Gibberellic acid (GA3) is a pivotal plant hormone known for its extensive role in promoting growth and development. Its efficacy in ameliorating metal stress in plants has garnered considerable attention, positioning it as a potential mitigator of heavy metal toxicity. Therefore, we have conducted a pot experiment to explore the effects of GA3 on spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) under varying levels of copper (Cu) stress. The experiment was structured around three different Cu concentrations in the soil—0, 200, and 400 mg kg−1 coupled with the application of GA3 at three concentrations—0, 50, and 100 mg L−1. Our results revealed that Cu stress markedly reduced plant growth, biomass, and photosynthetic pigment concentrations while elevating Cu accumulation in various parts of the spinach plants. Conversely, the application of GA3 significantly counteracted these effects by enhancing plant growth and photosynthesis rates and reducing the Cu concentration within the plants. These findings underscore the protective and promotive effects of GA3 in mitigating copper stress. In conclusion, GA3 emerges as a promising agent for improving plant growth and composition under heavy metal stress conditions. Its application could potentially ameliorate the adverse effects of Cu toxicity. However, for a comprehensive understanding of its benefits and mechanisms, further detailed molecular studies are warranted in field environments. This study highlights the potential of GA3 as a beneficial growth regulator in agricultural practices, especially in soils afflicted with heavy metal contamination

Proline (Pro) is one of the compatible solutes that play an important role against salinity through osmotic adjustment and protecting membranes in plants. The aim of the present study was to determine the alleviation of salinity stress by the application of proline in flax plant. Three flax genotypes Roshni, Chandni and Desi were tested against salinity, i.e. 0 mM NaCl (Control) and 180 mM NaCl. Two levels of proline 0mM and5 mM and were applied through three different mods, i.e. pre-sowing seed treatment, foliar spray and root growing medium. Salinity substantially decreased the growth and yield of flax plants by decreasing shoot fresh, photosynthetic pigments (Chlorophyll a and b) with a concurrent decrease in both shoot and root Ca2+ and K+. A considerable increase in both shoot and root Na+, increased level of antioxidants (catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase) and total soluble proteins was also observed in flex plants exposed to salinity stress. Exogenous application of proline enhanced the growth and yield of flex plants. This was accompanied by increased shoot fresh weights and antioxidants with a parallel increase in Ca2+ and K+ contents of shoot and root tissues. At the same time, a substantial decrease in both shoot and root Na+ was noted under exogenously applied proline. Among all proline levels, 5mM concentration showed the most improvement in growth and yield of salinity stressed flax plants. As observed from PCA model, foliar application of proline was the most effective in alleviating the adverse effects of salinity stress compared with rooting or water sprayed flex plants.

 

Present investigation was conducted to evaluate the effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi, Glomus mixture alone and in combination to alleviate the salinity stress in wheat variety (AaS-2011). Sterilized seeds were soaked in culture of Staphylococcus sciuri and Bacillus cereus for 2 to 4 hours prior to sowing. Fungal inocula (Glomus mixture) was also mixed in pots with soil. Plants were grown in an incubator under controlled conditions. Both the PGPR have improved plant biomass, relative water content, leaf area, enhanced proline production and resulted in an increase of antioxidant enzymes SOD, POD and catalase activities. The inoculation with a mixture of Glomus species as well as its co-inoculation with bacterial strains was found to be the most effective in terms of growth, biochemical and physiological parameters of plants under salinity stress. It is inferred that Glomus species act in synergism with Bacillus cereus > Staphylococcus sciuri in the amelioration of adverse effects of salt stress

Maize productivity is increasingly compromised by changing climatic conditions, with high temperature stress being a major factor in yield losses. Integrated strategies focusing on efficient resource utilization and heat-tolerant maize hybrids are crucial for sustained production. Improving heat tolerance in maize has become one of the top priorities for maize breeding programs. Thus, a new heat-tolerant maize hybrid FH-988 developed in 2021. This hybrid was evaluated in various yield trials from 2011 to 2018 and showed promising yields. It gave 9028 and 9675 kg/ha grain yield in adaptability trials during spring 2017 and 2018 that was 7% higher than its check YH-1898. Under high temperature stress (33.4-43.5ºC) during 2020 & 2021, FH-988 exhibited superior performance against checks DK-6724, YH-1898, P-1429, and FH-1046 by 21%, 13%, 52%, and 49% respectively. Finally, FH-988 not only offers potential as a top choice for the spring season but is also suitable for late sowing.

 

Globally temperature is increasing continuously due to climate change and anthropogenic activities. This rampant increase in temperature disturbs certain plant metabolic functions and retards plant growth. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is highly economical but heat prune crops that hamper growth at high temperatures. Salicylic acid (SA) is a plant hormone used to mitigate environmental stresses but its role against high temperatures is largely unknown. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the impact of SA (0.0 mM, 0.25 mM, 0.75 mM, and 1.25 mM) exogenous foliar applications on tomato crops under elevated temperatures at 30 days (35 ± 2°C), 60 days (40 ± 2°C), and 90 days interval (45 ± 2°C). The results revealed that SA application was quite effective in enhancing tomato morphological traits including number of leaves, flowers, plant height, and stem diameter, and SA 0.25 mM concentration was highly efficient among other treatments. Likewise, in plant physiological traits, the highest leaf relative water contents (0.04%), photosynthesis rate (4.80 μmol m-2s-1), vapor pressure deficient (14.44 kPa), and lowest stomatal conductance (326.86 gs, mol m-2s-1) and transpiration rate (326.86 mol m-2s-1) were also observed at a similar concentration. The application of SA on tomato crops under high elevated temperatures ameliorated its quality attributes like total soluble solids, titratable acidity, and ascorbic acid contents

Non-host disease resistance (NHR) is a broad-spectrum disease resistance in plants stimulated by non-adapted pathogenic with persistent disease resistance properties. In recent years, NHR has been considered as a new strategy for disease control. In this study, Aalternaria alternata and E. turcicum were inoculated into the main tobacco varieties Hong Hua Da Jin Yuan (HD) and K326. The expression of disease resistance genes (NtAOS, NtJAZ, NtMYC2) in the upstream and downstream of Jasmonic acid Pathway (JA) and disease resistance genes (NtMAPK, NtPR1, NtPR2, NtPR11) in the upstream and downstream of Salicylic acid Pathway (SA) were analyzed by RT-qPCR. The changes of SOD, POD, PAL enzyme activity and H2O2 content were detected. The results showed that the expression levels of NtMAPK, NtPR1, NtPR2 and NtPR11 were up regulated at 48h after inoculation with A. alternata and E. turcicum, the expression levels of HD and K326 were 1-13 times and 1-38 times higher than those without inoculation, respectively. The expression level of the gene after inoculation with E. turcicum was higher than inoculation with A. alternata; Similar to the SA pathway resistance-related genes, the expression levels of the JA pathway upstream resistance-related gene NtAOS and downstream related genes NtJAZ and NtMYC2 were higher than those in the control and A. alternata stress groups after 48h of E. turcicum stress. The peak of H2O2 content at 12h after E. turcicum stress was higher than that of control and A. alternata stress in the two varieties; Moreover, the activity levels of SOD, POD and PAL at 48h after E. turcicum stress were higher than those under A. alternata stress. In summary, E. turcicum can induce non-host disease resistance in tobacco, enhance the ability of tobacco to resist host pathogens, and reduces or protects tobacco from pathogens to a certain extent

