Salinity is one of the important constraints of sustainable agriculture, globally reducing crop production by impairing various biochemical, physiological and molecular functions. To examine hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) role to palliate the salinity stress, we investigated the seed-inducing effect of different H2O2 concentrations (0, 50, 100 and 200 mM) in tomato (Solanumlycopersicon) crops resistance to salt stress. During this study, we estimated the eventuality of preparing tomato seeds with H2O2 to promote seed sprouting, plant growth and induce salt stress tolerance. Soaked seeds were pre-germinated and grown in pots on different saline soils (0, 40 and 80 mMNaCl). Findings revealed that saltness explosively affected tomato germination and seedling growth. Seed germination with 50 and 100 mM H2O2 improved germination in saline solutions, while high levels of hydrogen peroxide pretreatment (200 mM) inhibited tomato germination. In the pot experiment, application of hydrogen peroxide significantly increased tomato fresh weight (85% at 200 mM dose) compared to controls. At 80 mMNaCl, the concentrations 50 and 100 mM of H2O2 are showing the most important effect on tomato fresh weight. Results indicate that treatments have a positive effect on membrane integrity (100% at 200 mM) and a general positive effect was observed for all properties measured under salt stress. At the same time, H2O2 priming significantly increased catalase activity. Seed preparation with hydrogen peroxide could be an efficient sustainable way to reduce tomato salinity stress

 

The chloroplast membrane is under the constant effect of external factors (temperature, light, nutrition, etc.) resulting in certain structural changes. Low temperature is known to contribute to a decrease in the fluidity of the lipid phase of the membrane. Metabolites of cell lipid metabolism, in turn, can facilitate the mobility of protein components. Modifying these conditions, we used the incubation of Triticum aestivum L. seedlings at a low temperature (4°C) for various periods as a hardening effect of membrane lipids In vivo. Adding a fraction of saponins – natural detergents, isolated from the medicinal plant Glycyrrhiza glabra into the nutrient solution provoked a change in the state of the thylakoid membrane. Under these conditions, the behavior of the change in the delayed chlorophyll a fluorescence and pigments activity in the light-harvesting antenna were studied In vivo using the absorption spectra. It was shown that in wheat seedlings in the absence of saponins, after 4 hours of cold stress, the activity of the electron transport chain in the PS II decreases, which is associated with the blocking of electron transfer in the quinone acceptor site. Longer cold stress contributed to the restoration of these changes. The maximum change in the compositions of photosynthetic pigments occurred after 48 hours of cold stress. The introduction of saponins into the nutrient solution prevented changes in the reactions of the electron transport chain of PS II, which was correlated with the restoration of the pigment pool in the light-harvesting antenna. The latter is probably associated with an adaptive increase in membrane stability. The corrective effect of the saponin fraction is possible due to the restoration of lipid components of the thylakoid membrane, and the transition of the membrane from a quasicrystalline to a liquid state. Restoration of membrane fluidity stimulates the function of membrane proteins - electron carriers in the PSII electron transport chain and stabilizes the light-harvesting pigment complex

Soil salinity is a significant abiotic factor that lowers crop productivity. In the sub-tropical countries of Asia, mungbean is grown as a marginal crop in rice-based agricultural ecosystems, where salts get deposit in the upper layer. Therefore, robust criteria are essential to screen high yielding salt-tolerant cultivars of mungbean. The current study is an effort to assess the salt tolerance potential of twelve mungbean genotypes under laboratory environment at control (0), 50, 75, and 100 mM NaCl salinity level using stress tolerance indices. The findings showed that in all cultivars, with the increase in level of stress there is a significant reduction in the germination (GSI), fresh (FWSI) and dry biomass (DWSI), length of root (SLSI) and shoot stress tolerance indices (RLSI). NM-2021 showed 98% GSI followed by AbbasMung (89%), however, NM-54 showed the lowest value for GSI (62%). NM-98 exhibited 74% FWSI followed by Abbas Mung 73%. Abbas Mung was at the top with 82% DWSI followed by NM 19-19 (81%).  NM 19-19 exhibited the highest value for SLSI (69%) and RLSI (81%). There is a correlation between the fresh and dry biomass tolerance indices of seedlings. The data was categorized into three clusters using the multivariate cluster analysis approach in order to assess the similarities between mungbean cultivars. Cluster-I exhibited the salt-tolerant cultivars NM-2021, NM-98, NM-92, Abbas Mung and NM-19-19, Cluster-II classified medium-tolerant cultivars NM-121-2, NM-2021, NM-2006 and NM-2016, and Cluster-III showed salt-sensitive cultivars NM-51, NM-2011 and NM-54. The growth indicators could be utilized as selection criteria to assess salt tolerance in mungbean cultivars

Salinity stress is one of the most serious abiotic factors limiting faba bean productivity. The faba bean is an important legume crop because it can give a high yield, and its grains are full of nutrients. This study aims to select by several markers the best variety that adapts to salt stress. Three varieties of Vicia faba (Nubaria-1, Nubaria-3, and Nubaria-4) were used in this study. Plant growth parameters, cell membrane stability, photosynthesis pigments and protein profile analysis were measured as indices for salinity responses. As a molecular marker, this study used ten ISSR primers to assess the genetic diversity of three varieties. Conditions of control and salinity stress were used for all determinations. The results indicated that the Nubaria-3 variety had the most effective traits regarding root characteristics and the ability to develop well under salt conditions compared to the other varieties. Protein-profile changes increased in band numbers and intensity, and its expression continued under salinity conditions as appeared with Nubaria-3 and Nubaria-4. Polymorphism and phylogenetic relationship among varieties were investigated by ISSR molecular markers and 22.43% polymorphism was detected, with the highest percentage of genetic similarity between Nubaria-3 and Nubaria-4 reached 73%. As a result, Nubaria-3 could be chosen as a tolerant variety in a subsequent investigation to explore the most essential genes associated with salt tolerance compared to the sensitive variety

Salinity stress is one of the major abiotic stresses that affect plant growth and development worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the anatomical attributes of widely distributed halophytic halophytes which are economically important due to their numerous bioactive compounds of high nutritive value. The members of the family Cyperaceae are of high importance among halophytes due to their ability to grow in a diverse range of environments. The study of anatomical attributes of C. exaltatus Retz. in varying salt-affected habitats is a novel approach and has not been reported earlier. For this purpose, different populations of C. exaltatus were collected from a diverse range of saline habitats and analyzed for variation in their morpho-anatomical attributes in response to varying degree of salinity. The results showed that C. exaltatus can grow under higher salinity levels, but excessive salts of growth medium caused a reduction in overall plant growth. The anatomical modifications along salinity gradient observed in C. exaltatus included an increase in the size of vascular bundles, formation of lysigenous aerenchyma cavities, and high intensity of sclerification. These modifications enabled C. exaltatus to survive in a saline environment and provide a useful resource for the revegetation of coastal areas and hypersaline -degraded rangelands in Pakistan. Overall, this study provides insight into the anatomical attributes of C. exaltatus and its ability to survive in hypersaline environments. The findings of this study may have practical applications for the cultivation of halophytes in saline soils for the purpose of food and feed production, as well as for the restoration of degraded ecosystems

