Antibacterial, mosquito larvicidal, and cytotoxicity potential of AgNPs synthesized using Pittosporum undulatum under in vitro conditions.

In this study, the phytochemical profile and silver nanoparticle (AgNPs)-synthesizing ability of Pittosporum undulatum methanol extract were investigated. Furthermore, biological applications of the AgNPs, such as antibacterial effect (against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Escherichia coli), mosquito larvicidal effect (against Anopheles stephensi, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Aedes aegypti), and cytotoxicity (against fibroblast cell line L929) were evaluated using in vitro experiments. The phytochemical analysis revealed that the methanol extract contained cardiac glycosides, terpenoids, saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, coumarins, phenolics, and tannins. Furthermore, standard characterization techniques such as UV-Vis spectrometry, SEM, TEM, FTIR, and XRD confirmed that the methanol extract of P. undulatum effectively synthesized the AgNPs. The synthesized AgNPs had a spherical shape and size of 20-200 nm. The bactericidal analysis revealed that the AgNPs have dose-dependent antibacterial activity. The MTT assay showed that the AgNPs were bio-compatible up to a dosage of 250 µg mL-1 in the normal fibroblast cell line L929. Furthermore, the LC50 values for AgNPs against larvae of An. stephensi, Cx. quinquefasciatus, and Ae. aegypti were 0.4, 4.7, and 1.2 ppm, respectively. Field trials demonstrated that the larvicidal effect was enhanced within 24-72 h, and the rate of reduction increased over time. Thus, our findings provide an ideal sustainable AgNP bio-pesticide to combat filarial, dengue, and malaria vectors.

Evaluation of Zn-Cd-Sn-S nanostructures for in vitro pyrene degradation and antimicrobial activity.

The present work describes the fabrication of the quaternary Zn-Cd-Sn-S nanostructure and its use in photocatalytic remediation of the biological contaminant pyrene from water resources. Nanostructures fabricated were characterized by XRD, UV-DRS, FTIR, DLS, EDX, and SEM. In addition, an agar well diffusion test was conducted to determine the antimicrobial activity. Zn-Cd-Sn-S (ZCSS) nanostructures were evaluated for their photocatalytic degrading potential by using pyrene as a model pollutant and evaluating the effects of parameters like initial pyrene concentration, nanocatalyst dosage, solution pH, and light sources during batch adsorption. Nanostructures had a size of 16.74 nm according to the XRD analysis. With a 300 min time interval, ZCSS nanostructures achieved the highest removal rate of 86.3%. Pyrene degradation metabolites were identified using GC-MS analysis of the degraded samples. A Freundlich isothermal (R2 0.9) and pseudo-first-order (R2 0.952) reaction kinetic path best fit the adsorption results for pyrene by the fabricated ZCSS nanostructure, based on the adsorption and kinetic studies. Zn-Cd-Sn-S exhibited the highest antibacterial activity against Staphylococcusaureus (22.4 mM). Due to the combined synergistic actions of the constituent metals, this quaternary nanostructure exhibited exceptional photocatalytic activity. To our est knowledge, the ZCSS nanostructure was made and used to remove pyrene by photocatalysis and fight microbes. Ultimately, the ZCSS nanostructure was found to be an effective photocatalyst for eradicating pathogenic microbes from water.

Vegetable and fruit wastes: Valuable source for organic fertilizer for effective growth of short-term crops: Solanum lycopersicum and Capsicum annum.

Agriculture plays a vital role in the food security and economies of Asian countries. Annually, numerous metric tons of vegetable and fruit wastes are disposed of. This research aimed to convert the food wastes encompassing the vegetable and fruit wastes into solid and liquid organic fertilizer and to evaluate their influence on the growth (germination, phytochemicals, and biomolecules) of Solanum lycopersicum and Capsicum annum. Solanum lycopersicum, known as tomato, and Capsicum annum, known as bell pepper or chili pepper, are globally significant crops valued for their medicinal properties and economic importance. The pot experiment was performed with organic fertilizers (solid and liquid organic fertilizer) and compared with the influence of chemical fertilizer and control soil without fertilizers. Interestingly, the liquid organic fertilizer effectively enhanced the biometric profile and chlorophyll content of S. lycopersicum and C. annum Viz., 1.23 mg g-1 and 0.89 mg g-1, respectively. The results of a 30-days pot experiment with various fertilizer treatments showed significant influence of liquid organic fertilizer on the fresh and dry weight biomass of both S. lycopersicum and C. annum. Subsequently, the solid organic fertilizer showed considerable influence on test crops, and the influence of these organic fertilizers was more significant than the chemical fertilizer on crop growth in 30-days experiment. These results suggest that the sustainable approach can effectively convert vegetables and fruit waste into valuable organic fertilizer enriched with plant growth supporting essential nutritional elements.