In the present study silver (Ag) nanoparticles synthesized from extract taken from Moringa oleifera leaves, were characterized and examined for antimicrobial properties. Color change, UV-visible spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) techniques were exercised for characterization of Ag nanoparticles. Antimicrobial potential of Ag nanoparticles was analyzed using disc diffusion method against clinically important Gram-positive bacteria (Geobacillus, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis), Gram negative bacteria (Klebsiella pneumonia, Psuedomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli) and a fungal species (Candida albicans). The antimicrobial activity was assayed by size of growth inhibition zone developed by Ag nanoparticles, and its dilutions 3:1, 1:1, in comparison to the inhibition activity exhibited by positive control (amoxicillin /fluconazole) and negative control (deionized water) against the tested strains of bacteria and fungus. The largest growth inhibition zone (17.00±0.577) was observed on staphylococcus aureus among Gram-positive bacteria, while in Gram-negative bacteria, the largest inhibition zone (17.66±1.2) was obtained on Pseudomonas aerginosa. The results revealed that there is insignificant difference among zone of inhibition developed by pure silver nanoparticles solution and its dilutions (17.00±0.577, 16.00±0.577 & 15.66±0.881). Moreover, inhibition zone developed by positive control and nanoparticle solution (18.66±1.20 & 17.00±0.577) were insignificantly different. But the zone of inhibition on Candida albicans developed by nanoparticles is significantly small as compared to positive control (17.66±0.33 & 12.66±0.33). Taken together, findings of this study revealed that Ag nanoparticles showed the most significant inhibition activity (p=0.00) against the examined strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria but this activity is poor on C. albicans as exhibited by inhibitory zone

The current study aims to investigate the effects of calcium oxide nanoparticles (CaO NPs) on fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) and its effect on plant growth and development. The CaO NPs were synthesized by co-precipitation method, and their physicochemical properties were characterized by UV–visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The XRD result demonstrates that the CaO NPs produced had a hexagonal structure with an average crystallite size of 24 nm and nanoparticle aggregations. CaO NPs were successfully synthesized, as evidenced by the appearance of distinct peaks in the UV-Visible spectroscopy, FTIR, and EDS spectra. The seedlings were tested in greenhouse trials for 16 days at two different concentrations (50 mg. L-1 and 100 mg. L-1) to measure the effect of CaO NPs on the growth and development of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. The low concentration (50 mg. L-1) of CaO NPs effectively improved the growth parameters (root and stem length, increased leaf area) and some biochemical aspects such as photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids, and anthocyanins content) and non-enzymatic antioxidants (phenolic content) as well as enzymatic antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT) of the plants. Further, MDA concentration was decreased in the treatment with 50 mg. L-1. The growth stagnated or had no impact or slight effect at high concentrations (100 mg. L-1) on Trigonella foenum graecum L. plants. Finally, we can conclude the growth-friendly effects of CaO NPs at lower concentrations (50 mg. L-1) on Trigonella foenum-graecum L.

 

 

Lead toxicity is harmful to plants, animals, and humans, as photosynthesis is inhibited, mineral nutrition and water balance are upset, growth is stunted, causes root chlorosis and blackening, affects hormonal status, and alters membrane structure and permeability. This study explored the ZnO (zinc oxide) nanoparticles role in reducing lead stress in rice plants, impacting agriculture in lead-contaminated areas. ZnO nanoparticles were proposed as a potential solution towards alleviating lead stress in plants due to zinc's role as a cofactor for various plant enzymes, chlorophyll formation, starch-to-sugar conversion, and auxin production. To determine the effects of ZnO nanoparticles on rice growth under lead stress (500 ppm and 1000 ppm), we experimented with an investigation into the physiological, biochemical, and antioxidant responses of ZnO-treated and non-treated rice variety Dir-97 in hydroponic culture. For treatment, seeds were primed in a 5 ppm ZnO nanoparticle solution for 24 hours in the dark. When the lead concentration was raised, a pronounced drop in biomass was seen. Further, with increasing lead stress, we observed a stress response in the form of an increase in metabolic products, including total soluble sugars, total soluble proteins, and glycine betaine, along with antioxidants like catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and malonyl dialdehyde content in rice. In comparison, plants treated with nanoparticle solution showed a decrease in these contents. Our results showed that the nanoparticle solution alleviated lead stress and positively affected plant development and growth by inducing physiological and morphological changes. However, high concentrations of zinc can increase membrane leakiness, and disturb the detoxification of reactive oxygen species, gene expression, and normal enzymatic activity. Therefore, we recommend using a low ppm nanoparticle solution for optimal benefits, while high ppm solutions should be avoided due to their negative role.

 

Sweet lime is one of the well-known citrus species, but due to its poor yield and quality farmers hesitate from its cultivation. Gibberellic acid is the key plant growth regulator which regulates various physiological activities in plants. In horticulture crops, Gibberellic acid is particularly applied to improve flowering, fruit set and fruit quality. Therefore  in the present work the influence of Gibberellic acid concentrations (Control, 40, 50 and 60 ppm) and time of application (5, 10 and 15 days after bud break, DABB) on photosynthetic pigments, fruit quality and antioxidant enzymes of sweet lime was evaluated during the year 2020. Results of  the current study demonstrated that Gibberellic acid at 50 ppm produced high values of Chlorophyll (Ch) a, Ch b, Ch a+b, carotenoid content, fruit juice content, vitamin C, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase dismutase (POD) activity, while the highest fruit firmness and total soluble solids (TSS) were recorded with 40 ppm GA3. Whereas, the application of GA3 on 15 DABB significantly increased Chlorophyll a, Ch b, Ch a+b, carotenoid content, fruit juice content, vitamin C, POD and SOD activity. Maximum TSS, and total sugars were produced on 10 DABB application that was statistically at par with 15 DABB application. Hence it is recommended that GA3 must be applied at 50 ppm on 15 DABB for enhanced photosynthetic pigments, fruit quality and antioxidant enzymes