This investigation was conducted to assess the possible impact of exogenously applied potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4) in alleviating salinity-induced stress in mustard plants (Brassica campestris L.). A pot experiment was conducted under field conditions with one plant/pot. After 30 days, plants were divided into eight groups i.e., A: Control (without salt and KH2PO4) B: Plants irrigated with 60 mM salt and without KH2PO4, C: Plants irrigated with 80 mM salt and without KH2PO4, D: Plants irrigated with 100 mM salt and without KH2PO4, E: Plant treated with 0.5 mM KH2PO4 alone, F: with 0.5 M KH2PO4 and 60 mM salt, G: with 0.5 M KH2PO4 and 80 mM salt, H: with 0.5 M KH2PO4 and 100 mM salt. According to the study's findings, salt significantly decreased all developmental and metabolic indicators. Nevertheless, the application of KH2PO4, at a concentration of 0.5 mM demonstrated its remarkable utility in enhancing growth and mitigating the negative consequences of salinity stress. The enhancement in growth could potentially be attributed to its comprehensive ameliorative properties, given that KH2PO4 is recognized for triggering seed germination, facilitating water absorption, and potentially functioning as a signaling molecule in saline environments. This study suggests that there is a possibility that suitable concentrations of KH2PO4 may be quite helpful in boosting plant growth and yield under stressful environments

Water defecit is a crucial environmental stress that destructively limits rice growth and productivity, particularly under the current climate change. Consequently, developing drought-tolerant and high-yielding rice genotypes is essential to sustain rice production. This study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity of agronomic and qualitative characteristics among newly developed rice lines, comparing them to commercial checks under both water deficit and well-watered conditions. Thirteen newly advanced lines were collected from the F8 generation in the breeding program following a pedigree scheme. The studied advanced lines and five commercial cultivars were assessed under two water regimes: full irrigated (13000 m3/ha) and water stress (8500 m3/ha) conditions. The obtained results indicated highly significant variation among the evaluated genotypes in all studied agronomic and quality characters. Water deficit significantly reduced number of panicles per plant, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, hulling percentage, milling percentage, grain width, grain length, grain thickness, grain shape, hardness, elongation percentage, gel consistency, and gelatinization temperature (spreading and clearing), while broken and sterility percentage were significantly increased. Drought stress caused hindrance in panicle development and growth and hence reduced grain size and grain number as well as all quality characters. Cluster analysis, PC-biplot, and hierarchical clustering efficiently classified the evaluated genotypes based on the studied grain yield, yield components and quality traits. The evaluated genotypes were classified into distinct groups varying from drought-tolerant to moderately sensitive genotypes based on their agronomic performance and quality under drought stress. The advanced lines L5, L6, L7, L8, L10, L11, L12, and L13 displayed good agronomic and quality performance under drought stress. Moreover, lines L5, L6, L7, and L8 exhibited high-quality performance under drought stress. Generally, the genotypes L4, L5, L6, L7, L8, and L13 were identified as promising for improving yield traits and quality parameters under water deficit conditions. Subsequently, these identified genotypes could also be recommended for commercial cultivation under water deficit conditions. Furthermore, these genotypes could be exploited effectively to further improve of drought tolerance in rice through breeding programs to reinforce grain yield and quality under water shortage conditions, particularly under current climate change

Drought is one of the major disasters affecting wheat production. Research on drought resistance induced by nanomaterials is of great significance not only for global food supply, but also for efficient utilization of resources. In this study, leaf spraying Mesoporous silica (MCM) at flowering stage was used to investigate the effects of MCM on photosynthesis and nitrogen utilization as well as the formation of final yield and quality during wheat filling. The results showed that MCM could effectively increase the photosynthetic pigment content and nitrogen utilization of wheat, improve grain yield and grain protein accumulation in wheat at the later stage of grain filling, and preliminarily proved that the effects of silicon on wheat drought resistance were affected by soil moisture content and dosage, which provided theoretical and technical support for the large-scale application of MCM in wheat production in the next stage

In order to optimize the concentration ratio of different forms of nitrogen and improve the effect of foliar fertilization, the effects of different concentration ratios of exogenous glycine nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen on biomass, nitrogen content, root morphology and leaf physicochemical indexes of rice were investigated. The results indicated that the effects of different exogenous nitrogen concentration compositions on the biomass, nitrogen content and physiological and biochemical indexes of rice were significantly different (p

In Pakistan, wheat is a major staple crop that is also considered as energy crop. At present, it has been developed as animal fodder, malt goods and human consumption. Under the heavy metal stress, the growth and net production of wheat is compromised. Arsenic and Chromium are known as the utmost injurious heavy metal to different cereal crops that affect their physiological and yield attributes. In roots, high quantities of heavy metals are particularly necessary for fodder, herbal crops and cereals. In most recent years, Zinc oxide nanoparticles are known as active entities that are commercially used to enhance the growth, development and production of wheat crop to get economic benefits under stresses. However, in Pakistan, Zinc oxide nanoparticles interaction in Wheat. For this purpose, pot experiments were performed to evaluate the response of Zinc oxide nano particles under heavy metals (chromium and arsenic) stress on two wheat varieties (Aas 2011 and Faisalabad 2008) during 2018-20. Heavy metals (Cr and As 10ppm) were added to plants as rooting medium before sowing. After 14 days of germination, 10, 20, and 30 ppm of ZnO nanoparticles were applied one time as foliar spray. Four replications were used in these experiments using completely randomized design (CRD). Results indicated that the applications of ZnO-NPs, reduced the effect heavy metals including As and Cr concentration in relation to various morphological, physio-chemical, antioxidant enzyme activities and yield parameters in two varieties of wheat. Compared to Aas (2011), variety Faisalabad (2008) showed better performance for these attributes. Results also narrated that heavy metal (As) decreased various attributes of morphology, physiology and yield of both wheat varieties. These findings indicated that the use of ZnO nanoparticles can improve the biochemical, morphological, antioxidant and yield of wheat varieties under heavy metal stress. Applications of ZnO-NPs also showed significance in lowering the toxicity of heavy metals from

Cadmium (Cd) is one of the potential toxins for plants. It disturbs the physiological and biochemical processes in plants, resulting in poor plant growth and yield of crops. As the complete removal of Cd toxicity from soil is quite difficult, scientists are working on selecting such tolerant varieties. These varieties cannot only provide the optimum crop yield but also can play an important role in the removal of Cd from the soil. Considering the importance of canola, a current study was planned to screen the Cd tolerant, moderate, and susceptible canola variety. For that total, 15 varieties were sown in a hydroponic experiment using different toxicity levels of Cd, i.e., tap water (no Cd), 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 mg/L. Results showed that CON-II and CON-III performance was significantly better for improvement in shoot length, root length, seedling fresh and dry weight than sandal canola, rainbow, and Oscar at all levels of Cd toxicity. A significantly improved chlorophyll content also validated the better tolerance of CON-II and CON-III over sandal canola, rainbow, and Oscar. The highest antioxidant activity and electrolyte leakage at 0.8Cd was noted in AARI canola, Oscar, sandal canola, and rainbow, which showed that these varieties were susceptible to Cd toxicity. In conclusion, CON-II and CON-III were observed as tolerant, sandal canola, rainbow, and Oscar were found susceptible while remaining as moderate canola varieties against Cd toxicity. More investigations are suggested at the pot and field level to declare the best tolerant, moderate, and highly susceptible canola varieties again Cd

