Growth and Nitrogen Retranslocation of Nutrient-Loaded Clonal Betula alnoides Transplanted with or without Fertilization

Nutrient loading can improve the growth and nutrient content of nursery-grown Betula alnoides Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don, but it is unknown whether nutrient loading enhances growth and nutrient uptake after transplanting. Plants were grown with three nutrient loading treatments (N100, N200, and N400; 100, 200, and 400 mg N per plant as 15N-urea) in nursery containers and then transplanted into plastic pots, with or without controlled-release fertilizer (F0 and F10, 0 and 10 g per plant). The N400 plants had a smaller size but higher nitrogen concentration relative to the N100 and N200 plants before transplanting. However, 180 days after transplanting, the N200 and N400 plants had superior root collar diameter, root length, and root area compared to the N100 plants, due to an increase in 15N retranslocation to new stems and new leaves. Moreover, transplant fertilization (F10) enhanced the height, root collar diameter, root length, and plant dry mass, but not nitrogen concentration or retranslocation, relative to F0. We recommend that medium- and high-dose nutrient loading is implemented in B. alnoides nurseries to optimize growth after transplanting. Additional fertilizer at transplanting may be advantageous in supporting growth, owing to the rapid depletion of nutrient reserves after planting out in the field.

Quantification of Lupeol as Secondary Metabolite by HPTLC Technique and Assessment of Antimicrobial Potential of Ethyl Acetate Extract of Betula alnoides Bark

The present work includes extraction of Betula alnoides bark using ethyl acetate as a solvent, preliminary phytochemical test, quantification of phytochemicals and quantification of lupeol in Betula alnoides by High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) instrument along with the assessment of the antimicrobial potential of Ethyl Acetate Extract (EAE). The marc obtained after defatting of the coarsely powdered crude drug in Petroleum ether (60-80) was extracted using ethyl acetate. Afterward, preliminary phytochemical tests were done. For High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC), the solvent used was n-hexane: ethyl acetate (8:2 v/v) and scanning was performed at wavelength 254 nm. EAE was screened for antimicrobial potential. The extraction yield was 3.45% w/w. The result of the phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of some important phytochemicals in EAE. A clear and resolved peak of lupeol was observed at Rf 0.61. The developed method was validated as per ICH guidelines. The concentration (%) of the marker compound (lupeol) was found to be 0.0168. Disk diffusion method using Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis as bacterial strains and Candida albicans, Aspergillus flavus and Epidermophyton floccosum as fungal strains against ciprofloxacin (for antibacterial activity) and fluconazole (for antifungal activity) as standard drugs was employed. The finding suggested that EAE possess significant antibacterial and antifungal activity when comparison was made with standard drugs. The proposed elucidated mechanism behind this action may be due to the presence of triterpenoids in EAE.

Effect of Ammonia Fumigation Treatment on Wood Color and Chemical Composition

Betula alnoides was used as a test material to study the effect of ammonia fumigation treatment on wood color and chemical composition. The effects of concentration, temperature, and duration of ammonia fumigation on wood color were studied. The properties of the material were studied using contact angle measurements, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and dynamic thermomechanical analysis. In general, the color difference of the wood increased with the concentration of ammonia used in the fumigation process, treatment temperature, and treatment duration. After ammonia fumigation treatment, the chemical composition of hydroxyl and carboxyl groups in the wood was reduced. We concluded that ammonia fumigation treatment decreased material wettability and dynamic mechanical rigidity and increased the degree of crystallinity in wood.