No abstract

In some fruits, peels contain higher vitamins, better biological activities, minerals and essential nutrients than other parts [1-3]. Banana fruit is highly nutritious possessing essential phytonutrients such as phenolic compounds, biogenic amines, carotenoids, flavonoids, vitamins and several minerals having many therapeutic benefits [4]. Apart from nutritive values, banana fruit also contains medicinal values such as pulp and peel that have antibiotic and antifungal components. The peel constituting approximately 40% of banana weight, has high proteins, essential amino acids, water content, dietary fiber and polyunsaturated fatty acids [5, 6]. Banana peel is also used as a bio-sorbent to remove toxic elements from water [7, 8] due to its availability,

The aim of this research work was to evaluate the nutritional worth of some wild edible medicinal plants of District Harnai, Balochistan. Five wild edible medicinal plants (WEMPs) viz., Ficus carica L., Morus alba L., M. nigra L., Olea ferruginea Royle and Pistacia khinjuk Stocks were collected from study area. Proximate and mineral composition of leaf and fruit samples were quantified. Proximate composition revealed that leaf samples contained significant amount of dry matter, ash and protein content in O. ferruginea and fat content and Crude fiber in F.carica, Total carbohydrates and Organic matter in P. khinjuk comparatively. Further data highlighted fruit samples as rich source of organic matter, fat content and total carbohydrate (F.carica), Dry matter (P. khinjuk), Ash and protein content (M. alba) and Crude fiber (M. nigra). Similarly, mineral composition revealed a wide variability of macro and micronutrients in leave and fruit samples of selected WEMPs. The overall results obtained in this study have showed that F. carica and M. alba. may serve as good source of many important macro-nutrients viz., N, Ca, K, Mg, S and P. Whereas, M. alba followed by M. nigra may be considered as an excellent source of essential micro nutrients including Al, B, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Sr and Zn. Each selected wild plant manifested variable levels of mineral and proximate compositions representing that all the investigated WEMPs are rich source of nutrients that can fulfil the needs of nutrition while M. alba, M. nigra and F. carica are rich and easily available sources of essential nutrients for human diet.

Seed priming is widely recognized as a significant phenomenon for synchronizing germination and enhancing the vigor of seeds. Seeking the importance of priming, the influence of magnetic treatments in overall performance of plants cannot be undermined as well. In the present study, seeds of Pisum sativum L. and Plantago ovata Forssk. were primed with essential Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs) such as; Gibberellic acid (GA3), Potassium nitrate (KNO3), Salicylic acid (SA), Ascorbic acid (AsA), Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in combination with different artificial magnetic treatment (North, South and N/S) to document morpho-physiological attributes. A lab experiment was conducted under Complete Randomized Design (CRD) which consisted of 6 seed priming treatment along with control (no-priming) each with three replications. Seeds were primed with water (H2O) and PGRs for 12 hours and the final harvest of seedlings was obtained for morpho-physiological analysis after 20 days of germination. Results portrayed statistically significant (p < 0.05) data by increasing the morphological characteristics (root/shoot length, number of leaves, root/shoot fresh weight and root/shoot dry weight). Similarly, photosynthetic pigments i.e., chl a and carotenoids recorded significant variations under artificial magnetism except chl b which showed non-significant (p > 0.05) variations. Results concluded that hydro priming and pre-soaking of seeds with essential PGRs are highly recommended to maximize the early germination, morpho-physiological performance in pea and plantago seedlings under artificial magnetism.