Impact of salinity stress on cotton and opportunities for improvement through conventional and biotechnological approaches.

Excess salinity can affect the growth and development of all plants. Salinization jeopardizes agroecosystems, induces oxidative reactions in most cultivated plants and reduces biomass which affects crop yield. Some plants are affected more than others, depending upon their ability to endure the effects of salt stress. Cotton is moderately tolerant to salt stress among cultivated crops. The fundamental tenet of plant breeding is genetic heterogeneity in available germplasm for acquired characteristics. Variation for salinity tolerance enhancing parameters (morphological, physiological and biochemical) is a pre-requisite for the development of salt tolerant cotton germplasm followed by indirect selection or hybridization programs. There has been a limited success in the development of salt tolerant genotypes because this trait depends on several factors, and these factors as well as their interactions are not completely understood. However, advances in biochemical and molecular techniques have made it possible to explore the complexity of salt tolerance through transcriptomic profiling. The focus of this article is to discuss the issue of salt stress in crop plants, how it alters the physiology and morphology of the cotton crop, and breeding strategies for the development of salinity tolerance in cotton germplasm.

Cytotoxic leuconoxine-type diazaspiroindole alkaloids isolated from Cryptolepis dubia.

Two leuconoxine-type diazaspiroindole alkaloids, the known compound, (+)-melodinine E (1), and its new analogue, (+)-11-chloromelodinine E (2), were isolated from the stems of Cryptolepis dubia (Burm.f.) M.R. Almeida (Apocynaceae), collected in Laos. The chemical structures of these compounds were determined by analysis of their spectroscopic data and by comparison of these data with literature values, of which the molecular structure of 1 has been determined previously by analysis of its single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 have been defined by their experimental and simulated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectroscopic data and supported by 1H and 13C NMR-based DP4+ probability analysis and specific rotation calculations. When tested against a small panel of human cancer cell lines, these two compounds exhibited selective cytotoxicity toward OVCAR3 human ovarian cancer cells.

iso-Guttiferone J and Structure Revision of Guttiferone J from Garcinia gummi-gutta: A Combined Experimental and Integrated QM/NMR Approach.

Many polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols with fascinating chemical structures and intriguing biological activities have been identified as key to phytochemicals isolated from Garcinia, Hypericum, and related genera. In the present work, two chiral, tautomeric, highly-oxygenated polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols tethered with acyl and prenyl moieties on a bicyclo[3.3.1]nonanetrione core were isolated from the 95% ethanolic extract of Garcinia gummi-gutta fruit. The structures of both compounds were elucidated based on the NMR and MS data with ambiguity in the exact position of the enol and keto functions at C-1 and C-3 of the core structure. The structures of both polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols were established as a structurally revised guttiferone J and the new iso-guttiferone J with the aid of gauge-independent atomic orbital NMR calculations, CP3 probability analyses, specific rotation calculations, and electronic circular dichroism calculations in combination with the experimental data. The structures of both compounds resemble hyperforin, a potent activator of the human pregnane X receptor. As expected, both compounds showed strong pregnane X receptor activation at 10 µM [7.1-fold (guttiferone J) and 5.0-fold (iso-guttiferone J)], explained by a molecular docking study, necessitating further in-depth investigation to substantiate the herb-drug interaction potential of G. gummi-gutta upon co-administration with pharmaceutical drugs.