The decrease in seed viability, a commonly observed phenomenon even in optimal storage conditions, poses a significant challenge, particularly concerning genebank seed collections. Addressing the issue of low viability in genebanks requires dedicated efforts, especially in conducting studies on seed invigoration. This study explored the invigorating effects of KNO3, NaCl, KH2PO4, PEG, salicylic acid, ethanol, GA3, and etheral, both individually and in specific combinations, on artificially aged carrot seeds. When evaluating various priming agents individually, it was noted that GA3 consistently outperformed others, revealing a remarkable 91.4% increase in germination compared to the control. Following closely behind, KNO3 demonstrated a 65% improvement in germination. With slight variations, the remaining parameters, namely shoot length (cm), root length (cm), fresh and dry seedling biomass (g) also exhibited a similar trend. On the other hand, KNO3 when applied in combination with NaCl, salicylic acid, KH2PO4, PEG and ethanol, it was noted that its combination with NaCl and KH2PO4, revealed improved germination revealing 6.7% and 20.4% over control, respectively. While the collective application of invigorants resulted in enhanced germination compared to the control, the improvement was either modest or comparable to their individual application. The remaining combinations did not demonstrate superior performance compared to the control group. Among the tested chemical compounds, salicylic acid exhibited neither individual nor combined invigorating potential in carrot seeds. Instead, it proved to be detrimental, as no germination was observed with this compound. When used alone or in combination, KNO3 emerged as the most versatile invigorating agent, predominantly displaying positive or synergistic effects, with a few exceptions

Rising temperatures and evapotranspiration (ETc) are causing drought in dryland regions, exacerbating water scarcity. Biochar has shown potential for water conservation and crop resilience under water deficit conditions. A study on zucchini plants grown under varying water regimes (100, 80, and 60% ETc) showed that date palm leaf midrib (DLMB) and maize bare cob (MBCB) biochar-amended media improved morpho-physio-biochemical traits. Zucchini plants grown in MBCB-amended media exhibited 9%, 10%, 7%, and 16% increase in plant height, plant spread, fruit weight, and yield compared to those grown in DLMB media. However, these attributes declined 39%, 28%, 35%, and 52% in sandy loam (SL) control media compared to MBCB media. Comparing water deficit conditions (80% and 60%), plants irrigated at 100% ETc showed significantly positive effects. The combined effect of both factors indicated that plants are grown at 100% ETc in MBCB- and DLMB-amended media surpass all other treatment combinations. However, impressively, zucchini plants grown in MBCB media at 80% and 60% ETc, and in DLMB media at 80% ETc, displayed growth, yield, and quality metrics comparable to those of plants grown in fully watered (100% ETc) SL soil. Water scarcity significantly suppressed plant growth, physiology, yield, and fruit quality in SL media at 80% and 60% ETc. This concludes that incorporating MBCB and DLMB biochar can conserve 20−40% of irrigation water while maintaining growth and production of zucchini crop under greenhouse conditions. The findings of this study can provide practical guidance for applying biochar derived from empty maize cobs and date palm leaf midribs to conserve water resources particularly in the water scarce regions. Further research is needed to comprehend the long-term impacts of biochar on crop production, soil fertility, water quality, soil biology, nutrient cycling, and greenhouse gas emissions across various soil types

Lead (Pb) toxicity detrimentally impacts crop growth. Its toxicity in plants results in stunted growth, chlorosis, reduced photosynthesis, disrupted nutrient uptake, oxidative stress, and altered root morphology, compromising overall plant health. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) demonstrate high surface area and reactivity in this regard. It can facilitate the efficient adsorption of lead ions in the contaminated rhizosphere, which makes it a promising remediation strategy. Therefore, a current pot experiment was conducted on wheat and maize cultivated in Pb-contaminated and non-contaminated soil. There were 2 levels of AgNPs (0 and 100 mg kg-1) were applied with and without Pb toxicity (400 mg kg-1). Results showed that applying 100 mg kg-1 AgNPs+Pb caused improvement in shoot length (~30 and ~26%), chlorophyll a (~31 and ~33%), chlorophyll b (~44 and ~57%), total chlorophyll (~36 and ~40%) over Pb (400 mg kg-1) in wheat and maize respectively. A significant improvement in wheat and maize leaves N, P, K, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance also validated the effectiveness of AgNPs+Pb over Pb. In conclusion, 100 mg kg-1 AgNPs have the potential to regulate antioxidant activity and improve nutrient concentration to alleviate Pb toxicity in wheat and maize. More investigations are suggested at the field level to declare 100 mg kg-1 AgNPs as the best application rate and treatment for mitigating Pb toxicity in different cereal crops under variable agro climates

Food security is affected by limited arable land, growing food demand and environmental degradation. Therefore, the selection of high-yield, stable-yield and climate-resistant varieties is essential to increase and maintain wheat yield. In this study, the contribution of wheat breeding was analyzed by the data of yield of wheat in production, yield and yield composition trait of wheat regional testing, annual average temperature and annual average precipitation in Sichuan Province over 40 years. The average yield per hectare (YH) of wheat lines of regional testing increased from 4.14 t ha-1 in 1981 to 5.81 t ha-1 in 2021. By 2020, the wheat yield and planting area in Sichuan, China were 59.70 104 ha and 246.70 104 t, and the yield per hectare increased from 0.82 t ha-1 in 1952 to 4.13 t ha-1 in 2020. The lower limits of yield determinants including spikes number per hectare (SNH), grain number per spike (GNS) and thousand grain weight (TGW) were significantly increased. And the obviously shortened growth period (GD) was more beneficial for wheat to cope with the complex climate in Sichuan. These results indicate that wheat breeding has significantly elevated the stability and sensitivity of wheat to climate change, which is helpful in maintaining stability and high yield under environmental anomalies. In addition, the formation of wheat varieties has been accelerated in part on the development of breeding technology. Diversifying wheat varieties is expected to mitigate some of the negative effects of climate change

