Bryophytes

The species diversity of bryophytes growing under the influence of heavy metal industries of Rajasthan were studied to determine the absorption and accumulation of heavy metals potential and use them as biomonitoring tool. Seven bryophytes were collected from different localities of the surrounding industrial areas from the Hindustan Zinc Smelter Debari (HZS) Udaipur; and Hindustan Copper Smelter (HCS) Khetri, Jhunjhunu. The collected bryophytes belonged to two important taxonomic groups: (1) mosses, such as Funaria hygrometrica Hedw. (Pottiaceae), Hyophila involuta (Hook.) A. Jaeger (Pottiaceae), Barbula constricta Mitt. (Pottiaceae), Hydrogonium consenguineum (Thwaites & Mitt.) Hilp. (Pottiaceae), Bryum recurvulum Mitt. (Bryaceae); and (2) liverworts such as Plagiochasma appendiculatum Lehm & Lindenb. (Aytoniaceae) and Riccia glauca L. (Ricciaceae). The heavy metal absorption and deposition efficiency were determined by using Atomic absorption Spectrophotomer from digested plant samples in nitric and hydrochloric acid (HNO3-HCl, 1-3 ratio) mixture. Results showed that high absorption and accumulation of Zn and Cu were observed in moss F. hygrometrica (54.26 and 55.96 ppm) followed by H. involuta (51.33 and 46.12) and B. constricta (50.98 and 51.97). A liverwort P. appendiculatum accumulated comparatively less amount of Zn and Cu (48.78 and 44.88 ppm) respectively suggesting that mosses are more efficient to absorb and accumulate heavy metals than liverworts very less amount of Pb and Cd was also reported in all analyzed samples. In vitro studies of selected bryophytes showed that F. hygrometrica and B. constricta survived upto 50 ppm concentrations of Zn and Cu contaminated culture medium whereas P. appendiculatum only upto 40 ppm concentrations of both the heavy metals with high percentage of regenerants and gametophores formation. The present study revealed that mosses and liverworts have a significant potential to absorb and accumulate heavy metals, making them useful biomonitoring tool. Further this study will also unlock the naturally occurring bryophytes may be used as pollution monitoring agents due to their high efficiency of absorption and accumulation of heavy metals growing in contaminated environment.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of different fractions of aqueous, ethanolic and methanolic extracts of certain bryophytes such as Plagiochasma appendiculatum (Liverwort) Anthoceros longii (Hornwort), Fissidens bryoides and Entodon prorepens (Mosses) against phytopathogenic fungi Alternaria solani, Curvularia lunata and Fusarium moniliforme using poisoned food technique. The results revealed that the radial growth in form of colony diameter, fresh weight of test fungi drastically reduced in response to all concentrations ranged from 10 to 100 per cent especially in the plant material extracted with methanol showed strong antifungal activity with significance inhibition on percent inhibition and fungal hyphal length of all test fungi. Among plants P.appendiculatum extract showed potent antifungal activity followed by A. longii, F. bryoides and E. prorepens. Fungus F. moniliforme exhibited most sensitivity in methanolic extract of P. appendiculatum followed by C. lunata and A. solani. Findings of this study confirmed that all four bryophytes have some potent bioactive phytochemicals which showed antifungal activity resulting in the suppression of fungal growth therefore, after further analysis of extracts and confirmation of phytochemicals, extracts of these, plants can be used as natural and ecofriendly fungicides to control phytopathogenic fungi to reduce the pressure of use of synthetic fungicides.