Phytoremediation ability and selected genetic transcription in Hydrocotyle umbellata-under cadmium stress.

Cadmium (Cd) is the most toxic element which may cause serious consequences to microbial communities, animals, and plants. The use of green technologies like phytoremediation employs plants with high biomass and metal tolerance to extract toxic metals from their rooting zones. In the present work, Hydrocotyle umbellata was exposed to five Cd concentrations (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 µmol) in triplicates to judge its phytoextraction ability. Effects of metal exposure on chlorophyll (Chl), bio-concentration factor (BCF), translocation factor (TF), and electrolyte leakage (EL) were analyzed after 10 days of treatment. Metal-responding genes were also observed through transcriptomic analysis. Roots were the primary organs for cadmium accumulation followed by stolon and leaves. There was an increase in EL. Plants showed various symptoms under increasing metal stress namely, chlorosis, browning of the leaf margins, burn-like areas on the leaves, and stunted growth, suggesting a positive relationship between EL, and programmed cell death (PCD). Metal-responsive genes, including glutathione, expansin, and cystatin were equally expressed. The phytoextraction capacity and adaptability of H. umbellata L. against Cd metal stress was also demonstrated by BCF more than 1 and TF less than 1.

The results of the current study demonstrated that Hydrocotyle umbellata is a good choice for environmental cleanup in areas with mild Cd contamination. According to TF and BCF, the plant demonstrated a considerable uptake of Cd. Additionally, H. umbellata's eligibility as a phytoremediation agent for Cd was supported by the transcription of numerous metal-responsive genes, including glutathione, expansin, cystatin, and other genes associated with growth.

Integrating multisource data and machine learning for supraglacial lake detection: Implications for environmental management and sustainable development goals in high mountainous regions.

The accurate detection and monitoring of supraglacial lakes in high mountainous regions are crucial for understanding their dynamic nature and implications for environmental management and sustainable development goals. In this study, we propose a novel approach that integrates multisource data and machine learning techniques for supra-glacial lake detection in the Passu Batura glacier of the Hunza Basin, Pakistan. We extract pertinent features or parameters by leveraging multisource datasets such as radar backscatter intensity VH and VV parameters from Sentinel-1 Ground Range Detected (GRD) data, near-infrared (NIR), NDWI_green, NDWI_blue parameters from Sentinel-2 Multi-spectral Instrument (MSI) data, and surface slope, aspect, and elevation parameters from topographic data. The entire dataset is partitioned into training and testing sets, with machine learning models including the artificial neural network (ANN), the support vector machine (SVM), logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), and K-nearest neighbour (KNN) trained on the training data (70%). Accuracy assessment employs testing data and involves the evaluation of metrics such as ROC curves and confusion matrices. The best-performing model, ANN, is validated against manually digitized lake polygons derived from Sentinel-2 and Google Earth Pro imagery. Furthermore, the digitized lake polygons are used to analyze glacial lake dynamics from 2016 to 2022. Key findings of this research presented that the NDWI_green, Sigma0_VH, and elevation are the most significant predictors in detecting supra-glacial lakes. Among the various trained and evaluated models, the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) achieved the highest performance (accuracy: 95%, AUC: 0.99) and accurately mapped supra-glacial lakes regardless of their small size. The findings have significant implications for understanding glacial lake behavior in the context of climate change and informing future research and monitoring efforts.

Metabolomics reveals arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi-mediated tolerance of walnut to soil drought.

BACKGROUND: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have a positive effect on drought tolerance of plants after establishing reciprocal resymbiosis with roots, while the underlying mechanism is not deciphered. Metabolomics can explain the mechanism of plant response to environmental stress by analyzing the changes of all small molecular weight metabolites. The purpose of this study was to use Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography Q Exactive Mass Spectrometer to analyze changes in root metabolites of walnut (Juglans regia) after inoculation with an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Diversispora spurca under well-watered (WW) and drought stress (DS). RESULTS: Sixty days of soil drought significantly inhibited root mycorrhizal colonization rate, shoot and root biomass production, and leaf water potential in walnut, while AMF inoculation significantly increased biomass production and leaf water potential, accompanied by a higher increase magnitude under DS versus under WW. A total of 3278 metabolites were identified. Under WW, AMF inoculation up-regulated 172 metabolites and down-regulated 61 metabolites, along with no changes in 1104 metabolites. However, under DS, AMF inoculation up-regulated 49 metabolites and down-regulated 116 metabolites, coupled with no changes in 1172 metabolites. Among them, juglone (a quinone found in walnuts) as the first ranked differential metabolite was up-regulated by AMF under WW but not under DS; 2,3,5-trihydroxy-5-7-dimethoxyflavanone as the first ranked differential metabolite was increased by AMF under DS but not under WW. The KEGG annotation showed a large number of metabolic pathways triggered by AMF, accompanied by different metabolic pathways under WW and DS. Among them, oxidative phosphorylation and phenylalanine metabolism and biosynthesis were triggered by AMF in response to WW and DS, where N-acetyl-L-phenylalanine was induced by AMF to increase under DS, while decreasing under WW. CONCLUSION: This study provides new insights into the metabolic mechanisms of mycorrhiza-enhanced drought tolerance in walnuts.