The goal of this study was to comparatively investigate the physicochemical and biological activities of nanoparticles (NPs) formed by the reduction of Salvia officinalis (S. officinalis) using iron (Fe), copper (Cu), silver (Ag) metal salts. Fe@NPs, Cu@NPs, Ag@NPs S. officinalis leaves were synthesized using silver nitrate (AgNO3), copper (II) sulfate (CuSO4), ferric chloride (FeCl2), (FeCl3). Physical-morphological properties of NPs were determined using instrumental analysis techniques FT-IR, UV-visible, SEM, TEM, EDX, XRD and Zeta potential analysis. The antibacterial activity of NPs was evaluated by the disk diffusion method. Total antioxidant, total flavonoid/phenolic capacity, DPPH scavenging activity, metal chelating activities of NPs were also examined. Cytotoxic activity of NPs on A549 lung cancer cell lines was determined in-vitro by WST-1 assay. Fe@NPs 270-290, Cu@NPs 270-320, Ag@NPs 300-400 nm generated strong surface plasmon resonance in the range. According to SEM/TEM results show that Fe@NPs are round-cubic 49.3; Global 30.24 of Cu@NPs; showed that Ag@NPs had circular dimensions of 5,36 nm. Zeta potential values were determined as Fe@NPs -22.2, Cu@NPs 25.5, Ag@NPs -24.6 mV. As a result of antimicrobial analysis, the highest effect was seen in Ag@NPs. Synergetic effects of the extract and metals were evaluated by determining the total antioxidant capacity and total flavonoid/phenolic content of S. officinalis and NPs. DPPH scanvenging activity, BHA (65.89%), S. officinalis, Fe@NPs, Cu@NPs, Ag@NPs; It was evaluated as 79.57%, 72.30%, 75.81%, 81.12%. Against the metal chelating feature of EDTA; S. officinalis was 42.92%, Fe@NPs, Cu@NPs, Ag@NPs were 16.75%, 18.02%, 15.13%. When the results of the anticancer analysis are evaluated; It was determined that Fe@NPs decreased cell viability by 90%, Cu@NPs by ~96% and Ag@NPs by 85%. This study reports the successful synthesis of Fe@NPs, Cu@NPs, Ag@NPs with S. officinalis leaf extract. The results show that Fe@NPs, Cu@NPs, Ag@NPs can be used in biomedical applications.

 

Seed dormancy and germination are key stages in the growth and development of plants and are pivotal to the survival and propagation of plants. Both dormancy and germination are very complex biological processes that are controlled by a wide range of important genes, hormone levels, signal transduction, and external environmental conditions. By ensuring coordination with favorable conditions, dormancy assists in avoiding premature germination during unfavorable conditions. Innate and enforced dormancy are the two main reasons for dormancy. Dormancy mechanisms are controlled by external factors, and germination can only begin under certain circumstances. With the resumption of metabolic functions and the use of stored energy, germination signals change from dormant to active growth. For the management of ecosystems, agriculture, and conservation, it is essential to understand seed dormancy and germination. Various studies reported that abscisic acid (ABA) is a positive regulator of dormancy induction and gibberellins (GA) counteract ABA effects and release dormancy. Similarly, some of recent studies revealed that indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) has a positive regulatory effect on seed dormancy and controls seed dormancy through stimulation of ABA. However, some of the researchers reported that IAA-priming and IAA-producing PGPRs enhance the germination and growth of the plants. Researchers also revealed that bio-priming based on rhizobacteria that produce IAA increases the germination of seeds and early growth. Examining the relationships among auxin (IAA), IAA-producing PGPRs, and seed biology reveals contradictory opinions for agricultural uses. Understanding this dynamic enhances our knowledge of basic mechanisms involved in seed bio-priming with IAA-producing PGPR. In the present article, we aimed to report the roles of IAA in seed dormancy and germination. We also discussed the conflicting findings on the role that IAA plays in seed dormancy, the crosstalk of IAA and ABA, and the possible role of IAA-producing rhizobacteria in seed bio-priming and plant growth

There are various reports available that confirm positive impact of biochar (BC) application with endophytic microbial strain to alleviate the adverse impact of abiotic stress on the plant development. Although, BC interactions with root-associated fungi are poorly understood. In the current study, we have used endophytic Trichoderma hamatum (TH) stain and BC to combat the salinity stress challenge in the alfalfa plant. As it is well known that, salinity stress adversely affected the morphological yields like length of root and shoot, dry and fresh weight of root and shoot, photosynthetic pigments, nodule dynamics and mineral contents in the alfalfa plants. In addition, salinity stress enhances the concentrations of stress markers such as malondialdehyde (MDA), H2O2, proline, and glycine betaine (GB) content while reduced the concentration of antioxidative enzymes such as superoxidedismutase activity (SOD) catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR). However the single of combined treatments of TH stain and BC showed modulatory impact of the morphological yields and enhanced the  root fresh eight by  75%, 25% and 160%; shoot height by 68% 34% and 39% , photosynthetic pigments,  Chl a increased by 34%, 24% and 48%; Chl b 21%,0%, 31%; Chl a+b 17%,15% and 18%; Carotenoids 55, 5% and 36% and total pigments 22%, 14% and 40% ; similarly  nodule number increased by 78%, 10% and 128%, soluble proteins by 145%, 72% and 200%, leg haemoglobin content 50%,25% and 61%, and nodules nitrogenase activity 77%,31% and 109%; antioxidative enzymes SOD increased by 6%, 2% and 9%, catalase activity increased by 6%, 2% and 11%, APX activity increased by 19%, 7% and 29% and GR content increased by 10%, 1% and 24% after treatment of TH, BC and combined application of TH, BC respectively under saline conditions. However, reduced the concentration of osmolytes such as content of H2O2 was decreased by 39%, 27%,43%, MDA content decreased by 52%, 17% and 60%; the proline content decreased by 27%, 27% and 54% and the content of GB decreased by 19%, 10% and 65.30% after treatment with TH, BC and combination of TH and BC respectively. Although the extent of effect of treatments was lower in case of single treatments of BC, while maximum effect was observed in the combined application of TH and BC