Statistical optimized production of Phytase from Hanseniaspora guilliermondii S1 and studies on purification, homology modelling and growth promotion effect.

This investigation was performed to obtain a promising phytase enzyme producing yeast. In this regard, the PSM was used to isolate the phytase-producing Hanseniaspora guilliermondii S1 (MG663578) from sugarcane juice. The SSF optimum conditions for phytase generation were optimized using (OVAT) one-variable-at-a-time strategy using both Box-Behnken design and shake flask method (g/100 ml: 0.05 yeast extract, 0.15 Peptone, 0.05 malt extract 0.50 dextrose, pH 5.8 and 28ᵒC). The protein model developed was shown to be adequate for phytase production (91% accuracy), with the greatest phytase productivity in shake flask with substrate jack fruit seed powder being 395 ± 0.43 U/ml compared to 365U/ml for the BBD projected value. Crude Phytase was partially purified with a protein recovery of 43%, revealing a molecular weight of 120 kDa. It had an enzyme kinetic value of Km 3.3 mM and a Vmax of 19.1 mol/min. The 3D structure of PhyS1 amino acid sequences (PhyS1. B99990002) was simulated using Modeler 9.23, and the validated result revealed that 86.7% were in the favored region by Ramachandran plot. The SAVES server verified the 3D PDB file as satisfactory, and the model (in.pdb format) was uploaded in the PMDB database with the accession number ID: PM0082974. At the lab level, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii S1 (MG663578) producing phytase exhibited successful plant growth promotion activity in Ragi - CO 19 (Eleusine coracana L.) and Rice -Navarai - IR 64 (Oryza sativa L.). As a result, a phytase-based formulation for sustainable agriculture must be developed and tested on a large scale in diverse geographical areas of agricultural lands to determine its effect and potential on plant development.

Metal tolerance mechanisms in plants and microbe-mediated bioremediation.

The heavy metal contamination, which causes toxic effects on plants, has evolved into a significant constraint to plant quality and yield. This scenario has been exacerbated by booming population expansion and intrinsic food insecurity. Numerous studies have found that counteracting heavy metal tolerance and accumulation necessitates complex mechanisms at the biochemical, molecular, tissue, cellular and whole plant levels, which may demonstrate increased crop yields. Essential and non-essential elements have similar harmful impacts on plants including reduced biomass production, growth and photosynthesis inhibition, chlorosis, altered fluid balance and nutrient absorption, as well as senescence, all of which led to plant death. Notable biotechnological strategies for effective remediation require knowledge of metal stress and tolerance mechanisms in plants. Assimilation, cooperation and integration, of biotechnological improvements, are required for adequate environmental rehabilitation in the emerging area of bioremediation. This review emphasizes a deeper understanding of metal toxicity, stress, and potential tolerance mechanisms in plants exposed to metal stress. The microbe-mediated metal toxic effects and stress mitigation knowledge can be used to create a new strategic plan as feasible, sustainable, and environmentally friendly bioremediation techniques.

Optimistic contributions of plant growth-promoting bacteria for sustainable agriculture and climate stress alleviation.

Global climate change is the major cause of abiotic and biotic stresses that have adverse effects on agricultural productivity to an irreversible level, thus threatening to limit gains in production and imperil sustainable agriculture. These climate change-induced abiotic stresses, especially saline, drought, extreme temperature, and so on affect plant morphological, physiological, biochemical, and metabolic characteristics through various pathways and mechanisms, ultimately hindering plant growth, development, and productivity. However, overuse and other inappropriate uses of agrochemicals are not conducive to the protection of natural resources and the environment, thus hampering sustainable agricultural development. With the vigorous development of modern agriculture, the application of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can better ensure sustainable agriculture, due to their ability to improve soil properties and confer stress tolerance in plants. This review deciphered the underlying mechanisms of PGPB involved in enhancing plant stress tolerance and performance under various abiotic and biotic stresses. Moreover, the recent advancements in PGPB inoculation techniques, the commercialization of PGPB-based technology and the current applications of PGPB in sustainable agriculture were extensively discussed. Finally, an outlook on the future directions of microbe-aided agriculture was pointed out. Providing insights into plant-PGPB interactions under biotic and abiotic stresses and offering evidence and strategies for PGPB better commercialization and implementation can inspire the development of innovative solutions exploiting PGPB under climatological conditions.