Proximate Composition, Bioactive Compounds, and Antioxidant Potential of Wild Halophytes Grown in Coastal Salt Marsh Habitats.

Halophytes have been characterized as a potential resource for fiber, food, fodder, and bioactive compounds. Proximate composition, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activity of five wild dominant halophytes (Arthrocnemummacrostachyum, Halocnemumstrobilaceum, Limoniastrummonopetalum, Limoniastrumpruinosum, and Tamarix nilotica) naturally growing along the Nile Delta coast were assessed. The soil supporting these halophytes was sandy to sand-silty, alkaline, with low organic carbon, and relatively high CaCO3. H. strobilaceum attained the highest moisture content, ash, crude fiber, lipids, and total soluble sugars. L. monopetalum showed the highest content of crude protein (18.00%), while T. nilotica had the highest content of total carbohydrates. The studied halophytes can be ranked according to their nutritive value as follows: H.strobilaceum > L.monopetalum > A.macrostachyum > L.pruinosum > T. nilotica. A. macrostachyum attained the highest amount of Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+. A. macrostachyum showed a high content of phenolic compounds, while H.strobilaceum was rich in tannins and saponin contents. The MeOH extract of A. macrostachyum and H. strobilaceum exhibited substantial antioxidant activity. The present results showed that the studied halophytes could be considered as candidates for forage production or used as green eco-friendly natural resources for bioactive compounds.

Optimizing leaf nutrient status, growth, and yield parameters in high-density apple orchards (cv. Super chief) via integrated drip irrigation and fertigation techniques.

Nutrients and water are important ecophysiological components for apples' development and productivity. The combination of high-density plantation, drip irrigation, and weekly fertigation not only conserves irrigation water, but also reduces cultivation costs compared to conventional methods. Leaf nutrient analysis provides insight into nutrient levels and assists in determining irrigation and fertigation schedules. We conducted the current research over two years (2021-22 and 2022-23) to evaluate different drip-fertigation effects on leaf nutrient status, vegetative growth, and yield of high-density apples. The experimental study employed a factorial randomised block design, replicating 16 different treatment combinations three times each. Each replication consisted of three plants, and the treatments included four irrigation levels (100 %, 80 %, 60 %, and control) and four fertigation levels (absolute control, 100 %, 75 %, and 50 % of the recommended NPK dosage). Analysis of the leaves indicated that IR1 (Drip irrigation at 100 % ETc) showed notably higher levels of nitrogen at (3.06 %), phosphorus at (0.48 %) and potassium at (2.07 %) compared to other treatments. Regarding fertigation levels, FN1 [100 % (AD) NPK] showed the highest nitrogen (3.12 %), phosphorus (0.50 %), and potassium (2.09 %) content. Parameters related to vegetative growth, including tree height, plant spread in both east-west (EW) and north-south (NS) directions, trunk girth, annual extension growth, and leaf area showed significant increases with higher irrigation and fertigation levels, surpassing conventional irrigation (IR4) by 6.17 percent, 7.78 percent (EW), 8.62 percent (NS), 10.49 percent, 4.53 percent and 1.96 percent, respectively. Among fertigation, FN1- 100 % AD (NPK) registered a maximum increase in growth parameters. Our analysis demonstrated that combining irrigation and fertigation improved leaf nutrient status and vegetative growth characteristics, which are critical determinants of fruit yield.