Application of the Boruta algorithm to assess the multidimensional determinants of malnutrition among children under five years living in southern Punjab, Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition causes nutrient deficiencies that have both physical and clinical consequences in severe acute malnutrition children. Globally, there were 47 million wasted children under the age of five in 2019. One in four were located in sub-Saharan Africa, with half being in South Asia. This study aims to apply the Boruta algorithm to identify the determinants of undernutrition among children under five living in Dera Ghazi Khan, one of the marginalized districts of densely populated Punjab Province in Pakistan. METHODS: A multicenter cross-sectional study design was used to collect data from 185 children with severe acute malnutrition aged under five years visiting the OTPs centers located in Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, Pakistan. A purposive sampling technique was used to collect data using a pretested structured questionnaire from parents/caregivers regarding family sociodemographic characteristics, child nutrition, and biological and healthcare characteristics. Anthropometric measurements, including height, weight, and mid-upper arm circumference, were collected. The Boruta models were used to incorporate the children's anthropometric, nutritional, and household factors to determine the important predictive variables for undernutrition using the Boruta package in R studio. RESULTS: This study included 185 children, with a mean age of 15.36 ± 10.23 months and an MUAC of 10.19 ± 0.96 cm. The Boruta analysis identifies age, mid-upper arm circumference, weaning practices, and immunization status as important predictors of undernutrition. Income per month, exclusive breastfeeding, and immunization status were found to be key factors of undernutrition in children under the age of five. CONCLUSION: This study highlights age, mid-upper arm circumference, weaning practices, and immunization status as key determinants of weight-for-height and weight-for-age in children under five years. It also suggests that economic context may influence undernutrition. The findings can guide targeted strategies for combating undernutrition.

Emerging technology effects on combined agricultural and eco-vermicompost.

This study focused on the waste management of livestock manure and wetland plant residues and their increasing effect on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The benefits of nutrient-rich plants and manures are often overlooked. By conducting a soil column experiment with a fully factorial design, this work found that adding the vermicompost amendments of wetland plants [combination of Canna indica (CiV), Cyperus alternifollius (CaV), Acorus calamus (AcV), and Hydrocotyle vulgaris (HvV) vermicompost] to agricultural wastes affected maize growth throughout its growing season. The results demonstrated that the use of combined AcV and HvV wetland plant-based vermicompost as an organic fertilizer increased the plant total nitrogen (TN: 92% increase) and soil organic matter (SOM: 192% increase) compared with those in control CK. Meanwhile, the combination of CaV with HvV increased the shoot biomass by 3.4 and 4.6 folds compared with that in NPK and CK, respectively. Overall, a new approach for transforming ecological wastes into organic fertilizers was proposed.

Development of Ridge Ensemble Standardized Drought Index (RESDI) for improving drought characterization and future assessment.

Global warming upsets the environmental balance and leads to more frequent and severe climatic events. These extreme events include floods, droughts, and heatwaves. These widespread extreme events disrupt various sectors of ecosystems directly. However, among all these events, drought is one of the most prolonged climatic events that significantly destroys the ecosystem. Therefore, accurate and efficient assessment of droughts is necessary to mitigate their detrimental impacts. In recent years, several drought indices based on global climate models (GCMs) of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) have been proposed to quantify and monitor droughts. However, each index has its advantages and limitations. As each index ensembles different models by using different statistical approaches, it is well known that the margin of error is always a part of statistics. Therefore, this study proposed a new drought index to reduce the uncertainty involved in the assessment of droughts. The proposed index named the Ridge Ensemble Standardized Drought Index (RESDI) is based on the innovative ensemble approach termed ridge parameters and distance-based weighting (RDW) scheme. And the development of this RDW scheme is based on two types of methods i.e., ridge regression and divergence-based method. In this research, we ensemble 18 different GCMs of CMIP6 using the RDW scheme. A comparative analysis of the RDW scheme is performed against the simple model average (SMA) and Bayesian model averaging (BMA) schemes at 32 locations on the Tibetan plateau. The comparison revealed that RDW has less mean absolute error (MAE) and root-mean-square error (RMSE). Therefore, the developed RESDI based on RDW is used to project drought properties under three distinct shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) scenarios: SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5, across seven different time scales (1, 3, 7, 9, 12, 24, and 48). The projected data is then standardized by using the K-components Gaussian mixture model (K-CGMM). In addition, the study employs steady-state probabilities (SSPs) to determine the long-term behavior of drought. The outcome of this research shows that "normal drought (ND)" has the highest probability of occurrence under all scenarios and time scales.

Leaf wettability and leaf angle affect air-moisture deposition in wheat for self-irrigation.