Cotton is an often-pollinated crop and can be manipulated by exploiting heterosis achieved from different crosses among cotton genotypes for boosting lint yield and quality traits. The development of a new short-duration varieties having high yield and superior fiber quality are direly needed for sustainable supplies of lint to local textile industry. For this purpose, 12 parents and their half-diallel hybrids were sown at Hama Center for Scientific Agricultural Research, Syria during the summer of 2019 and 2020 to study the heterotic effects for the traits (earliness, yield, and fiber quality). The analysis of variance (mean squares) showed highly significant differences of the genetic variability among genotypes for all characteristics under investigation. Likewise, estimation of relative heterosis (MP), heterobeltiosis (HP), and standard heterosis (SC) showed significant superiority of some hybrids for all characteristics. The highest number of hybrids with significant heterosis was observed for earliness index (E %) and fiber elongation (FE), while the lowest was observed for fiber fineness (FF). Hybrids, Fantum × Coker 139, NIAB 414 × Deir ELzour 22, Coker 139 × NIAB 414, and Coker 139 × Raqqa 5 exhibited desirable heterosis for most of the traits under study. Thus, these cross combinations may become potent candidates for future hybridization programs in order to exploit heterosis for boosting the seed cotton yield (SCY), earliness and fiber quality traits by developing new varieties

 

The current field experiments were conducted during two successive years throughout Kharif, 2017 and 2018 at Students’ Experimental Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Pakistan. The rice variety Shandar 45 days old seedlings were transplanted on 15 May in both years. The experiment was conducted in 20 m2 (5m × 4m) plots, with a 40cm border, following randomized complete block design. The results showed significant effects on weed, agronomic and physiological traits. Minimum interactive values for weed density was observed with F3 = NPK + Zn 160+80+80+6.0 kg ha-1 × W1 = (No weeding), minimum fresh biomass of weed (g m-2) and weed dry biomass (g m-2) was observed with F3 = NPK + Zn 160+80+80+6.0 kg ha-1 × W4 = Herbicide Machete 60 EC at 1.25 L ha-1 + Sorghum water extract at 25 L ha-1. However, minimum weed control (0.00 %) was found with F1 = No fertilizer (Control) × W1 = Weedy check (No weeding). Maximum interactive values were noted for panicle length, kernel panicle-1, seed index (1000 kernel wt. g), kernel yield (t ha-1) and protein (%) with F3 = NPK + Zn 160+80+80+6.0 kg ha-1 × W4 = Herbicide Machete 60 EC at 1.25 L ha-1 + Sorghum water extract at 25 L ha-1 (10 DAT). The maximum kernel wt. panicle-1 (g) was recorded with F3 = NPK + Zn 160+80+80+6.0 kg ha-1 × W3 = Sorghum water extract at 25 L ha-1 (10 DAT). However, maximum crop growth rate (gm-2 day-1) was recorded with F4 = NPK + B 160+80+80+1.0 kg ha-1 × W3 = Sorghum water extract at 25 L ha-1 (10 DAT). The study revealed research areas to establish adequate management practices through different levels of nutrients and weed control for the enhancement of quality paddy rice production

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is an economically important crop due to its nutritional and environmental benefits. In Mexico, farmers in marginal conditions produce most of the crops using landraces classified and informally named based on the physical characteristics of the seed and the growth habit of the plant. The analysis of genetic diversity is a crucial step towards enhancing crop productivity and is accomplished by measuring variation in phenotypic and genotypic traits using morphological and molecular markers. In order to obtain valuable information for cowpea management and conservation, this study assessed the genetic variability and relationships among 14 landraces cultivated in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, based on morphological traits and molecular markers (ISSR). The results contribute to our knowledge of genetic diversity in cultivated landraces of cowpea in the Yucatan Peninsula, including the first report of landraces collected in a previously unexplored region. The results indicated a higher level of diversity among varieties than within varieties. Additionally, most morphological characteristics of cowpea genotypes were very similar. The populations studied were grouped into two main clusters by a PCA based on both ancestry analysis and a dendrogram. The analysis indicated a low level of gene flow between groups

The distribution of plants over the earth's surface is not even or random but follows a particular geographical pattern. The variation in the floristic composition of plants can be attributed to various environmental factors. The current study was conducted in Sialkot, Pakistan, a prominent industrial hub of the country, to assess the impact of industrial pollution on floristic composition. Vegetation was sampled using standard quantitative ecological techniques. A total of 150 quadrats were established across three sites based on pollution gradient. The soil samples from each quadrat were examined using standard laboratory techniques to assess various physicochemical parameters and the concentration of heavy metals. The collected data were analyzed using PCORD and CANOCO software. Our findings indicate that this region exhibits a diverse range of plants from twenty-eight phytogeographic regions, highlighting its rich biodiversity. The most dominant phytogeographic elements were Cosmopolitan (13.3%), followed by Tropical (10.7%) in contrast, the least dominant ones were Western Himalayan, Sub-cosmopolitan, Sino-Japanese, sub-Himalayan, Indo-Chinese, etc., each represented by one member. Poaceae was the dominant family represented by 19 species (13%), followed by Asteraceae 18 (13%). We observed that floristic diversity decreased as we moved from a less polluted area to a more polluted area. In addition, local residents of the region dispose of cow dung and other household waste along the study region. This adds organic matter and heavy pollutants, coupled with industrial waste, to the environment and has a crucial impact on the distribution of phytogeographic elements in this region.  Therefore, we believe industrial pollution has a remarkable role in the distribution of phytogeographic elements. It is suggested that Irano-Turanian and Tropical elements distributed in our study should be protected because of their narrow geographic range

Humulus scandens is a common dioecious weed that possesses valuable forage and medicinal properties. It exhibits strong adaptability and a high seed yield, making it a subject of significant research interest. However, there is a lack of information concerning the meiosis process of H. scandens and the relevant methods used for studying it. In this study, we aimed to address this gap by utilizing intact H. scandens meiosis cells as research material. We employed a rapid labeling method to observe the meiotic chromosomes. Additionally, a single oligonucleotide probe of 5S rDNA was used to asertain that the number of 5S rDNA signals in the somatic cells of H. scandens was one pair. Using this probe, we conducted an inspection of homologous chromosome pairing in H. scandens. Our study provides a comprehensive description of the meiosis process in H. scandens and introduces a set of cytological methods suitable for the easy labeling of meiotic chromosomes and the monitoring of homologous chromosome pairing in H. scandens

The internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) sequence is known for its remarkable ability to distinguish between plant species, making it a valuable tool for phylogenetic analysis and species classification. In this investigation, we elucidated the secondary structure of ITS2 in Rehmannia, revealing a characteristic arrangement of four helices. It's noteworthy that the length and shape of each helix vary, contributing to significant interspecific differences. Furthermore, certain variants of R. glutinosa displayed notable disparities in their ITS2 secondary structures. Additionally, when comparing ITS2 sequences and secondary structures, we observed distinct differences between Rehmannia and its closely related genus, Triaenophora. This divergence highlighted the potential of ITS2, not only for genetic information but also for its structural characteristics, in enhancing species discrimination. Consequently, our findings underscore the substantial promise of ITS2 in the realms of species classification and identification

Aesculus chinensis Bunge, a deciduous tree in the genus Aesculus of the Hippocastanaceae family, has ornamental, economic, and medicinal values. But the scarcity of comprehensive genetic data hinders the utilization of this species, especially the EST-SSR markers in A. chinensis Bunge have not been reported previously. In this study, the transcriptomes of A. chinensis Bunge were assembled from novo, which enabled the identification of 33,365 unigenes with a mean length of 1348 bp. The sum of 25450 (76.27%) unigenes showed similarities with at least one database including Nr (71.39%), Swiss Prot (57.03%), GO (53.31%), KO (27.13%) and KOG (19.27%). Based on the transcriptome data collected for A. chinensis Bunge, 16,103 SSR loci were detected with a distribution density of one SSR per 2.79 kb. The most dinucleotide and trinucleotide repeats were AG/CT and AAG/CTT. Then 58 primer pairs were randomly selected for polymorphism validation and 31 primer pairs were polymorphic among eight Aesculus samples. There were 167 alleles detected, varying from 2 to 9 with a mean of 5.387 alleles per locus. According to the allelic variation, 7 primers were capable of distinguishing the 8 Aesculus samples from 6 species. These findings will be useful for the conservation, genetic diversity assessment and molecular identification of Aesculus resources.

