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Pogostemon cablin, also known as Patchouli is an essential oil yielding plant with high medicinal properties and having great value for its unique essential oil component. The essential oil is widely used in flavor and fragrance industries. The objective of the present study is to evaluate molecular diversity among mutation treated progeny using RAPD (Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA) and ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeat) markers. The essential oil composition which was analyzed using GC/MS showed patchouli alcohol as major compound, followed by sabinene, (-)β-elemene, α-Guaiene, α-humulene, caryophyllene oxide and viridiflorol in the studied lines. Total 44 RAPD and 34 ISSR primers were used for 41 mutated selected lines, which showed an average polymorphic percentage of 70.1% and 58.14% respectively. Genetic parameters studied by both markers systems were found to be more or less similar. Analysis of molecular variance showed 45% variation among population and 55% within the population by RAPD marker, while ISSR marker showed 36% variation among population and 64% within population. Cluster analysis using both markers grouped the lines into three main clusters and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) plot also supported cluster analysis data. The present study will be helpful in conservation of patchouli germplasm, their characterization and in future breeding programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pogostemon cablin Linn., commonly known as patchouli is an aromatic plant with immense use in aroma and perfumery. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the chemical composition, antimicrobial activity, and various biological activities of Pogostemon cablin Linn flower and leaf essential oils. The compositional analysis was carried out using GC/MS, while standard biological experiments were used to determine the pharmacological potential of both the essential oils. Patchouli alcohol (27.52%, 44.52%) was found to be the major compound followed by caryophyllene (18.23%, 12.86%) for both flowers and leaves essential oil (EO) respectively. P. cablin flower (PCFEO) and leaf essential oil (PCLEO) exhibited weak to strong antimicrobial activities against selected microbial strains. The mitotic index for flower and leaf EO was 14.38% and 15.20% respectively. PCFEO and PCLEO had chromosomal aberrations of 9.0% and 9.60%, respectively. Both PCFEO and PCLEO had substantial antioxidant activity, with PCLEO exhibiting the highest antioxidant activity (IC50 = 1.31 µg/mL). Highest anti-inflammatory activity was exhibited by PCLEO (IC50 = 4.49 µg/mL). Similarly, the anti-diabetic ability of PCLEO (IC50 = 14.19 µg/mL) was greater than the PCFEO (IC50 = 15.60 µg/mL). The PCLEO (IC50 = 7.42 µg/mL) and PCFEO (IC50 = 12.67 µg/mL) both exhibited better anticholinesterase activity than galanthamine (IC50= 22.16 µg/mL). Better tyrosinase inhibitory activity was shown by PCLEO with IC50 = 4.03 µg/mL than PCFEO IC50 = 4.44 µg/mL. Apart from their antimicrobial activity, the PCLEO was found to outperform both PCFEO as well as the standards in their respective assays. Thus, the present study affirmed the wide application aspects of patchouli essential oil apart from its aromatic application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin Benth.) is an industrially valued aromatic and important medicinal plant currently having a huge demand for its essential oil. It is widely used in flavor and fragrance industries as well as in pharmaceuticals. The essential oil is mainly isolated from the dried leaf of patchouli by steam distillation. Patchoulol and α-patchoulene are the major constituents that regulate and control patchouli essential oil quality. The major compounds of this essential oil are patchouli alcohol, α-guaiene, α-bulnesene, β-caryophyllene, α-patchoulene, γ-curcumene and some of the minor compounds are pogostone, limonene, cedrene, viridiflorol, γ-himachalene, etc. The patchouli essential oil is highly valued in perfumery and aromatherapy and is known to have various pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, diuretic sedative, antimutagenic, antiviral, etc. Realizing the importance and industrial value of the crop, farmers are showing interest in the plantation of patchouli at a commercial scale. In this review, a broad scientific literature were looked through which incorporates Sci-hub, Pub Med, Google Scholar, Pub Chem, NIST chemistry web book and NCBI. The purpose of the review