This work reports an eco-friendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using endophytic bacteria, Cytobacillus firmus isolated from the stem bark of Terminalia arjuna. The synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed by visual observation as a change in color of the bacterial solution impregnated with silver. Further, the morphology of the AgNPs, average size, and presence of elemental silver were characterized by UV–Visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering spectroscopy. The roles of endophytic secondary metabolites in the metal reduction, stabilization, and capping of silver nanoparticles were studied by qualitative FTIR spectral peaks. The antimicrobial ability of AgNPs was evaluated against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria and pearl millet blast disease-causing fungi (Magnoporthe grisea). The biosynthesized AgNPs showed good antibacterial and antifungal activities. AgNPs effectively inhibited the bacterial growth in a dose-dependent manner and presented as good antifungal agents towards the growth of Magnoporthe grisea.
Species of Barleria L. numbering about 230 (Airy Shaw 1973) show a wide range of mor phological variations. Some of them are of horticultural interest for their attractive flowers. Nineteen species are known to occur in South India (Gamble 1935). Cytological work in the genus, as in most other members of Acanthaceae, is very little. Though De (1966) and Datta and Maiti (1970) have described karyotypes for a few taxa from North India, those occurring in South India have not received due attention so far. The present work, however, unravels karyotypes in six species distributed in South India and discusses their relationship based on chromosome morphology.
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