The Receptor Kinases DRUS1 and DRUS2 Behave Distinctly in Osmotic Stress Tolerance by Modulating the Root System Architecture via Auxin Signaling.

Receptor kinases DRUS1 (Dwarf and Runtish Spikelet1) and DRUS2 are orthologues of the renowned Arabidopsis thaliana gene FERONIA, which play redundant roles in rice growth and development. Whether the two duplicated genes perform distinct functions in response to environmental stress is largely unknown. Here, we found that osmotic stress (OS) and ABA increased DRUS1 expression while decreasing DRUS2. When subjected to osmotic stress, the increased DRUS1 in drus2 mutants suppresses the OsIAA repressors, resulting in a robust root system with an increased number of adventitious and lateral roots as well as elongated primary, adventitious, and lateral roots, conferring OS tolerance. In contrast, the decreased DRUS2 in drus1-1 mutants are not sufficient to suppress OsIAA repressors, leading to a feeble root system with fewer adventitious and lateral roots and hindering seminal root growth, rendering OS intolerance. All these findings offer valuable insights into the biological significance of the duplication of two homologous genes in rice, wherein, if one is impaired, the other one is able to continue auxin-signaling-mediated root growth and development to favor resilience to environmental stress, such as water shortage.

Pepper defense against Ralstonia solanacearum and High-temperature stress is positively regulated by CaMYB59.

We have functionally evaluated a transcription factor CaMYB59 for its role in pepper immune responses to Ralstonia solanacearum attack and high temperature-high humidity (HTHH). Exposure to R. solanacearum inoculation (RSI) and HTHH resulted in up-regulation of this nucleus-localized TF. Function of this TF was confirmed by performing loss of function assay of CaMYB59 by VIGS (virus-induced gene silencing). Plants with silenced CaMYB59 displayed not only compromised pepper immunity against RSI but also impaired tolerance to HTHH along with decreased hypersensitive response (HR). This impairment in defense function was fully linked with low induction of stress-linked genes like CaPO2, CaPR1, CaAcc and thermo-tolerance linked CaHSP24 as well as CaHsfB2a. Conversely, transient overexpression of CaMYB59 enhanced pepper immunity. This reveals that CaMYB59 positively regulated host defense against RSI and HTHH by means of HR like mimic cell death, H2O2 production and up-regulation of defense as well as thermo-tolerance associated genes. These changes in attributes collectively confirm the role of CaMYB59 as a positive regulator of pepper immunity against R. solanacearum. We recommend that such positive regulation of pepper defense is dynamically supported by phyto-hormone signaling and transcriptional web of defense genes. These integrated and interlinked events stabilize plant growth and survival under abiotic and biotic stresses.

Unveiling the detrimental effects of polylactic acid microplastics on rice seedlings and soil health.

The environmental impact of biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics (PLA-MPs) has become a global concern, with documented effects on soil health, nutrient cycling, water retention, and crop growth. This study aimed to assess the repercussions of varying concentrations of PLA-MPs on rice, encompassing aspects such as growth, physiology, and biochemistry. Additionally, the investigation delved into the influence of PLA-MPs on soil bacterial composition and soil enzyme activities. The results illustrated that the highest levels of PLA-MPs (2.5%) impaired the photosynthesis activity of rice plants and hampered plant growth. Plants exposed to the highest concentration of PLA-MPs (2.5%) displayed a significant reduction of 51.3% and 47.7% in their root and shoot dry weights, as well as a reduction of 53% and 49% in chlorophyll a and b contents, respectively. The activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in rice leaves increased by 3.1, 2.8, 3.5, and 5.2 folds, respectively, with the highest level of PLA-MPs (2.5%). Soil enzyme activities, such as CAT, urease, and dehydrogenase (DHA) increased by 19.2%, 10.4%, and 22.5%, respectively, in response to the highest level of PLA-MPs (2.5%) application. In addition, PLA-MPs (2.5%) resulted in a remarkable increase in the relative abundance of soil Proteobacteria, Nitrospirae, and Firmicutes by 60%, 31%, and 98.2%, respectively. These findings highlight the potential adverse effects of PLA-MPs on crops and soils. This study provides valuable insights into soil-rice interactions, environmental risks, and biodegradable plastic regulation, underscoring the need for further research.

