September 2022

Money plant (Crassula ovate): Introduction, Classification, Distribution, Characteristics, Propagation, Cultural Importance, Uses, Toxicity, and, Care

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How to Care for a Jade Plant
The care of jade plants is easy. Jade plants are popular indoor plants that many people grow in their homes and workplaces because they are thought to be lucky symbols. You don’t have to be lucky to figure out how to take care of and maintain jade plants.
When cultivating jade houseplants, water, light, temperature, and fertilizer are the most crucial considerations.
Watering
Making sure that jade plants are adequately watered is one of the most crucial aspects of their maintenance. A jade plant should never be allowed to dry up. Additionally, avoid overwatering jade plants since this might result in root rot. Don’t water your jade plant on a regular timetable. Instead, water your jade plant when the soil’s surface feels just dry to the touch. It’s most likely due to a lack of water that your jade plant is losing leaves or developing leaf spots.
Sunlight Requirements
Although they may survive in bright, indirect light, jade plants thrive in four or more hours of direct sunlight. Jade plant temperature requirements The recommended daytime temperature for jade plants is 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 24 degrees Celsius), and the recommended nighttime temperature is 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 13 degrees Celsius). Insufficient light will result in a plant with dark green leaves and drooping stems; otherwise, the plant is healthy and would have regular compact growth and reddish coloring. This plant can survive in a wide range of temperatures and humidity levels, and it can even withstand mild frost, although freezing temperatures will cause it to die. Houseplants can be transferred outdoors for the summer, but to avoid sunburn, they must be gradually acclimated to the stronger light intensity outside. Before the first frost, they must be taken indoors.

Fertilizing
Fertilize your jade plant once every six months or so to ensure optimal upkeep. Make use of a well-balanced water-soluble fertilizer. The fact that you should first water your jade plant normally and then again with fertilizer water is crucial to remember. When the soil is dry, never fertilize your jade plant because this will harm the roots.
Soil
These plants prefer potting mixes without peat or other moisture-retentive ingredients and require well-drained soil. To make a planting mix that will drain quickly, combine topsoil with perlite, sharp sand, pea gravel, and/or chicken grit. Although rootbound plants can be grown for many years, it is advisable to repot them every two to three years or whenever a plant starts to get top-heavy and prone to toppling over. Repotting should be done as soon as fresh growth appears. When repotting into the same size pot, prune the roots and trim the stems to preserve the shape and promote the growth of a thick main trunk. Till the plant is established in the new container, water sparingly.

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Mineral Nutrition: Question and Answers for Class 11th  biology Chapter 12  (CBSE/ NCERT)

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Toxic Elements: The micronutrients are always needed in smaller amounts, and any small reduction in their amount might cause deficiency symptoms, while an increase in their amount can cause toxicity. Toxicity can result from any reduction in mineral ion concentration that results in tissues losing 10% of their dry weight. Although the degree of toxicity differs amongst plants, it is also difficult to identify. The majority of mineral toxicity prevents other minerals from being absorbed. Example: Chlorosis is brought on by a nitrogen deficiency.
Essential Elements: The substance that must be consumed since the body cannot produce enough of it to meet all of its demands.
They are used
(a) as parts of chemical compounds in plants that relate to energy, such as magnesium and phosphorus.
(b) Enzyme activators or inhibitors, such as magnesium and zinc.
(c) For controlling osmotic potential, such as potassium.

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Rose (Rosa Indica): Introduction, Classification, Characteristics, Propagation, Cultivation, Rose products, and Medicinal Uses

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The king of flowers, the Rose (Rosa indica), also known as Gulab-Jo-Gul in Sindhi, is a member of the Rosaceae family. It is a woody and prickly shrub, and the rose in particular is utilized as a symbol of love and beauty in both peace and conflict. It is a shrub plant with over 200 cultivars and hundreds of species (Horn, 1992). (Kim et al., 2003). While some species are native to Africa, North America, and Europe, a significant portion of species is native to Asia. In the Indo-Pak region, Rose flavored kulfi, ice cream, and Rooh Afza are the most widely consumed foods. Additionally, rose blooms are utilized in cosmetics and fragrances.

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Nitrogen Metabolism: Definition, Abiological Nitrogen Fixation, Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation, Ammonification, Denitrification, Nitrate Assimilation, and, Formulation of Amino Acids

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Formulation of Amino Acids
Reductive Ammination: In this process, glutamic acid is produced when ammonia interacts with -ketoglutaric acid.
Catalytic Amidation: Ammonia and the amino acid glutamate combine to create amide glutamine in the presence of the enzyme synthestase and ATP. In the presence of decreased coenzyme, glutamine and -ketoglutarate combine to generate two molecules of glutamate.
Transamination is when an amino group from one amino acid is transferred to the keto group of an organic acid. The primary amino acid from which the other 17 amino acids are generated through transamination is glutamic. The transaminase enzyme is in charge of such a process.