BACKGROUND: Climate change and depleting water sources demand scarce natural water supplies like air moisture to be used as an irrigation water source. Wheat production is threatened by the climate variability and extremes climate events especially heat waves and drought. The present study focused to develop the wheat plant for self-irrigation through optimizing leaf architecture and surface properties for precise irrigation. METHODS: Thirty-four genotypes were selected from 1796 genotypes with all combinations of leaf angle and leaf rolling. These genotypes were characterized for morpho-physiological traits and soil moisture content at stem-elongation and booting stages. Further, a core set of ten genotypes was evaluated for stem flow efficiency and leaf wettability. RESULTS: Biplot, heat map, and correlation analysis indicated wide diversity and traits association. The environmental parameters indicated substantial amount of air moisture (> 60% relative humidity) at the critical wheat growth stages. Leaf angle showed negative association with leaf rolling, physiological and yield traits, adaxial and abaxial contact angle while leaf angle showed positive association with the stem flow water. The wettability and air moisture harvesting indicated that the genotypes (coded as 1, 7, and 18) having semi-erect to erect leaf angle, spiral rolling, and hydrophilic leaf surface (<90o) with contact angle hysteresis less than 10o had higher soil moisture content (6-8%) and moisture harvesting efficiency (3.5 ml). CONCLUSIONS: These findings can provide the basis to develop self-irrigating, drought-tolerant wheat cultivars as an adaptation to climate change.

Genomic diversity of aquaporins across genus Oryza provides a rich genetic resource for development of climate resilient rice cultivars.

BACKGROUND: Plant aquaporins are critical genetic players performing multiple biological functions, especially climate resilience and water-use efficiency. Their genomic diversity across genus Oryza is yet to be explored. RESULTS: This study identified 369 aquaporin-encoding genes from 11 cultivated and wild rice species and further categorized these into four major subfamilies, among which small basic intrinsic proteins are speculated to be ancestral to all land plant aquaporins. Evolutionarily conserved motifs in peptides of aquaporins participate in transmembrane transport of materials and their relatively complex gene structures provide an evolutionary playground for regulation of genome structure and transcription. Duplication and evolution analyses revealed higher genetic conservation among Oryza aquaporins and strong purifying selections are assisting in conserving the climate resilience associated functions. Promoter analysis highlighted enrichment of gene upstream regions with cis-acting regulatory elements involved in diverse biological processes, whereas miRNA target site prediction analysis unveiled substantial involvement of osa-miR2102-3p, osa-miR2927 and osa-miR5075 in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression patterns. Moreover, expression patterns of japonica aquaporins were significantly perturbed in response to different treatment levels of six phytohormones and four abiotic stresses, suggesting their multifarious roles in plants survival under stressed environments. Furthermore, superior haplotypes of seven conserved orthologous aquaporins for higher thousand-grain weight are reported from a gold mine of 3,010 sequenced rice pangenomes. CONCLUSIONS: This study unveils the complete genomic atlas of aquaporins across genus Oryza and provides a comprehensive genetic resource for genomics-assisted development of climate-resilient rice cultivars.

Exploitation of various physio-morphological and biochemical traits for the identification of drought tolerant genotypes in cotton.

