EVALUATION OF MINERAL CONTENTS
Dr. Arun Vats*Komal Lata Nagpal**
ABSTRACT
Plant parts such as roots, shoots and fruits of all the selected plant species were collected fresh from two different sites of Jhunjhunu district as mentioned above, were dried separately. Each of the dried plant parts was powdered and then subjected to mineral analysis. Calcium and Phosphorus contents were estimated by Talpatraet al. (1940) method. For the estimation of Potassium and Sodium method given by Bhargava and Raghupathi (1993) was followed.
Calcium content was found to be maximum (1.93%) in the shoots of Solanumnigrum collected from Pilani area and minimum (1.08%) in the fruits of Barleriaprionitis collected from Nawalgarh area.
Concentration of phosphorus was observed maximum (1.70%) in the fruits of Solanumnigrumc ollected from Nawalgarh area and minimum (0.61%) in the roots of Solanumsurattense collected from Pilani.
Maximum (0.26%) potassium content was found in the shoots of Barleriaprionitiswhile minimum (0.05%) in the roots of same plant collected from Pilani area.
Sodium content was found to be maximum (0.72%) in the fruits of Barleriaprionitis collected from Nawalgarh area and minimum (0.14%) in roots of Solanumsuratensse collected from Pilani area.
INTRODUCTION:
Plant body is composed primarily of carbohydrate proteins, amino acids, nucleotides, lipids and porphyrins. The plant parts used by desert dwellers has not been analysed fully from nutritive value point of view. Life can not be sustained without adequate nourishment. Man needs adequate food for growth, development and to lead an active and healthy life.
Minerals are also a type of nutritive contents. Macronutrients are required in large quantities (more than 100 mg/ltr of water) to the plant and usually participate in body construction (C, H, O, N, S, P, K, Mg, Ca, Fe, Na). Micronutrients are required in smaller quantities (100 or less mg/ltr of water) and usually participate in various metabolic activities. These mineral constitute major part of the animal diet. Some of these are important in various metabolic activities also.These nutritive contents are found in all green plants. The primary productivity of the green autotrophic plants is the main base for the present existence of entire biosphere. It determines the carry capacity of earth for human beings. Great importance is being laid on the rate of energy storage in diverse ecosystem by green plants. Primary productivity is the gain in the weight of organic matter generated by photosynthesis in a given period of time. Net production is that part of gross photosynthetic production, which is accumulated in plant after metabolic activities and hence becomes available for utilization as food.
EVALUATION OF MINERAL CONTENTS:
The present investigation deals with evaluation of mineral contents of roots, shoots, and fruits of Barleriaprionites, Solanumnigrumand Solanumsurattense.
Materials and Methods
The roots, shoots and fruits of all the three selected plant species taken for present investigation were collected from Nawalgarh and Pilani areas of Jhunjhunu district.
Plant parts of Barleriaprionites, Solanumnigrumand Solanumsurattense were collected in polythene bags. The samples were dried powdered and then used for estimation of minerals i.e. Phosphorus, and Calcium.
Estimation of Calcium and Phosphorus
For the estimation of Calcium and Phosphorus method given by Talpatraet al., (1940) was followed.
filter paper No. 42. The volume of filtered solution was made to 250 ml. with distilled water and kept as a stock solution for the estimation of Calcium and Phosphorus.
Procedure for Calcium content estimation
25 ml. of stock solution was taken in a beaker of 250 ml. 50 ml. of distilled water and 10 ml. of saturated ammonium oxalate was added. Two drops of alcoholic acid was also added. Acidity of solution was adjusted at the pH 4.6 by adding concentrated ammonia solution drop by drop till a brown coloured precipitate began to appear and then dilute ammonia solution was added till white coloured precipitate appeared.
The content of the beaker were kept overnight allowing the precipitate to settle down and on the next day the solution was filtered through Whatman filter paper number 40. The precipitate was washed several times with hot distilled water to remove excess oxalate. Precipitate was dissolved in 100 ml. distilled water and 10 ml. concentrated sulphuric acid. This solution was heated at 60-70°C for 30 minutes and filtered against N/10 potassium permanganate solution. The filteration was carried out until a stable pink colour appeared. The Calcium contents were calculated as follows :
ml. of KMNO4 x 0.002 x 10 x 100 Percentage of Calcium =
gm. of sample taken for ashing Where 10 is the dilution factor.
Procedure for Phosphorus content estimation
ml. of N/7 NaOH x 10 x 0.0001925
Percentage Phosphorus = x 100
gm. of sample taken for ashing
Where, 10 is the dilution factor.
Estimation of Potassium and Sodium
For the estimation of Potassium and Sodium content, method given by Bhargava and Raghupathi (1993) was followed.
Procedure for Potassium content estimation
The plant sample was digested with triacid i.e. H2SO4, Perchloric acid and nitric acid (3:2:1) and made the volume in 100 ml volumatric flask. A series of standard of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 ppm K solution was prepared by taking 0, 2, 4, 6, and 10 ml of 100 ppm K solution in 100 ml flask respectively and made up their volume. The standard was feeded in flame photometer and took the reading. A standard curve was prepared concentrations verses flame photometer readings. The readings of unknown samples were noted by flame photometer and the concentration was found out with the help of standard curve.
Calculation
Volume of extract prepared
Concentration of K in plant sample = R x
Weight of sample
100
= R
X
Where , X = Weight of plant sample.
R = ppm potassium in plant sample from standard curve.