Differential capacity of phragmites ecotypes in remediation of inorganic contaminants in coastal ecosystems: Implications for climate change.

Remediating inorganic pollutants is an important part of protecting coastal ecosystems, which are especially at risk from the effects of climate change. Different Phragmites karka (Retz) Trin. ex Steud ecotypes were gathered from a variety of environments, and their abilities to remove inorganic contaminants from coastal wetlands were assessed. The goal is to learn how these ecotypes process innovation might help reduce the negative impacts of climate change on coastal environments. The Phragmites karka ecotype E1, found in a coastal environment in Ichkera that was impacted by residential wastewater, has higher biomass production and photosynthetic pigment content than the Phragmites karka ecotypes E2 (Kalsh) and E3 (Gatwala). Osmoprotectant accumulation was similar across ecotypes, suggesting that all were able to successfully adapt to polluted marine environments. The levels of both total soluble sugars and proteins were highest in E2. The amount of glycine betaine (GB) rose across the board, with the highest levels being found in the E3 ecotype. The study also demonstrated that differing coastal habitats significantly influenced the antioxidant activity of all ecotypes, with E1 displaying the lowest superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, while E2 exhibited the lowest peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities. Significant morphological changes were evident in E3, such as an expansion of the phloem, vascular bundle, and metaxylem cell areas. When compared to the E3 ecotype, the E1 and E2 ecotypes showed striking improvements across the board in leaf anatomy. Mechanistic links between architectural and physio-biochemical alterations are crucial to the ecological survival of different ecotypes of Phragmites karka in coastal environments affected by climate change. Their robustness and capacity to reduce pollution can help coastal ecosystems endure in the face of persistent climate change.

Interplay between edaphic and climatic factors unravels plant and microbial diversity along an altitudinal gradient.

Altitude influences biodiversity and physiochemical soil attributes in terrestrial ecosystems. It is of immense importance to know the patterns of how interactions among climatic and edaphic factors influence plant and microbial diversity in various ecosystems, particularly along the gradients. We hypothesize that altitudinal variation determines the distribution of plant and microbial species as well as their interactions. To test the hypothesis, different sites with variable altitudes were selected. Analyses of edaphic factors revealed significant (p < 0.001) effects of the altitude. Soil ammonium and nitrate were strongly affected by it contrary to potassium (K), soil organic matter and carbon. The response patterns of individual taxonomic groups differed across the altitudinal gradient. Plant species and soil fungal diversity increased with increasing altitude, while soil archaeal and bacterial diversity decreased with increasing altitude. Plant species richness showed significant positive and negative interactions with edaphic and climatic factors. Fungal species richness was also significantly influenced by the soil ammonium, nitrate, available phosphorus, available potassium, electrical conductivity, and the pH of the soil, but showed non-significant interactions with other edaphic factors. Similarly, soil variables had limited impact on soil bacterial and archaeal species richness along the altitude gradient. Proteobacteria, Ascomycota, and Thaumarchaeota dominate soil bacterial, fungal, and archaeal communities, with relative abundance of 27.4%, 70.56%, and 81.55%, respectively. Additionally, Cynodon dactylon is most abundant plant species, comprising 22.33% of the recorded plant taxa in various study sites. RDA revealed that these communities influenced by certain edaphic and climatic factors, e.g., Actinobacteria strongly respond to MAT, EC, and C/N ratio, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota show strong associations with EC and MAP, respectively. Thaumarcheota are linked to pH, and OM, while Cyperus rotundus are sensitive to AI and EC. In conclusion, the observed variations in microbial as well as plant species richness and changes in soil properties at different elevations provide valuable insights into the factors determining ecosystem stability and multifunctionality in different regions.