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Caladium bicolor (Heart of Jesus): Introduction, Classification, Characteristics, Toxicity

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Caladium bicolor (CB), sometimes called “Elephant ears,” “Heart of Jesus,” and “Angels wings,” is a decorative foliage plant that is cultivated from tubers. There has been evidence of an anti-diarrheal action from the aqueous extract (Olanrewaju et al., 2015). According to Odugbemi (2006), the leaves and rhizomes are used topically in Nigeria as purgatives and convulsant management techniques, as well as for boils, wounds, and ulcers.

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Passive Absorption: Definition, Mass Flow Hypothesis, Ion Exchange Theory, and, Facilitated Diffusion

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Minerals can be absorbed by physical processes called Passive absorption, which does not directly require metabolic activity. The concept of passive absorption is based on “outer space,” also known as “free space” or “diffusion space.” Ions will freely enter or exit the tissue if just a fraction of the tissue volume is accessible to free diffusion. After some time, the portion of the tissue that is experiencing free diffusion will achieve equilibrium with the external solution, resulting in the same ion concentration within the tissue as that of the exterior solution. The term “free space” or “outside space” refers to the region of a cell or tissue that permits ion diffusion freely. Usually, only 5% of the entire root volume is accessible for free space in the root tissue. For a particular volume of open space, the amount of solute flux depends on several variables, including the rate of transpiration, the solute concentration, and the production of root hair. Cortex cells can, however, directly take up solutes from the external solution to the existence of such a free area. Due to the presence of polygalacturonic acid [carboxylic groups (R. CHOO)] in the middle lamella, the cell walls have a negative charge. The apoplasm’s negative charges function as cation exchangers, causing cations to accumulate while repelling anions. As a result, charged solute access into the free space is limited. To define “free space,” Hope and Stevens (1952) used the term apparent free space (AFS). Water-free space (WFS), a component of AFS, is open to ions and both charged and uncharged molecules. Another term for the region where anion repulsion and cation exchange occur is Donnan free space (DFS).

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Pecteilis korigadensis: Introduction, Etymology, Distribution, Classification, Description, and Threats   

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Pecteilis korigadensis is different from P. gigantea, P. henryi, P. susannae, and P. triflora in that it has cauline leaves with large, conspicuous flowers and long spurs, a trilobed lip with lateral lobes spreading, a denticulate lip with few lacerations toward the apex, and a midlobe that is shorter than lateral lobes.
2. Terrestrial plants with a height of up to 50 cm (including inflorescence). 2, oblong, 4.0–5.0 1.5–2.0 cm tubers, and 8, 0.5 cm thick roots.
3. Stems are upright, leafy all over, and 2-3 sheathed at the base.
4. Leaves 7, alternating, oblong to lanceolate, 3.5-14.5 1.8-3.5 cm, acute at apex, border whole, sheathing and amplexicaul at the base, midnerve noticeable beneath, with 3 parallel veins on each side.
5. Basal leaves are smaller, increasing larger at somewhat below the middle of the stem. An 8 cm long, 6-flowered terminal raceme with a 2 cm long peduncle covered at the base by broad sterile bracts is the inflorescence.

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Active Absorption: Primary Active Transport, Pumps, Secondary Active Transport, Symport, Antiport, and Cytochrome Pump

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Cytochrome Pump
This theory was put forth by H. Lundegardh in 1954 after he saw that respiration and anion absorption had a quantitative link, but that cation absorption lacked such a relationship. Also observed was that cyanide or even carbon monoxide impeded salt respiration and anion absorption. He consequently proposed that the cytochrome system may transport anions across the membrane and that anion absorption is independent of the cation. Using respiratory intermediates directly as fuel, energy is produced. “Anion respiration” or “salt respiration” is the term used to describe the rate of respiration that is completely governed by anion absorption. Ground respiration is the rate of respiration (apart from anion respiration) that is seen in distilled water.
Total respiration t= Ground respiration + Salt or anion respiration

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Hollyhock  (Alcea rosea): Introduction, Classification, Habitat, Cultivation, propagation and collection, Plant Description, Phytochemicals, Properties and, use

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The Malvaceae family includes Althaea rosea. The Greek word altho, which means to cure, is the source of the name Althaea (generic). Because of the unique abilities of mallows to soften and heal, the word “Malvaceae” (order) is derived from the Greek word malake (soft). The common name Hollyhock may have originated from holy and the Anglo-Saxon term hoc, which stands for Mallon. A majestic decorative plant, Althaea rosea produces a huge, multicoloured single, semi-double, double, or frilled blooms. This plant’s entire body contains mucilage, which is why it is employed in medicine. This herb is helpful for a wide range of illnesses, including cough, arthritis, inflammatory problems, asthma, bronchitis, boils, abscesses, skin scrapes, ulcers, burns, peptic ulceration, renal calculi, and kidney disorders.

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Ion Absorption: Selectivity, Accumulation, Genotype, and, Mechanisms of Ion Absorption

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The soil solution contains the ions of the important plant mineral nutrients that are taken up by plant roots. Even if the concentration may be low, the anions and cations that are freely dissolved in the soil solution are the most easily assimilated by the roots. There are three ways in which these nutrients reach near roots:
(1) Ions diffusing through the soil solution
(2) The passively charged ions carried by the bulk flow of water into the roots and
(3) Roots’ development is extended toward the dissolved ions. Ion uptake is characterized by three principles in both higher and lower plants.

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