 

Strawberry can be categorized into seasonal-flowering(SF) and perpetual-flowering(PF) depending on their flowering habit. To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the two flowering pattern, a comparative proteomic analysis of the shoot apical meristem(SAM) was performed between the PF cultivar 'Monterey' and the SF cultivar 'Benihoppe'. 1088 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) between the two cultivars were identified, of which 536 were up-regulated and 552 down-regulated in 'Monterey'. Gene Ontology analysis revealed DEPs were enriched in biological processes related to flavonoid metabolism, pigment metabolism, response to stimuli, circadian rhythm, developmental growth involved in morphogenesis, reproductive structure development and etc.. KEGG analysis indicated that DEPs were involved in several metabolic pathways, including flavonoid biosynthesis and amino acid metabolism. Protein-protein interaction analysis showed flowering related DEPs SPL3, TFL1, ELF4, HDA6, COI1 formed two interacting network. Our findings provide proteomic data for understanding the molecular basis of SAM development during the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth in strawberry.

Rosa hybrida is one of the most important cut flowers in the world, the premature senescence of its petals seriously affects its quality and economic value. In order to explore the senescence mechanism of rose petals and provide gene reserve for the creation of anti-senescence rose varieties through molecular breeding and other means, a bHLH transcription factor (TF) was screened based on our previous transcriptome data. bHLH TFs have been shown to play important roles in the plant growth and development, and in response to stress response. In this study, we investigated the function of bHLH TF in petal senescence of cut rose ‘Carola’. We cloned a gene named RhBEE1-like belonging to bHLH TF family. Quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) showed that the expression level of RhBEE1-like increased significantly with the opening of flowers in rose and was significantly induced by ethylene. Transient overexpression of RhBEE1-like in tobacco mesophyll cells showed that the GFP signal of RhBEE1-like coincided with the nuclear signal of DAPI through confocal microscope, indicating that RhBEE1-like was located in the nucleus. Silencing RhBEE1-like in rose petals by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) can accelerate the senescence of rose petals, and at the same time, the expression level of senescence marker gene RhSAG12, the ion leakage rate and fading rate of rose petals were significantly increased. To summarize, our study showed that RhBEE1-like has antagonistic effect on petal senescence in rose

The genus Fagonia of the family Zygophyllaceae consists of species, mostly distributed in tropical-subtropical or warm-temperate regions of the world in different environmental conditions. Fagonia is a convenient herbal medicinal plant with a wide range of therapeutic potentials against different diseases. Numerous studies conducted to explore herbal chemistry and biological functions of Fagonia species. In vivo pharmacological examination of Fagonia species revealed noteworthy characteristics like cytotoxic and anti-cancer potential. Novel chemical ingredients found in the species included flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, vitamins, and nutritional components. Numerous researches conducted on Fagonia species has been compiled in this review study. Using references from significant databases, it comprises a thorough review of the literature about the therapeutic usefulness and bioactivities of several extracts identified from Fagonia species. The areas covered in current review reveal details about the immense medicinal value of the different components of Fagonia species, presence of bioactive constituents as well as therapeutic efficacy of nanoparticles synthesized by using Fagonia plant extract, illustrating the advantages of using nanotechnology and green synthesis nanoformulation of herbal plants

Nephelium lappaceum is a tropical tree that is widely distributed in Malaysia and Indonesia. Rambutan fruit is nutritious and rich in vitamins, minerals, and beneficial compounds that offer many health benefits. The research on the potential of N. lappaceum for pharmaceutical use is underestimated. This study aims to determine the phytochemical constituents and unravel the potential of leaf extracts for antibacterial activity. Mature leaves of five cultivars of N. lappaceum (R191, R3, S1, AG28, and GB44) were extracted using two different solvents (methanol and water) and these extracts were subjected to phytochemical screening. The effects of crude leaf extract on antimicrobial activity against the Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus dan the Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli were conducted using the agar well diffusion method. The methanol extraction method recorded a higher yield than the water extraction method in all tested cultivars with AG 28 recording the highest percentage of 28.2%. Phytochemical screening showed the presence of coumarins, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, and tannins in both methanolic and water leaf extracts. Alkaloids were only present in the water extracts except for R191, while no detection of anthocyanin presence in both methanolic and water extracts. Analysis of antibacterial activity based on the zone of inhibition growth for methanolic and water extracts of five different cultivars showed significant antibacterial effects (p

This research aims to explore the antihyperglycemic potential of Viscum cruciatum Sieber ex Boiss., a locally known ethnomedicinal plant called "Parwikh" from the family Loranthaceae, found in Rawalakot, District Poonch, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Pakistan. The plant has been traditionally used for the treatment of type-2 diabetes mellitus by local communities. Due to its hemiparasitic nature and association with host species Quercus incana and Olea ferruginea, it was hypothesized that the plant may possess unique medicinal properties derived from its host interactions for differential cure of diabetes. Traditional ethnomedicinal (TEM) knowledge was collected through Open and closed-ended questionnaires and microstatistical tools, such as informant consensus factor (ICF) and fidelity level (FL for data authentication. Preliminary phytochemical screening of leaf and bark extracts revealed the presence of flavonoids, saponins and alkaloids. For antihyperglycemic analysis, experiments were conducted on alloxan-induced Type-2 hyperglycemic rabbits using methanolic extracts of leaf and bark at concentrations of 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg, administered orally for 7, 15 and 30 days. Blood sugar levels were measured using an ACCU-CHEK-active model glucometer. The results demonstrated that the rabbits treated with 1000 mg leaf extract from the host O. ferruginea exhibited the maximum decrease in blood glucose level (1491.5 mg/dL). The same treatment showed the highest decrease in body weight (25.36%), while the T3-group treated with 500 mg bark extract from the host Q. incana showed a less decrease in blood sugar (8.22%). The same treatment displayed the maximum increase in serum insulin level (5.790.11 pmol/L) on the 15th day of treatment. This study establishes the significant antihyperglycemic properties of the methanolic extract of Viscum cruciatum Sieber ex Boiss from host of Olea ferruginea, validating its traditional use in Rawalakot, AJK territory of Pakistan, for the treatment of type-2 diabetes mellitus. The findings suggest that further comprehensive research on this plant could lead to discovery and the development through optimization protocols as the novel allopathic drugs