Relative biochemical and physiological docking of cucumber varieties for supporting innate immunity against Podosphaera xanthii.

Powdery mildew in cucumber is caused by the Podosphaera xanthii. No strategy for improving disease resistance can be successful in the absence of thorough insights into the physiological and biochemical responses of cucumber plants to powdery mildew. Therefore, a field experiment was executed to evaluate five commercial cucumber varieties (V1: Dynasty, V2: Long green, V3:Desi Kheera, V4:Thamin II, V5:Cucumber 363) for their inherent immunity to powdery mildew. Upon inoculating cucumber plants with Podosphaera xanthii, we noted differential responses among the varieties. Compared to other varieties, V1 and V2 showed higher values (P ≤ 0.05) for chlorophyll-a under control and pathogen-attacked plants respectively. The minimum value of anthocyanin content (-53.73%) was recorded in V3 as compared to other varieties post pathogen infection. All pathogen-infected cucumber varieties showed a considerable (P ≤ 0.05) loss in flavonoid content except V2. The maximum destruction for Phenolics under powdery mildew (179%) were recorded in V4, whereas V1 exhibited maximum phenolic content under control conditions. In pathogen-infected plants, the minimum AsA was recorded in V5 as compared to all other varieties. Pathogen invasion impacted significantly (P ≤ 0.05) the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Besides, cucumber plants after pathogen inoculation resulted in a considerable (P ≤ 0.05) increase of peroxidase (POD) activity in V1 (5.02%), V2 (7.5%), and V3 (11%) in contrast to V4. Our results confirmed that cucumber varieties perform differently, which was brought on by distinct metabolic and physiological modifications that have an impact on growth and development. The changes in different attributes were correlated with cucumber resistance against powdery mildew. The results would help us fully harness the potential of these varieties to trigger disease management initiatives and defense responses.

Impact of Duration of Catheterization on the Success Rate of Trial Without Catheter in Acute Urinary Retention Due to Benign Prostatic Enlargement.

BACKGROUND: The most common cause of acute urinary retention in men over 50 is benign prostate enlargement (BPE). Following the urethral catheterization, a trial without a catheter (TWOC) under the cover of alpha-blockers is given. The timing of TWOC varies from Day 3 to Day 7 of the retention episode. There is a need to study the improvement in the success rate of TWOC with the increasing number of days of catheterization. OBJECTIVE: To measure the success rate of TWOC in acute urinary retention due to benign prostatic enlargement with increasing days of catheterization. METHOD: The study was conducted in Social Security Teaching Hospital Lahore. Patients who presented with acute urinary retention due to benign prostatic enlargement were catheterized and given alpha-blockers. The patients were divided into two groups, one group having TWOC after three days and the other having TWOC after seven days. The success rate of TWOC was calculated and compared in the two groups. All patients included in the study had the first episode of acute retention with a moderately enlarged prostate and no element of second pathology or neurological deficit. RESULTS: A total of 48 patients were included in the study, divided into two groups of 24 patients each. In the first group who underwent TWOC after seven days of catheterization, 15 out of 24 patients had successful TWOC with a success rate of 62.5%. In the second group of 24 patients, who had TWOC after three days of catheterization, only 11 patients had successful TWOC with a success rate of 45.8%. CONCLUSION: There was a marked improvement in the success rate of TWOC with increasing days of catheterization after an acute retention episode, secondary to BPE.

Genetic modification strategies for enhancing plant resilience to abiotic stresses in the context of climate change.

