The effect of meta-Topolin (mT) was assessed to develop a reliable protocol for efficient plant regeneration of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) cv.NARI-H-15. For micropropagation, 7 -9 days old shoot-tip explants cultured on MS basal medium supplemented with 3.0 mg/L meta-Topolin (mT) + 0.5 mg/L CPPU showed 97.7% adventitious shoot formation (42.4 shootlets) than node after 45 days of culture. For organogenesis, the seedling explants of immature leaf cultured on 1.5 mg/L CPPU or 1.5 mg/L NAA fortified medium produced high amount of callus than cotyledon and stem calli after 60 days of culture. However, MS basal medium fortified with 4.0 mg/L mT + 1.5 mg/L CPPU was found beneficial to stimulate 100% organogenic response (74.7 shootlets) from immature leaf calli than cotyledon and stem derived calli after 45 days of culture. The healthy plantlets obtained from micropropagation and organogenesis process cultured on 1/4 MS basal salts, 1.5% sucrose (w/v) and 0.8% agar (w/v) medium supplemented with NAA (1.5 mg/L) and mT (0.1 mg/L) produced maximum of 96% (12.8 rootlets) and 84% (7.3 rootlets) adventitious rooting, respectively than mT and CPPU tested medium. However, maximum of 67% and 42% survival rate was noticed when in vitro raised plants from micropropagation and organogenesis were hardened in pots containing soil mix and maintained under green house condition. This optimized regeneration protocol might be helpful in regeneration of new genotypes and cultivars of safflower to improve agronomic traits through in vitro selection process and Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation system. Keywords

Mosquitoes are one of the most medically noteworthy groups of vectors, having an capacity to spread parasites and pathogens that can have devastating impacts on humans. The development of reliable and ecofriendly method for the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles is an key step in the field of application of nanotechnology [7]. In this study, we address the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using leaf extract of Bidens biternata (L), and evaluate its lethal concentration (LC50) values against fourth instar larvae and pupae of the mosquito vectors, Aedes aegypti. The nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis spectrum, XRD Analysis, scanning electron microscopy, EDAX, and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy analysis. Larvae and pupae were exposed to different concentrations of aqueous extracts of biogenic AgNPs for 24. The larval mortality was increased from 30-100% with increasing concentration from 1-10 ppm. The total mortality of IV Instars larvae of Ae. aegypti was increased from 20-100% with increasing concentration o aqueous leaf extract of Bidens biternata (L) from 10-100 ppm. The LC50 of the AgNPs synthesized from the leaf extract of Bidens biternata (L) against Ae. aegypti was 5.261 ppm.

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Gloriosa superba L. is commonly being called as glory lily. This perennial climber is designated as the State flower of Tamilnadu. It is extensively cultivated for colcichine, an alkaloid obtained from the seed being exploited for its medicinal properties. The present investigation on this climber was started with an intention to bring out the biomedical potentials with special reference to its anticancer properties. The plant was extracted with methanol and ethyl acetate using Soxhlet extraction unit and the extract was concentrated using vacuum rotavapor. The presence of 15 different compounds in methanol fraction and 1 compound in ethyl acetate fraction were determined by GC-MS. Extensive literature survey suggested that few records was available on anticancer properties of Gloriosa superba L. Hence, an attempt was made to evaluate its anticancer potentials The IC50 value of the compound against MCF7 cell line was found to be 84.23μg/mL.