Eichhornia crassipes biochar aided pollutants sorption competence of multi-metal tolerant fungi species on South Pennar river.

The number of studies about the use of efficient techniques to treat contaminated water bodies has increased in recent years. The use of bioremediation method for the reduction of contaminants from aqueous system is receiving a lot of attention. Thus, this study was designed to assess the Eichhornia crassipes biochar amended pollutants sorption competence of multi-metal tolerant Aspergillus flavus on South Pennar River. The physicochemical characteristics declared that the, half of the parameters (turbidity, TDS, BOD, COD, Ca, Mg, Fe, free NH3, Cl-, and F-) of South Pennar River were beyond the permissible limits. Furthermore, the lab-scale bioremediation investigation with different treatment groups (group I, II, and III) revealed that the group III (E. crassipes biochar and A. flavus mycelial biomass) showed considerable remediation efficiency on South Pennar River water in 10 days of treatment. The metals adsorbed on the surface of E. crassipes biochar and A. flavus mycelial biomass was also affirmed by SEM analysis. Hence such findings, E. crassipes biochar amended A. flavus mycelial biomass could be a sustainable method of remediating contaminated South Pennar River water.

Characterization of NiONPs synthesized by aqueous extract of orange fruit waste and assessed their antimicrobial and antioxidant potential.

This research was performed to evaluate the nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiONPs) fabricating potential of orange fruit waste (OFW) aqueous extract. Moreover characterize the synthesized OFW-NiONPs through standard techniques such as UV-vis. spectrophotometer, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analyses. Furthermore, the antimicrobial and antioxidant potential of OFW-NiONPs were studied against most common microbial pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Aspergillus niger) and free radicals (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), H2O2, OH, and FRAP). A sharp absorbance peak was obtained at 324 nm under UV-vis spectrum analysis that confirmed that the synthesis of OFW-NiONPs and it has been capped and stabilized by numbers of active functional groups studied through FTIR analysis. SEM and DLS analyses revealed that the cubic and triangle shaped OFW-NiONPs with the size intensity distribution was ranging from 21 nm to 130 nm. Interestingly, the OFW-NiONPs showed remarkable antimicrobial activity against the common microbial pathogens in the order of E. coli > A. niger > K. pneumoniae > B. subtilis > S. aureus at increased concentration of 200 µg mL-1. Similarly, the synthesized OFW-NiONPs also possess significant free radicals scavenging activity against DPPH, OH, and FRAP. These results conclude that this OFW-NiONPs can be considered for some biomedical applications after the investigations of some in-vivo research.

Antioxidant and anticancer potential of ethyl acetate extract of bark and flower of Tecoma stans (Linn) and In Silico studies on phytoligands against Bcl 2 and VEGFR2 factors.

This study was designed to appraise the antioxidant and anticancer competence of solvent extracts of Tecoma stans (Linn) and analyze the phytoligands interaction against Bcl 2 VEGFR2 through in silico studies. The phytochemical analysis revealed that the ethyl acetate extract contains more number of pharmaceutically valuable phytochemicals than other solvent extracts. Among the various phytochemicals, flavonoid was found as a predominant component, and UV-Vis- spectrophotometer analysis initially confirmed it. Hence, the column chromatogram was performed to purify the flavonoid, and High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was performed. It revealed that the flavonoid enriched fraction by compared with standard flavonoid molecules. About 84.69% and 80.43% of antioxidant activity were found from ethyl acetate extract of bark and flower at the dosage of 80 µg mL-1 with the IC50 value of 47.24 and 43.40 µg mL-1, respectively. In a dose-dependent mode, the ethyl acetate extract of bark and flower showed cytotoxicity against breast cancer cell line MCF 7 (Michigan Cancer Foundation-7) as up to 81.38% and 80.94% of cytotoxicity respectively. Furthermore, the IC50 was found as 208.507 µg mL-1 and 207.38 µg mL-1 for bark and flower extract correspondingly. About 10 medicinal valued flavonoid components were identified from bark (6) and flower (4) ethyl acetate extract through LC-MS analysis. Out of 10 components, the 3,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid (ΔG -8.8) and Isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside (ΔG -8.3) had the competence to interact with Bcl 2 (B-Cell Lymphoma 2) and VEGFR2 (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 2) respectively with more energy. Hence, these results confirm that the ethyl acetate extract of bark and flower of T. stans has significant medicinal potential and could be used as antioxidant and anticancer agent after some animal performance study.

Impact assessment of natural variations in different weather factors on the incidence of whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Genn. and yellow vein mosaic disease in Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench.