Climate change poses challenges for plant species in less hospitable regions, yet resilient varieties like Camelina sativa may thrive. This study, conducted during the winter seasons of 2016–17 and 2017–18 across three locations in the Pothwar region, Pakistan, aimed to assess Camelina sativa's adaptability to varying environments and macronutrient levels. Employing five nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) rates alongside a constant potassium (K) rate, the experiment utilized a randomized complete block design with a split-plot arrangement. Results indicated significant effects from all factors tested (NPK levels, locations, and years). Application of NPK @ 50:30:20 kg ha-1notably enhanced plant height (119.45cm), pod count per plant (804.8), seeds per pod (19.9), thousand seed weight (1.84 g), seed yield (1789 kg ha-1), and biological yield (7952.7 kg ha-1). Conversely, control treatments yielded minimal results. Furthermore, NARC exhibited the tallest plants (94.7cm) and highest biological yield (7708 kg ha-1), while Talagang showed superior attributes such as pod count per plant (449.9), seeds per pod (14.7), thousand seed weight (1.41g), and seed yield (1437 kg ha-1).Oil content decreased with rising NPK levels, while protein content displayed an inverse relationship. NPK @ 50:30:20 kg ha-1resulted in lower oil content (40.8%), but higher protein content (34.1%) compared to controls. Overall, oil and protein content exhibited a negative correlation and responded significantly to NPK variations. Application of NPK fertilizers notably improved Camelina growth, yield, and quality traits across precipitation levels. NPK fertilizers (50:30:20 kg ha-1) enhanced Camelina yield attributes under diverse precipitation conditions

Soybean is a widely cultivated commercial crop mainly grown for its edible oil and protein content. Climate change and abiotic stresses are currently posing productivity and adaptation challenges to the crop. Root system architecture traits can open new avenues for ideotype development in order to reduce yield losses via efficient nutrient-water uptake. We applied semi-automated image-based root phenotyping to investigate diversity in root system architecture features among seventy soybean genotypes. Root system architecture traits such as stem diameter (Stem D), projected root area (Area), root system width (Root Sys W), number of root tips (Root Tips), number of adventitious roots (Advent Root), number of basal roots (Basal Root), tap root (TAPRD), total root length (T Length), total root volume (T volume) and number of branching points (Branching P) were evaluated after 28 DAS using a recently developed computer-based Digital Imaging of Root Traits (DIRT) and Semi-automated Root Image Analysis (saRIA) applications. The data generated by softwares were analyzed for descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation and principal component analysis (PCA). Relatively higher variability was observed in traits i.e., Basal Root (CV= 55.82%), Branching P (CV= 44.51%), Root Tips (CV= 37.8%), Area (36.73%) and Root Sys W (35.02%). However, TAPRD and StemD exhibited low variation and had CV% of 7.64 and 18.22, respectively. All the studied traits were found to be strongly associated with each other whereas selection for one trait will lead to positive or negative selection of other trait(s). First two PCs represented 64.9% and 14.9% variability, respectively. Broadly, the classification of genotypes was manifested by root agro-morphological traits rather than geographic origin. The availability of variation in these traits provides opportunity to develop high yielding stable cultivars in response to yield limiting abiotic stresses like drought, flooding, inefficient nutrient uptake and drastic edaphic conditions

Selection of adoptable germplasm along with adequate soil moisture availability is key factor for maximizing plant growth and yield, particularly in rainfed environment. Keeping the impact of huge rainfed belt of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, forty genotypes of wheat which include four local landraces having varied genetic makeup were collected from different agro-ecological zones of Pakistan and tested in the laboratory for coleoptile, shoot, and root length. It was observed that coleoptile length had positive correlation with root length (R2 = 0.1874 p

Genetic improvement in Brassica is crucial for the production of sufficient edible oil, which requires exploitation of diverse genetic resources. The present study assessed divergence and diversity of 24 Brassica accessions belonging to different species through molecular genotyping, biochemical characterization and field testing. Considering yield contributing parameters, number of siliquas main raceme-1 ranged from 39.3 (local genotype) to 48.7 siliqas (IBGE-2); number of primary branches ranged from 3.3 (wester-209) to 6.0 (p118 and Altex 232); number of siliquas plant-1 ranged from 173 (Torch-237) to 409 (IBGE-4); seeds siliqua-1 ranged from 13 (IBGE-4) to 21 (p-118); yield ranged from 560 g (Mun-1) to 1462 g (IBGE-4). Variability was also observed for oil content (%), which ranged from 47 (Zahoor-15 and IBGE-1) to 53 (Mun-1 and Crusher-212), while the protein content was overall in higher content, with the highest value of 24% (Zahoor-15). Molecular genotyping with a set of 16 polymorphic loci revealed the maximum number of loci (5) for OPC-05, followed by OPC-09 and OPB-04 (4). The maximum gene diversity (0.497) was recorded for loci OPB-04-L3, while the minimum (0.080) was for locus OPC-05-L5. The neighbor-joining tree showed that accessions representing B. juncea were dispersed among various genotypes. In network analysis, two clusters were identified. Cluster I consisted of B. compestres while cluster II comprised of B. juncea with similarity to other B. napus crossed genotypes. The divergence and diversity observed in the present study should be useful for genetic improvement

Mountain plants adapted to specific environments are increasingly threatened by global warming. A major concern is forced altitudinal shift, habitat fragmentation, disruption of plant-pollinator interactions, or challenges from competitors and invasive species. Numerous studies shed light on these complex dynamics and highlight the need for immediate conservation action, with maintaining the greatest possible genetic diversity in populations as one of the main goals. One such species threatened by climate change that is on the IUCN World Red List is the spring pasqueflower Pulsatilla vernalis (L.) Mill (Ranunculaceae). Our study describes recent advances and applications of nuclear microsatellite markers in the Pulsatilla subgenus, which includes both diploid and tetraploid species. To date, few studies have been conducted on the genetic structure of P. vernalis populations, and no specific markers have been developed for this purpose. In the present study, we attempted to amplify microsatellite loci for diploid P. vernalis using a cross-species procedure originally developed for tetraploid P. vulgaris. Using this procedure, eight polymorphic markers were successfully transferred to P. vernalis. The selected loci were tested on samples collected from relict lowland populations that are nearly extinct in Central Europe. Analysis of 82 individuals from three Polish lowland populations revealed that these markers were highly polymorphic, with two to 13 alleles per locus and observed heterozygosity ranging from 0.037 to 0.654. FIS coefficient values were not statistically significant for any of the loci (p>0.05) and ranged from -0.200 to 0.696. We tested how informative cross-amplified loci distinguished individuals and which loci deviated from Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium. We conclude that the microsatellite markers tested in this study can be successfully used for population genetic studies of P. vernalis.

