Hedychium coccineum Buch. Ham. ex Sm. is a perennial rhizomatous herb belonging to the family Zingiberaceae. The aim of the present study was to compare the chemical composition and biological activities of H. coccineum rhizome essential oil (HCCRO) and H. coccineum aerial part essential oil (HCCAO). The plant material was subjected to hydro-distillation using Clevenger’s apparatus in order to obtain volatile oil and analyzed for its chemical constituents using GC-MS. The comparative study of the rhizome and aerial part essential oils of H. coccineum displayed that (E)-nerolidol (15.9%), bornyl acetate (13.95%), davanone B (10.9%), spathulenol (8.9%), and 1, 8-cineol (8.5%) contributed majorly to the HCCRO, while 7-hydroxyfarnesen (15.5%), α-farnesene (11.1%), α-pinene (10.9%), spathulenol (7.7%), and β-pinene (6.8%) were present as major constituents in the HCCAO. Both the essential oils were studied for their biological activities, such as nematicidal, insecticidal, herbicidal, antifungal, and antibacterial activities. The essential oils exhibited significant nematicidal activity against Meloidogyne incognita, insecticidal activity against Spodoptera litura, and moderate herbicidal activity against R. raphanistrum sub sp. sativus, and good antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum and Curvularialunata. Essential oils were also tested for antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi. Both oils showed good to moderate activity against the tested pathogens. The significant nematicidal, insecticidal, herbicidal, antifungal, and antibacterial activities of both the essential oils might be helpful for the development of environmentally friendly pesticides that could be an alternative to synthetic pesticides in the future.

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the altitudinal variability in chemical compounds, nematicidal, insecticidal, herbicidal, and antifungal activity of the essential oils of H. coronarium collected from four different habitats of Tarai and Kumaun region of Uttarakhand. Essential oils were hydro-distilled from rhizomes of H. coronarium, and their yield varied from 0.05 to 0.25 (v/w). Based on GC-MS analysis, the major compounds observed were 1, 8-cineole (12.2118.27), coronarin E (10.2014), α-terpineol (5.3210.13), terpinen-4-ol (2.204.67), α-pinene (4.908.77), Z-caryophyllene (4.6712.29), and linalool (1.964.62). To visually observe the variation in the oil composition profile of essential oils, heat map clustering, Venn diagram, and principal component analysis (PCA) were performed. To evaluate the pesticidal properties, the essential oils were tested under laboratory conditions. Additionally, significant nematicidal activity was demonstrated by essential oils against Meloidogyne incognita, good insecticidal activity against Spodoptera litura, and moderate herbicidal activity on Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus, and effective antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum and Curvularia lunata was observed in the current investigation.

The group of cinnamon and hydroxylamine produces significant results in the field of agriculture. So, the combination of both groups in the compound performs effective results in numerous fields of the medicinal and chemical industry. Still, this type of moiety combination is not used in the agricultural field as an herbicide. The cost-effective plant that grows alongside crops develops resistance to current herbicides. To effectively combat undesirable herbs, new or modified groupings are needed. To investigate the prospect of discovering a new class of herbicide, the current work aims to synthesize derivatives of cinnamon hydroxamic acid and screen them for herbicidal activity. A cinnamo hydroxamic acid derivative was synthesized by a reaction of substituted cinnamic acids and hydroxylamine derivatives, and the final product was characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The final product was tested for herbicidal activity against Radish (Raphanus sativus) seeds at 50, 100 and 200 ppm concentrations and compared with standard pendimethalin. Amongst the tested compounds, 3-nitro cinnamo hydroxamic acid (A2), o-tolyl-(3-bromo) cinnamo hydroxamic acid (B1) and 2-bromo-(4-chloro) cinnamo hydroxamic acid) (C1) exhibited activity at par with standard pendimethalin at a concentration of 200 ppm and In silico PASS studies also showed that it has excellent herbicidal properties.

Parthenium hysterophorus L., commonly known as carrot grass (Gajar ghaas), is an annual plant in the Asteraceae family. This study aimed to examine the biological activity and chemical makeup of essential oils extracted from P. hysterophorus plants collected from Dehradun and Haridwar district, Garhwal region, Uttarakhand, India. The plant material underwent hydro-distillation using a Clevenger apparatus to extract the volatile oils. These essential oils were then analyzed for their chemical constituents using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The GC-MS analysis identified several major compounds in the essential oils from both districts, including β-cyperone (5.11-12.16%), 1-isopropenyl-4-methyl-1,2-cyclohexanediol (3.0-3.7%), 2,3-bornanediol (1.73-6.13%), isolongifolol (1.32-2.73%), saussurea lactone (0.76-7.81%), and neoclovene oxide (0.97-1.48%). Using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and heat map clustering, the differences in biological activity and chemical composition of the oils were visualised. These analyses helped illustrate the differences and similarities in the chemical profiles and biological effects of the oils from the two districts. Both essential oils demonstrated significant allelopathic effects against Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus (wild radish) seeds and showed moderate antifungal activity against Colletotrichum lindemuthianum and Curvularia lunata. These findings indicate that the essential oils from Parthenium hysterophorus L. possess notable allelopathic and antifungal properties, suggesting their potential applications in agriculture.

The study examined the effects of different phosphorus levels and plant spacing on the growth, yield, and economic viability of black wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), a variety known for its nutritional benefits. The experiment was conducted during the 2023–24 rabi season at the Crop Research Farm of Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand University in Dehradun, India. A factorial randomized block design with three replications was employed. Four phosphorus levels (40, 50, 60, and 70 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹) were applied as diammonium phosphate (DAP) at planting, in combination with three plant spacings (15 cm x 10 cm, 20 cm x 10 cm, and 25 cm x 10 cm).The results showed that 70 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ significantly improved growth parameters, yield attributes, and nitrogen uptake, while the optimal plant spacing of 25 cm x 10 cm further enhanced these outcomes. The highest grain and straw yields were obtained with 70 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹, though 60 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ provided similar yields with greater cost-effectiveness. Economic analysis indicated that the combination of 70 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ and optimal spacing (25 cm X 10 cm) resulted in the highest net returns. These findings suggest that strategic phosphorus application, combined with appropriate plant spacing, can improve both the productivity and profitability of black wheat cultivation, offering a sustainable approach to agriculture.