The study tested the efficacy of extracts from chir pine needles at different concentrations (0.5-2.5%) against two bamboo decay fungi, Hypoxylon fragiforme and Hypoxylon rubiginosum, through a malt-agar bioassay. Phytochemical analysis revealed phenol, terpenoid, flavonoid, alkaloid, and tannin functional groups in the extracts. The bioassay results showed the fungal growth was completely inhibited at the highest extract concentration of 2.5%, demonstrating the potential of chir pine needle extracts as a natural preservative.

1. TESTING THE EFFICACY OF EXTRACTIVES FROM CHIR PINE
NEEDLES THROUGH MALT-AGAR BIOASSAY AGAINST
BAMBOO DECAYING FUNGI
INTRODUCTION
The chir pine (Pinus roxburghii) is a native to the outer and main valleys of the Himalaya. Chir pine is an important pine for resin
production in the Himalayan region. Chir pine needles extractives are rich in resin and essential oil. The present study was carried out
to evaluate the efficacy of chir pine needles extractives at different concentrations (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 %) against bamboo decaying
fungi viz., Hypoxylon fragiforme and Hypoxylon rubiginosum through malt-agar bioassay. Extractives of chir pine needles were
subjected to phytochemical analysis to determine the presence of major functional groups. The result revealed that at higher
concentration the growth of the bamboo decaying fungi were completely inhibited.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
• The chir pine needles were collected
from Reserve Forest, FRI, Dehradun
and were Soxhlet for extraction using
Methanol AR (Singh, 2002).
• Qualitative analysis of functional group
of chir pine needles extractives (Vogel,
1978).
• Malt-agar bioassay (Hunt and Garratt,
1967).
RESULT
• The qualitative analysis of chir pine
needles showed the presence of
phenol, terpenoid, flavonoid, alkaloid
and tannin in chir pine needles extract
while carbohydrate was absent.
• The result of malt-agar bioassay
revealed the growth of 100% and
95.88% for H. fragiforme and H.
rubiginosum, respectively in control
sample while with the increase of
concentration (extractives) the growth
declined and at 2.5% concentration
inhibited the growth of both fungi
completely.
CONCLUSION
The study reveals that the chir pine
needles extractives is effective in
inhabiting the growth of fungi (H.
fragiforme and H. rubiginosum) at low
concentration (2.5%). This might be due to
the presence of different functional group
present in the extracts.
RECOMMENDATION
The chir pine needles extractives worked as an effective eco-friendly preservative
at low concentration in laboratory further recommended for trials on wood
/bamboo productds.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors are thankful to Dr. Savita, Director, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, India for providing the facilities. Authors are
also thankful to the staff of Wood Preservation Discipline for providing necessary assistance.
Control 0.5% conc. 1% conc. 1.5% conc. 2% conc.
Hypoxylon fragiforme
Hypoxylon rubiginosum
Control 0.5% conc. 1% conc. 1.5% conc. 2% conc. 2.5% conc.
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5
MeanGrowthInhibition(%)
Concentration (%) of chir pine needles extractives
Hypoxylon
fragiforme
Hypoxylon
rubiginosum
A. Sumi, S. Tripathi and N.S.K. Harsh
Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.
2.5% conc.