Botany

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/3747

Browse

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 24
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Screening Anti-Bacterial Activity of Endoi.Ichenic Fungi Collected From Negombo Lagoon Sri Lanka
    (Proceedmgs of the Postgraduate Institute of Science Research Congress. Sri Lanka, 2019) Weerasinghe, W.R.H.; Attanayake, R.N.; Weerakoon, G.; Paranagama, P.A.
    From the ancient past, natural products have been in use to fulfill a variety of human needs, from sustenance to pharmaceutical necessities. With the discovery of Endolichenic fungi (ELF) as a novel source prominent bioactiOt1es in recent years. a new trend has been created to explore more about these fascinating organisms, which live inside the lichen thallus asymptomatically. ELF isolated from the lichens collected from mangrove plants In Negombo lagoon's Kadol kale area (Lititude: 701 Longitude: were identitied using molecular techniques and were subjected to anti-bacterual assay. Ethyl acetate crude extracts of 18 identified endolichenic fungal strains were obtained and their anti-bacterial activities were tested against aerobic bactertal species Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Staphvlococcus aureus. The assay was carried out using agar well diffusion method using HI of the extracts (5 mg/ml) with Azithromycin as the positive control. The inhibition zone diameters (in cm) against E. coli were 1.2 for Phanerothaete chnsosporium. 1.2 for Xvlaria feejecnsis, ().9 for Gelasinospora seminuda, 0.9 for Chaetomium globosum and 1.5 for Curvularia lunata while Azithromycin as the positive control showed a diameter of 2.1. The inhibition zone diameters against B. subtilis were 1.0 for Cochliobolus sp., 1.0 for P. chnsosporium, 1.8 for X. feeyeensls, 1.7 for G. seminuda, 1 2 for C. globosum, 1.5 for Hvpoxvlon lividipigmentum, 2.0 for (Pennicillium sp), 2.2 for C. lunata, 0.9 for Lasiodiplodia theobromae and 2.4 for positive control. The inhibition zone diameters against S. aureus were 1.1 for P. chrvsosporium, 22 for X'. feejeensis, 1.0 for G. seminuda, 1.0 for Chaetomium globosum, 2.0 for (Pennicillium sp). 1.8 for Curvularia lunata and 2.2 for positive control. Out of the 18 fungal strains, 9 showed significant activity against the tested bacterial species while Endomelanconiopsis endophvtica, Neofusicoccum parvum. Ncofusicoccum occulatum. Hvpoxvlon anthochroum. Cvtospora xvlocarpi, Cerrena sp., Schi:ophvllum commune, Daldinia eschscholt:i, Nodulisporium sp. fungal strains did not show any inhibition. Further studies will be conducted to isolate compounds responsible for these inhibitions.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Molecular phylogeny and bioprospecting of Endolichenic Fungi (ELF) inhabiting in the lichens collected from a mangrove ecosystem in Sri Lanka
    (PLoS ONE 13(8): e0200711. https://doi.org/ 10.1371/journal.pone.0200711, 2018) Maduranga, K.; Attanayake, R.N.; Santhirasegaram, S.; Weerakoon, G.; Paranagama, P.A.
    Endolichenic fungi (ELF) are unexplored group of organisms as a source for the production of bioactive secondary metabolites with radical scavenging activity, antilipase and amylase inhibitory activities. Endolichenic fungi in lichens collected from mangrove or mangrove associated plants are least known for their fungal diversity and potential to produce bioactive compounds. A total of 171 ELF strains were isolated from the lichens collected from mangrove and mangrove associated plants in Puttalam lagoon. Out of this collection, 70 isolates were identified using rDNA-ITS region sequence homology to the GenBank accessions and a phylogenetic analysis was performed. Commonly isolated genera of ELF from lichens were Aspergillus, Byssochlamys, Talaromyces, Diaporthe, Phomopsis, Endomelanconiopsis, Schizophyllum, Cerrena, Trichoderma, Xylaria, Hypoxylon, Daldinia, Preussia, Sordaria, Neurospora, and Lasiodiplodia. In the present study, the effectiveness of ethyl acetate extracts of the ELF isolates were investigated against antioxidant activity, antilipase activity and α-amylase inhibition activity in in-vitro conditions. The results revealed that the extracts of Daldinia eschscholtzii, Diaporthe musigena and Sordaria sp. had the highest radical scavenging activity with smaller IC50 values (25 μg/mL to 31 μg/mL) compared to the IC50 values of BHT (76.50±1.47 μg/mL). Antilipase assay revealed that 13 extracts from ELF showed promising antiobesity activity ranged between 25% to 40%. Amylase inhibitory assay indicated that the test extracts do not contain antidiabetic secondary metabolites.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Repellency and toxicity of four essential oils to Sitophilus oryzae L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