Bemisia tabaci Gennadius, also renowned as the silver leaf whitefly, is among the most damaging polyphagous insect pests in many commercially important crops and commodities. A set of field experiments were conducted for three consecutive years i.e., 2018-2020, to investigate the role of variations in rainfall, temperature, and relative humidity on the abundance of B. tabaci in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench). In the first experiment, the variety Arka Anamika was cultivated twice a year to analyse the incidence of B. tabaci concerning the prevailing weather factors and the overall pooled incidence recorded during the dry and wet season was 1.34 ± 0.51 to 20.03 ± 1.42 and 2.26 ± 1.08 to 18.3 ± 1.96, respectively. Similarly, it was observed that the highest number of B. tabaci catch (19.51 ± 1.64 whiteflies/3 leaves) was recorded in morning hours between 08:31 to 09:30 a.m. The Yellow Vein Mosaic Disease (YVMD) is a devastating disease of okra caused by begomovirus, for which B. tabaci acts as a vector. In another experiment, screening was conducted to check the relative susceptibility of three different varieties viz., ArkaAnamika, PusaSawani, and ParbhaniKranti against B. tabaci (incidence) and YVMD ((Percent Disease Incidence (PDI), Disease Severity Index (DSI), and Area Under the Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC)). The recorded data was normalized by standard transformation and subjected to ANOVA for population dynamics and PDI. Pearson's rank correlation matrix and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) have been used to relate the influences of various weather conditions on distribution and abundance. SPSS and R software were used to create the regression model for predicting the population of B. tabaci. Late sown PusaSawani evolved as a highly susceptible variety in terms of B. tabaci (24.83 ± 6.79 adults/3leaves; mean ± SE; N = 10) as well as YVMD i.e., PDI (38.00 ± 4.95 infected plants/50plants), DSI (71.6-96.4% at 30 DAS) and AUDPC (mean ß-value = 0.76; R2 = 0.96) while early sown Parbhani Kranti least susceptible to both. However, the variety ArkaAnamika was observed as moderately susceptible to B. tabaci and its resultant disease. Moreover, environmental factors were predominantly responsible for regulating the population of insect pests in the field and hence its productivity like rainfall and relative humidity were negative while the temperature was positively correlated with B. tabaci (incidence) and YVMD (AUDPC). The findings are helpful for the farmers to choose need-based IPM strategies than timing-based, which would fit perfectly with the present agro-ecosystems in all ways.

Overexpression of cytochrome P450 and esterase genes involved in permethrin resistance in larvae and adults of Culex quinquefasciatus.

Mosquitoes are important vectors of several arthropod-borne diseases, which remain a priority for epidemiological research. Mosquito vector control strategies have traditionally relied on chemical insecticides such as synthetic pyrethroids. However, the indiscriminate use of pesticides has resulted in the development of resistance in many mosquito species. In insects, resistance evolves primarily through the overexpression of one or more gene products from the cytochrome P450, carboxylesterase, and glutathione superfamilies. The current study examined the expression of cytochrome P450 CYP6M2, CYP6AA7, CYP6Z2, CYP9J34, α-Esterase, Esterase B1, and neuroactin genes in larvae and adults of a permethrin-resistant (PerRes) and susceptible (Sus) Culex quinquefasciatus strains. The results showed that the CYP6AA7 gene was overexpressed (10-fold) in larvae and adults with PerRes (p < 0.01) followed by CYPJ34 (9.0-fold) and CYP6Z2 (5.0-fold) compared to the Sus, whereas fewer changes in CYP6M gene expression were observed in PerRes adults (p < 0.05), and no expression was found in larvae. The esterase gene was overexpressed in PerRes larvae (9.0-fold) followed by adults (2.5-fold) compared to the susceptible strain. Based on data, the present study suggests that cytochrome P450, CYP6AA7, CYP6Z2, CYP9J34, α-Esterase, Esterase B1, and neuroactin genes were involved in permethrin resistance in larval and adult Cx. quinquefasciatus.

Mitigation of heavy metal stress in the soil through optimized interaction between plants and microbes.