Effect of Co-Diet Supplementation on Biodegradation of Polyethylene by Galleria mellonella L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

Pollution coming from plastic polymers, particularly polyethylene (PE), poses a serious threat to both humans and animals. The biodegradation of plastics facilitated by insects is a crucial and eco-friendly approach that can be employed to combat this global concern. Recently, the larvae of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella (L.) have been recognized as avid 'plastivores'. The current study was aimed at evaluating the feeding efficiency of G. mellonella larvae on PEs of various densities with a co-diet supplementation of wheat germ + honey and beeswax. The results reveal that maximum PE consumption (9.98 ± 1.25 mg) was recorded in the case of 1.0 mm thick PE after a 24 h interval; however, the same scenario also achieved the greatest reduction in larval weight (27.79 ± 2.02 mg). A significant reduction in PE mass (5.87 ± 1.44 mg) was also observed in 1.0 mm PE when fed beeswax; however, the larvae experienced minimal weight loss (9.59 ± 3.81 mg). The larvae exhibited a higher PE consumption in 1.0 mm PE, indicating that the lower the density of PE, the greater the consumed area. Moreover, the biodegradation levels were notably higher within the 24 h interval. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the density of PEs and the supplementation of the co-diet have an impact on PE biodegradation. Additionally, the utilization of G. mellonella for the biodegradation of PE proves effective when combined with beeswax, resulting in minimal weight loss of the larvae. Our findings offer initial insights into how Galleria mellonella larvae biodegrade polyethylene (PE) of four different densities, along with co-diet supplementation. This approach helps us evaluate how varying densities affect degradation rates and provides a better understanding of the larvae's capabilities. Additionally, our observations at three specific time intervals (24, 48, and 72 h) allow us to identify the time required for achieving degradation rates. Through examining these time points, our method offers valuable insights into the initial phases of plastic consumption and biodegradation.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles and Klebsiella sp. SBP-8 alleviates chromium toxicity in Brassica juncea by regulation of antioxidant capacity, osmolyte production, nutritional content and reduction in chromium adsorption.

Heavy metals are one of the most damaging environmental toxins that hamper growth of plants. These noxious chemicals include lead (Pb), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr). Chromium is one of the toxic metal which induces various oxidative processes in plants. The emerging role of nanoparticles as pesticides, fertilizers and growth regulators have attracted the attention of various scientists. Current study was conducted to explore the potential of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) alone and in combination with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) Klebsiella sp. SBP-8 in Cr stress alleviation in Brassica juncea (L.). Chromium stress reduced shoot fresh weight (40%), root fresh weight (28%), shoot dry weight (28%) and root dry weight (34%) in B. juncea seedlings. Chromium stressed B. juncea plants showed enhanced levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), electrolyte leakage (EL), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide ion (O2• -). However, co-supplementation of ZnONPs and Klebsiella sp. SBP-8 escalated the activity of antioxidant enzymes i.e., superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in B. juncea grown in normal and Cr-toxic soil. It is further proposed that combined treatment of ZnONPs and Klebsiella sp. SBP-8 may be useful for alleviation of other abiotic stresses in plants.

Valorization of hydro-distillate of fruit peels of Citrus paradisi macfad. Cultivar. Foster: Chemical profiling, antioxidant evaluation and in vitro and in silico enzyme inhibition studies.

The major commercial crops in Pakistan are citrus fruit trees, which are farmed extensively and serve as the country's principal source of foreign exchange. A local citrus plant, Citrus paradisi, variety Foster is famous for its valuable fruit and fruit juice, however, tons of peels of this fruit are thrown as waste, which otherwise can be utilized in formulating nutraceutical and cosmetics. In the present study, essential oil of fruit peels was obtained through hydro-distillation, which was then analyzed through GC-MS analysis and studied for its antioxidant and enzyme inhibition potential. GCMS analysis revealed the presence of several components; major were found to be limonene, α-terpineol, caryophyllene, δ-amorphene, elemol, γ-eudesoml, nootkatone and di-isooctyl phthalate. Although, the oil showed weak free radical inhibition, it was potentially active in CUPRAC, FRAP, phosphomolybdenum and metal chelating antioxidant assays. The oil also exhibited anti-glucosidase, anti-amylase activities and also exhibited potent inhibition of the enzyme tyrosinase, which makes it strong candidate for nutraceuticals and skin care products. The docking studies also substantiate our results and caryophyllene, γ-eudesoml and nootkatone showed good binding affinity α-glucosidase and α-amylase and all tested compounds showed the higher binding affinity towards the enzyme tyrosinase.

Secondary metabolic profiling, antioxidant potential, enzyme inhibitory activities and in silico and ADME studies: a multifunctional approach to reveal medicinal and industrial potential of Tanacetum falconeri.