    (2004) Paranagama, P.A.; Abeysekera, K.H.T.; Nugaliyadde, L.; Abeywickrama, K.P.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Preliminary phytochemical screening and evaluation of anti-inflammatory properties of Albizia species
    (Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, 2015) Punchihewa, S.H.; Amarasinghe, A.P.P.R.; Senanayake, S.P.; Paranagama, P.A.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Effect of the essential oils of Cymbopogon citratus, C. nardus and Cinnamomum zeylanicum on pest incidence and grain quality of rough rice (paddy) stored in an enclosed seed box
    (WFL Publisher, 2003) Paranagama, P.A.; Abeysekera, T.; Nugaliyadde, L.; Abeywickrama, K.P.
    The protective effect of the essential oils of Cymbopogon citratus, C. nardus and Cinnamomum zeylanicum leaf on paddy stored in wooden boxes lined with aluminium foil were evaluated. After 168 days of storage in oil treated boxes Sitotroga cerealella population was significantly lower in oil treated paddy than the control. The 1000 grain weight was higher in all three treatments (21.1 - 22.9 g) compared to the control (19.8 g). Percentage grain damage was lower in C. citratus and C. nardus treated paddy than the control. The percentage seed germination was not significantly different from that of the control in oil treated paddy though, in C. citratus treatment the seed germination was reduced. The milling quality of paddy was not affected by the essential oil treatment however; the flavour and stickiness of cooked rice was enhanced when treated with C. zeylanicum and C. citratus oils.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Fungicidal and anti-aflatoxigenic effects of the essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf. (lemongrass) against Aspergillus flavus Link. isolated from stored rice
    (The Society for Applied Microbiology, 2003) Paranagama, P.A.; Abeysekera, K.H.T.; Abeywickrama, K.P.; Nugaliyadde, L.
    Aims: To develop a natural fungicide against aflatoxigenic fungi, to protect stored rice, using the essential oil of lemongrass. Methods and Results: Aspergillus flavus Link. was isolated from stored rice and identified as an aflatoxigenic strain. Lemongrass oil was tested against A. flavus and the test oil was fungistatic and fungicidal against the test pathogen at 0Æ6 and 1Æ0 mg ml)1, respectively. Aflatoxin production was completely inhibited at 0Æ1 mg ml)1. The results obtained from the thin layer chromatographic bioassay and gas chromatography indicated citral a and b as the fungicidal constituents in lemongrass oil. During the fumigant toxicity assay of lemongrass oil, the sporulation and the mycelial growth of the test pathogen were inhibited at the concentrations of 2Æ80 and 3Æ46 mg ml)1, respectively. Conclusion: Lemongrass oil could be used to manage aflatoxin formation and fungal growth of A. flavus in stored rice. Significance and Impact of the Study: Currently, fungicides are not used to control fungal pests or mycotoxin production on stored rice. Rice treated with the essential oil of lemongrass could be used to manage fungal pests as well as the insect pests in stored rice. The essential oil is chemically safe and acceptable to consumers, as synthetic chemical fungicides can cause adverse health effects to consumers.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Nitrate, phosphate and sulfate concentrations of well water in CKDu endemic areas and non-endemic areas and their relation to water hardness
    (Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, 2013) Fonseka, S.I.; Amarasinghe, M.D.; Paranagama, P.A.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Effect of volatile constituents of Curry leaf, Murraya koenigii on cowpea seed bruchid, Callosobruchu smaculatus (F.) in stored cowpea
    (University of Kelaniya, 2001) Adhikari, A.A.C.K.; Paranagama, P.A.; Bandara, K.A.N.P.; Abeywickrama, K.P.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Insecticidal and repellent activity of volatile constituents of neem leaf (Azadirachta indica) against Callosobruchus maculatus(L.) inhabiting stored cowpea
    (Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, 2001) Paranagama, P.A.; Adhikari, A.A.C.K.; Abeywickrama, K.P.; Bandara, K.A.N.P.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Effect of the essential oil of Cymbopogon nardus on Aspergillus flavus Link isolated from Sri Lankan paddy and rice
    (University of Kelaniya, 2002) Paranagama, P.A.; Abeysekera, K.H.T.; Nugeliyadde, L.; Abeywickrama, K.P.