is to summarize the information's available includes Pogostemon cablin essential oil (EO) extraction and compositions, qualitative and quantitative analysis of the EOs, pharmacological importance, high essential oil yielding variety, adulteration, authentication, patchouli cultivation practices, and industrial demand of patchouli essential oil. An attempt has been made to enlighten the work of various researchers on patchouli carried out to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homalomena aromatica Schott. is an important aromatic species used for various purposes like ethnomedicinal, pharmaceutical applications, flavour, and perfume industries. The present study aimed to identify high and stable essential oil-rich accession from collected germplasm of H. aromatica. During the year 2014, a total of 49 germplasm were collected from different parts of NE India. All the collected germplasm were planted in the year 2015 with three replications in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) at the experimental farm of CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat. The same accessions were again planted during 2017 with the same design. All the agronomical and essential oil data were recorded and analyzed. Based on two crops season (2015-16 and 2017-18) of the selection trial, a new essential oil (1.20 %) rich strain (HA-18) with a high dry rhizome yield of 1454.53 kg/ha/crop season was selected. The identified accession was later renamed as Jor Lab SM-2. The stability of the identified germplasm (HA-18) was confirmed by testing in a multilocation trial at four different locations for two years i.e., one crop season (2019-2020) along with two check varieties. The stability analysis (biometric methods) for the economic character like dry rhizome yield, essential oil % and total essential oil yield/ha showed high mean value and were stable in all the four locations with βi=1.05, βi=1.09, and βi=1.14 respectively. The GC/MS profiling of the essential oil isolated from the rhizome of H. aromatica revealed linalool (66.27 %) as a major compound followed by α-cadinol, tau-muurolol, linalool oxide, neointermedeol, and 3-carene as other compounds. The stable variety Jor Lab SM-2 was found to be more than twice superior compared to the check varieties in terms of essential oil yield. All the studied traits of Jor Lab SM-2 were significantly and distinctly higher than the check varieties. As per our knowledge, no essential oil-rich variant of H. aromatica is reported so far; therefore this is the first report on the identification of a superior and stable line of H. aromatica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zingiber zerumbet of the Zingiberaceae family is known as wild edible ginger having various medicinal properties. The present study was aimed at identification of high essential oil yielding genotypes tested through stability parameters at multilocation trials. During the year 2017, a total of 47 genotypes of Z. zerumbet was collected and planted at experimental farm of CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat, Assam India. A selection trial was conducted for two years viz., 2017 and 2018 for all the collected germplasm which led to the identification of a genotype with high fresh rhizome and essential oil yielding traits. The identified genotype "RRLJ ZB-103" was rich in fresh rhizome yield of 24.86 t/ha and essential oil of 0.75 % (FWB). The selected genotype was subjected to stability analysis along with two check varieties at five multilocation trials for two years. The assessment of stable performance was evaluated using Eberhart and Russell model. Variable environments were found to be present in the study as revealed by the significant variance due to environment and environment (linear). The genotype × environment interaction of the selected genotype also showed significant variance for all the traits revealing the good interaction of the genotype with all the environmental conditions. On comparative assessment, the selected genotype "RRLJ ZB-103" later named "Jor Lab ZB- 103" was found to be highly stable with high adaptability to varying environments for all the traits under study. While both the check varieties revealed low adaptability to varying environments for the higher-yielding traits. The GC/MS analysis of the essential oil of "Jor Lab ZB-103" revealed zerumbone (32.79 %) as the major compound followed by camphene (19.41 %) and eucalyptol (6.80 %). The other compounds were present as minor and trace compounds. The identified high yielding genotype "Jor