Tanacetum falconeri is a significant flowering plant that possesses cytotoxic, insecticidal, antibacterial, and phytotoxic properties. Its chemodiversity and bioactivities, however, have not been thoroughly investigated. In this work, several extracts from various parts of T. falconeri were assessed for their chemical profile, antioxidant activity, and potential for enzyme inhibition. The total phenolic contents of T. falconeri varied from 40.28 ± 0.47 mg GAE/g to 11.92 ± 0.22 mg GAE/g in various extracts, while flavonoid contents were found highest in TFFM (36.79 ± 0.36 mg QE/g extract) and lowest (11.08 ± 0.22 mg QE/g extract) in TFSC (chloroform extract of stem) in similar pattern as found in total phenolic contents. Highest DPPH inhibition was observed for TFFC (49.58 ± 0.11 mg TE/g extract) and TFSM (46.33 ± 0.10 mg TE/g extract), whereas, TFSM was also potentially active against (98.95 ± 0.57 mg TE/g) ABTS radical. In addition, TFSM was also most active in metal reducing assays: CUPRAC (151.76 ± 1.59 mg TE/g extract) and FRAP (101.30 ± 0.32 mg TE/g extract). In phosphomolybdenum assay, the highest activity was found for TFFE (1.71 ± 0.03 mg TE/g extract), TFSM (1.64 ± 0.035 mg TE/g extract), TFSH (1.60 ± 0.033 mg TE/g extract) and TFFH (1.58 ± 0.08 mg TE/g extract), while highest metal chelating activity was recorded for TFSH (25.93 ± 0.79 mg EDTAE/g extract), TFSE (22.90 ± 1.12 mg EDTAE/g extract) and TFSC (19.31 ± 0.50 mg EDTAE/g extract). In biological screening, all extracts had stronger inhibitory capacity against AChE while in case of BChE the chloroform extract of flower (TFFC) and stem (TFSC) showed the highest activities with inhibitory values of 2.57 ± 0.24 and 2.10 ± 0.18 respectively. Similarly, TFFC and TFSC had stronger inhibitory capacity (1.09 ± 0.015 and 1.08 ± 0.002 mmol ACAE/g extract) against α-Amylase and (0.50 ± 0.02 and 0.55 ± 0.02 mmol ACAE/g extract) α-Glucosidase. UHPLC-MS study of methanolic extract revealed the presence of 133 components including sterols, triterpenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, and coumarins. The total phenolic contents were substantially linked with all antioxidant assays in multivariate analysis. These findings were validated by docking investigations, which revealed that the selected compounds exhibited high binding free energy with the enzymes tested. Finally, it was found that T. falconeri is a viable industrial crop with potential use in the production of functional goods and nutraceuticals.

Exogenous Application of 24-Epibrassinolide Confers Saline Stress and Improves Photosynthetic Capacity, Antioxidant Defense, Mineral Uptake, and Yield in Maize.

Salinity is one of the major environmental stresses threatening crop production, the natural ecosystem, global food security, and the socioeconomic health of humans. Thus, the development of eco-friendly strategies to mitigate saline stress and/or enhance crop tolerance is an important issue worldwide. Therefore, this study was conducted during the summer of 2022 to investigate the potential of 24-Epibrassinolide (EBL) for mitigating saline stress and improving photosynthetic capacity, antioxidant defense systems, mineral uptake, and yield in maize (Zea mays L.) grown under a controlled hydroponic system. Three saline stress levels-S1 (control/no added NaCl), S2 (60 mM NaCl), and S3 (120 mM NaCl)-were continuously applied with nutrient solution, whereas exogenous EBL (i.e., control, 0.1 µM and 0.2 µM) was applied as exogenous application three times (i.e., 40, 55, 70 days after sowing). The experiment was designed as a split-plot in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in which saline stress was the main factor and EBL treatment was the sub-factor. Results showed that saline stress significantly affected plant growth, physiological performance, biochemistry, antioxidant activity, and yield attributes. However, the exogenous application of EBL at 0.2 µM significantly mitigated the salt stress and thus improved plant performance even under 120 mM NaCl saline stress. For instance, as compared to untreated plants (control), 0.2 µM EBL application improved plant height (+18%), biomass (+19%), SPAD (+32%), Fv/Fm (+28%), rate of photosynthesis (+11%), carboxylation efficiency (+6%), superoxide dismutase (SOD +14%), catalase (CAT +18%), ascorbate peroxidase (APX +20%), K+ (+24%), 100-grain weight (+11%), and grain yield (+47%) of maize grown under salt stress. Additionally, it resulted in a 23% reduction in Na+ accumulation in leaves and a 25% reduction in for Na+/K+ ratio under saline stress as compared to control. Furthermore, the Pearson's correlation and principal component analysis (PCA) highlighted the significance of exogenous EBL as saline stress mitigator in maize. Overall, our results indicated the protective effects of EBL application to the alleviation of saline stress in crop plants. However, further exploration of its mechanism of action and crop-specific response is suggested prior to commercial use in agriculture.

