The rapid increase in the volume of waste is one aspect of the environment crisis, accompanying global development. Earthworms play an important role in the decomposition of organic matter and soil metabolism through feeding, fragmentation, aeration, turnover and dispersion. The type of substrates used and species of earthworms introduced plays a significant role in plant growth and yield. The waste to be stabilized should support an adequate biomass needed for effective processing. In the present study the vermicompost produced from banana as a substrate did not show a significant increase in NPK content from that of the control. On the other hand poultry waste and vegetable waste with goat dung showed significant increase in the NPK content. The enhancement of the vermicompost was probably due to mineralization of the organic matter containing proteins and conversion of ammonium nitrogen into nitrite. Mineralization and consequent mobilization of phosphorous by enhanced bacterial and phosphatase activities during vermicomposting leads to increase in Phosphorus. The earthworm processed waste materials contain high concentration of exchangeable potassium, due to enhanced microbial activity during the vermicomposting process, which accordingly enhanced the rate of mineralization. Vermicompost tends to hold more nutrients over larger periods without adverse effects on the environment.
The Commelina forskaolii Vahl (Commelinaceae) is an edible herb with wide therapeutic value. The present study aimed to explore the preliminary phytochemical screening, GC-MS spectrometry analysis, FTIR, and evaluate the antimicrobial activity of C. forskaolii Vahl leaves using various solvent extracts with different polarities tested for their inhibitory property against most prevalent aquatic pathogenic bacteria (Gram-positive and Gramnegative) and fungi by the agar diffusion method. The results of phytochemical and GC-MS analysis of the different solvent extracts revealed the occurrence of secondary metabolites and totally 35 biologically active compounds. The FTIR results confirmed the presence of alkanes, amines, alcohol, aryl disulfides, ethers, hydroxy group, vinylidene, chloro, bromo, and iodo compounds. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of five solvent extracts of C. forskaolii Vahl was investigated against Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus iniae, Aeromonas hydrophila, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vibrio cholerae, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus. Among all extracts, aqueous and chloroform extract showed maximum antibacterial activity against all bacterial pathogens based on the different concentrations, which inhibited in the range of 11 mm to 18 mm (aqueous), and 11 mm to 27 mm (chloroform) followed by inhibition range of other extracts 9 mm to 12 mm (ethanol), 11 mm to 23 mm (methanol), and 12 mm to 16 mm (acetone). In addition, the highest antifungal activity was reported in chloroform extract against Aspergillus niger and aqueous extract against Aspergillus flavus with inhibition of 16 mm followed by 17 mm at 75 µl concentration. In the present investigation, C. forskaolii Vahl leaves were examined and reported for the first time and the study suggests that leaves of C. forskaolii Vahl could be potentially used as a natural source of antimicrobial agents in aquaculture and fisheries industries.
The present study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the extracts from the fruits of Garcinia gummi-gutta and Solanum betaceum using the standard Agar well diffusion method. Three concentrations (25, 50,and 75 µl/ml) of various extracts such as aqueous, ethanol, petroleum ether, and chloroform were tested against six fish pathogens such as Aeromonas hydrophila, Vibrio cholerae, Streptococcus agalactia, Streptococcus iniae Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Amoxiclav 10 mcg was used as the positive control (Disc). Three major fungal species Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, and Candida albicans were used to determine the fruit extracts' antifungal activity at three different concentrations (25, 50, 100 µl/ml). Amphotericin B (100 units) was used as a positive control. Both plant extracts showed dose-dependent antimicrobial activity against the tested pathogens. The crude ethanol and petroleum ether extracts of G. gummi-gutta and S. betaceum displayed more potential against all strains at higher concentrations. However, G. gummi-gutta showed better efficacy against microbes when compared to S. betaceum. The findings of present study will be valuable for future identification, quality control, and pharmacological studies of natural chemicals derived from these plants especially in aquaculture.
The present study aimed to assess the antimicrobial activity of Hemidesmus indicus against aquatic pathogens. Hemidesmus indicus is a twining shrub with lactiferous branches that produces numerous bioactive compounds. Plant parts are commonly used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of diseases. A comparative evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of Hexane, Ethyl acetate, Ethanol and water extracts of leaf, stem ad root of the Hemidesmus indicus was tested against the aquatic pathogens including bacteria and fungi by standard agar well diffusion method. The results indicated that all the plant parts exhibited varying degrees of antimicrobial properties. However, among the selected parts the highest antimicrobial property was shown by root against the bacteria Streptococcus agalactiae (16 mm), Streptococcus iniae (12 mm), Aeromonas hydrophila (20 mm), Vibrio cholera (21 mm), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (19 mm), and the fungus Aspergillus niger (19 mm) and Candida albicans (15 mm). Whereas the ethyl acetate fractions of the leaf showed maximum inhibitory activity against aquatic pathogens next to the root and the aqueous extract of the stem exhibited strong inhibition against Vibrio cholera. The study confirmed that the ethyl acetate extract of the Hemidesmus indicus root has high antibacterial activity against fish pathogens meanwhile the ethanol extract exhibited high antifungal activity. The present investigation confirmed the efficacy of Hemidesmus indicus as a natural alternative to synthetic antibiotics making promising contributions to the field of drug discovery and tremendous scope in the field of aquaculture.
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