Lab ZB-103" was found to be a highly stable genotype that could be made available in the public domain for commercial cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lantana camara Linn., a noxious weed found in most places of the world has many potential aspects and has been used as folk medicines to cure several diseases. It is reported to possess antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antiurolithiatic, wound healing, antifertility and cytotoxic activities. The plant leaf essential oil in the present study was obtained by hydrodistillation method and further analyzed by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy. Twenty-two compounds were detected owing to 88.97 % of the total essential oil percent. Major compounds identified in the L. camara leaf essential oil were β-caryophyllene (24.96 %) and δ-selinene (17.46 %), while compounds with intermediate concentration were β-copaene (09.55 %), bicylogermacrene (6.69 %), β-phellandrene (6.49 %) and δ-cadinene (4.95 %). Few of the other minor compounds such as 3-carene (2.74 %), limonene (2.48 %), α-copaene (1.88 %), β-germacrene (1.88 %) and geranyl formate (1.64 %) were also identified in considerable quantities. Among the total identified compounds, 12.79 % of monoterpenes, 0.98 % of alkylbenzene, 1.64 % of fatty alcohol esters and 73.56 % of sesquiterpenes were found in the leaf essential oil of L. camara. The present investigation revealed the chemical profiling of L. camara leaf essential oil from North East India for the very first time and also highlights their applications as well as a relative analysis of the essential oil composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cymbopogon flexuous of the family Poaceae is a highly valued grass known throughout the world for its aromatic properties. The objective of the study is to identify novel myrcene and methyl iso-eugenol rich essential oil variety of lemongrass. Myrcene is an earthy, spicy, clove fragrance commonly used in the culinary and perfume industry while methyl iso-eugenol has a typical sweet-warm, spicy- clove, woody, floral odour mostly used in perfume industries. In the present study, a total of 230 lemongrass accessions were collected from different regions of North East India which were planted in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications at experimental farms of CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat, during the year 2015. Morphological and essential oil quality data were recorded during the studied the year 2015-16 and 2016-17. Based on two years of selection trial data a high myrcene and methyl iso-eugenol rich essential oil line was identified and named as Jor Lab L-11. The identified line was planted along with two checked varieties at four different locations during the year 2017-18. The average essential oil yield of the Jor Lab L- 11 for the multi-location trial was 0.58 % and contained an average of 48.02 % and 39.11 % myrcene and methyl iso-eugenol respectively as major component in the essential oil. Myrcene and methyl iso-eugenol percentage, essential oil percentage, tillers/plant were significantly higher in the identified variety compared to check varieties. GC/MS data obtained from essential oil leaf Jor Lab L- 11 essential oil showed limonene, elemicin, β-pinene, citronellol, α-pinene, neryl acetate, linalool, methyl eugenol, geranyl acetate, geraniol, citral b, citronellal, citral a, α-terpineol, nerol, eucalyptol, caryophyllene oxide, 2-methylbicyclo[4.3.0]non-1(6)-ene, m-camphorene, camphor, diepi-cubenol, T-cadinol, anethole and epi-α-murulol as minor compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) is shade loving plant and the shade dried leaves are used for essential oil extraction which is used in high-quality perfumery. The present study is aimed to find the effects on the yield and quality of essential oil of patchouli by various drying methods employed with controlled temperature. Fresh plant leaves of the registered variety of Pogostemon cablin 'Jor Lab P-1" were collected for the experimental study. Fresh patchouli herbage was dried under different conditions of direct sunlight exposure(T1), under shade drying condition (T2) and oven drying condition with varying temperature ranges [30°C (T3), 40°C (T4), 50°C (T5) and 60°C (T6)]. The steam distillation process was employed for extracting essential oil from each treated sample. The essential oil yield was found to be lowest in the T1 sample (1.40 %) followed by T2 (1.80 %). The volatile oil content of sample T4 (2.80 %) was found to be the best