BACKGROUND: Drought is one of the limiting factors for quality and quantity of cotton lint in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Therefore, development of drought tolerant cotton genotypes have become indispensable. The identification of drought tolerant genotypes is pre-requisite to develop high yielding cultivars suitable for drought affected areas. METHODS: Forty upland cotton accessions were selected on the basis of their adaptability and yield. The collected germplasm accessions were evaluated at seedling stage on the basis of morphological, physiological and biochemical parameters. The experiment was conducted under controlled conditions in greenhouse where these genotypes were sown under different levels of drought stress by following factorial under completely randomized design. The data were collected at seedling stages for root and shoot lengths, relative leaf water content, excised leaf water losses, peroxidase content and hydrogen peroxide concentrations in leaf tissues. RESULTS: The biometrical analysis revealed that germplasm is significantly varied for recorded parameters, likewise interaction of genotypes and water stress was also significantly varied. The cotton germplasm was categorized in eight clusters based on response to water stress. The genotype Cyto-124 exhibited lowest H2O2 content under drought conditions, minimum excised leaf water loss under stress environment was exhibited by genotypes Ali Akber-802 and CEMB-33. Overall, on the basis of morphological and biochemical traits, SL-516 and Cyto-305 were found to be drought tolerant. Genotypes 1852 - 511, Stoneville 15-17 and Delta Pine-55 showed low values for root length, peroxidase activity and higher value for H2O2 contents. On the basis of these finding, these genotypes were declared as drought susceptible. CONCLUSION: The categorization of cotton germplasm indicating the differential response of various parameters under the control and drought stress conditions. The recorded parameters particularly relative leaf water contents and biochemical assays could be utilized to screen large number of germplasm of cotton for water deficit conditions. Besides, the drought tolerant genotypes identified in this research can be utilized in cotton breeding programs for the development of improved cultivars.

Is Baikiain in Tara Flour a Causative Agent for the Adverse Events Associated with the Recalled Frozen French Lentil & Leek Crumbles Food Product? - A Working Hypothesis.

The French Lentil & Leek Crumbles frozen food product was recently recalled due to reports of gastrointestinal issues. So far, 393 adverse illness complaints and 133 hospitalizations have been reported from consumption of this food, and the tara (Tara spinosa) protein flour ingredient is hypothesized to be responsible. A multipronged approach resulted in identification of (S)-(-)-baikiain in tara as a compound of interest due to its abundance, possible metabolic fate, and close resemblance to irreversible inhibitors of L-pipecolate oxidase. Oral administration of baikiain in ND4 mice showed a statistically significant increase in blood ALT levels and a reduction in liver GSH.

Lithium in breast milk transiently affects the renal electrolytic balance of infants.

BACKGROUND: The use of lithium during breast-feeding has not been comprehensively investigated in humans due to concerns about lithium toxicity. PROCEDURE: We analyzed lithium in the kidneys of nursed pups of lithium medicated mothers, using analytical spectroscopy in a novel rat model. The mothers were healthy rats administered lithium via gavage (1000 mg/day Li2 CO3 per 50 kg body weight). RESULTS: Lithium was detected in the breast milk, and in the blood of pups (0.08 mM), of lithium-exposed dams at post-natal day 18 (P18), during breast-feeding. No lithium was detected after breast-feeding, at P25 (4 days after cessation of nursing). The lithium pups blood had elevated urea nitrogen at P18 and reduced total T4 at P18 and P25, indicating a longer-term effect on the kidneys and the thyroid gland. Multivariate machine-learning analysis of spectroscopy data collected from the excised kidneys of pups showed elevated potassium in lithium-exposed animals both during- and after breast-feeding. The elevated renal potassium was associated with low nephrin expression in the kidneys measured immunohistochemically during breast-feeding. After lithium exposure is stopped, the filtration of lithium from the kidneys reverses these effects. Our study showed that breastfeeding during lithium use has an effect on the kidneys of the offspring in rats.

Exploring the role of HaTIPs genes in enhancing drought tolerance in sunflower.

BACKGROUND: Activity of plant aquaporins (AQPs) is extremely sensitive to environmental variables such as temperature, drought, atmospheric vapor pressure deficit, cell water status and also appears to be closely associated with the expression of plant tolerance to various stresses. The spatial and temporal expression patterns of genes of Tonoplast Intrinsic Proteins (TIPs) in various crops indicate the complex and diverse regulation of these proteins and are important in understanding their key role in plant growth, development and stress responses. METHODS AND RESULTS: Based on phylogenetic analysis, six distinct HaTIPs were selected for studying their spatial and temporal expression in sunflower (Helianthus annuus). In this study semi quantitative polymerase chain reaction (semi q-PCR) and real time polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) analysis were used to study the spatial and temporal expression of HaTIPs in sunflower. The results indicated that all of HaTIPs showed differential expression specific to both the tissues and the accessions. Moreover, the expression of all HaTIPs was higher in cross compared to the parents. Results of semi q-PCR and real time PCR indicated an upregulation of expression of HaTIP-RB7 and HaTIP7 in drought tolerant entries at 12 h of 20% polyethylene glycol (PEG) treatment compared to 0 h. CONCLUSION: Hence these genes can be utilized as potential target in improving water use efficiency and for further genetic manipulation for the development of drought tolerant sunflower. This study may further contribute to our better understanding regarding the precise role of HaTIPs through their spatial and temporal expression analysis and their application in sunflower drought stress responses.