The Himalayas are a rich reservoir of medicinal plants, which span across eight countries and cover 18% of the Indian subcontinent, with approximately 1,748 species utilized for medicinal purposes. However, these resources are jeopardized by excessive harvesting and climate change. This is the first comprehensive analysis of the Himalayan plants in order to demonstrate the traditional features of the Himalayan flora up to this point, the data on the medicinal flora was categorized. The family names were recorded alongside the number of plants. The species' habits, the components used, and the application technique were observed. The diseases cured by the medicinal flora were categorized into 12 types. A total of 150 species of medicinal plants representing 68 families were recorded. The plant family Asteraceae, comprising of 21 species, was found to be the most often indicated, followed by Lamiaceae, which had 9 species. The components most often used were the leaves and roots. Paste (75 Plants) and powder (69 plants) were the most often utilized preparations for these medicinal plants. The current analysis reveals substantial variation in the preparation methods of medical medicines among the plant species. 126 plant species were utilized for treating dermatological conditions, and 120 species were found to be effective against gastrointestinal conditions. This study underlines the importance of these medicinal plants for tackling global efforts to protect biodiversity to ensure the future of upcoming generation through conservation efforts essential to the continued use of these invaluable resources.

 

Current study is based on the extraction of free and bound phenolic compounds (PC) in aerial parts i.e., stem, skin, leaves, and seeds of E. tereticornis (local name: Sufeda) plant. The two different extraction procedures (Sonication and ultrasonic assisted base hydrolysis) and their antimicrobial activity against two bacteria i.e. Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were analyzed. The RP-HPLC-DAD was applied for separation and detection of phenolic compounds (PC). The HPLC profiling revealed the existence of 13 PC in which 11 were phenolic acids and 2 aldehydes derivatives, while bound PC possessing greater fraction than free ones. The results from ultrasonic assisted extraction revealed the gallic (23.47 mg/g), p-coumaric (16.66 mg/g), p-hyroxybenzoic (11.03 mg/g) and ferulic (8.71 mg/g) acids. While Sonication extraction method shows the chlorogenic (8.14 mg/g), vanillic (11.47 mg/g), sinapic (4.68 mg/g) and caffeic (5.38 mg/g) acids as main constituents in skin, seed, stem and leaves respectively. Four PC were identified as bound phenolic acids i.e., p-coumaric, cinnamic, naringenin and catechin, while other of the compounds were found in both extracts. The free radical scavenging activity (RSA) and total phenolic contents (TPC) were present in greater amounts in seed (164.61 Mm/g) and skin (118.96 Mm/g) while total flavonoids and total tannins were higher in stem (42.77 Mm/g) and (28.13 Mm/g), respectively. E. Tereticornis leaves, stem, seeds and skin extracts were observed to be highly effective for E coli and S. aureus. The antimicrobial action of E. Tereticornis extracts was higher against S. aureus (MIC value 125 μg/mL) than E. coli (MIC value 250 μg/mL). It is concluded that the potential health benefits of E. tereticornis highlight its significance in the field of natural product chemistry and pharmacology

The purpose of this study was to optimize a rapid protocol for the extraction of phytochemicals, using a microwave-assisted extraction technique (MAE) from Olea europaea L. For this purpose, fruits, seeds, and leaves of O. europaea var. Earlik were extracted by MAE. MAE parameters including power level (300-1000 W), extraction time (1-10 min), and polar (Ethanol and Acetone) and Non-polar solvents (n-hexane) ratios (8.65 -10 mL) for maximum phenolic and flavonoid content were optimized using central composite design (CCD). Extracts with non-polar solvent (n-hexane) and esterified olive oil were analyzed by GC-MS. After that, the extracts with maximum phenolics were analyzed and compared for antioxidant and antifungal activities. Results showed that leaf extracts in 4.5 minutes, 1000 W, and 10 mL ethanol contained higher phenolics and flavonoids. Leaf extract also showed higher antioxidant potential and higher antifungal potential against Aspergillus flavus. Same biological and phytochemical assays were repeated for microwave-assisted extracts of olive seeds and fruits with promising results. Parameters that showed the optimized results were power level (600 W), solvent (10 mL) and solvent (ethanol). Overall leaf extract showed higher antifungal and antioxidant potential compared to seed and fruit extract using the optimized extraction parameters with leaves. GC-MS analysis showed 20, 21, 16, and 8 components from fruit, seed, leaf and olive oil respectively. The results of the study demonstrated that MAE was a fast and energy-efficient method for extracting both polar and non-polar components from olives and can be used as an extraction method for olives which can lead to savings in time, energy, and cost. This rapid method of extraction can be used to analyze the phytochemicals from various other varieties of olives.

 

Plant dehydrin (DHN) is a hydrophilic protein widely present in organisms, and it is accumulated when plants encounter adverse environments. Based on the sequence information of DHN family genes in Arabidopsis thaliana, 13 DHN genes were found in maize using the homology sequence alignment method, in which five DHN genes were located on chromosome 8. The maize DHN gene family can be classified into five branches by evolutionary analysis. The DHN proteins contain five subclasses which are Kn, SKn, KnS, YnSKn and FSKn. Analysis of cis-acting elements showed that the promoters of DHN gene family harbor cis-acting elements mainly responsive to stress and plant hormones. Tissue expression patterns revealed that almost all ZmDHN genes are expressed in the embryo and aleurone layer. DHN proteins were mainly distributed in the nucleus and cytoplasm by subcellular localization prediction. The present findings allow insight into understanding maize DHN family genes’ functions and facilitate the molecular breeding of ZmDHNs in coping with abiotic stress

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an annual edible oil produce rich in minerals, vitamins, and nutrients. Sunflowers are susceptible to many fungal diseases including rust, rotting, sclerotinia stalk, downy mildew, and leaf spots. The harshness of such diseases results in low yields. However, disease management requires the correct identification of the causal agent. In the present study, sunflower leaf spot symptoms were observed in Jallo Park, Botanical Garden; University of the Punjab, Canal Road, and fields of Johar town, Lahore. The infected leaves were sampled from fields for pathogen isolation, purification, and identification morphologically as well as genetically by nucleotide sequencing of rDNA using four primers i.e., Internal spacer region (ITS), Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase (GAPDH), β-Tubulin (Bt2) and Osteomodulin (OMD). The pathogen exhibited a green colony on MEA. Conidiophores were cylindrical, with conical terminal vesicles. Conidial heads were uni-seriate and conidia were smooth-walled, globose, green, and their size was 2-4 µm. On the Base of morphological analysis, the fungus was identified as Aspergillus fumigatus (Fresenius, B. 1863). BLAST results executed with all primers revealed 99-100% homology of the pathogen with A. fumigatus strains in Genbank. To confirm the pathogenicity, Koch’s pathogenicity test was performed by inoculating fungal suspension on pots and plate assays. The emergence of similar symptoms of disease and re-isolation of the identical pathogen verified Koch’s postulates. The study signifies the first report of A. fumigatus as a pathogen inducing leaf spot of sunflower in Pakistan and explicates the need for the management of the pathogen

