Journal of Plant Biotechnology

The Korean Society of Plant Biotechnology (한국식물생명공학회)
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Effects of commercial soils on germination, early growth, and chlorophyll content of Aspilia africana, a medicinal plant

  • Okello, Denis (Herbal Medicine Resources Research Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM)) ;
  • Komakech, Richard (Herbal Medicine Resources Research Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM)) ;
  • Kim, Yong-Goo (Herbal Medicine Resources Research Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM)) ;
  • Rahmat, Endang (Herbal Medicine Resources Research Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM)) ;
  • Chung, Yuseong (Herbal Medicine Resources Research Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM)) ;
  • Omujal, Francis (Natural Chemotherapeutics Research Institute (NCRI), Ministry of Health) ;
  • Kang, Youngmin (Herbal Medicine Resources Research Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM))
  • Received : 2021.03.09
  • Accepted : 2021.06.20
  • Published : 2021.06.30
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Abstract

Aspilia africana (Pers) C.D.Adams, a plant used for centuries in many African countries to treat diseases such as osteoporosis, malaria, tuberculosis, and diabetes, is of great pharmaceutical interest, yet there is limited scientific literature on its germination and growth. This research paper describes the effects of different commercial soils on the germination, growth, and chlorophyll content of A. africana. The germination parameters assessed included final germination percentage (FGP), mean germination time (MGT), and germination index (GI). Shoot length, leaf number, and fresh and dry weights were some of the parameters used to assess A. africana growth. The FGP was low and did not vary significantly; the MGT was 7 ~ 10 days; and the GI was significantly higher in PPS soil at 4.61 ± 0.332 days. Aspilia africana plants in HS:PPS soil showed the best overall growth, producing the highest mean leaf number (18.00 ± 1.129), longest mean shoot length (202.43 ± 13.451 mm), and highest mean fresh and dry weights (7.08 ± 1.061 g and 0.629 ± 0.112 g, respectively). The highest chlorophyll content in leaves of A. africana under HS:PPS conditions suggested a higher photosynthetic potential of plants in this soil. The best growth performance of A. africana in the HS:PPS soil could be attributed to a higher amount of certain mineral nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus in the HS:PPS soil compared to the other soil categories. It is unclear why the FGP of A. africana was low and we recommend an exclusive study to investigate this further.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This study was supported under the framework of International Cooperation Program (Korea-South Africa Cooperative Research Project for Excavation of Candidate Resources of Complementary and Alternative Medicine) managed by National Research Foundation of Korea (grant no. 2017 093655 and KIOM: D17470). Additionally, this work was also supported by Development of Foundational Techniques for the Domestic Production of Herbal Medicines (K18405), Development of Sustainable Application for Standard Herbal Resources (KSN2013320), Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine through the Ministry of Science and ICT, Republic of Korea. The authors greatly thank Mr. Gang Roggers (National Agricultural Research Organization, Uganda) for collecting the seeds of the plant.

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