among the various temperature ranges employed. The exposure of the herbage to a temperature range beyond the optimal temperature of 40°C thus leads to a decrease in essential oil yield. The essential oils of all the treated samples were also analyzed through GC/MS for the different drying methods which yielded that the major component was patchouli alcohol in all the studied essential oil of the different treatments. The highest patchouli alcohol content was present in the T1 essential oil (36.63 %) and the least was recorded in T2 (30.33 %). Thus the standardized methods for drying of patchouli should be employed for efficient and maximum essential oil extraction from the dried leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels (Jambolan) is a widespread summer fruit plant, well-known for various therapeutic uses such as anti-diabetic, antimicrobial, antioxidant properties. The fruit helps to convert starch into energy which helps in regulating blood sugar levels and possesses a low glycemic index. The present study is aimed to estimate the chemical composition of the essential oil of leaves of Syzygium cumini through GC/MS. The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger apparatus which was further analyzed through GC/MS. The GC/MS analysis identified twenty-five components with a total area percentage of 95.66 %. The major identified components were τ-cadinol (21.44 %) and tau-muurolol (12.01 %). The compounds of intermediate concentration were globulol (7.98 %), caryophyllene (6.69 %), δ-cadinene (6.56%) and α-pinene (6.32 %). While β-eudesmol (4.42 %), β-pinene (4.32 %), γ-cadinene (3.87 %), camphene (2.98 %), α-terpinenol (2.72 %), camphor (2.23 %), humulene 6,7-epoxide (2.17 %), cubeban-11-ol (1.98 %), α-muurolene (1.81 %), epicubenol (1.43 %), α-copaene (1.26 %), viridiflorene (1.02 %), β-guanine (0.65 %), β-bourbonene (0.23 %), terpinen-4-ol (0.13 %), endo-borneol (0.12 %), levoverbenone (0.12 %) and isobornyl acetate (0.12 %) were the compounds present in minor concentrations. Among the identified compounds there were monoterpene hydrocarbons (13.62 %), bicyclic-monoterpenoid (0.36 %), terpenoid ketones (2.23 %), monocyclic monoterpenoid alkene alcohol (2.85 %), non-oxygenated sesquiterpenes (25.17 %) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (51.43 %). The present investigation also discusses the applications of various components found in S. cumini leaf essential oil and a comparative view on the essential oil composition of the leaves of the plant was reported earlier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citrus limon L. Burmf (commonly known as lemon) is a small thorn bearing tree which belongs to the family Rutaceae cultivated in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world and mostly cultivated in North Eastern region of India. It bears many medicinal properties and used in the cosmetics industries and pharmaceutical industries. Apart from the plant, extracted peel essential oil of C. limon has many medicinal properties so it can be used in the treatment of different diseases. Essential oil was extracted using hydrodistillation and analyzed by using Gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). A total of forty three compounds were identified of which limonene (55.40 %) and neral (10.39 %) were found as major compound followed by trans-verbenol (6.43 %) and decanal (3.25 %). The other compounds present were ethyl cinnamate (2.21 %), ethyl p-methoxycinnamate (2.21 %), cis-α-bergamotene (1.60 %), geraniol (1.48 %), trans-carveol (1.33 %), nonanal (1.19 %), linalool (1.16 %), α-terpineol (1.07 %), p-mentha-2,8-dien-1-ol (0.90 %), estragole (0.73 %), α-fenchene (0.46 %), perillol (0.46 %), β-curcumene (0.45 %), trans-d-limonene oxide (0.43 %), 1-naphthalenamine (0.42 %), camphor (0.34 %), 3-carene (0.34 %), β-santalene (0.27 %), β-sesquiphellandrene (0.25 %), α-pinene (0.17 %), terpinen-4-ol (0.17 %), 3-terpinolenone (0.17 %), zizaene (0.16 %), germacrene -D (0.16 %), α-bisabolol (0.16 %), β-bisabolol (0.14 %), methyl n-hexadecanoate (0.14 %), citronellal (0.12 %), o-cymene (0.12 %), 1-undecanol (0.11 %) and sabinol (0.11 %) were identified as in minor quantities. Limonene was the major chemical compound in the C. limon peel essential oil which possess many medicinal properties could be used as a pharmaceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acorus calamus L. is an important aromatic medicinal plant, which has many biological activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential in-vitro antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities