Occurrence of serine proteinase inhibitors in seeds of some plants Manoramya T, Shanthi M*, Murugan M1, Kokiladevi E2, Mini M L3, Pushpam A Kavitha4 Department of Agricultural Entomology, Agricultural College & Research Institute (AC&RI), Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Madurai, 625104 1Department of Agricultural Entomology, TNAU, Coimbatore, 641003 2Department of Plant Biotechnology, Centre for Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, TNAU, Coimbatore, 641003 3Department of Biotechnology, Centre of Innovation, AC&RI, TNAU, Madurai, 625104 4Department Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, AC&RI, TNAU, Killikulam, 628252 *Email: mshanthiento@tnau.ac.in (corresponding author)
Online published on 24 September, 2020. Abstract Serine proteinase inhibitors, produced by plants, inhibiting protein digestion in herbivorous insects, can be used as one of the best ecofriendly IPM tactics. In this context, laboratory assay was conducted to identify the potential source of serine proteinase inhibitors from the seeds of 38 plant species corresponding to nine families. Among them, extracts from 20 species exhibited both trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory activity (TIA and CIA respectively) and 15 plant species possess TIA. The maximum TIA [9878 TIU (Trypsin Inhibitory Unit) g−1 of seed] was observed in Momordica balsamina seed extract. Erythrina variegata was found to possess both TIA (2737 TIU g−1 of seed) and CIA (2800 CIU Chymotrypsin Inhibitory Unit g−1 of seed). Seeds of two species may be utilized as a potential source of proteinase inhibitor in insect control programme. These presence of trypsin inhibitory activity in M. balsamina is reported for the first time. Top Keywords Serine proteinase inhibitor, Ecofriendly IPM, Trypsin inhibitory activity, Chymotrypsin inhibitory activity, Seeds, Plants. Top |