100 1 1
Percent Potassium = R x = R
Procedure for Sodium content estimation
1 gm. of ground plant material was taken in 100 ml volumetric flask and added 10 ml of diacid mixture of HNO3 and HClO4 in 9:4 ratio. The flask was heated on heating device in a digestion chamber, first at low and then at higher temperature until the production of red NO2 fumes ceases. The contents were further evaporated until the volume was reduced to about 3 to 5 ml. The completion of digestion was confirmed when the liquid became colourless. Cooled the flask and added double distilled water and made the volume upto mark and filtered the solution. A series of standards of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 ppm Na was prepared by taking 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 ml of 100 ppm Na solution in 100 ml flasks, respectively and made up their volume. The readings of standards were taken by flame photometer. Standard curve was prepared by plotting the concentration on x-axis and flame photometer readings on y-axis.
Readings of sample extract were also taken by flame photometer. The concentration of Na was found out from standard curve.
Calculation
Concentration of Sodium (ppm) = R x volume of extract prepared / X = R x 100/X
Where, R = ppm Na in plant sample from standard curve. X = weight of sample (gm)
1 1
Concentration of Na in percent = R x 100 x = R
10000 100
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Concentration of the mineral contents in the various plant parts (roots, shoots and fruits) of all the selected plant species collected from two different sites i.e. Nawalgarh and Pilani of Jhunjhunu district are presented in Table- 5.1 to 5.4.
Concentration of phosphorus was observed maximum (1.70%) in the fruits of Solanumnigrumcollected from Nawalgarh area and minimum (0.61%) in the roots of Solanumsurattensecollected from Pilani (Table- 5.2).
Maximum (0.26%) potassium content was found in the shoots of Barleriaprioniteswhile minimum (0.05%) in the roots of same plant collected from Pilani area (Table- 5.3).
Sodium content was found to be maximum (0.72%) in the fruits of Barleriaprionitescollected from Nawalgarh area and minimum (0.14%) in roots of Solanumsuratenssecollected from Pilani area (Table- 5.4).
TABLE - 5.1
Calcium contents of various plant parts of selected plant species (percentage on dry matter basis)
I - Nawalgarh II - Pilani 0
0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
Barleria prionitis Solanum nigrum Solanum surattense
Per
cen
ta
ge
Roots I Roots II Shoots I Shoots II Fruits I
Plants Roots Shoots Fruits
I II I II I II
Barlariaprionitis 1.56 1.61 1.57 1.83 1.08 1.46
Solanumnigrum 1.20 1.49 1.89 1.93 1.84 1.87
TABLE - 5.2
Phosphorus contents of various plant parts of selected plant species (percentage on dry matter basis)
Plants Roots Shoots Fruits
I II I II I II
Barlariaprionitis 0.96 0.94 0.82 0.98 1.02 1.24
Solanumnigrum 1.22 1.05 0.67 0.72 1.70 1.58
Solanumsurattense 0.75 0.61 0.66 0.58 1.04 0.92
I - Nawalgarh II - Pilani 66
0 0.2 0.4 0.6
0.81
1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8
Barleria prionitis Solanum nigrum Solanum surattense
Per
cen
ta
ge
Roots I Roots II Shoot s I Shoot s II Fruits I
0 0.1 0.2 0.3
Barleria prionitis Solanum nigrum Solanum surattense
Per
cen
ta
ge
TABLE - 5.3
Potassium contents of various plant parts of selected plant species (percentage on dry matter basis)
Plants Roots Shoots Fruits
I II I II I II
Barlariaprionitis 0.09 0.05 0.21 0.26 0.16 0.12
Solanumnigrum 0.13 0.20 0.17 0.14 0.11 0.07
Solanumsurattense 0.10 0.12 0.19 0.16 0.15 0.10
I - Nawalgarh II - Pilani
TABLE - 5.4
Sodium contents of various plant parts of selected plant species (percentage on dry matter basis)
Plants Roots Shoots Fruits
I II I II I II
Barlariaprionitis 0.45 0.38 0.52 0.49 0.72 0.64
Solanumnigrum 0.28 0.35 0.41 0.39 0.19 0.22
Solanumsurattense 0.21 0.14 0.44 0.48 0.31 0.27
I - Nawalgarh II - Pilani 0
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8
Barleria prionitis Solanum nigrum Solanum surattense
Per
cen
ta
ge
Roots I
Roots II
Shoots I
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1. The mineral contents in various arid zone plants have been studied by Mathur, Karwasra, 1967; Purohit and Mathur, 1970; Nag et al., 1979; Harsh et al., 1980; Grover and Nag, 1984.
2. Sethia, Mathur, Singh and Nag (1987) reported 0.124% phosphorus in leaves of Heliotropiummarifolium and 7.80% calcium in leaves of Heliotropiumrarifolium. 3. Mathur, Kapoor and Nag (1988) reported mineral contents (Calcium and Phosphorus)
in various plant parts of Zaleyaredimita, Glinaslotoides and Blepharissindica.
4. Kapoor, Mathur and Nag (1988) estimated the mineral contents (Calcium and Phsophorus) in roots, shoots and fruits of Aervatomentosa.
5. Kapoor, B.B.S. (1991) estimated Phosphorus and Calcium in different parts of Fagoniacretica and Aervatomentosa.
6. Joshi, A.J. and Krishna (1993) estimated mineral contents in the roots, stems and leaves of forage halophyte Sporobolusmadraspatanus Bor. 66.87 meq g-1 concentration of sodium was found to be in roots, 12.21 meq g-1 Potassium was observed in leaves and 54.44 meq g-1 Calcium was found to be in the roots.
7. Rajput, P. and Sen, D.N. (1993) reported the mineral status in the stem and leaves of Atriplex spp. in Indian desert.
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Aervapersica, Euphorbia microphyllaand Glinuslotoides in different seasons.
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24.Khoobchandani, M. et al. (2010) has evaluate the analytical profile of traditional Eruca sativa seed oil.
25.Geoffery, M. et al. (2012) has reported the mineral composition from leaf and stem bark powders of Pappeacapensis.