Modelling, mapping and monitoring of forest cover changes, using support vector machine, kernel logistic regression and naive bayes tree models with optical remote sensing data.

The present study is designed to monitor the spatio-temporal changes in forest cover using Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information system (GIS) techniques from 1990 to 2017. Landsat data from 1990 (Thematic mapper [TM]), 2000 and 2010 (Enhanced Thematic Mapper [ETM+]), and 2013 to 2017 (Operational Land Imager/Thermal Infrared Sensor [OLI/TIRS]) were classified into the classes termed snow, water, barren land, built-up area, forest, and vegetation. The method was built using multitemporal Landsat images and the machine learning techniques Support Vector Machine (SVM), Naive Bayes Tree (NBT) and Kernel Logistic Regression (KLR). According to the results, forest area was decreased from 19,360 km2 (26.0%) to 18,784 km2 (25.2%) from 1990 to 2010, while forest area was increased from 18,640 km2 (25.0%) to 26,765 km2 (35.9%) area from 2013 to 2017 due to "One billion tree Project". According to our findings, SVM performed better than KLR and NBT on all three accuracy metrics (recall, precision, and accuracy) and the F1 score was >0.89. The study demonstrated that concurrent reforestation in barren land areas improved methods of sustaining the forest and RS and GIS into everyday forestry organization practices in Khyber Pakhtun Khwa (KPK), Pakistan. The study results were beneficial, especially at the decision-making level for the local or provincial government of KPK and for understanding the global scenario for regional planning.

Plant Growth Regulators with a Balanced Supply of Nutrients Enhance the Phytoextraction Efficiency of Parthenium hysterophorus for Cadmium in Contaminated Soil.

Heavy metal contamination in soil, such as cadmium (Cd), poses a serious threat to global food security and human health. It must be managed using environmentally friendly and cost-effective technologies. Plants with high resistance to Cd stress and high biomass production could be potential candidates for the phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated soils to improve Cd phytoextraction. In this regard, the present study was carried out to determine the effect of gibberellic acid (GA3), indole acetic acid (IAA), and fertilizers (N, P, and K) on Parthenium hysterophorus growth and biomass production as well as Cd phytoextraction capabilities. A pot experiment was conducted with various combinations of PGRs and fertilizers, with treatments arranged in five replicates using a completely randomized design. After harvesting, each plant was divided into various parts such as stems, roots, and leaves, and different growth, physiological, and biochemical parameters were recorded. Results showed that under Cd stress, growth, physiological, and biochemical parameters were all significantly decreased. With the combined application of plant growth regulators (GA3 and IAA) and nutrients, Cd stress was alleviated and all parameters significantly improved. In comparison to the control treatment, the combined application of N + P + K + GA3 + IAA resulted in the highest fresh and dry biomass production of the root (12.31 and 5.11 g pot-1), shoot (19. 69 and 6.99 g pot-1), leaves (16.56 and 7.09 g pot-1), and entire plant (48.56 and 19.19 g pot-1). Similarly, the same treatment resulted in higher chlorophyll a and b and total chlorophyll contents under Cd stress, which were 2.19, 2.03, and 3.21 times higher than the control, which was Cd stress without any treatment. The combination of N + P + K + GA3 + IAA also resulted in the highest proline and phenolic contents. In the case of different enzyme activities, the combined application of N + P + K + GA3 + IAA under Cd stress led to a high increase in catalase (2.5 times), superoxide (3.5 times), and peroxidase (3.7 times) compared to the control. With the combined application of N+ P+ K + GA3 + IAA, the maximum values of BCF (8.25), BAC (2.6), and RF (5.14%) were measured for phytoextraction potential. On the basis of these findings, it is concluded that P. hysterophorus has a high potential to grow, produce the most biomass, and act as a Cd hyperaccumulator in Cd-contaminated soil.