Enhancing the resilience of plants to abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, heat, and cold, is crucial for ensuring global food security challenge in the context of climate change. The adverse effects of climate change, characterized by rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and increased frequency of extreme weather events, pose significant threats to agricultural systems worldwide. Genetic modification strategies offer promising approaches to develop crops with improved abiotic stress tolerance. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of various genetic modification techniques employed to enhance plant resilience. These strategies include the introduction of stress-responsive genes, transcription factors, and regulatory elements to enhance stress signaling pathways. Additionally, the manipulation of hormone signaling pathways, osmoprotectant accumulation, and antioxidant defense mechanisms is discussed. The use of genome editing tools, such as CRISPR-Cas9, for precise modification of target genes related to stress tolerance is also explored. Furthermore, the challenges and future prospects of genetic modification for abiotic stress tolerance are highlighted. Understanding and harnessing the potential of genetic modification strategies can contribute to the development of resilient crop varieties capable of withstanding adverse environmental conditions caused by climate change, thereby ensuring sustainable agricultural productivity and food security.

Morpho-physiological characterization and metabolic profiling of rice lines for immunity to counter Helminthosporiumoryzae.

Heliminthosporium oryzae is a necrotrophic fungal pathogen that effect rice crops grown on millions of hectares. We evaluated nine newly establishing rice lines and one local variety for resistance against H. oryzae. Significant (P ≤ 0.05) differences in response to pathogen attack were recorded in all rice lines. Maximum disease resistance was recorded in Kharamana under pathogen attack as compared to uninfected plants. A comparison of decline in shoot length revealed that Kharamana and Sakh experienced minimum lost (9.21%, 17.23%) in shoot length respectively against control while Binicol exhibited highest reduction (35.04%) in shoot length due to H. oryzae attack. Post-infection observations of shoot fresh weight revealed 63% decline in Binicol and declared it as the most susceptible rice line. Sakh, Kharamana and Gervex exhibited minimum fresh weight decrease (19.86%, 19.24% and 17.64% respectively) as compared to other lines under pathogen attack. Maximum chlorophyll-a contents were recorded in Kharamana under control and post pathogen attackconditions. Following the inoculation of H. oryzae, SOD was increased up to 35% and 23% in Kharamana and Sakh. However, minimum POD activity was recorded in Gervex followed by Swarnalata, Kaosen and C-13 in non-inoculated and pathogen-inoculated plants. Significant decrease in ascorbic acid contents (73.7% and 70.8%) was observed in Gervex and Binicol that later contributed in their susceptibility to H. oryzae attack. Pathogen attack caused Significant (P ≤ 0.05) changes in secondary metabolites in all rice lines but minimum total flavonoids, anthocyanin and lignin were observed in Binicol in uninfected plants and attested its susceptibility to pathogen. In post-pathogen attack conditions, Kharamana showed best resistance against pathogen by exhibiting a significantly high and maximum value of morpho-physiological, and biochemical attributes. Our findings suggest that tested resistant lines can be further explored for multiple traits including molecular regulation of defense responses to breed immunity in rice varieties.

Integrative Evaluation of the Ecological Hazards by Microplastics and Heavy Metals in Wetland Ecosystem.

This study was performed to evaluate the impact of microplastics and heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn, Ni) on sediments, water, aquatic plants (Pistia stratiotes, Alternanthera philoxeroides, and Ipomoea carnea), and fish (Labeo rohita) samples collected from five different sites in the Bajwat wetlands in Sialkot, Pakistan. The concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Cr were above the permissible limits devised by WHO in all the ecosystem components (i.e. sediments, water, plants, and fish) at all sites. The maximum amount of microplastic particles (2317 microplastic particles per kg of sediments) was recorded at Site 1. The filaments were the most commonly found type of microplastics. Plants and fish samples also showed considerable concentration of metals. The multivariate statistical analysis revealed anthropogenic sources of elevated concentrations of metal elements which could cause adverse biological effects in the ecosystem.

Glutathione treatment suppresses the adverse effects of microplastics in rice.

