ABSTRACT

The effect of fertilizer application and water stress (drought) on the chemical composition and antimicrnbial activity of Ocinnun gralisthmnn L and Goigroneina lalifolium Benth was investigated. Cultivated 0. gratisimwn and G latiolizim were applied with NPK (15:15:15) fertilizer at 100 Kg/ha, 200 Kg/ha, 300Kg/ha, 400 Kg/ha and 500 Kg/ha treatment levels in 7 litre planting buckets derived using furrow slice method two months after gcrmination No fertilizer treatment served as control.. One application was made. Mother set of cultivated 0. gralisrimum and G. IaIfolium in planting buckets were subjected to mild water stress by supplying the planting bucket with 500 ml of water once in a week, while the control treatment was by supplying the planting bucket with 750 ml of waler three times in a week Treatment commenced two months after germination. The leaves of the plants from the two sets of experiments were harvested for analysis one month after treatment.. The leaf was used for the analysis, since it is the most eaten part Fertilizer treatment significantly (<0.05) increased the moisture content, dry matter, ash, czude protein, crude fibre, crude fat, alkaloid, flavonoid, phenol, saponin, steroid, tannin, potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus and nitrogen content of the leaves of 0. gra!issimwn and G. lalfoliiim, and essential oil yield, and iodine value of the leaves of 0. gralissimuin. It has no significant effect on ascorbic acid, niacin, thiamine of both plants, and riboflavin and saponification value of 0. gratissimum. Fertilizer treatment significantly, (<0.05) decreased the carbohydrate, and calcium contents and calorific value of the plants used for the study. The antimicrobial activity of the leaves of 0. gralissiirnim and G. laifolium on Kkbsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia co/i Stap/ylococcus aurlies, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella tjphi, Streptococcus faecalis. and Ca,thda athicans was significantly(<005) increased by fertilizer trealment The inhibition zone increased with increase in the level of fertilizer treatment. The ethanolic extract of both plants whether treated or not had no antimicrobial effect on Aspergi/1sL niger Water stress significantly, (<0.05) reduced the carbohydrate, moisture content, dry matter, crude fat, phenol, saponin, steroid, potassium, calcium and ascorbic acid contents of the leaves or both plant.s and niacin, and thiamine contents of the leaves of 0 graftcimnm Water stress also significantly, (<0.05) increased the ash, cnjde protein, crude fibre, alkaloid, nitrogen contents of the leaves of both plants and the calorific value of the leaves of G. latifolitim. while it had no significant effect on the flavonoid, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, riboflavin of the leaves of both plants, and niacin, and thiamine contents, caloriflc value, essential oil yield, iodine value and saponification value of the leaves of 0. gralissimiim. Water stress led to significant decrease (<005) in the antimicrobial activity of the leaves the test plants on K pneumomae. E co/i, S alirues, P aerugmora, £ phi. S faecaiLc and C. a!bica,zs A niger activity was not affected by the extracts of stressed plants of both specie& This research has revealed that fertilizer treatment increased the quantity of most of the chemical constituents of the Leaves of both plants, which in turn enhances their efficacy and medicinal value Water stress negatively affected the efficacy and medicinal value of the leaves of the plants by the reduction of the bioactive substances in the leaves of the plants.