Awareness, Knowledge, and Attitudes Regarding Basic Life Support Among the Population With Relatives Suffering From Heart Diseases in the Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia.

Background and objective Basic Life Support (BLS) is critical because it keeps patients with life-threatening illnesses or injuries alive and maintains viability until a team of paramedics or hospital staff can provide expert care. There are many events that can result in serious injury and cause a person to stop breathing. BLS awareness among the population who have relatives with heart diseases greatly increases their confidence to act quickly when necessary and reduces their level of hesitation. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the level of clinical competence in the population who have relatives with heart diseases for them to recognize and respond to individuals in need of BLS in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. Methodology We conducted a quantitative, observational, and analytical cross-sectional study to achieve our objective. The targeted population involved only Saudis. The study was conducted electronically using social network apps in the Al-Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire evaluated if the subject had a family member with heart disease. Data collected included sociodemographic characteristics and knowledge and awareness about BLS as related to specific objectives. Results Of the 414 participants, 58.8% were females; 33.3% were between the ages of 40-49 years, and 30.7% were between 18-29 years old. The prevalence of participants who reported participating in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training was 19.8%. The main reasons for not participating in these training were a lack of knowledge about the courses (60.5%), being too busy (16.2%), and thinking that they did not need them (12.3%). Being younger than 29 years in age was one of the factors associated with participating in CPR training [odds ratio (OR): 11.85, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.54-91.42, p=0.017] versus those aged over 59 years. Gender was significantly associated with the rate of participation in CPR training: females had significantly lower rates of participation than males (15.2% vs. 25.7%, OR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.32-0.84, p=0.008). Of note, 25.5% of the participants had adequate knowledge regarding CPR. Having trained in CPR was significantly associated with a higher level of knowledge among the participants (1.82-fold) (OR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.08-3.06, p=0.023). Conclusion Based on our findings, there is limited awareness and training related to CPR among people with relatives suffering from cardiac diseases in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. This may be associated with higher rates of morbidity and mortality related to heart diseases in the region.

Cloning of a CHS gene of Poncirus trifoliata and its expression in response to soil water deficit and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

Flavonoids are secondary metabolites widely found in plants with antioxidants, of which chalcone synthase (CHS) is a key enzyme required in flavonoid synthesis pathways. The objective of this study was to clone a CHS gene from trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata) and analyze its biological information and partial functions. A PtCHS gene (NCBI accession: MZ350874) was cloned from the genome-wide of trifoliate orange, which has 1156 bp in length, encoding 391 amino acids, with a predicted protein relative molecular mass of 42640.19, a theoretical isoelectric point of 6.28, and a lipid coefficient of 89.82. The protein is stable, hydrophilic, and high sequence conservation (92.49% sequence homology with CHS gene of other species). PtCHS was highly expressed in stems, leaves and flowers, but very low expression in roots and seeds. Soil water deficit could up-regulate expressions of PtCHS in leaves. An arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus, Funneliformis mosseae, significantly increased plant biomass production, CHS activity, expressions of PtCHS, and total flavonoid content in leaves and roots, independent of soil water status. Total flavonoids were significantly positively correlated with PtCHS expression in leaves only and also positively with root mycorrhizal colonization. Such results provide insight into the important functions of PtCHS in trifoliate orange.

Arbuscular mycorrhiza induces low oxidative burst in drought-stressed walnut through activating antioxidant defense systems and heat shock transcription factor expression.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have important roles in enhancing drought tolerance of host plants, but it is not clear whether and how AMF increase drought tolerance in walnut (Juglans regia). We hypothesized that AMF could activate antioxidant defense systems and heat shock transcription factors (Hsfs) transcription levels to alleviate oxidative damage caused by drought. The walnut variety 'Liaohe No. 1' was inoculated with Diversispora spurca and exposed to well-watered (WW, 75% of the maximum soil water capacity) and drought stress (DS, 50% of the maximum soil water capacity) for 6 weeks. Plant growth, antioxidant defense systems, and expressions of five JrHsfs in leaves were studied. Such drought treatment inhibited root mycorrhizal colonization, while plant growth performance was still improved by AMF inoculation. Mycorrhizal fungal inoculation triggered the increase in soluble protein, glutathione (GSH), ascorbic acid (ASC), and total ASC contents and ascorbic peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities, along with lower hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide anion radical (O2 •-), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, compared with non-inoculation under drought. Mycorrhizal plants also recorded higher peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase activities than non-mycorrhizal plants under drought. The expression of JrHsf03, JrHsf05, JrHsf20, JrHsf22, and JrHsf24 was up-regulated under WW by AMF, while the expression of JrHsf03, JrHsf22, and JrHsf24 were up-regulated only under drought by AMF. It is concluded that D. spurca induced low oxidative burst in drought-stressed walnut through activating antioxidant defense systems and part Hsfs expressions.