Isolation of Two Plasticizers, Bis(2-ethylhexyl) Terephthalate and Bis(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate, from Capparis spinosa L. Leaves.

Many plants have been known to be contaminated and accumulate plasticizers from the environment, including water sources, soil, and atmosphere. Plasticizers are used to confer elasticity and flexibility to various fiber and plastic products. Consumption of plasticizers can lead to many adverse effects on human health, including reproductive and developmental toxicity, endocrine disruption, and cancer. Herein, we report for the first time that two plasticizers, bis(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate (DEHT) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), have been isolated from the leaves of Capparis spinosa L. (the caper bush), a plant that is widely used in food seasonings and traditional medicine. 297 mg/kg of DEHT and 48 mg/kg of DEHP were isolated from dried and grounded C. spinosa L. leaves using column chromatography and semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. Our study adds to the increase in the detection of plasticizers in our food and medicinal plants and to the alarming concern about their potential adverse effects on human health.

Strategy for the quality control of herbal preparations made of Sarcocephalus latifolius: Development and validation of a UHPLC-PDA method for quantification of angustoline and strictosamide and chemical profiling using LC-QToF.

INTRODUCTION: Sarcocephalus latifolius is one of the most used plants in West African traditional medicine to treat malaria. OBJECTIVE: The aim is to establish a strategy to control the quality of herbal preparations made from S. latifolius. METHOD: A UHPLC-PDA method was developed for the determination and quantification of the two main bioactive compounds (angustoline and strictosamide) in various parts of the plant. Additionally, an LC-QToF with electrospray ionization method is described for the identification and confirmation of compounds in samples of different parts of the plant. RESULTS: With the UHPLC-PDA method, separation was achieved within 5 min using a C18 column stationary phase at a temperature of 45°C and a gradient system with a mobile phase of water and acetonitrile, both containing 0.1% formic acid. The method was validated for linearity, accuracy, precision (repeatability and intermediate precision), limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ). The LOD and LOQ of angustoline were found to be 0.3 and 0.8 µg/ml, respectively, and those of strictosamide were found to be 0.1 and 0.3 µg/ml, respectively. Using the LC-QToF method, 90 secondary metabolites, including four isolated compounds from the plant's roots, were identified from leaf, bark, and root samples of S. latifolius. CONCLUSION: This work is the first to propose a strategy to control the quality of herbal preparations made from S. latifolius. The developed method allows the quantification of the main bioactive compounds and the established chemical profile allows to distinguish the plant from any other species.

Elderberry Extracts: Characterization of the Polyphenolic Chemical Composition, Quality Consistency, Safety, Adulteration, and Attenuation of Oxidative Stress- and Inflammation-Induced Health Disorders.