Oryza sativa is grown worldwide and exhibit sensitivity to different stresses. Exponential increase in microplastics in agroecosystems is damaging and demand pragmatic strategies to protect growth and yield losses. We evaluated exogenous application of different doses of glutathione (GSH) for mediation of physiological traits of rice plants experiencing two different MPs i.e. PET and HDPE in root zone. All the rice seedlings exhibited MP-induced significant (P ≤ 0.001) growth inhibition compared to the control plants. GSH application (T3) significantly increased the shoot fresh weight (8.80%), root fresh weight (19.22%), shoot dry weight (13.705%), root dry weight (25.52%), plant height (5.75%) and 100-grain weight (9.36%), compared to control plants. GSH treated plants (T4) showed a recovery mechanism by managing the marginal rate of reduction of all photosynthetic and gas exchange attributes by showing 34.44, 20.98, 34.83, 42.16, 39.70, and 51.38% reduction for Chl-a, Chl-b, total cholophyll, photosynthetic rate (A), transpiration rate (E), and stomatal conductance (Gs), respectively, compared to control plants. Under 5 mg L-1 HDPE and PET, rice seedlings without GSH treatment responded in terms of increase in total soluble sugar, total free amino acid, glutathione, glutathione disulfide contents, while total soluble protein and ascorbic acid contents decreased significantly, compared with control plants. Corrleation matrix revealed positive relationship between GSH and improvement in studied attributes. Moreover, exogenous GSH improved rice growth and productivity to counter the negative role of MPs. This unique study examined the effects of GSH on rice plants growing in MP-contaminated media and revealed how exogenous GSH helps plants survive MP-stress.

Interactive effects of polystyrene microplastics and Pb on growth and phytochemicals in mung bean (Vigna radiata L.).

Interaction of different pollutants can aggravate hazards to biotic components in agroecosystems. Microplastics (MPs) are especially needed to be focused on because of their increasing use in life around the globe. We investigated the interactive impacts of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MP) and lead (Pb) on mung bean (Vigna radiata L.). Toxicity of MPs and Pb directly impeded V. radiata attributes. In combination i.e., M2P2 (40 µM Pb + 4.0 mg L-1 MPs) predominantly reduced the shoot root fresh and dry weights. \ Pb and PS-MP impaired the Rubisco activity and chlorophyll contents. The dose dependent relationship (M2P2) discomposed indole 3-acetic acid by 59.02%. Individual treatments P2 (40 µM Pb) and M2 (4.0 mg L-1 MPs) respectively instigated a decline (44.07% and 27.12%) in IBA, while ABA was elevated. M2 significantly enhanced the contents of Alanine (Ala), Arginine (Arg), Proline (Pro), and glycine (Gly) by 64.11%, 63%, and 54% compared to control. Lysine (Lys) and Valine (Val) presented a converse relationship with other amino acids. Except for control, a gradual decline in yield parameters were observed in individual and combined applications of PS-MP. Proximate composition of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins also reflected a clear decrease in these compounds after combined application of Pb and MPs. Although, individual doses caused a decline in these compounds but effect of combined doses Pb and PS-MP was highly significant. Our results demonstrated the toxicity effect of Pb and MP in V. radiata attributes that is mainly linked with cumulative physiological and metabolic perturbations. These collective negative impacts of different doses of MPs and Pb on V. radiata would certainly pose serious implications for humans.

Ecological health risk assessment of microplastics and heavy metals in sediments, water, hydrophytes (Alternanthera philoxeroides, Typha latifolia, and Ipomoea carnea), and fish (Labeo rohita) in Marala wetlands in Sialkot, Pakistan.