Ethnoveterinary Practices of Medicinal Plants Among Tribes of Tribal District of North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Domestic animals play a vital role in the development of human civilization. Plants are utilized as remedies for a variety of domestic animals, in addition to humans. The tribes of North Waziristan are extremely familiar with the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants as ethnoveterinary medicines. The present study was carried out during 2018-2019 to record ethnoveterinary knowledge of the local plants that are being used by the tribal communities of North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. In all, 56 medicinal plant species belonging to 42 families were identified, which were reported to treat 45 different animal diseases. These included 32 herbs, 12 shrubs, and 12 trees. Among the plant families, Asteraceae contributed the most species (5 spp.), followed by Amaranthaceae (4 spp.), Solanaceae (4 species), and Alliaceae, Araceae, and Lamiaceae (2 spp. each). The most common ethnoveterinary applications were documented for the treatment of blood in urine, bone injury, colic, indigestion, postpartum retention, skin diseases, constipation, increased milk production, mastitis, foot, and mouth diseases.

A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Plant Resources among Five Ethnic Groups in the Western Himalayan Region of Jammu and Kashmir.

Plant resources have always been valuable in human life, and many plant species are used in medicine, food, and ritual, and resource utilization is closely related to cultural diversity. Our study was conducted from June 2019 to April 2021, during which we aimed to document the local knowledge of plant resources of five ethnic groups, i.e., the Gujjar, Bakarwal, Kashmiri, Pahari, and Dogra communities of the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) region, Western Himalayas. Through semi-structured interviews (N = 342) and group discussions (N = 38), we collected data on the ethnobotanical uses of plant resources. The data was subjected to hierarchical cluster analysis and ordination techniques (Principal Component Analysis) via, R software of version 4.0.0. Traditional uses were classified into three groups, i.e., single-, double-, and multi-use groups. The study recorded a total of 127 plant species, belonging to 113 genera and distributed among 64 botanical families. The dominant plant families were the Asteraceae, with 8% of all species, followed by Lamiaceae (6%), Polygonaceae (5%) and Ranunculaceae (4%). The recorded plant taxa were frequently used for medicine (51.4% responses), followed by food (14.9%), and fodder (9.5%). Principal component analysis (PCA) separated three groups of provisioning services depending on plant consumption preference levels. Comparative analysis showed remarkable similarities in plant uses (food, medicinal) among the Gujjar and Bakarwal ethnic groups, as both groups share a common culture. Some plants like Azadirachta indica, Brassica campestris, Ulmus wallichiana, Amaranthus blitum, and Celtis australis were also used for magico-religious purposes. We also recorded some medicinal uses that are new to the ethnobotanical literature of the J&K Himalayas, such as for Betula utilis, Sambucus wightiana, and Dolomiaea macrocephala, in our case for example local medicinal recipe, which is derived from Dolomiaea macrocephala, often known as Nashasta, used to treat weakness, back pain, and joint pain. Similarly, we also recorded new food uses for Eremurus himalaicus. Moreover, we also observed some plants for instance, Fragaria nubicola, Betula utilis and Juniperus communis have spiritual significance (i.e., amulets and scrolls) for this part of the Himalayan region. The present study provides a useful tool for resource management and can help in developing scientifically informed strategies for the conservation of plant resources.

