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Objective: Hydromethanolic extract of the bark of Zanthoxylum armatum (HMZA) was evaluated for its antidiabetic and antioxidant activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: HMZA was evaluated in normal and diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (60 mg/kg i.p.). Normal and diabetic rats were divided into different groups and orally administered with HMZA (200 and 400 mg/kg) and glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) for 21 days. Blood samples were collected from overnight-fasted rats on at 7, 14 and 21 days of treatment and analysed for blood glucose level and lipid profile. On day 21, rats were sacrificed and liver and kidney tissues were excised to measure their antioxidant status. Results: Oral administration of HMZA for 21 days (200 and 400 mg/kg) resulted in significant reduction in blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein, very low density lipoprotein and significant increase in high density lipoprotein and body weight of streptozotocin diabetic rats. In addition to that, significant decrease in lipid peroxidation and increase in catalase, superoxide dismutase and reduced glutathione were observed in streptozotocin diabetic rats. Conclusion: From the present study, it is evident that, the bark of Z. armatum possesses significant antidiabetic and antioxidant effect on diabetic rats and suggests that the plant may have therapeutic value in diabetes and related complications.

This study estimated seasonal variations among several parameters of the fine roots and N dynamics in Mangifera indica‐based agroforestry systems; we examined homegarden (HG), agri‐horticulture (AH) and agri‐horti‐silviculture (AHS) systems in the Bhabhar area of the Indian Central Himalayan region. Fine roots biomass (FRB) and fine roots production (FRP) of M. indica were highest in the AH system and lowest in the HG system while fine roots turnover (FRT) showed a reverse trend. FRB, FRP and FRT rates decreased with soil depth and distance from the tree base, with larger variations in the AH system. The biomass: necromass ratio varied between 1.91 and 2.42 for HG, between 2.27 and 3.29 for AH and between 2.09 and 2.46 for AHS systems. Among all the selected agroforestry systems, concentrations of mineral N (NH4‐N and NO3‐N) were higher in the AH system and lower in the AHS system while net N mineralization rates were higher in the AHS system. In HGs, FRB it was significantly correlated with ammonification, nitrification and N mineralization while in the AH system it was positively correlated with nitrification and N mineralization. In the AHS system, it was positively correlated with ammonification only. Thus, it can be concluded that in agroforestry systems FRB was enhanced by rapid N mineralization. The variability in FRB and N mineralization between selected agroforestry systems were possibly due to the differences in soil characteristics and management practices. For enrichment of soil nutrients, the contribution of fine roots could be of more importance through the process of decomposition under the prevailing agroforestry systems.

Vigna is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae with worldwide distribution. In the present study, effect of salt stress was investigated in four species of Vigna viz. V. mungo (urd), V. angularis (rais), V. radiata (moong) and V. aconitifolia (moth) at germination and seedling growth stages in a glasshouse experiment. Seeds of selected crops were surface sterilized and placed under three salt stress levels of 0 (control), 50mM and 100mM using NaCl solutions. Three replicates for each treatment was used for this experiment. The results indicated that increase in salt stress levels caused a reduction in germination percentage, germination rate, shoot length, root length and seedling dry weight of each Vigna species. The overall results indicated that among the four species, V. aconitifolia was the most sensitive, whereas V. mungo was the least sensitive species to the salinity in almost every aspect of growth.

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