For the ecological risk assessment of heavy metals and microplastics in Marala wetlands in Sialkot, Pakistan, samples of sediments, water, aquatic plants (Alternanthera philoxeroides, Typha latifolia, and Ipomoea carnea), and fish (Labeo rohita) were studied from five different locations. Pb, Cd, and Cr concentrations were above permissible limits devised by WHO in sediments and water at most of sites. High concentrations of Cd were recorded in water samples compared to sediments with maximum values recorded at Site-2 (52.08 ± 9.55 mg kg-1) and Site-5 (62.29 ± 10.12 mg kg-1). The maximum concentrations of Cr (7.23 ± 0.40 mg kg-1) and Pb (22.87 ± 0.83 mg kg-1) were found at Site-4 in water samples. The maximum abundance of microplastics (3047 pieces kg-1 of sediments) was at Site-1 with filaments in the highest proportion among the other types. Zn, Ni, and Cu remained generally low in concentrations in both sediments and waters. Plants showed accumulation of heavy metals, notably the amount of Cd (33.36 ± 0.26 mgkg-1) and Ni (163.3 ± 1.30 mgkg-1) absorbed by T. latifolia and A. philoxeroides, respectively were high. Also, photosynthetic pigments in plants seemed to be affected. However, estimated daily intake (EDI) and provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) calculations for the human population consuming fish from this wetland remained below the FAO/WHO limits. PCA analysis revealed the anthropogenic origin of metals that might be causing adverse effects on the biota which depend on this wetland for their food.

Nerium oleander could be used for sustainable management of traffic-borne elemental-enriched roadside soils.

Metal pollutants released from motor vehicles are deposited in roadside environments. Metals are non-biodegradable and biomagnify in the food chain causing significant health hazards at all levels of the ecosystem. Hence, management of contaminated roadside verges is critically important and should be kept in mind while planning specific management strategies of such areas. Native vegetation could help to decontaminate heavy metal polluted soils in the best sustainable way. Therefore, this study was designed to assess the potential of Nerium oleander to accumulate heavy metals commonly released by automobiles such as Pb, Cd, Ni, and Zn along with various C and N compounds from five different locations along a busy road in Punjab, Pakistan, during summer and winter seasons. N. oleander showed the ability to absorb C, N, and heavy metals Pb and Cd; the maximum concentration of Pb and Cd was 8.991 mg kg-1 and 0.599 mg kg-1, respectively. These pollutants negatively affected photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange attributes, soluble proteins, and free amino acids. But antioxidant activity of N. oleander was found to be increased in both seasons. The metal accumulation in the plant was higher in the summer though. We highly recommend that by growing N. oleander at roadside verges for decontamination of vehicular pollutants could lead to sustainable management of these corridors.

Foliar application of silver nanoparticles mitigated nutritional and biochemical perturbations in chilli pepper fertigated with domestic wastewater.

Due to environmental pollution, crop growth and productivity are threatened at different levels. Recapitulation of changes in plant bodies due to water pollution and mitigating strategies reveal the need for précised actions to save crop losses. The present study was carried out to estimate modulations in growth, mineral homeostasis, and nutrient profile of fruits in Capsicum annum L. grown with three concentrations of wastewater (25, 50, 100%) and two levels of silver nanoparticles (40 and 80 mg/L AgNPs). It has been reported that ion accumulation patterns from wastewater clearly vary among crops. Our findings manifested that the application of AgNPs significantly improved the mineral ions in different plant tissues, that ultimately helped to improve growth. Highest improvements were recorded for root shoot P (316 and 197%) at T9 (80 mg/L AgNPs + normal water), while K (273 and 262%), Mg (638 and 916%), and Ca (148 and 273%), at T11 (80 mg/L AgNPs + 50% Wastewater), in comparison with control. Such reduction in elemental uptake that remain detrimental even at low concentrations positively correlates with growth and nutrition of Capsicum plants. Another facet of our observation is dose-dependent improvement in nutritive attributes of fruits i.e., crude fibers, proteins, and carbohydrates by AgNPs. T8 (40 mg/L AgNPs + 100% Wastewater), improved nutritional attributes such as P (55%), Mn (44%), Zn (38%), Carbohydrates (62%), Crude fat (38%), and Fibers (49%) as compared to control. Application of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) combined with untreated wastewater (WW) reduced the hazards of contaminants in plants. The finding of the current study suggested that AgNPs are a cost-efficient and environment friendly material having the potential to mitigate harmful impacts of WW on plants.