 

Invasive species have been declared as one of the utmost important yet subtle hazards to biological diversity. Lantana camara, a shrub of Central and South American origin, has a widespread invasiveness across a broad range of climates distributed up to 2000 m elevation. The present studies were performed to examine comparative anatomy of L. camara from different habitats including mountains, forest plantations, roadsides, deserts, saltmarshes and riverbanks to find out the ecological significance of anatomical characteristics that are related to invasion success. The studied population was exposed to an explicit set of environmental conditions. Anatomical traits significantly varied in diverse ecological regions, which were population specific. The proportion of parenchymatous tissue in roots, stem and leaves was increased in the desert population, which improved succulence. Moreover, increased metaxylem, phloem area and mesophyll thickness in this population enabling this population for easier translocation of nutrients and photosynthates. In mountainous habitats, increased cross-sectional area, cortical region thickness and epidermal cell area in roots, cortical cell area in stem and phloem area in leaves assisted these populations in minimizing water loss and improving water storage capacity. Sclerenchyma and vascular bundle area were more developed in the roadside populations providing mechanical strength to softer metabolically active tissue. Water availability was limited in the roadside population, hence critically important for survival. A greater number of leaves and greater leaf area were linked to better photosynthesis, which were increased in the riverbank populations where sufficient moisture was available for growth and development. All these ensure invasive success of L. camara populations in a variety of habitats either by minimizing water loss from plant body or storing more water in parenchymatous tissue. It was concluded that invasive success of L. camara relied on high degree of plasticity in its macro- and micro-morphological traits, which were specific for specific habitats

The aim of this study was to determine the yield, botanical composition, and other characteristics of three natural rangelands located at different elevations (900, 1000, and 1200 m a. sl.) during the grazing season in Uşak province, Türkiye, in 2018 and 2019. From the beginning of the grazing season, cuttings were taken every 15 days to evaluate the green herbage yield, hay yield, necessary rangeland area for an animal unit (NRA), crude protein (CP), crude protein yield (CP yield), and floristic composition of rangelands. The results showed that many rangeland characteristics were significantly affected by altitude. Rangeland yield, CP, and CP yield were increased with altitude, while NRA was decreased. The highest green herbage yield (1358 kg ha-1) and hay yield (1358 kg ha-1) were determined in the Çamsu rangeland at an altitude of 1200 m. The highest ratio of legumes (49.75%), grasses (59.56%), and other plants (25.58%) in the floristic composition were determined in the rangelands at 1200, 1000, and 900 m altitudes, respectively. Likewise, cutting time also had a significant effect on different characteristics. Rangeland yield was increased from the beginning of the grazing season to July and decreased afterward due to the changing climatic conditions. The highest CP content (15.63%), and CP yield (952.7 kg ha-1) were observed in May which decreased with the advancing season. The legume ratio in the rangeland vegetation reached the maximum value (39.94%) on May 30 with a significant decrease after 15 June as the season progressed. As a result, it was determined that altitude and cutting times have a wide range of effects on rangeland vegetation, hence it would be beneficial to consider these factors into account in rangeland management

Comparing the yield of open-pollinated varieties (OPVs) and hybrids, signifies the importance of hybrid breeding. Hybrid development in onion relies on cytoplasmic genic male sterility (CGMS) system. But identification and maintenance of cytoplasmic genic male sterile (A) and maintainer (B) lines in biennial crop takes four to eight years through conventional breeding approach. However, DNA marker-based characterization of cytotype and restoration of fertility (Rf) gene reduces the time span to speed up hybrid development process. Present study was designed for morphological and molecular characterization of cytotype and Rf locus. For this purpose, twenty-one onion genotypes were characterized for bulb weight, bulb diameter, number of rings, plant height, and neck diameter during field experimentation. Likewise, four DNA markers i.e., 5Cob marker, OrfA501, orf725MFKR1 and orf725MFKR2 were used for cytotype and three markers i.e., AcSKP1FU, AcSKP1SU and AcPMS1 for Rf locus characterization. Molecular characterization classified genotypes into three groups: group 1 (including Phulkara, White-Pearl, Sultan, Yellow-S3, Desi-Red-S4, MirpurKhas-S3, Nasarpuri-S4, VRIO-02, Desi-Red, VRIO-10, VRI-06, Golden-ORB and T.E.G.) suited for deriving B lines; group 2 (featuring White-Pearl-V, 1122, Sultan-F1, HNO300A and Kessar) with potential for A line derivation; and group 3 (comprising of Hike and Glory) suitable for both A and B line derivation. These findings will help in faster derivation of A and B lines, consequently accelerating onion hybrid development

Gardenia jasminoides are widely cultivated in Fuding, Fujian Province and other places in China, but continuous large-scale reafforestation and multiple generations using a single clone, caused production instability and soil degradation. In this study, the germplasm resources of G. jasminoides were collected and evaluated, and the elite individuals and germplasm resources suitable for further cultivation were screened out. Variance analysis and comparison were conducted based on the fruit number, fruit weight, fruit length, tree height, tree diameter, and seed setting rate from 21 germplasm resources tested. The 11th and 9th germplasm resources (from central Jiangxi Province and Hunan Province), with excellent yield, tree height and crown width, and the geniposide content conforming to China Pharmacopoeia regulations, were selected as the most and the second optimal germplasm resources, and the 9th germplasm resources (Hunan Province) was selected as the second optimal germplasm resources. The analysis results showed that taking the fruit weight (yield) as the first index, and the geniposide content conforming to Chinese Pharmacopoeia regulations as the main indexs, 13 elite individuals were screened out, named as Min Lin Zhi No.1-13, respectively. The selection rate of elite trees was 5.9%. Compared with the population average, the fruit number, fruit weight, tree height (except No.4), ground diameter (except No.4) and crown width increased to over 248.23%, fruit weight increased to over 360.17%, tree height increased to over 151.47% (except Min Lin Zhi No.4), ground diameter increased to more than 119.65% (except Min Lin Zhi No.4), and crown width increased to more than 146.32%. Fruit weight, fruit number, tree height, ground diameter and crown width of all elite trees were higher than the control

Floral diversity is facing direct threat not only due to climate change, but various unsustainable use practices are also responsible for the depletion. Daral valley Swat is not an exception. This area was selected based on its remote location and high altitudinal range i.e. starting from the moist temperate region at 1400 m asl up to the alpine region at 5001 m asl. This research was conducted to assess the floristic composition and quantitative ethnobotanical aspects in the study area. In total of 381 plant species belonging to 81 families were identified. Asteraceae is the largest family with 46 species (12.07%), followed by Rosaceae with 28 species (7.34%), and Lamiaceae with 22 species (5.77%). The dominant habit was recorded as perennial herbs (70%), followed by 29 % annual herbs. Life form was recorded having dominance of Therophytes (141 spp., 37%), followed by Hemicryptophytes (100 spp., 26%), and Geophytes (51 spp., 13%). Semi-structured questionnaires and interviews were used to collect quantitative ethnobotanical use data. Of the total 381 species, 252 (66.14%), were used ethnobotanically. Out of these,195 spp. (77%) were used as traditional medicine by the inhabitants of the local communities, while 57 spp. (23%) were used for socioeconomic purposes. The collected data was evaluated using various indices viz., Relative Frequency Citation (RFC), Ethnobotanical Use Value (UV) and Fidelity Level (FL). Lepidium ruderale L. had the highest RFC i.e. 0.7741, Primula denticulata Sm. had the highest UV i.e. 0.8387, while the highest FL was that of Salvia hains Royle ex Bentham (98.48). The current research has reported new ethnobotanical uses for the first time for 96 plant spp. (38%) from the study area. It is concluded that the population of the study area still have sufficient knowledge of ethno-medicinal uses