Co-application of mineral and organic fertilizers under deficit irrigation improves the fruit quality of the Wonderful pomegranate.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the individual and interactive effects of various irrigation regimes and fertilizer treatments on the quality of the Wonderful pomegranate cultivar. METHODS: Two field experiments were conducted over two consecutive growing seasons (2018 and 2019) to determine the individual and interactive effects of various organic and mineral fertilizer treatments on the fruit quality of the Wonderful pomegranate under various irrigation conditions. A split-plot experimental design was used, in which the main plots included three levels of irrigation (100%, 80%, and 60% of evapotranspiration) while the subplots included five fertilizer treatments with different co-application ratios of mineral and organic fertilizers. RESULTS: All tested physicochemical properties of the fruit were significantly affected by the irrigation treatment, with irrigation at 80% of evapotranspiration representing the best strategy for reducing water use and improving fruit quality. Moreover, the co-application of mineral and organic fertilizers had a significant effect on fruit quality, with 75% mineral + 25% organic fertilizer improving all of the physical and chemical properties of the fruit in both experimental seasons. Irrigation and the co-application of mineral and organic fertilizers also had a significant interaction effect on the physicochemical attributes of fruit, which further increased fruit quality. CONCLUSIONS: The co-application of organic and mineral fertilizers produced better quality pomegranate fruit than mineral fertilizer alone under deficit irrigation conditions. This technique could therefore be applied to improve the fruiting of horticultural trees in arid growing regions.

Fruit properties during the harvest period of eleven Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk.) cultivars.

The geometric attributes and physical, mechanical, and chemical properties were determined for 11 Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk.) cultivars grown in Saudi Arabia including Zaytoni, Kashmiri, Komethry, Um-Sulaem with spines, Toffahy, Um-Sulaem without spines, Abdel-Sattar, Pu-Yun, Pu-Pineau, seedy ber, and buddling ber. The geometric mean diameter, surface area, sphericity, and shape index of the fruits ranged from 20.61 to 42.48 mm, 1339.58-5666.92 mm2, 71.39-96.80%, and 110.25-275.18%, respectively. The fruit physical properties, i e fruit weight, fruit volume, stone weight, flesh weight, true fruit density, and pulp-stone ratio varied from 4.71 to 39.02 g, 4.78 to 42.75 cm3, 0.11 to 2.35 g, 4.61 to 36.67 g,0.913 to 1.055 g/cm3, and 7.90 to 43.11, respectively. In addition, the mean color value of L*, a* and b* for the fruits ranged from 64.48 to 96.33, 2.65-4.05, and 6.32-84.36, respectively. The mechanical properties, including elastic range, bioyield force, modulus of elasticity, plastic range, and rupture force ranged from 2.31 to 8.86 mm, 21.64-325.77 N, 14.15-124.09 N/s, 0.83-3.45 mm, 56.42-364.21 N, and 107.77-480.91 N/s, respectively. The greatest rupture force belonged to the Pu-Pineau cultivar and the smallest belonged to the Um-Sulaem without spines cultivar at the horizontal orientation of both cultivars. The fruit chemical analysis values for total soluble solids, titratable acidity, total soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio, and vitamin C ranged from 13.43 to 23.55%, 0.48-1.27%, 14.24-39.85%, and 55.27-164.47 mg/100 g, respectively. The relevant data obtained for the 11 varieties of Indian jujube are valuable for developing and designing machines for processing operations, transportation, separating, packing, sorting, and harvesting. Additionally, the findings revealed considerable variation in chemical content, physical and mechanical characteristics among the tested cultivars.

Impact of organic manure on fruit set, fruit retention, yield, and nutritional status in pomegranate (Punica granatum L. "Wonderful") under water and mineral fertilization deficits.

This research was conducted on mature pomegranate (Punica granatum L. "Wonderful") trees growing at a site located in North Coast, Matrouh Governorate, Egypt. The aim was to investigate the impacts of different irrigation regimes in combination with different fertilizer regimes on the fruit set, fruit retention, yield, and nutritional status of the trees. The experimental factors were arranged in a split-plot design, with four replicates per treatment combination. The results indicated that all of the characteristics measured, including leaves nutritional status, percentages of fruit set, fruit drop, fruit retention, fruit cracking, fruit sunburn, and marketable fruit, and yield were significantly affected by the interaction between the irrigation treatment which denoted by percentages of reference evapotranspiration (ETo) and fertilizer regime. The application of 75% mineral fertilizer + 25% organic manure under deficit irrigation of 80% ETo increased the yield by an average of 18.23% over the 2 years compared with 100% mineral fertilization under full irrigation, while 50% mineral fertilizer + 50% organic matter under 80% ETo gave the maximum percentage of marketable fruit (86.23% and 86.84% in 2018 and 2019, respectively). The maximum water use efficiency was obtained with the 80% ETo treatment combined with 75% mineral fertilizer + 25% organic manure in both seasons with values of 9.69 and 10.06 kg/m3 applied water, respectively. These results demonstrate that under the field conditions at the experimental site, the fruit set and retention could be improved by applying a reduced amount of mineral fertilizer in combination with organic manure and less irrigation water.