorophenoxy)-5-nitro.

Vateria indica L. is a critically endangered tree species in South-Western Ghats of India, commercially exploited for its valuable resins. Seed recalcitrance is a major problem hindering the natural regeneration of this species and it poses a great challenge in seed storage and conservation. There was a continuous import of water from the maternal tissues to seed tissues till maturity and the seeds were released in a fully hydrated state. Differential accumulation of water has been noticed in the cotyledons and embryonal axis. There was a positive correlation between seed moisture content and rate of germination which is a character of recalcitrant seeds. The critical moisture content was found to be 40% in the axis and 23.5% in the cotyledons, below which the embryo will not germinate. Loss of germination ability as a result of desiccation was attributed to the cell membrane damage, expressed as the electrolyte leakage exceeding 0.79 μS/cm. ABA peaked in the mid embryogenesis, then dropped drastically and maintained a lower level till seed maturity. On desiccation, ABA started to increase but gradually dropped down. Both cotyledons and embryonal axis had differential ABA content but exhibited a general pattern of ABA level during embryogeny. Due to the thin seed coat/embryo ratio and low investment in the seed coat, this recalcitrant seed could not hold water as efficient as orthodox seeds. Thus, it germinated as soon as it was shed from the mother plant. On desiccation, ABA shot up and moisture content decreased along with electrolyte leakage and cell membrane damage. All these hindered germination of the seed. Thus, we can see a clear interplay between moisture content and ABA levels during embryogeny and desiccation. Since the seed biology of this species has not been well documented, the present work is mainly intended to study the dynamics of water and ABA during embryogeny and embryo drying. This study can surely contribute to the long-term storage and conservation of recalcitrant seeds which is a less explored area.

Climate change is visible as climatic events like flood and drought. Floods have a major impact on soil properties by altering them through dilution, transporting and deposition of minerals. Kerala had a flood on August 2018 with a different duration or temporal variation from three to seven days due to heavy and unexpected rain from June to mid of August 2018, that triggered large landslides on that month. The current study was focussed on the impact of flood on soil chemical properties (pH, soil EC, organic carbon, available NPK) at Thrissur district of Kerala in forest, rubber, nutmeg (homegarden), coconut and open land use systems. Soil samples were collected from flood affected and adjacent non flood affected of these land use systems from 0–20 cm depth after six months of flood and analysed chemical properties according to standard methods. The result of soil pH analysis showed a greater significant decrease in coconut plantation (6.28 to 4.94) after flood. Forest, rubber and homegarden showed an increase in organic carbon (OC) (0.22, 0.77, 0.45% respectively), available P (36.85, 32.6, 38.42 kg/ha respectively). Forest showed a higher amount of available N (84 kg/ha) after flood while rubber, nutmeg and open land use systems showed a decrease in available nitrogen (201.6, 107.1, and 207.9 kg/ha decrease respectively. Forest (196.6 kg/ha), rubber plantation (299.4 kg/ha), nutmeg plantation (292 kg/ha), coconut plantation (421.4 kg/ha) and open condition (125.7 kg/ha) showed a decrease in available K content after flood. Tree based land use systems showed a remarkably better resilience or masked the ill effect of flood very quickly compared to other systems. Integration of shade tolerant species ( Grewia robusta, Ailanthus triphysa and Vateria indica ) in coconut plantation would help the plantation to adapt flood like situation from soil nutrient loss, also it would increase the productivity of land by maximum utilisation of land resources.

Agroforestry entails different life forms including mixtures of trees that occupy different soil strata and exhibit a certain degree of spatial complementarity in resource use. However, rigorous experimental studies characterising root interactions in tree–tree systems are notoriously few. We present here the available empirical evidence to support the hypothesis that occurrence of two or more tree species close to one another may favour diminished lateral spread and/or deeper root penetration of the woody components and closer the tree components are located greater will be the subsoil root activity. These evidences are based on either root excavation studies in coconut-based multistorey production systems, or 32P soil injection experiments involving binary mixtures of coconut+interplanted dicot multipurpose trees (Vateria indica, Ailanthus triphysa or Grevillea robusta), and bamboo (Bambusa bambos)+teak (Tectona grandis) or Malabar white pine (V. indica). The excavation study denotes a spatially segregated root distribution pattern of the component species. Furthermore, in the coconut + dicot tree system, interplanted dicot trees absorbed considerable quantities of the radio-label applied to the palm, which declined log-linearly with distance from the palms, signifying a substantial potential for “capturing” the lower leaching nutrients, at proximal distances. Likewise, lower teak/Vateria root activity in the surface horizons and higher activity in the deeper layers, when bamboo clumps were nearby and vice versa when they were farther apart, implied that proximity of species/individuals favoured competitive downward displacement of roots. Nutrient pumping and/or current transfer of nutrients between the rhizospheres of the two associated crops are also possible. In designing sustainable agroforestry systems, it is, therefore, advantageous to mix trees with divergent root growth habits.