Study on population structure and dynamics of Phellodendron amurense, an endangered-medicinal tree species, is essential and urgent for its conservation in China. The aim of this work is to study the characteristics and dynamic regulations of P. amurense population in the Yunmengshan National Forest Park (YMNFP), Beijing, China. A set of systemic sampling plots was established along an altitudinal gradient to collect population data. Life table analysis and spectrum analysis were used to analyze the data set. Results showed that the size and density of amur cork population in YMNFP was low. Its survival curve was between Deevey-I and Deevey-II with a reasonable and stable age structure. It had apparently periodic fluctuation controlled by population biological features. Effective conservation for this population must consider these characters. Population restoration should be treated as the main target of conservation, and disturbance intensity must be controlled effectively. A nature reserve for P. amurense population should be suggested and established in YMNFP

Euphorbia altotibetica is an endemic medicinal herb species to Northwest China, belonging to genus Euphorbia of Euphorbiaceae. We sequenced and assembled the complete chloroplast genome of Euphorbia altotibetica followed by annotation using high-throughput sequencing technology, and annotation pipelines. Our result shows that the complete chloroplast genome of E. altotibetica is 161,141 bp in length with a GC content of 35.5%, with a typical tetrad ring structure. The chloroplast assembly consists of a large single copy region, a small single copy region, and two inverted repeat regions, with size 89,398 bp, 17,802bp, and 26,133 bp respectively. A total of 130 genes were annotated, including eight rRNA genes, 38 tRNA genes, and 84 protein genes. We also detected 90 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) loci in the chloroplast genome, which are mainly composed of mononucleotide repeats. Codon bias analysis showed that isoleucine (Ile) is the most abundant amino acid with frequency (8.78%), and four codons (ycf1, ycf2, rpl20, and rpl22) have the relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) value above one. In the IRa regions of E. altotibetica, there is deletion in gene rps19. Phylogenetic analysis based on the chloroplast genome of E. altotibetica along with 68 other species of genus Euphorbia showed that the E. altotibetica and E. peplus were closest relatives, and nested together with a support rate of 100%. In this study, we obtained and characterized the complete chloroplast genome of E. altotibetica followed by its phylogenetic analysis for the first time. Our study provides theoretical basis for future research to understand the genetic diversity, phylogeny, population genetic structure, and speciation mechanism of genus Euphorbiaceae

Ecosystem preservation and rational use are possible only under the condition of the species diversity of its components. The Chenopodiaceae Vent. family is a necessary research area. Due to the abundance of species, it is actively used in agriculture, ecology, medicine, pharmacology, and public health (in many countries, including Kazakhstan), which increases the value of the research results. This work aims to identify the species diversity of the Chenopodiaceae Vent. in the flora of the Aktobe floristic district (Kazakhstan). The data were collected from 2017 to 2022 using the methods of route survey, analysis of herbarium collections, and literature review. In the course of the study, classical botanical, ecological, and geographical methods were applied. 78 species belonging to 25 genera were identified. Of them, seven main genera made up the bulk (67.9%) of the Chenopodiaceae whereas 12 genera accounted for 48.0% of the total number of genera. Among the main genera were Salsola, Chenopodium, and Atriplex. The study analyzes the ecological strategy of species, spectra of life forms, and habitats. Understanding the Chenopodiaceae Vent. Biodiversity makes it possible to develop rational methods for using natural resources of the region, in particular, for developing forage crops and understanding the mechanisms of salt and drought resistance

Chenopodium L. is a cosmopolitan genus (family: Amaranthaceae). Hybridization and phenotypic plasticity of its species, complicate the species delimitation. The presence of observed notable phenotypic plasticity among the C. murale populations and the newly recorded (suspected C. hybridum), makes it challenging to identify these taxa's taxonomic identity. The morphological investigations revealed distinctive features at inter-specific level for C. murale populations mainly in stem color, leaf shape, margin dentation, number of stamens and tepals, and the percentages of both hermaphrodite flowers and the 5-staminode flowers. The morphological correlation between distinguished Forms; ranges between 0.070-0.518. While the infra-specific correlation between the C. murale forms and the suspected C. hybridum ranges from 0.033-0.340. RbcL and matK barcoding were applied to confirm the taxonomic identity as well as, their phylogenetic affinities of the studied taxa. The retrieved phylogenetic affinity between C. murale forms showed very low genetic divergence to the C. hybridum. The sequences of the confirmed C. murale forms and the new record to Egyptian flora C. hybridum were deposited in the world database under the accession numbers OR373113, OR394977, OR394978, OR394979, OR405949, OR405950, OR405951, and OR405952 for the C. murale and OR394980 and OR405953 for the C. hybridum. We investigated the inter-specific relationships among the C. murale forms, but the intra-specific relationships between C. murale and C. hybridum required further investigation to explore and fully understand the origin of this new record

Cryptomeria japonica var. sinensis is a valuable timber and ecological tree species in East Asia. Despite previous research that has revealed significant differences in tree height, diameter at breast height, and wood volume among C. japonica var. sinensis from different geographical sources, their genetic structure and phylogenetic relationship among different populations are still unable to accurately determined. Therefore, we extensively collected different geographical sources of Cryptomeria spp. in China (Fujian, Zhejiang area) and Japan, and performed their genetic structure and affinities by using simplified genome sequencing (GBS). A total of 306.5 Gb of sequence raw data and 875,329 high-quality SNPs were obtained, with an average of 4.26 Gb of raw data per sample. The results showed that the genetic variation of C. japonica var. sinensis populations was lower than that of C. japonica populations, and the genetic diversity of C. japonica var. sinensis in Fujian populations was slightly higher than that of Zhejiang populations. At the same time, molecular analysis of variance showed that the genetic variation of these two populations mainly came from within the population (99.6%). Furthermore, the cluster analysis results showed that C. japonica var. sinensis was clustered into five groups, and the clustering results were still consistent with the actual geographical distribution. All findings clarified the genetic background and structure of Cryptomeria spp. This will be a reference for the conservation, utilization, and genetic breeding improvement of C. japonica var. sinensis germplasm resources