Erucic acid is a typical long-chain fatty acid, which is considered to human health but extensively applied in industry and other fields. MYC2 is the crucial regulator in the JA signaling pathway, which participates in plant response to insect, pathogenic bacteria and other stress. However, the involvement of MYC2 in other biological processes is unclear. In this study, we reported that BnMYC2 took part in erucic acid synthesis by directly binding to promoter of BnFAE1 a major gene during the erucic acid synthesis in Brassica napus. GUS histochemistry assay showed that staining was observed in all detected tissues, especially in seed. The subcellular localization indicated that BnMYC2 was located in the nucleus. Yeast one-hybridization and double luciferase experiments indicated that BnFAE1 transcription activity was regulated by BnMYC2 In vitro and In vivo, respectively. The results of genetic transformation verified that compared with WT, the expression level of AtFAE1 gene was significantly enhanced in the mutant myc2-2, and the same tendency was also found in mutant background. Unexpectedly, the opposite trend was observed in BnMYC2-overexpression Arabidopsis. Collectively, these results revealed that BnMYC2 played a essential role in erucic acid synthesis in oilseed rape. Our research provided a preliminary understanding of how erucic acid synthesis was modulated by JA signaling in Brassica napus

Yews are an important medicinal plant species in the genus Taxus. It has high importance due to the presence of Taxol, a well-known anti-cancer drug, used for the treatment of ovarian and breast cancer. Due to its slow growth and long seed dormancy period of 1.5-2 years, its natural regeneration is slow. In the current research, we developed an in-vitro propagation system to aid in conserving this species. The various plant tissues were excised from field-grown trees and kept moist at 4 ̊C until they were brought to the lab. We conclude that the best sterilization is possible only by treating explants with 70% ethanol for 2 min followed by 35% of bleach for 10 min. Indole Butyric Acid (IBA) 100 and 200 mg/L were the best dozes that showed a high number of rooting with IBA 200 mg/L→Days to Root Initiation (DTRI)=87 days, and IBA 100 mg/L→DTRI=52 and 55 days. In comparison, the growth of the shoots was found as? IBA 200 mg/L→ Days to Shoots Initiation (DTSI)=14d, while that of IBA 100 mg/L→DTSI=14d was noticed weekly up to the sixth week of culturing. Hence it is proved that viable, rooted plantlets of H. yew can be produced In vitro using MS media supplemented with IBA, which shows the emergence of the adventitious roots by keeping the explants for a longer time in media

An evaluation was performed to study the efficacy of postharvest application of epiphytic fluorescent Pseudomonas on mango “Safaid Chaunsa’ fruit with a view of elevating compositional quality and storage period. In the current study, Mango fruits were at the ripened stage 4. Surface treatment was performed by suspending the selected isolates of epiphytic fluorescent Pseudomonas namely HAB-10, HAB-15, and HAB-25 in water to 107 CFU/mL. For positive control, treatment with potassium sorbate (K-sorbate) 1 % was performed while treatment with sterilized distilled water acted as negative control. All fruits (treated and non-treated) were kept at 28±3ºC with 63-67% relative humidity for ten days. During study, samples were tested for changes in their physical and chemical composition such as total soluble solids (TSS), physiological loss in weight (PLW), pH, total titratable acidity (TTA), firmness, decay percent and total polyphenol content (TPC) on every fifth day. After nine days of storage, results demonstrated that; lower PLW, higher firmness, lower concentration of TSS and TTA and fluorescent Pseudomonas treated fruits showed least decay percent as compared to non-treated fruit set (control). After storage of ten days, higher content of phenols (TPC) was observed in fruits treated with HAB-15 tailed by HAB-25 and HAB-10 treatment. The epiphytic fluorescent Pseudomonas treated fruits showed slow rate of metabolic process and caused delay in ripening of fruits, ultimately maintaining better quality as compared to untreated fruits (control sets) during ten days of storage at ambient conditions.


 

The objective of current study was to investigate total phenolic, flavonoids and triterpenoids content in various solvent extracts from leaves and roots of Dolomiaea macrocephala and their inhibitory effect against pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Disc diffusion method was adopted to find out antibacterial and antifungal potential of various solvent extracts. Total phenolic, flavonoids and triterpenoids content were determined by the Folin–Ciocalteu, aluminium chloride colorimetric method and vanillin–glacial acetic acid method respectively. Their correlation with antimicrobial activities was statistically analyzed by Pearson's correlation coefficient method. The present study revealed highest phenolic and flavonoids content in methanol and aqueous extracts in both leaves and roots of D. macrocephala. The highest triterpenoid content was recorded in petroleum ether extract. Various solvents extract from leaves and roots showed significant bactericidal effect against both Gram Negative and Gram-Positive bacteria. However, only aqueous and methanol extracts of D. macrocephala exhibited remarkable zone of inhibition against post-harvest fungal pathogens. The Pearson’s correlation revealed a significant positive correlation between total phenolic and flavonoids content in various solvent extracts in both leaves and roots with their antibacterial activity. The findings from present study revealed that antibacterial activities of different solvent extracts from leaves and roots were due to highest phenolic and flavonoids content. Thus the study insight the presences of major bioactive compounds in plant extract and showed their potential antimicrobial application against antibiotic resistant bacteria

Successful execution of plant breeding programs requires diversity among key yield contributing traits and their positive association with final yield. Association of major traits with chilli fruit yield and their direct and mediated effects through path analysis were explored in this research. During 2018 and 2019, trials were conducted on 6 chilli genotypes using RCB design with three replications. Highly significant (p≤0.01) diversity, from pooled ANOVA results, was observed among six chilli genotypes for days to flowering, plant height, canopy width, number of main branches, days to fruiting, single fruit weight, fruit length, fruit diameter, number of fruits per plant and fruit yield/plant. Days to flowering and fruiting showed an intermediate positive association (r 0.7) with fruit yield. Path analysis of number of fruits/plant and single fruit weight showed maximum (>0.5) positive direct effect on yield. Although, number of main branches and plant height exhibited small direct effect on fruit yield, their positive mediated effect on yield, through single fruit weight and number of fruits/plant was high (>0.4). In addition, these traits also showed optimum (>20) genetic advance over mean and high heritability (>80%). Therefore, for superior chilli cultivars development selection should be practiced for number of fruits/plant, single fruit weight, plant height and number of main branches