[...]AVIB showed a significant dose dependent antiobesity effect against HFD model. [...]the probable mechanism by which the Vateria indica stem bark showed anti-obesity activity could be due to its bile acid sequestering property or due to the presence of flavanoids. [...]the probable mechanism by which the Vateria indica stem bark showed anti-obesity activity could be due to its bile acid sequestering property or due to flavanoids. [...]it can be suggested to use Vateria indica stem bark extract for obesity treatment but to know the exact mechanism of action further investigation is necessary.

Tropical agro-forest landscapes are potentially valuable reserves of forest genetic resources for forestry and restoration of degraded forests. The Dipterocarpaceae is a dominant Southeast Asian family of tree species of global significance for the tropical timber industry. Very little information exists about how effective human modified landscapes are for conserving genetic diversity in dipterocarp species. This study provides a baseline for understanding how fragmented agro-forest landscapes in India sustain forest genetic resources in an endemic dipterocarp tree. We compare genetic diversity and fine-scale spatial genetic structure (FSGS) in the threatened tree species Vateria indica within an isolated and a continuous forest site in the Western Ghats, South India. We place these results in the context of dipterocarps from both the Seychelles and Borneo. Parentage analysis of 694 progeny using twelve nuclear microsatellite markers is applied to estimate pollen and seed dispersal. Using a nursery trial we evaluate effects of inbreeding on growth performance. Our results show that levels of FSGS, and gene dispersal are comparable between a small isolated and a large continuous site of V. indica. Realized long-distance pollen flow into the isolated patch appears to help maintaining genetic diversity. The nursery experiment suggests that selection favours outbred progeny. Individuals of V. indica in close proximity appear less related to each other than in another highly fragmented and endangered dipterocarp species from the Seychelles, but more related than in three dipterocarp species studied in continuous forest in Borneo. We discuss the wider implications of our findings in the context of conservation and restoration of dipterocarp forest genetic resources in fragmented populations.

Vateria indica (Dipterocarpaceae) is an economically and ecologically important canopy tree endemic to the Western Ghats, India. The species has undergone extensive habitat loss and overexploitation and is therefore listed as ‘critically endangered’ on the 2012 IUCN Red List. We developed ten polymorphic microsatellite loci for V. indica. In addition, we confirm cross amplification and variation in two loci isolated from the closely related but geographically disjunct species Vateriopsis seychellarum , previously published by Finger et al. Conserv Genet Resour, 2 (S1):309–311, ( 2010 ). The twelve microsatellite primers screened on 48 adult samples of V. indica had 5–11 alleles per locus (mean of 8.5 per locus) with an average polymorphic information content of 0.64 across loci. Expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.44 to 0.84. These markers will enable us to quantify population genetic diversity in habitat fragments and to study fine scale spatial genetic structure and contemporary gene flow.

The spatial distribution of basidiocarps of the ectomycorrhizal Basidiomycete Russula subsect. Foetentinae was assessed in a primary forest in the Western Ghâts (India) dominated by the ectomycorrhizal tree species Vateria indica and Dipterocarpus indicus. Over a 7,700-m² sampling area, both trees and basidiocarps of Russula subsect. Foetentinae were mapped during the first month of the 2002 rainy season. First-order spatial analysis revealed that the distribution of the 45 collected carpophores was highly aggregated, with 60% of all basidiocarps located at a distance lower than 1 m from the nearest one. The genetic structure of the Russula subsect. Foetentinae population was studied by inter-simple sequence repeat polymorphism analysis using three primers. Eighteen of the 45 genotypes were represented by single basidiocarps. Twenty-seven basidiocarps were identified as belonging to 11 genets or separated ramets. Five genets were small, with diameters ranging from 0.5 to 5 m. The six others were large, with a diameter ranging from 31 m to a maximum measured distance of 70 m. In spite of the lack of data concerning the reproductive biology of this species, the presence of large genets suggests that mature stands may shelter well-spread underground mycelium, crucial for durable interaction with plant partner.

Pisolithus is cosmopolitan in both tropical and temperate regions and forms ectomycorrhizal associations with a wide range of woody plants. Pisolithus indicus, a new species associated with Vateria indica (Dipterocarpaceae) is reported in this study from a dipterocarp native forest in the Western Ghats in India, using both morphological and molecular tools. The length of ITS1 and ITS2 regions of the present collection differed with other sequences of Pisolithus available in the databases. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that this species did not show significant homology with existing Pisolithus sequences reported previously and formed a separate branch linking with another Pisolithus isolate from dipterocarps. Molecular and morphological evidence showed that P. indicus is a new species associated with dipterocarps in India.