Elderberry is highly reputed for its health-improving effects. Multiple pieces of evidence indicate that the consumption of berries is linked to enhancing human health and preventing or delaying the onset of chronic medical conditions. Compared with other fruit, elderberry is a very rich source of anthocyanins (approximately 80% of the polyphenol content). These polyphenols are the principals that essentially contribute to the high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities and the health benefits of elderberry fruit extract. These health effects include attenuation of cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and inflammatory disorders, as well as anti-diabetic, anticancer, antiviral, and immuno-stimulatory effects. Sales of elderberry supplements skyrocketed to $320 million over the year 2020, according to an American Botanical Council (ABC) report, which is attributable to the purported immune-enhancing effects of elderberry. In the current review, the chemical composition of the polyphenolic content of the European elderberry (Sambucus nigra) and the American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), as well as the analytical techniques employed to analyze, characterize, and ascertain the chemical consistency will be addressed. Further, the factors that influence the consistency of the polyphenolic chemical composition, and hence, the consistency of the health benefits of elderberry extracts will be presented. Additionally, adulteration and safety as factors contributing to consistency will be covered. The role of elderberry in enhancing human health alone with the pharmacological basis, the cellular pathways, and the molecular mechanisms underlying the observed health benefits of elderberry fruit extracts will be also reviewed.

Advances in the Chemistry, Analysis and Adulteration of Anthocyanin Rich-Berries and Fruits: 2000-2022.

Anthocyanins are reported to exhibit a wide variety of remedial qualities against many human disorders, including antioxidative stress, anti-inflammatory activity, amelioration of cardiovascular diseases, improvement of cognitive decline, and are touted to protect against neurodegenerative disorders. Anthocyanins are water soluble naturally occurring polyphenols containing sugar moiety and are found abundantly in colored fruits/berries. Various chromatographic (HPLC/HPTLC) and spectroscopic (IR, NMR) techniques as standalone or in hyphenated forms such as LC-MS/LC-NMR are routinely used to gauge the chemical composition and ensure the overall quality of anthocyanins in berries, fruits, and finished products. The major emphasis of the current review is to compile and disseminate various analytical methodologies on characterization, quantification, and chemical profiling of the whole array of anthocyanins in berries, and fruits within the last two decades. In addition, the factors affecting the stability of anthocyanins, including pH, light exposure, solvents, metal ions, and the presence of other substances, such as enzymes and proteins, were addressed. Several sources of anthocyanins, including berries and fruit with their botanical identity and respective yields of anthocyanins, were covered. In addition to chemical characterization, economically motivated adulteration of anthocyanin-rich fruits and berries due to increasing consumer demand will also be the subject of discussion. Finally, the health benefits and the medicinal utilities of anthocyanins were briefly discussed. A literature search was performed using electronic databases from PubMed, Science Direct, SciFinder, and Google Scholar, and the search was conducted covering the period from January 2000 to November 2022.

A generalized procedure for joint monitoring and probabilistic quantification of extreme climate events at regional level.

Droughts and heat waves are currently recognized as two of the most serious threats associated with climate changes. Drought is characterized by prolonged dry periods, low precipitation, and high temperature, while heat wave refers to an extended period of exceptionally high temperature, surpassing the region's average for that time of year. There is a close relationship between droughts and heat waves, as both are often caused by similar weather patterns and can exacerbate each other's impacts. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor and quantify both droughts and heat waves jointly at a regional level in order to develop sustainable policies and effectively manage water resources. This article develops a new index, the standardized composite index for climate extremes (SCICE), for joint monitoring and probabilistic quantification of extreme climate events at regional level. The procedure of SCICE is mainly based on the joint standardization of standardized precipitation index (SPI) and standardized temperature index (STI). In the application of SCICE, results reveal that the long-term probabilities of the joint occurrence of dry and hot events are significantly greater than those of wet and cold events. Furthermore, the outcomes of the comparative assessment support the validity of using SCICE as a compact statistical approach in regional drought analysis. In summation, the study demonstrates the capability of SCICE to effectively characterize and assess the joint monitoring of drought and heat waves at a regional level, providing a comprehensive approach to understanding the joint impact of climate extremes.

Deep learning application detecting SARS-CoV-2 key enzymes inhibitors.

