Microbial bioformulation: a microbial assisted biostimulating fertilization technique for sustainable agriculture.

Addressing the pressing issues of increased food demand, declining crop productivity under varying agroclimatic conditions, and the deteriorating soil health resulting from the overuse of agricultural chemicals, requires innovative and effective strategies for the present era. Microbial bioformulation technology is a revolutionary, and eco-friendly alternative to agrochemicals that paves the way for sustainable agriculture. This technology harnesses the power of potential microbial strains and their cell-free filtrate possessing specific properties, such as phosphorus, potassium, and zinc solubilization, nitrogen fixation, siderophore production, and pathogen protection. The application of microbial bioformulations offers several remarkable advantages, including its sustainable nature, plant probiotic properties, and long-term viability, positioning it as a promising technology for the future of agriculture. To maintain the survival and viability of microbial strains, diverse carrier materials are employed to provide essential nourishment and support. Various carrier materials with their unique pros and cons are available, and choosing the most appropriate one is a key consideration, as it substantially extends the shelf life of microbial cells and maintains the overall quality of the bioinoculants. An exemplary modern bioformulation technology involves immobilizing microbial cells and utilizing cell-free filters to preserve the efficacy of bioinoculants, showcasing cutting-edge progress in this field. Moreover, the effective delivery of bioformulations in agricultural fields is another critical aspect to improve their overall efficiency. Proper and suitable application of microbial formulations is essential to boost soil fertility, preserve the soil's microbial ecology, enhance soil nutrition, and support crop physiological and biochemical processes, leading to increased yields in a sustainable manner while reducing reliance on expensive and toxic agrochemicals. This manuscript centers on exploring microbial bioformulations and their carrier materials, providing insights into the selection criteria, the development process of bioformulations, precautions, and best practices for various agricultural lands. The potential of bioformulations in promoting plant growth and defense against pathogens and diseases, while addressing biosafety concerns, is also a focal point of this study.

Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Anticancer Effects of Anacardium Plants: An Ethnopharmacological Perspective.

Anacardium plants have received increasing recognition due to its nutritional and biological properties. A number of secondary metabolites are present in its leaves, fruits, and other parts of the plant. Among the diverse Anacardium plants' bioactive effects, their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities comprise those that have gained more attention. Thus, the present article aims to review the Anacardium plants' biological effects. A special emphasis is also given to their pharmacological and clinical efficacy, which may trigger further studies on their therapeutic properties with clinical trials.

Prosopis Plant Chemical Composition and Pharmacological Attributes: Targeting Clinical Studies from Preclinical Evidence.

Members of the Prosopis genus are native to America, Africa and Asia, and have long been used in traditional medicine. The Prosopis species most commonly used for medicinal purposes are P. africana, P. alba, P. cineraria, P. farcta, P. glandulosa, P. juliflora, P. nigra, P. ruscifolia and P. spicigera, which are highly effective in asthma, birth/postpartum pains, callouses, conjunctivitis, diabetes, diarrhea, expectorant, fever, flu, lactation, liver infection, malaria, otitis, pains, pediculosis, rheumatism, scabies, skin inflammations, spasm, stomach ache, bladder and pancreas stone removal. Flour, syrup, and beverages from Prosopis pods have also been potentially used for foods and food supplement formulation in many regions of the world. In addition, various in vitro and in vivo studies have revealed interesting antiplasmodial, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetic and wound healing effects. The phytochemical composition of Prosopis plants, namely their content of C-glycosyl flavones (such as schaftoside, isoschaftoside, vicenin II, vitexin and isovitexin) has been increasingly correlated with the observed biological effects. Thus, given the literature reports, Prosopis plants have positive impact on the human diet and general health. In this sense, the present review provides an in-depth overview of the literature data regarding Prosopis plants' chemical composition, pharmacological and food applications, covering from pre-clinical data to upcoming clinical studies.

Anacardium Plants: Chemical,Nutritional Composition and Biotechnological Applications.

Anacardium plants are native to the American tropical regions, and Anacardium occidentale L. (cashew tree) is the most recognized species of the genus. These species contain rich secondary metabolites in their leaf and shoot powder, fruits and other parts that have shown diverse applications. This review describes the habitat and cultivation of Anacardium species, phytochemical and nutritional composition, and their industrial food applications. Besides, we also discuss the secondary metabolites present in Anacardium plants which display great antioxidant and antimicrobial effects. These make the use of Anacardium species in the food industry an interesting approach to the development of green foods.

Population Genetic Structure and Marker Trait Associations Using Morphological, Phytochemical and Molecular Parameters in Habenaria edgeworthii-a Threatened Medicinal Orchid of West Himalaya, India.

Habenaria edgeworthii Hook. f. ex Collett is an important terrestrial orchid used in different Ayurvedic formulations. In the present study, variations among morphological, phytochemical and molecular markers were assessed. A significant difference was observed among populations using morphological traits. Inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) data revealed lower genetic diversity at population level (He = 0.207) as compared to species level (He = 0.334). Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicates 74 % variation among populations and 26 % within population. Tuber extracts showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher total phenolics and flavonoids among the populations. Antioxidant activity determined by 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays exhibited considerable antioxidant potential. Furthermore, the associations between molecular and morphological and phytochemical attributes were studied using multiple regression analysis (MRA). Several ISSR fragments were associated with some morphological and phytochemical traits. These ISSR fragments can be useful for breeding programme of the species when no other genetic information, such as linkage maps and quantitative trait loci, is available.

Effect of Processing and Storage Methods on the Nutritional, Anti-nutritional, and Anti-oxidant Properties of Paeonia emodi, Wall. ex. Royle.

Nutritional, anti-nutritional, and anti-mutagenic activities of the fresh and boiled Paeonia emodi leaves were analyzed. Significantly higher vitamin A (64.19 ± 0.18 mg/100 g), C (160.50 ± 1.85 mg/100 g), and E (1.25 ± 0.00 µg/g) contents were recorded in boiled as compared to fresh and dried juvenile leaves. Similarly, significantly higher protein content (329.63 ± 0.33 mg/100 g) was found in boiled budding leaves, carbohydrate content in fresh juvenile (0.353 ± 0.02) and mature leaves (0.353±0.10 mg/g) , methionine content (47.75 ± 0.09 mg/g) in dried budding stage leaves, and proline content (1.23 ± 0.12 µM/g) in dried mature leaves. Anti-nutritional attributes like phytic acid (250.17 ± 0.19 mg/100 g; p < 0.05) and total tannins (48.41 ± 0.09 mg/g) were significantly higher in dried and fresh budding leaves, respectively; however, trypsin inhibition activity (91.90 ± 0.34 %) was observed in dried juvenile leaves. Significantly higher 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity (71.13 ± 0.09 mM AAE/100 g) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) activity (3.39 ± 0.01 mM AAE/100 g) were recorded higher in dried budding leaves. On the other hand, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay (3.55 ± 0.017 mM AAE/100 g) and OH ions (1.69 ± 0.01 mM AAE/100 g) were significantly higher in boiled juvenile leaves and dried mature leaves, respectively. Anti-mutagenic activity of P. emodi extract revealed varying levels of protection against DNA damaging agents. The aqueous extract of P. emodi at budding leaves (500 µg dried) showed comparatively better protective activity as compared to other growth stages. Results of this investigation indicated that the species have nutritional and medicinal value and therefore can be a potential source for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries.