GROWTH REGULATORY ACTIVITY OF THREE MEDICINAL PLANTS ON FOUR VEGETABLE SEEDS WITH THEIR CHEMICAL STUDY

Abstract

An experiment was conducted on biologically active substances in aqueous extracts of leaves of three medical plants viz. Neem (Azadiracta indica), Bhat (Clerodendrum infortunatum) and Indian goose berry (Phyllanthus emblica) and for each vegetable crop such as, country bean (Lablab niger), cucumber (cucumis sativus), okra (Hibiscus esculentus) and bitter gourd (Momordica charantia), with the attempt for chemical investigation on effective plant extract. The aqueous extract of Bhat significantly reduced and delayed germination, growth of shoot length and root length of country bean, cucumber, okra and Bitter gourd seeds compared with control, Neem leaves enhanced germination, growth of shoot length and root length of country bean, okra and cucumber vegetable crops. The extract of indian goose berry markedly enhanced the germination rate (70.4) shoot (3.632cm) and root(2.2989) growth bitter gourd. The aqueous extract of Bhat showed the lowest germination were 67.216%, 52.8%, 56.8% , 69.6% and 56.8% and minimum shoot length were 3.602, 2.632, 3.954 and 3.112 cm, and root length were 2.594, 1.772, 2.820 and 1.912 cm for country bean, okra and cucumber and bitter gourd seedlings, respectively, due to the presence of growth inhibiting substances or toxic compounds. The highest germination of country bean, okra, and cucumber seeds were consequently 72.8%, 65.6% and 85.6%, respectively, treated with the leaves extract of Neem compared with control. The aqueous extract of Neem also significantly enhanced growth of shoot length and root length of these vegetable crops due to the presence of growth promoting substances. Shoot length were 4.088, 3.082, 4.360 , and 3.100 cm and root length were 3.002, 2.378, 3.022 and 2.084 cm for country bean, okra, cucumber and bitter gourd seedlings respectively due to the presence of growth promoting substance. The thin layer chromatography (TLC) examination of chloroform extract of Indian goose berry showed four distinct compounds at Hexane: Ethy] acetate (5:1,’/,) whereas, ethanol extract showed three distinct compounds at Hexane: Ethyl acetate (9:1, ‘/,). Purification of individual components with their structural studies in progress which will be reported in due course.