Potent multi-target natural inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 from medicinal plants of the Himalaya: a discovery from hybrid machine learning, chemoinformatics, and simulation assisted screening.

The emergence and immune evasion ability of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strains, mainly BA.5.2 and BF.

Effects of Graphene-Based Metal Composite and Urea on Seed Germination and Performance of Berberis chitria Buch.-Ham. ex Lindl.

Being an important source of berberine, Berberis chitria Buch.-Ham. ex Lindl.

Predicting phytochemical diversity of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) across eco-climatic zones and elevation in Uttarakhand using Generalized Additive Model.

The present study uses a systematic approach to explore the phytochemical composition of medicinal plants from Uttarakhand, Western Himalaya. The phytochemical composition of medicinal plants was analyzed based on (i) the presence of different chemical groups and (ii) bioactive compounds. The Generalized Additive Model (GAM) analysis was used to predict the occurrence of chemical groups and active compounds across different eco-climatic zones and the elevation in Uttarakhand.

Impact of monsoon season rainfall spells on the ecosystem carbon exchanges of Himalayan Chir-Pine and Banj-Oak-dominated forests: a comparative assessment.

The Chir-Pine (Pinus roxburghii) and Banj-Oak (Quercus leucotrichophora)-dominated ecosystems of central Himalaya provide significant green services. However, responses of these ecosystems, with respect to ecosystem carbon flux variability, to changing microclimate are not yet studied. Since quantification of ecosystem responses to fluctuation in the microclimate, particularly rainfall, is expected to be beneficial for management of these ecosystems, this study aims (i) to quantify and compare amplitude of rainfall-induced change in the carbon fluxes of Chir-Pine and Banj-Oak-dominated ecosystems using wavelet methods, and (ii) to quantify and compare dissimilarities in the ecosystem exchanges due to varying rainfall spell and amount.

Forecasting of stage-discharge in a non-perennial river using machine learning with gamma test.

Knowledge of the stage-discharge rating curve is useful in designing and planning flood warnings; thus, developing a reliable stage-discharge rating curve is a fundamental and crucial component of water resource system engineering. Since the continuous measurement is often impossible, the stage-discharge relationship is generally used in natural streams to estimate discharge. This paper aims to optimize the rating curve using a generalized reduced gradient (GRG) solver and the test the accuracy and applicability of the hybridized linear regression (LR) with other machine learning techniques, namely, linear regression-random subspace (LR-RSS), linear regression-reduced error pruning tree (LR-REPTree), linear regression-support vector machine (LR-SVM) and linear regression-M5 pruned (LR-M5P) models.

Comparative assessment of morphological, physiological and phytochemical attributes of cultivated Valeriana jatamansi Jones in Uttarakhand, West Himalaya.

Medicinal plants are global sources of herbal products, drugs, and cosmetics. They are disappearing rapidly due to anthropogenic pressure, overexploitation, unsustainable harvesting, lack of knowledge on cultivation, and the availability of quality plating materials. In this context, standardized in-vitro propagation protocol was followed to produce Valeriana jatamansi Jones, and transferred in two locations at Kosi-Katarmal (GBP) Almora (1200 masl) and Sri Narayan Ashram (SNA) Pithoragarh (Altitude 2750 masl), Uttarakhand.

A review on efforts for improvement in medicinally important chemical constituents in through biotechnological interventions.

The genus belongs to the family Ranunculaceae, is endowed with more than 350 species on the earth. Medicinally important aconitine type of diterpenoid alkaloids are the characteristic compounds in most of the species. The present review endeavored the major research carried out in the field of genetic resource characterization, pharmacological properties, phytochemistry, major factors influencing quantity, biosynthetic pathways and processing methods for recovery of active ingredients, variety improvement, propagation methods, and important metabolite production through cell/organ culture of various species.

In vitro Propagation of Endemic Species Mahonia Jaunsarensis Ahrendt Through Callus Culture.

