STUDIES ON IMPROVEMENT OF SOME STEROID YIELDING PLANTS GROWING IN DARJEELING HILLS (INDIA)

Role of light on augmenting formation of active principles in Solanum laciniatum, Dioscorea composita and Costus speciosus was established.
Shorter wavelengths and higher intensity increased solasodine accumulation in S. laciniatum and extended light hours favoured diosgenin and solasodine formation in D. composita and S. laciniatum respectively.
Water-stress conditions of S. laciniatum also favoured aglycon synthesis, accompanied by negative growth performance.

In C. speciosus a positive correlation could be established between diosgenin on one hand and chlorophyll, carbohydrate and flower/fruit ratio on the other; whereas the correlation between diosgenin and duration of reproductive stage was negative in this species.

Fusarium solani was identified, for the first time, to be the causal organism of tuber-rot of all Dioscorea spp. and in the control of the rot, benomyl and bavistin were found to be completely effective.
Some flavonoid compounds like citronella and lemon grass oil could also retard the incidence of rot considerably.

V International Symposium on Medicinal, Aromatic and Spice Plants

P. Bharati, P. Panda, S. Chatterjee, A. Mandal, P. Sarma, S.K. Chatterjee

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1986.188.14