Berberis lycium, a wild shrub, is a therapeutic plant that can tolerate harsh environmental conditions. Endophytic bacteria associated with it act as a repository for therapeutic compounds. It contributes significantly to the production of a diverse array of bioactive compounds. The aim of the current study was to isolate and identify endophytic bacteria from the roots of Berberis lyceum and screen them for both plant growth promoting traits and bioactive metabolites. Five bacterial strains belonging to the genus Bacillus were chosen and identified. These bacteria exhibited phosphate solubilization, ammonia production, IAA production and protease activity. Bacillus subtilis showed substantial root elongation in canola, potentially attributable to its favorable plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits. Variation was observed in the total flavonoid and phenolic contents among the bacterial extracts. Bacillus paramycoides showed significantly high phenolic content (183.1µg QA/mg), Bacillus subtilis showed significantly high flavonoid content (58.5µg GAE/mg), reducing power (RP) 196 µg/mg of crude extract, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) 170.1 µg/mg of crude extract, and DPPH activity demonstrated an IC50 value of 36.8 μg/mL. GC-MS analysis of crude extract from Bacillus subtilis confirming the presence of fatty acids with chain lengths ranging from C8 to C24 suggests the diverse composition of lipids. Our findings revealed isolated strains and their extracts possess plant growth promoting traits and bioactive compounds that highlight them as a promising and abundant source of metabolites. The application of these metabolites could potentially reduce the reliance on agrochemicals in food and drug production

The microbiota, which refers to the microbial populations, wields significant influence over human and animal immune systems, geochemical nutrient cycles, and the health and productivity of plants. The interplay of these microbes with soil and their natural plant hosts within their ecosystems plays a pivotal role in understanding the development and pathogenic mechanisms of various diseases. Metagenomics has introduced a revolutionary technique for extracting DNA from environmental samples like soil, bypassing the need for culturing these microorganisms. This research primarily concentrated on identifying various bacterial species present in soil samples collected from the Hail region in north-central Saudi Arabia. Our approach involved leveraging 16S rRNA gene-based metagenomics analysis through the Illumina Miseq platform, coupled with the use of the NCBI nucleotide collection. Highly similar sequences underwent rigorous scrutiny via the m, and the obtained sequences were meticulously compared with the query sequences. The examination of over a thousand sequences unveiled that over 95% of these sequences exhibited significant alignment, with a total of 600 sequences corresponding to 100 distinct taxa. These taxa included pathogenic (comprising 35 species), non-pathogenic (comprising 18 species), parasitic (comprising 18 species), and additionally, four unidentified bacterial species. These findings underscore the diversity within the bacterial strains present in the soil, shedding light on the dynamic nature of soil microbiomes. This information not only serves as an indicator of soil health but also holds relevance for understanding plant-related pathogens and identifying beneficial microbes conducive to plant growth. Consequently, the primary objective of this study was to employ innovative molecular techniques in identifying bacterial species that pose a threat to plants. However, further research is imperative to delve deeper into the actual relationship between these isolated bacterial species and their ecological preferences, as well as to ascertain their potential medicinal properties

 

Contamination of agricultural lands by the heavy metal is a serious biological and environmental issue. Such a hazard can be minimized and confronted by enhancing the growth promoting and chromium alleviating competences of fungal endophytes. Current attempt was made to find the effect of ultra violet (UV) irradiation on plant growth promoting and Cr alleviating capabilities of fungal endophytes. For the said purpose spore suspension of various fungal endophytes were exposed to UV irradiation for various time points i.e., 15, 30 and 45 min. After exposure to UV, the strains were screened for their bio-remediating abilities. Among the UV irradiated fungal endophytes, the growth promoting and Cr alleviating capabilities of Aspergillus terreus strain SH 13 was significantly (P=0.05) increased in comparison to its wild type. The elevated level of Cr in the soil resulted in growth inhibition of the seedlings. However, the UV irradiated SH 13 isolate has restored the growth parameters of the seedling in the said Cr stress. The increase in host plant lengths was almost 2 folds greater than those supplemented with non-UV irradiated SH 13 strain. The UV treated isolate effectively cut down the absorption of Cr from soil to root, allowing the seedlings to resume their normal growth and functions. Moreover, the strain exhibited extensive ability to strengthen the host antioxidant system by lowering ROS accumulation, improving ROS scavenging, and promoting plant’s antioxidant contents (phenol and flavonoids). The above findings suggest that UV exposure can enhance growth promoting and bio-remediating (Cr reclamation) abilities of A. terreus SH 13

Increasing population and urbanization results in greater production of wastewaters through industrial, commercial, domestic or agricultural activities. Discharges of these resources contain several elements including nutrients and heavy metals. Therefore, utilization of wastewater for crop irrigation alters the soil property of agricultural land by accumulating nutrients and heavy metals. Present study revealed the occurrence of elements and the existence of microorganisms in wastewater irrigated soils of two different locations adjacent to the Malir river and Lyari river. MWIS (Malir wastewater irrigated soil) and LWIS (Lyari wastewater irrigated soil) contained a greater amount of organic matter (3.13 ± 0.10 %, 3.10 ± 0.10 %) as compared to NWIS (normal water irrigated soil). Physicochemical measures such as EC (1774 ± 5.49 µS/cm), salinity (0.89 ± 0.02 %) and TDS (887 ± 5.19 ppm) and heavy metals like iron (29.02 ± 1.72 ppm), copper (0.36 ± 0.02ppm), lead (0.82 ± 0.02 ppm) and nickel (0.94 ± 0.01 ppm) were recorded higher in LWIS as compared to MWIS and NWIS. However, EC (425 ± 1.45 µS/cm) and TDS (213 ± 1.73 ppm) were found lowest in MWIS than LWIS in contrast to NWIS. Nutrients like nitrogen, potassium and heavy metal such as cadmium were approximately equal in all tested soil samples. Numerous fungal species have been sequestered from wastewater irrigated soils in which thirteen genera and twenty-seven species of fungi were isolated. Out of all fungal species, Aspergillus flavus, Curvularia intermedia, Fusarium solani and Rhizopus sp. were found dominant (6.67×103 cfu/g soil) in MWIS, while LWIS comprised the highest cfu (1 ×104 cfu/g soil) of Trichoderma viride and A. parasiticus. In addition, bacterial species like Ralstonia pickettii was found superior in MWIS with 3.24×107cfu/g soil. Whereas, five different strains of Acinetobacter lwoffii / jansani were isolated from LWIS along with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4×105 cfu/g soil) and Shigella dysenteriae (1×105 cfu/g soil). The current study revealed the existence of microorganisms in different qualities of soils having complex nature that were irrigated by wastewater. It was evaluated that sequestered fungal and bacterial species were able to tolerate the complex nature of wastewater irrigated soils that have an adequate environment for the survival of fungi and bacteria

Bacterial lipases are diverse and are widely used as industrial enzymes. The widespread application of bacterial lipases has encouraged researchers to explore new lipase-producing bacterial strains. In this study, two bacterial strains associated with the salt marsh plant, Arthrocnemum macrostachyum were investigated for lipase production. The endophytic Bacillus licheniformis E3 and rhizospheric Bacillus sp. R7 produced 4.37 and 16.67 IU mL-1 of lipase, respectively, when cultivated in the medium containing the powdered seeds of A. macrostachyum. The design of the experiment using the Plackett-Burman design helped improve the titers by 1.2 to 2 folds. Moreover, the lipase activity of both strains was characterized using the Central Composite design. Under optimum conditions, lipase activity reached to 100-200 IU mL-1 which corroborated the 16-32 folds enhancement in lipase activity. Both lipases were compatible with the commercial detergent and could remove the olive-oil stain from the cotton fabric