Mahonia jaunsarensis Ahrendt (Family Berberidaceae) an endemic species was successfully propagated in vitro. An efficient propagation protocol has been developed first time. The callus cultures were established from leaf explants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D; 1 µM) and resulted 70% callus induction with green compact callus.

Is survival of Himalayan Cedar (Cedrus deodara) threatened? An evaluation based on predicted scenarios of its growth trend under future climate change.

Global warming is likely to become one of the significant drivers of forest losses in the Hindu-Kush Himalaya (HKH) during the 21 century. Better understanding of how forest ecosystem will respond to global warming requires a precise knowledge of site and species specific responses to climate change. We applied dendrochronological technique to quantify and predict future growth trend of Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara), a tree of high commercial importance, and explored its spatial growth variability under two different climatic regimes from 17 deodar sites in the HKH.

Decrypting the multi-functional biological activators and inducers of defense responses against biotic stresses in plants.

Plant diseases are still the main problem for the reduction in crop yield and a threat to global food security. Additionally, excessive usage of chemical inputs such as pesticides and fungicides to control plant diseases have created another serious problem for human and environmental health. In view of this, the application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) for controlling plant disease incidences has been identified as an eco-friendly approach for coping with the food security issue.

Credibility assessment of cold adaptive MP1 and N26 on growth, rhizosphere dynamics, nutrient status, and yield of the kidney bean cultivated in Indian Central Himalaya.

Kidney bean () productivity and nutritional quality are declining due to less nutrient accessibility, poor soil health, and indigent agronomic practices in hilly regions, which collectively led to a fall in farmer's income, and to malnutrition in consumers. Addressing such issues, the present investigation was designed to assess the impact of MP1 and N26 treatment on soil health, microbial shift, yield, and nutrient status of the kidney bean in the Harsil and Chakrata locations of Indian Central Himalaya. MP1 and N26 were characterized as cold adaptive PGPR as they possessed remarkable plant growth promoting traits.

Phytoremediation of Potentially Toxic Elements: Role, Status and Concerns.

Environmental contamination with a myriad of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) is triggered by various natural and anthropogenic activities. However, the industrial revolution has increased the intensity of these hazardous elements and their concentration in the environment, which, in turn, could provoke potential ecological risks. Additionally, most PTEs pose a considerable nuisance to human beings and affect soil, aquatic organisms, and even nematodes and microbes.

Biosynthesis and characterization of nanoparticles, its advantages, various aspects and risk assessment to maintain the sustainable agriculture: Emerging technology in modern era science.

The current review aims to gain knowledge on the biosynthesis and characterization of nanoparticles (NPs), their multifactorial role, and emerging trends of NPs utilization in modern science, particularly in sustainable agriculture, for increased yield to solve the food problem in the coming era. However, it is well known that an environment-friendly resource is in excessive demand, and green chemistry is an advanced and rising resource in exploring eco-friendly processes. Plant extracts or other resources can be utilized to synthesize different types of NPS.

Deciphering the Antimicrobial Potential of Taxus wallichiana Zucc: Identification and Characterization Using Bioassay-Guided Fractionation.

Taxus wallichiana Zucc. is a high valued medicinal plant and has been mainly studied for its anti-cancer properties. However, research on its other important biological activities, such as its antimicrobial potential, still needs attention.

Seeing from space makes sense: Novel earth observation variables accurately map species distributions over Himalaya.

Topical advances in earth observation have enabled spatially explicit mapping of species' fundamental niche limits that can be used for nature conservation and management applications. This study investigates the possibility of applying functional variables of ecosystem retrieved from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard sensor data to map the species distribution of two alpine treeline species, namely Betula utilis D.Don and Rhododendron campanulatum D.

Low-cost mitigation strategies for community resilience in the Trans-Himalaya to address food and water scarcity in changing environment.

Food and water scarcity in high altitudes of the Trans-Himalayan landscape are being seen as impacts of climate change, which is characterized by prolonged winters with sub-zero temperatures for a longer period. Average daily temperature from Oct to Mar (2020-21) ranged from - 6.73 ± 1.