The current study sought to evaluate the morphological variations in pollen grains between 38 species of the Hindukush range of Northern Pakistan. A total of 38 taxa have been analyzed using microscopic techniques to examine the qualitative and quantitative characters of pollen. Pollen size, shape, ornamentation, polar diameter, equatorial diameter, exine thickness, colpi length, colpi width and mesocolpium were studied. Pollen grains of the most taxa studied were tricolporate and prolate. Majority of the pollen recorded have small-medium size and its shape were oblate, peroblate. The study declared that people living in the rural areas were primarily dependent on the medicinal plants. In this study 150 peoples were interviewed through random sampling technique. These medicinal plants were used for the treatment of different diseases i.e digestive, respiratory and dermatological problems in Gilgit. Under a Scanning electron microscope reticulate, echinate, psilate, and perforate have been examined.  In addition to being a useful tool for specific delimitation, palynological studies can be used as a key for identifications of taxonomic characters on species, genus and family level. Exine ornamentations provide useful identifying traits to differentiate closely related species. Thus, it is evident that pollen morphological characteristics can both be helpful in distinguishing between taxa at a particular level

Sexual reproduction underlies plant invasion and spread, but the mechanism underlying reproductive success remains unclear. We tested the hypothesis that a plant's generalized pollination system promoted its invasion by using field experiments to investigate aspects of the pollination biology of Solidago canadensis, such as species, visit frequency and visit behaviour, in different populations in Xuzhou, Hefei, Nanchang and Ji’an. The field experiments supported the hypothesis that the plant’s generalized pollination system is beneficial to its invasion. S. canadensis has a complex floral syndrome that facilitates the acceptance of different types of pollinators, strongly promoting its reproductive success. We found large numbers of visiting insects on S. canadensis, and the main pollinator species were relatively stable within habitats, although the main pollinator species differed among the geographical populations. In terms of time, insect visits were observed from morning to afternoon, mainly from 9:00 to 11:00. The pollination biology results showed that S. canadensis has a generalized pollination system that could ensure successful sexual reproduction by attracting insects in different habitats and provide a basis for reproduction after invasion

22 local line chilli varieties of Guizhou were used to conduct quality analysis of different varieties and origin, along with correlation analysis and principal component analysis of different quality indicators, as well as comprehensive evaluation and cluster analysis of different varieties in this study. The results showed that the coefficient of variation of indicators related to pungency ranged between 103.05%-117.86%, and the difference of capsaicinoid-like substance was the largest among all quality indicators. Guizhou local line chilli had distinct characteristics of origin. Fruit from Anshun was large and long with largest size, flesh thickness and weight. Fruit from Bijie was thin and long with the least flesh thickness and weight. Fruit from Qiannan was thin and short. Moreover, certain correlations were also found among the product quality indicators, and the flavour quality indicators, as well as between the processing and commodity quality in Guizhou local line chilli. Among the 22 varieties, the comprehensive quality score of line chilli from Qiannan (named Pingtangxianjiao) was highest. The 22 local line chilli varieties of Guizhou were divided into 5 clusters with different fruit shape. Clusters I and II was classified as the ultra-long group, Cluster III was classified as the thin and long group, Cluster IV was classified as the thick and long group, and Cluster V was classified as the thick and short group. This analysis of the quality of Guizhou’s local line chilli will contribute to identify its origin and promote its creation and utilization.

 

Energy security had become a serious global concern after the COVID-19 pandemic. The Russian-Ukraine war has further aggravated this issue by disturbing fuel supplies all over the world. This has created the scarcity of fuels leading to a drastic price hike in the international markets resulting in a critical setback to the economies of the developing countries. Under the current scenario, identification and development of alternate and renewable energy resources are exceedingly essential. Biomass is an important renewable energy resource that is also environmentally friendly. In the present study, material characterization of accumulated residues as a biofuel was conducted in the moist temperate forests of Pakistan. The residues associated with tree species i.e., Abies pindrow (Fir), Cedrus deodara (Deodar) and Pinus wallichiana (Blue Pine) were investigated. The collected residue samples were subjected to proximate, ultimate, and physical analyses according to conventional protocols. These include estimation of calorific value, ash content, volatile matter, carbon and sulfur content, and bulk density. Among three types of forest residues (species), blue pine showed the highest and deodar showed the lowest calorific value. Ash content was highest in the fir residue samples. The residue of the investigated species showed comparatively lower carbon content than that of typical fossil fuels. High volatile matter was observed in the residue of deodar species. It is worth mentioning that sulfur content was not detected in any of the samples analyzed. The absence of sulfur in forest residues hinders production of sulfur oxides (SOx) during burning and ultimately making them environment-friendly fuel. Annual residue accumulation was highest for fir species and lowest for blue pine species

A uniform and vigorous stand establishment is essential for profitable cotton production. Poor-quality seed and postharvest cotton storage losses play a major role in crop stand failure. Hermetic storage uses sealed, airtight units to control moisture and restrict gas exchanges, maintaining initial moisture levels and controlling pests by limiting oxygen. In this study, cotton seeds with initial moisture levels of 6% and 8% were stored for six months under conventional and hermetic conditions. Conventional storage led to a rise in moisture content from 6.0% to 6.8% and from 8.0% to 8.9%, while hermetic storage showed minimal increases. Germination rates exceeded 90% after three months but declined after six months, notably in seeds with 8% initial moisture stored conventionally. Free fatty acid (FFA) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content increased over time conventionally, whereas seeds with 6% initial moisture stored hermetically showed lower FFA (0.44% to 0.49%) and MDA (0.55 to 0.62 nmole g-1 DW) accumulation. Total soluble sugars rose slightly in seeds under hermetic conditions at 6% initial moisture and displayed improved vigor (75.10% to 77.30%) and quicker germination compared to conventionally stored seeds. After six months, cotton seeds with 8% initial moisture in conventional storage exhibited higher electrical conductivity (EC), whereas seeds with 6% initial moisture stored hermetically showed minimal EC changes. Hermetic technology has resulted in minimizing quality losses by reducing metabolic activities. It is safe, pesticide-free, and a sustainable storage technology suitable for seeds, particularly in hot, humid climates. It can ensure food security by limiting insect and fungi infestation and reducing quantity and quality degradation in stored cotton

Propolis is a resinous material prepared by honeybees, has an extensive range of biological properties, and is an important part of the herbal medicinal system. This is the first study to investigate the chemical composition and biological potential of oil extracted from brown propolis collected from the hives of Apis mellifera on the trees of Populus from Northern Punjab, Pakistan. The extraction of oil was carried out using the microwave oven. Forty five phytochemical constituents were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Sesquiterpenoid (α-Eudesmol and (-)-β-Copaene) and sesquiterpenes including τ-Cadinol, L-Calamenene and α-Humulene, were the most prominent natural products. The results showed two unknown compounds (5%) which remained unidentified due to unavailability of data on NIST-2011. The volatile oil derived from brown propolis displayed remarkable efficacy in terms of its antioxidant (IC50 0.54 ± 0.07mg/mL), anti-inflammatory (IC50 51.0239± 0.01mg/mL), antitumor (against the HeLa-human cervical cancer cell line) (IC50 1.96± 1.52 mg/mL), antifungal against (A. niger (MIC > 3mg/mL), A. flavus (MIC > 5mg/mL) and antibacterial properties against (Bacillus mojavensis (MIC 0.421mg/mL), Staphylococcus aureus (MIC 0.501mg/mL), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC 0.829mg/mL), Escherichia coli (MIC 0.943mg/mL) and Salmonella typhimurium (MIC > 2mg/mL). Therefore, propolis oil is suggested as a potential therapeutic agent and can be used as a readily available indigenous source for treating microbial infections