of rhizome essential oil of A. calamus. Hydro-distillation process was used to extract the essential oil from dry rhizome using Clevenger apparatus. The chemical compounds identified through GC/MS analysis revealed that β-asarone (82.42 %) as a major compound and calarene (2.41 %), euasarone (1.92 %), 2- methoxy-3-allylphenol (1.91 %) were minor compounds. The antioxidant activity of rhizome essential oil showed good free radical scavenging activity in DPPH assay (IC50=1.68 μg/mL) as compared to standard, ascorbic acid (IC50=1.48 μg/mL). Anti-microbial activity of rhizome essential oil showed the highest zone of inhibition against A. fumigates (16 mm) and lowest against S. cerevisiae (12 mm) at 500 μg/mL concentration among the tested fungal strains whereas, for bacterial strains, the highest zone of inhibition was shown against B. subtilis (12 mm) and lowest against B. cereus (8 mm) at the same concentration. Anti-inflammatory assay showed the IC50 value was 172.41 μg/mL whereas in the standard, sodium diclofenac, was 21.0 μg/mL. The toxicity study in A. cepa roots showed that there was negligible effect on the mitotic index (MI=4.20 %) by the rhizome essential oil; as compared to the positive control, EMS (MI=14.79 %) at 1 μL/mL. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that essential oil of A. calamus rhizome could serve as a natural antioxidant and anti-microbial source for commercial use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cymbopogon species, which belongs to the family Poaceae, is an important genus of medicinal and aromatic plants. The essential oil of the species of genus is rich in various valuable chemical compounds, which are useful for industrial and commercial purposes. In this present study, a total of 425 germplasm of Cymbopogon species were collected from different regions of India, and was analyzed for its agronomical, essential oil yield and quality data, for two year 2014-15 and 2015-16.Extraction of essential oil was done using hydro-distillation and the constituents were identified using GC/MS analysis. On the basis of two consecutive year data, a geraniol rich line was identified and the results were confirmed by planting as multi-location trial, along with the standard check during the year 2016-17 and 2017-18. The average essential oil yield of the newly developed variety in the five different locations was 0.54 % and average geranial content of the multi-location trial was 83 %; which is much higher as compared to the check variety that showed essential oil yield of 0.40 % and geraniol content of 46.8 %. This selected germplasm also showed better agronomical traits in comparison to the check variety. This new identified line was named as "Jor Lab L-15" and is suitable for commercial cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acorus calamus L. (sweet flag) is an aromatic medicinal plant, generally found in the temperate and subtropical regions of the world. It is used since ages in traditional medicine and now-a-days it is also used in various commercial and pharmaceutical industries for its medicinal and aromatic properties. The aim of the present study was to identify a high essential oil yielding variety of A. calamus. In this study, fourty germplasm were collected from different parts of India and planted in RBD during the year 2014. All agronomical and oil quality data were recorded. After evaluation of two season data, a high essential oil genotype was identified and was named as "Jor Lab AC-01". The elite genotype was evaluated in five different locations (Jorhat, Lakhimijan, Pasighat, Imphal and Madang) during the year 2017. Data recorded from the five locations across Northeast India gave satisfactory and stable results. The average essential oil yield was found to be 1.20 %, which is significantly higher as compared to the check variety (0.62 %). The line is suitable for further commercial cultivation. This new variety can be commercialized, and the farmers would be benefited by this superior variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work has been aimed to investigate the chemical composition of the essential oil of Artemisia vulgaris L. leaves by gas chromatography followed by mass spectrometry method (GC/MS), antioxidant activity by DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power, total phenolic content, total flavanoid content compared to ascorbic acid for phenols and quercetin for flavonoids. The essential oil was further evaluated for antibacterial activity against five human pathogenic