title: Vermicompost and farmyard manure improves food quality, antioxidant and antibacterial potential of Cajanus cajan (L. Mill sp.) leaves.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) leaves are a good source of nutrition and health benefitting phenolic compounds. However, its importance has not yet been effectively addressed. Recently, a 2-year field experiment was attempted in an alluvial soil to understand the role of various organic and inorganic fertilisers and their combinations not only on soil quality, but also on production of foremost phenolic compounds and imparting antioxidant and antibacterial properties in C. cajan under vermicompost treatments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Notable enhancements in crude protein, soluble carbohydrate, ash content and total flavonoid content were recorded in Cajanus leaves under vermicompost treatments. We detected a significant rise in carlinoside content in C. cajan leaves, which is known to reduce bilirubin concentration in hepatitis affected human blood. Farmyard manure treatments resulted in a high crude fibre content coupled with a substantially high concentration of total phenols, and chlorophyll. In addition, incorporation of vermicompost with or without inorganic fertiliser in the soil had a significant impact on antioxidant and antibacterial properties of C. cajan leaves. Above and beyond, farmyard manure and vermicompost positively influenced the physico-chemical health of the soil.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present nutrient management scheme based on organic input not only induced a higher yield of C. cajan endowed with improved antioxidant and antibacterial properties, but also enhanced the production of various phenolic compounds. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
authors.affiliation: Soil & Agro Bio-engineering Lab, Department of Environmental Science, Tezpur University, Tezpur, -784028, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Subhasish
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Soil & Agro Bio-engineering Lab, Department of Environmental Science, Tezpur University, Tezpur, -784028, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Nazneen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Tezpur, -784028, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Bhaskarjyoti
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gogoi
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Tezpur, -784028, Assam, India.|Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh, -786001, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Alak Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Buragohain
authors.affiliation: Soil & Agro Bio-engineering Lab, Department of Environmental Science, Tezpur University, Tezpur, -784028, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Satya Sundar
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D036561:Cajanus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000069599:Crop Production; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000032:analysis; D047309:Flavones / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D063427:Food Quality; D058870:Food, Organic / Q000032:analysis; D055951:Functional Food / Q000032:analysis; D006027:Glycosides / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008372:Manure; D009753:Nutritive Value; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D012987:Soil; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D047309:Flavones; D005419:Flavonoids; D006027:Glycosides; D008372:Manure; D010636:Phenols; D012987:Soil; C568398:carlinoside; D002734:Chlorophyll
keywords: Cajanus cajan; carlinoside; plant phenolics; radical scavenging activity; vermicomposts