Accurate prediction of height and diameter relationships in the context of Himalayan Pine (Pinus wallichiana) holds immense ecological significance. Leveraging the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) through neural network models provides a promising avenue for achieving such predictions. This study focuses on investigating the impact of structural parameters on the accuracy of AI-based neural network models designed specifically for this purpose. By identifying the optimal combination of parameters such as the number of layers, neurons per layer, and the choice of activation functions, the research aims to enhance the precision of predictions regarding the growth patterns of Himalayan Pine. The results of this study have practical implications for ecological research and conservation efforts in the Himalayan ecosystem. By optimizing the structural parameters of AI-based neural network models, researchers can achieve more accurate predictions of height and diameter relationships for Himalayan Pine. Such predictions are instrumental for informed decision-making regarding forest management, conservation strategies, and environmental sustainability

Breeding Programs are focused on creating new improved cultivars and rootstocks of pears. One of the disadvantages of creating new pear cultivars is the long duration of the breeding process. One of the modern methods that can significantly speed up the breeding process is genetic transformation. One of the possible and most frequently used methodological approaches for the introduction of genetic constructions into the genome is agrobacterial transformation. The transformation was achieved by using various types of explants for pear (Pyrus communis L.), but its effectiveness depended very much on the cultivar. High regeneration frequency values were not always reproducible. This is due to the fact that the organogenesis of pear leaves is influenced by a large number of factors.  To solve this problem, we have collected and summarized detailed information on the effect of explant orientation, optimal compositions of culture media, concentration of growth regulators and antibiotics for the main commercial pear cultivars grown worldwide. For the first time, optimal protocol parameters have been collected to create effective In vitro regeneration systems for the main commercially important pear cultivars. The summarized results of this review will be useful in the development of future genetic transformation trials for commercially significant cultivars and for the application of basic NGTs for the genetic improvement of pears

A two-year field experiment was carried out to ascertain the influence of organic weed management (OWM) on the crop performance and productivity of rice–maize rotation under conservation agriculture. The experiment comprised of four tillage practices as main plots and five OWM treatments as subplots arranged in split-plot design with three replication. The tillage management treatments included ZTR fb ZTM: zero-tillage (ZT) direct seeded rice (DSR) followed by (fb) ZT-maize, PBDSR+R fb PBDSM+R: DSR fb maize both in permanent bed (PB) with residue incorporation, PBDSR-R fb PBDSM-R: DSR fb maize both in PB without residue and CTR fb CTM: conventionally tilled rice fb maize. In OWM, five treatments were as follows: UC: unweeded weed control, VM: vermicompost mulching, PVM: phosphorous (P) enriched VM, LM: live-mulch of Sesbania spp. in rice and Pisum sativum in maize, WF: weed-free check. The PBDSR+R fb PBDSM+R obtained a significantly higher plant height (18.9–19.7%), leaf area index (LAI) (24.0–24.6%), dry matter accumulation (DMA) (10.8–11.3%) and crop growth rate (CGR) over CTR fb CTM in both rice and maize in all the growth stages. Moreover, PBDSR+R fb PBDSM+R recorded significantly higher grain yield (63.6 and 66.0 q ha-1) in rice and in maize (93.02 and 94.31 q ha-1) over other treatments in both years. Among the various OWM, LM reported significantly superior growth attributes viz. plant height, number of tillers m-2, leaf area index and dry matter accumulation in rice and maize and grain yield by 12.3–16% in rice and 7.4–8.5% in maize over VM across the years of study. The PBDSR+R fb PBDSM+R recorded and LM recorded significantly the highest net return and benefit-cost ratio throughout the study. The study highlights that residue incorporation under rice–maize rotation in PB led CA system along with LM enhanced productivity and profitability.

 

 

In order to enrich the high-quality biocontrol fungi resources for pepper anthracnose, this experiment obtained 282 fungal strains isolated and purified from soil by plate coating method and screened 7 antagonistic fungi with obvious inhibitory strips by using the plate standoff method and re-screened the inhibitory effect of the fungal fermentation broth by using the method of fungal plate containing poisonous medium. The results showed that the fungal strain A192 had a better inhibitory effect, and the inhibition rate of the rescreened fermentation broth was 61.29%. Morphological identification and molecular biological identification of the fungal strain identified as Penicillium restrictum. The fermentation broth of antagonistic fungal strain A192 has a certain degree of inhibitory effect on 13 pathogenic fungi. It has inhibition rates of 80.18%, 79.11%, 77.35%, and 71.67% against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Fusarium oxysporum, Alternaria lternata, Phoma arachidicola, respectively. A pot plant control effect test was conducted using the fermentation solution of fungal strain A192, and the control effect was 85.13%.

Each year billions of dollars in losses occur due to root rot pathogens which affect almost all types of plants and it is burning issues for the plants world. As these pathogens invade the roots of the plants which ultimately destroy the whole plants. The use of microorganisms is environment friendly, escalated global food production with obscure environmental hazards and has a strong potential to destroy these root rot pathogens while enhancing plant immunity. Keeping this in mind, wild healthy plants from different areas of Karachi were collected for the isolation of endophytic Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this study, total 14 strains of fluorescent Pseudomonas were isolated from plant samples in order to check their potentially initially In vitro activity and then potential strains were applied in pot experiments. In vitro activity, P. aeruginosa strains showed noteworthy activity contrary to root rotting fungi in dual plate assay. Culture filtrates of P. aeruginosa strains showed strong antimicrobial activity against some common lab bacteria viz., Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli by formation of prominent zone of inhibition. In the screen house experiment, application of all 14 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed significant bio-control activity against four major root rotting fungi viz., Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani and Macrophomina phaseolina. Significant changes were observed in the amount of chlorophyll and carotenoid in mung bean plants that were inoculated with various strains. Significant increase in the amount of carbohydrates and proteins showed that these strains have strong potential to boost the immunity of plants and can be further used for agriculture. It is thus revealed that a multifunctional PGPR acts as a potential biocontrol agent to control fungal and bacterial pathogens