ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OFFLAVONOIDS HAVING POTENTIAL AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS

Abstract

Pakistan is basically mi agricultural country and its GNP depends larg, I ... on 11: agriculturnJ development. Sigrulicant progress has b eu made iu the agn ltn • :.;1;.· o• since independence. for instance the production of the four main cash er ,p..; i e. "II ·at rice, sugarcane and cotton has risen four times, giving rise to an increase val 111: or about 1· .- 'iO/H>O mi I I ions per annum, However in spite of this increased production, the yield p r hector remains very low as compared to some other countries. Clearly far more ue eds lo Le done apart from the use of pesticides and fertilizers, in this vitally important ti\. Id and the judicious application of science can play an important role. tJavouoid compounds have been reported to be involved in a r;rnnb?r of agricultural applications, Frn 11,?tail(;l th') ad a8 phytoalaxins and provide plants defense against microbial and fim?al attn k Flavonoids help in pollination, stimulate seed germination and plant 1 ,>\\th These compounds also play an important role in the process of nitrogen fixation. Fla 01101d. have also beeu found to protect food and farm products

. from lun wti1l , wit u, )W, L Jal li?IIL awl autuxidaliou. They are reported to be involved in th. unlivu al, m1ltlecda11t molluscicidal, rodeutocidal and insecticidal activities. TI1e estrogenic adt 11ly ,r Ilavouoids is weJI known and many other agricultural applications can bl "itt'-d. 11 evident that the involvement offlavonoid technology in the field of agriculnu al will pro e to be a turning point in the agricultural development of Pakistan and will pro id au answer to the low per hector production. TI1e present project was th .relorc ai111 d al the isolation and characterization of flavonoids from indigenou · plant .SJ)l' J • au I their possible application in the Hgt icultural sector. It is also de ·jn: d to iutroduc · oth ·1 scientific means tor the production of healthy wad high yield crops,