Pocket-sized sensor for controlled, quantitative and instantaneous color acquisition of plant leaves.

The color of plant leaves can be assessed qualitatively by color charts or after processing of digital images. This pilot study employed a novel pocket-sized sensor to obtain the color of plant leaves. In order to assess its performance, a color-dependent parameter (SPAD index) was used as the dependent variable, since there is a strong correlation between SPAD index and greenness of plant leaves. A total of 1,872 fresh and intact leaves from 13 crops were analyzed using a SPAD-502 meter and scanned using the Nix™ Pro color sensor. The color was assessed via RGB and CIELab systems. The full dataset was divided into calibration (70% of data) and validation (30% of data). For each crop and color pattern, multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis and multivariate modeling [least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and elastic net (ENET) regression] were employed and compared. The obtained MLR equations and multivariate models were then tested using the validation dataset based on r, R2, root mean squared error (RMSE), and mean absolute error (MAE). In both RGB and CIELab color systems, the Nix™ Pro color sensor was able to differentiate crops, and the SPAD indices were successfully predicted, mainly for mango, quinoa, peach, pear, and rice crops. Validation results indicated that ENET performed best in most crops (e.g., coffee, corn, mango, pear, rice, and soy) and very close to MLR in bean, grape, peach, and quinoa. The correlation between SPAD and greenness is crop-dependent. Overall, the Nix™ Pro color sensor was a fast, sensible and an easy way to obtain leaf color directly in the field, constituting a reliable alternative to digital camera imagery and associated image processing.

Effect of hydro-alcoholic root extract of Plumbago zeylanica l alone and its combination with aqueous leaf extract of Camellia sinensis on haloperidol induced parkinsonism in wistar rats.

BACKGROUND: Herbal medicines have been used to treat PD in ancient medical systems in Asian countries such as India, China, Japan and Korea based on their own anecdotal or experience-based theories. Mucuna pruriens commonly known asvelvet beans, or cow itch, are used in case of spasms associated with Parkinsonism. PURPOSE: To investigate the antiparkinsonism activity of hydro alcoholic root extract of P. zeylanica L (PZE) aloneand its combination withaqueous extract of C. sinensis leaves (AECS) in Haloperidol induced model. METHODS: Parkinsonism (PD) was induced by intraperitoneal administration of Haloperidol (1 mg/kg). The extracts/drugs being tested were administered orally (p.o) 60 min prior to the administration of the Haloperidol. Catalepsy was measured using the metal bar test. RESULTS: Haloperidol induced a time dependent increase in cataleptic score in rats, as compared to vehicle treated groups. All the groups ie L-dopa + carbidopa (syndopa), hydro-alcoholic extract of P. zeylanica alone and its combination with C. sinensis showed significantly (P<0.001) lower scores of catalepsy at all time periods as compared to Haloperidol. Results were analyzed by one way ANOVA followed by Dunnet's multiple comparison tests. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that P. zeylanica alone and its combination with C. sinensis exert a protective effect against PD, while bi-herbal extracts showed more significant protective effect. Hence it may offer a safer therapeutic approach to the treatment of PD and drug induced dyskinesia.