The fast spread of the COVID-19 over the world pressured scientists to find its cures. Especially, with the disastrous results, it engendered from human life losses to long-term impacts on infected people's health and the huge financial losses. In addition to the massive efforts made by researchers and medicals on finding safe, smart, fast, and efficient methods to accurately make an early diagnosis of the COVID-19. Some researchers focused on finding drugs to treat the disease and its symptoms, others worked on creating effective vaccines, while several concentrated on finding inhibitors for the key enzymes of the virus, to reduce its spreading and reproduction inside the human body. These enzymes' inhibitors are usually found in aliments, plants, fungi, or even in some drugs. Since these inhibitors slow and halt the replication of the virus in the human body, they can help fight it at an early stage saving the patient from death risk. Moreover, if the human body's immune system gets rid of the virus at the early stage it can be spared from the disastrous sequels it may leave inside the patient's body. Our research aims to find aliments and plants that are rich in these inhibitors. In this paper, we developed a deep learning application that is trained with various aliments, plants, and drugs to detect if a component contains SARS-CoV-2 key inhibitor(s) intending to help them find more sources containing these inhibitors. The application is trained to identify various sources rich in thirteen coronavirus-2 key inhibitors. The sources are currently just aliments, plants, and seeds and the identification is done by their names.

GhCDNC and GhCYP706B1 genes mediate gossypol biosynthesis in upland cotton.

BACKGROUND: In cotton the identification and characterization of natural defense is a cost-effective, sustainable, and environment-friendly strategy to combat cotton pests. The secondary metabolites traits in cotton plant i.e., toxic gossypol glands play significant role for development and self-defense mechanism. To utilize gossypol in breeding implements, the understanding of gossypol initiation biosynthesis genes has vital importance at reproductive organ development stages. METHODS: Cotton germplasm of 100 genotypes screened visually based on gossypol glandedness and a core set of ten genotypes was developed. Further three genotypes FH-330 (high glanding), F-280 (low glanding) and IRMA-197 (glandless) were used for determining the transcript abundance of twelve gossypol biosynthesis genes. RESULTS: Out of 100, germplasm categorized as (76) high glanding, (22) medium glanding), one genotype for each (low glanding) and (glandless) category. Real-time qPCR analysis revealed varied expression patterns among selected three genotypes. Out of twelve, three genes CYP706B1, CDNC and 2ODD-1 had strong expression levels in all tested tissues in high glanded genotype, while, slight or no expression of these genes was recorded in low glanding and glandless genotype, respectively. The shell of developing boll (10, 20, 30 DPA), and developing embryo (20, 30 DPA) showed substantially medium to maximum expression, respectively while high to medium expression was recorded in sepals and leaf tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that CYP706B1, CDNC and 2ODD-1 are the most promising genes involved in gossypol biosynthesis. Developing boll shell, developing embryo, leaf and sepal also have significant ability to synthesize gossypol. This will provide scientists a way to manipulate gossypol contents in economically important organs of cotton plant for targeted breeding.

Different ratios of Canna indica and maize-vermicompost as biofertilizers to improve soil fertility and plant growth: A case study from southwest China.

Vermicomposting is recommended as an eco-friendly technology for an organic amendment to avoid the excessive use of inorganic fertilizers, which are causing environmental pollution. Here, this study evaluated soil fertility and plant growth after vermicompost amendment using reclaimed wetland plants and manure. A pot experiment was conducted to assess the seven treatments for nutrient recovery and plant growth: a control group without any fertilization (CK); four groups with vermicompost prepared from different ratios of ecological wetland plant residues, maize, and pig manure (V1, 4:6; V2, 5:5; V3, 6:6; and V4, 7:3); one group with only Canna indica (V5, Ci), and a group with synthetic fertilizers (NPK). The results showed the remarkable impacts of Ci-vermicompost and different ratios of organic fertilizer on soil fertility and plant height (28.8%) as major outcomes. In addition, vermicompost substantially increased soil total nitrogen (60.5%), soil organic matter (60.9%) including dissolved organic carbon (52.2%), and shoot biomass (V4, three-fold increase) compared with NPK and CK. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that vermicomposting combined with wetland plants is a feasible method for organic amendments and offers an innovative approach for recycling ecological waste to produce nutrient-rich organic fertilizers, reduce environmental damage, and improve crop production.