Phenocam observed flowering anomaly of Rhododendron arboreum Sm. in Himalaya: a climate change impact perspective.

Flowering exhibits a significant relationship with environmental stimuli and changes. Effect of photoperiodism and vernalization have been well studied in flowering phenology; however, the effect of soil temperature on flowering is less explored which is one of the major factors of vegetation growth in alpine ecosystem. This study thus focuses on the effects of soil and air temperature on flowering response of Rhododendron arboreum Sm.

Sesquiterpenoid lactones as potential anti-cancer agents: an update on molecular mechanisms and recent studies.

Plants-based natural compounds are well-identified and recognized chemoprotective agents that can be used for primary and secondary cancer prevention, as they have proven efficacy and fewer side effects. In today's scenario, when cancer cases rapidly increase in developed and developing countries, the anti-cancerous plant-based compounds become highly imperative. Among others, the Asteraceae (Compositae) family's plants are rich in sesquiterpenoid lactones, a subclass of terpenoids with wide structural diversity, and offer unique anti-cancerous effects.

Vegetation dynamics and soil nutrient availability in a temperate forest along altitudinal gradient of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Western Himalaya, India.

This study examined forest structure, composition, and regeneration patterns of two sites, Tolma-Lata-Raini (TLR) and Bhyundar-Ghangaria (BG). Both sites are located within the temperate zone along the altitudinal gradient between 2,800 to 3,400 m asl of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (NDBR) in the Western Himalayan Region of India. We recorded a total of 223 species of vascular plants (Angiosperm, Gymnosperm, and Pteridophytes) within the study area.

Pharmacological and phytochemical potential of Rubus ellipticus: a wild edible with multiple health benefits.

Objectives: Rubus ellipticus (family Rosaceae) is used for its delicious edible fruits in the Himalayan region and other parts of the globe. However, the full potential of the species is yet to be harnessed. The current review focuses on the phytochemical, traditional uses, morphological, molecular and pharmacological potential of R.

Plant Specialised Glycosides (PSGs): their biosynthetic enzymatic machinery, physiological functions and commercial potential.

Plants, the primary producers of our planet, have evolved from simple aquatic life to very complex terrestrial habitat. This habitat transition coincides with evolution of enormous chemical diversity, collectively termed as 'Plant Specialised Metabolisms (PSMs)', to cope the environmental challenges. Plant glycosylation is an important process of metabolic diversification of PSMs to govern their in planta stability, solubility and inter/intra-cellular transport.

Integrated remote sensing and field-based approach to assess the temporal evolution and future projection of meanders: A case study on River Manu in North-Eastern India.

A common phenomenon associated with alluvial rivers is their meander evolution, eventually forming cutoffs. Point bar deposits and ox-bow lakes are the products of lateral bend migration and meander cutoff. The present study focuses on identifying the meanders of River Manu and their cutoffs.

Predicting the potential distribution of Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D. Don) Soo-an important medicinal orchid in the West Himalaya, under multiple climate change scenarios.

Climate variability coupled with anthropogenic pressures is the most critical driver in the Himalayan region for forest ecosystem vulnerability. Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D.Don) Soo is an important yet highly threatened medicinal orchid from the Himalayan region.

Anticancer potential of alkaloids: a key emphasis to colchicine, vinblastine, vincristine, vindesine, vinorelbine and vincamine.

Cancer, one of the leading illnesses, accounts for about 10 million deaths worldwide. The treatment of cancer includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and drug therapy, along with others, which not only put a tremendous economic effect on patients but also develop drug resistance in patients with time. A significant number of cancer cases can be prevented/treated by implementing evidence-based preventive strategies.

Modeling the effect of climate change on the distribution of threatened medicinal orchid Satyrium nepalense D. Don in India.

It is vital to understand the distribution area of a threatened plant species for its better conservation and management planning. Satyrium nepalense (family: Orchidaceae) is a threatened terrestrial orchid species with valuable medicinal and nutritional properties. The survival of S.