An assessment of the efficacy of biochar and zero-valent iron nanoparticles in reducing lead toxicity in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Soil heavy metal contamination is increasing rapidly due to increased anthropogenic activities. Lead (Pb) is a well-known human carcinogen causing toxic effects on humans and the environment. Its accumulation in food crops is a serious hazard to food security. Developing environment-friendly and cost-efficient techniques is necessary for Pb immobilization in the soil. A pot experiment was executed to determine the role of biochar (BC), zero-valent iron nanoparticles (n-ZVI), and zero-valent iron nanoparticles biochar composite (n-ZVI-BC) in controlling the Pb mobility and bioaccumulation in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The results showed that BC and n-ZVI significantly enhanced the wheat growth by increasing their photosynthetic and enzymatic activities. Among all the applied treatments, the maximum significant (p ≤ 0.05) improvement in wheat biomass was with the n-ZVI-BC application (T3). Compared to the control, the biomass of wheat roots, shoots & grains increased by 92.5, 58.8, and 49.1%, respectively. Moreover, the soil addition of T3 amendment minimized the Pb distribution in wheat roots, shoots, and grains by 33.8, 26.8, and 16.2%, respectively. The outcomes of this experiment showed that in comparison to control treatment plants, soil amendment with n-ZVI-BC (T3) increased the catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity by 49.8 and 31.1%, respectively, ultimately declining electrolyte leakage (EL), malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content in wheat by 38.7, 33.3, and 38%respectively. In addition, applied amendments declined the Pb mobility in the soil by increasing the residual Pb fractions. Soil amendment with n-ZVI-BC also increased the soil catalase (CAT), urease (UR), and acid phosphatase (ACP) activities by 68, 59, and 74%, respectively. Our research results provided valuable insight for the remediation of Pb toxicity in wheat. Hence, we can infer from our findings that n-ZVI-BC can be considered a propitious, environment friendly and affordable technique for mitigating Pb toxicity in wheat crop and reclamation of Pb polluted soils.

Impact of plastic mulching as a major source of microplastics in agroecosystems.

The contamination of agroecosystems by microplastics (MPs) has raised great concerns recently. Plastic mulching has contributed a lot in the building of MP pollution in farmlands. This technique has been in use for decades worldwide because of its immense advantages, preferably in drier and colder regions. The physical extraction of plastic mulches at the end of the growing season is very laborious and ineffective, and thus small pieces of mulches are left in the field which later convert into MP particles after aging, weathering, or on exposure to solar radiation. MPs not only influence physical, chemical, or biological properties of soils but also reduce crop productivity which could be a threat to our food security. They also interact with and accumulate other environmental contaminants such as microbial pathogens, heavy metals, and persistent organic pollutants on their surfaces which increase their risk of toxicity in the environment. MPs also transfer from one trophic level to the other in the food chain and ultimately may impact human health. Because of the ineffectiveness of the recovery of plastic film fragments from fields, researchers are now mainly focusing on alternative solutions to conventional plastic mulch films such as the use of biodegradable mulches. In this review, we have discussed the issue of plastic mulch films in agroecosystems and tried to link already existing knowledge to the current limitations in research on this topic from cropland soils and future prospects have been identified and proposed.

Adult Para Testicular Spindle Cell Rhabdomyosarcoma: A Case Report From Pakistan.

Para testicular or intra-scrotal Rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) are rare. The spindle cell variant of rhabdomyosarcoma is the least common variant among embryonal subtypes. They are mostly seen in childhood but rarely reported in adults. We present a case of a 56-year-old man who presented with a three-year history of painless left inguinoscrotal swelling, which he initially ignored and misinterpreted as an Inguinal hernia but later sought medical help upon a progressive increase in the size of the swelling. Clinically and radiologically, there was sparing of the left testis and spermatic cord with normal testicular tumor markers and no evidence of lymphadenopathy or metastasis. Surgical exploration was performed with complete excision of the mass, followed by histopathology and immunocytochemistry, confirming the diagnosis of spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma. Prompt recognition, early diagnosis, and appropriate surgical treatment are the hallmarks of management. Regular and strict follow-up is needed due to the rarity of diagnosis.