strains: Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli compared to antibiotic ciprofloxacin. The GC/MS analysis of the essential oil of Artemisia vulgaris leaves showed the presence of 38 compounds out of which 1,8-cineole, camphor, isopulegol, borneol, β-caryophyllene, chavicol and myrtenol are the major compounds. The IC50 value of the DPPH radical scavenging activity and reducing power of the essential oil was 2.745 μg mL-1 and 2.845 μg mL-1 respectively as compared to ascorbic acid with IC50 value of 10.83 μg mL-1 and 21.15 μg mL-1. The total phenolic content and total flavanoids content of the plant essential oil were found to be 6.2 mg mL-1 and 220 mg mL-1 respectively. The essential oil showed antibacterial activity against all the selected strains with lowest MIC value of 5 μg mL-1 and 20 μg mL-1 shown by Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus and MBC value of 80 μg mL-1 and 100 μg mL-1 shown by Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psidium guajava L. (commonly known as guava) is a small tree belonging to the family Myrtaceae. It grows well in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It has been used in traditional medicine since a long time. The different parts of the plant like bark, leaves and fruit, is used to cure skin ailments, stomach ache, indigestion, anti-inflammatory, diabetes, hypertension, wounds, pain relief, cough, rheumatic pain and various other ailments. The chemical composition of the whole guava tree renders it the medicinal properties. The chemical composition of the essential oil extracted from the leaves of P. guajava, from North East India, was identified in this study. The leaves yielded 0.51 % (v/w) essential oil. Although there are many reports on the chemical composition of its leaf essential oil; there is no report available in the public domain of the chemical composition of Psidium guajava from North East India. Therefore, the leaves of the P. guajava collected from North East India were hydro-distilled and chemical compounds were identified using GC/MS. A total of 27 compounds were identified in the leaf essential oil. The major compounds were α-terpinyl acetate (23.57 %), trans-caryophyllene (17.65 %), nerolidol (12.16 %), α-cadinol (6.71 %), α-copaene (6.5 %) and minor compounds identified were α-humulene (3.92 %) and (-)-caryphyllene oxide (3.66 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial activities of essential oil obtained from medicinal and aromatic plants found in Northeastern region of India namely, Cymbopogon flexuosus, Pogostemon cablin, Curcuma caesia, Cymbopogon winterianus, Clausena heptaphylla, Cinnamomum tamala, Psidium guajava, Ocimum sanctum, Cinnamomum camphora and one rhizome Kaempferia galanga. The oils were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The plant species have good oil yielding capacity of more than 0.50%. The antimicrobial activities were performed against five pathogenic bacteria and four fungal strains. In disc diffusion method, the highest antibacterial activity for all the tested bacteria was shown by Ocimum sanctum oil while Cinnamomum camphora and Psidium guajava oil showed no inhibition except for E. coli and S. aureus respectively. Again the highest antifungal efficiency was shown by Cymbopogon flexuosus oil against the tested microorganisms while the inhibition was negligible for Psidium guajava and Cinnamomum camphora oil. MIC test was performed to confirm the results. Till date very scanty information is available on the plants under study; therefore an effort was made to find out efficacy and effectiveness of different essential oils on different pathogenic strains thereby playing an important role as disinfectant, preservatives in food industry or substitute for synthetic antimicrobial drugs in pharmaceuticals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zingiber officinale Roscoe, which belongs to the Zingiberaceae family, is a herbaceous perennial plant. The plant has been used since ancient time traditionally as a spice and as a natural remedy for cough, cold and asthma etc. The various chemical constituents of ginger are responsible for the multiple medicinal properties. Although northeast India is a biodiversity hotspot but so far only morphological data and oil yield has been studied. Very less work has been done on the chemical composition of ginger essential oil from the northeast region of India. In this study sixty germplasm were planted in randomized block design at the experimental farm CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat, Assam (India) during the year 2017-18. After harvesting, essential oil was isolated from the rhizome of each line and replications and average values were taken for measurement of the essential oil yield. Essential oil was analyzed through GC and GC/MS. The study revealed that the major constituent of ginger essential oil was geraniol followed by z-citral, eucalyptol, camphene and other minor constituents were α-pinene, β-myrcene, linalool, e-citral, neryl acetate, α-zingiberene, curcumene, β-sesquiphellandrene, α-amorphene, farnesene, elemol and β-bisbolene. Based on the activities of its chemical constituents, ginger essential oil can be used in various novel medicinal and phytopharmaceutical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new high essential oil yielding variety of lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus L.) was developed through mutation breeding technique and registered at ICAR, New Delhi. This genotype was identified through repeated selection in gamma treated mutation populations. After initial screening from M4 mutation populations, higher essential oil genotype was identified and planted along with two check varieties in four different locations for two years in NE India and found to be stable for all the related parameters of yield. Average essential oil was recorded as 1.35% and herbage yield was 29.57 tonnes/ha/year which were significantly higher than the check varieties and total citral content was found as 79.5% which was followed by other minor compounds viz., linalool, iso-eugenol, limonene, α-pinene, geraniol, camphene, nerol, α-terpineol, tricyclene, α-elemol, geranyl acetate, eugenol acetate, citronellal, bicyclosesquiphellandrene, trans-β-ocimene, trans-β-caryophyllene, humulene epoxide ll, caryophyllene oxide and α-phellandrene. This newly developed novel variety was registered at ICAR, New Delhi vide registration no. INGR-18040 and named as 'Jor Lab L-14'. This variety propagates vegetatively by means of slips and is stable for commercial cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth, also known as patchouli is an aromatic herb mainly used for high quality perfumery, aromatherapy and fragrances. The study was conducted to identify high yielding mutant genotype of patchouli through gamma radiation. In this experiment 14 different doses of gamma adiation were given to rooted slips of patchouli variety Johor. All 482 M2 progenies were produced and their morphological, qualitative and quantitative oil data were recorded. Advanced progenies were developed and finally selected a single plant from each M4 progenies on the basis of high essential oil and high herbage yield. These 14 lines were planted in RCBD design along with the check variety with three replications. Significant differences were observed in most of the agronomic characters and oil quality parameters among all mutant progenies. Among all the mutant lines, line no. 9 was found to be superior with plant height, herbage yield per plant, essential oil percent and monopodia length in comparison with the check variety. The multi-location trials revealed that the average fresh herbage yield (960 g/plant), oil content (3.10 %), and patchouli alcohol content (37.94 %) were also found to be significantly higher when compared to the check variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kaempferia galangais very important medicinal and aromatic plants of throughout Asia. It is used in skin diseases, piles, cough, fever, epilepsy, spleen disorders, wounds, asthma and rheumatism; and also useful in digestion. Our investigation objective was to identify the high herbage and high essential oil genotypes. The thirty-five germplasm were evaluated during the year 2013–14. After two years of evaluation high oil and rhizome yielding genotype ofK. Galangawas identified and named “Jor Lab K-1″ which was propagated through vegetative means using the rhizome as explant. This elite new genotype was evaluated in four different locations of North East India during the year, 2015 and 2016. The identified germplasm has shown 35 percent superiority over the check variety with rhizome herbage yield of 7.156 tons/ha and dry rhizome recovery of 25 % from fresh rhizomes and the average 2.38 % essential oil in dry rhizome. The essential oil of the dry rhizome, obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by GC-MS. The major components found were Ethyl trans-cinnamate (31.12 %), Ethyl trans-p-methoxycinnamate (14.3 %), 1,8-Cineole (10.57 %), Delta-3-Carene (5.12 %) and n-pentadecane (4.8 %). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]