Agricultural as well as industrial processes, such as mining and textile activities, are just a few examples of anthropogenic activities that have a long-term negative impact on the environment. Each of the aforementioned factors increases the concentration of heavy metals in soil. Heavy metal contamination in soil causes a wide range of environmental issues and is harmful to microbes, plants, and animals. Because of their non-biodegradability and toxic effects, preventing additional metal contamination and remediating the vast majority of contaminated sites around the world is critical. Hence, this review focuses on the effects of metal contamination on soil microbes, as well as plant-microbe interactions. Plant-associated probiotics reduce metal accumulation; the introduction of beneficial microbes is regarded as one of the most promising approaches to improving metal stress tolerance; thus, the study focuses on plant-microbe interactions as well as their actual implications via phytoremediation. Plant-microbe interaction can play an important role in acclimating vegetation (plants) to metalliferous conditions and should thus be studied to improve microbe-aided metal tolerance in plants. Plant-interacted microbes reduce metal accumulation in plant cells and metal bioaccumulation in the soil through a variety of processes. A novel phytobacterial approach, such as genetically modified microbes, is now being used to improve heavy metal cleanup as well as stress tolerance among plants. This review examines our current understanding of such negative consequences of heavy metal stresses, signaling responses, and the role of plant-associated microbiota in heavy metal stress tolerance and interaction.

A comprehensive review on the potential of microbial enzymes in multipollutant bioremediation: Mechanisms, challenges, and future prospects.

Industrialization and other human activity represent significant environmental hazards. Toxic contaminants can harm a comprehensive platform of living organisms in their particular environments. Bioremediation is an effective remediation process in which harmful pollutants are eliminated from the environment using microorganisms or their enzymes. Microorganisms in the environment often create a variety of enzymes that can eliminate hazardous contaminants by using them as a substrate for development and growth. Through their catalytic reaction mechanism, microbial enzymes may degrade and eliminate harmful environmental pollutants and transform them into non-toxic forms. The principal types of microbial enzymes which can degrade most hazardous environmental contaminants include hydrolases, lipases, oxidoreductases, oxygenases, and laccases. Several immobilizations, genetic engineering strategies, and nanotechnology applications have been developed to improve enzyme performance and reduce pollution removal process costs. Until now, the practically applicable microbial enzymes from various microbial sources and their ability to degrade multipollutant effectively or transformation potential and mechanisms are unknown. Hence, more research and further studies are required. Additionally, there is a gap in the suitable approaches considering toxic multipollutants bioremediation using enzymatic applications. This review focused on the enzymatic elimination of harmful contaminants in the environment, such as dyes, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, plastics, heavy metals, and pesticides. Recent trends and future growth for effectively removing harmful contaminants by enzymatic degradation are also thoroughly discussed.

Architectural MCM 41 was anchored to the Schiff base Co(II) complex to enhance methylene blue dye degradation and mimic activity.

A sequence of Schiff base Cobalt (II) Mobile Composite Matter 41 heterojunction (SBCo(II)-MCM 41) was prepared by post-synthetic protocols. Various characterization techniques were used to characterize the above samples and MCM 41: Morphology, functional groups, optical properties, crystalline nature, pore diameter, and binding energy by scanning electron microscope (SEM), High-resolution transition electron microscopy (HR-TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Ultra Violet-Visible Spectroscopy (UV), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). After the encapsulation of SBCo(II) on the MCM 41, the intensity in the 100-plane in powder x-ray diffraction (XRD) decreased significantly; moreover, the light absorption behavior in UV analysis was improved. The change in the surface area and the decrease in the pore diameter of the sample were also demonstrated by the BET study. The XPS results confirmed the presence of Si, O, C, N, and Co in the SBCo(II)-MCM 41 complex. The photocatalytic performance of MCM 41 and SBCo(II)-MCM 41 materials tested by the degradation of methylene blue dye (MBD) shows that MCM 41 immobilization with SBCo(II)complex is rapidly degraded under natural sunlight irradiation. The optimized 10 mg SBCo(II)-MCM 41 catalyst concentrations showed effective enhancement with the highest efficiency of 98% achieved within 2 h compared to the other two SBCo(II)-MCM 41 concentrations. Moreover, the catalytic efficiency of SBCo(II)-MCM 41 showed a biomimetic reaction without using an oxidant, which exposed it as an effective catalyst for amine to imine conversion; it was useful in the medical field for enzymes with structural assembly.

Fabrication, characterization, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic activity of silver nanoparticles synthesized from Azadirachta indica kernel aqueous extract.

The Azadirachta indica is an excellent and pharmaceutically valuable phytochemicals enriched traditional medicinal plant. The purpose of the research was to assess the ability of A. indica aqueous kernel extract to synthesize silver nanoparticles as well as their anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic activity in vitro. The obtained results state that the aqueous kernel extract of A. indica can fabricate the silver nanoparticles and be confirmed by standard analytical techniques. Under UV-visible spectrophotometer analysis, the absorbance peak was found at 430 nm was related to the surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles. The FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) analysis revealed that numbers of functional groups belong to the pharmaceutically valuable phytochemicals, which act as reducing, capping, and stabilizing agent on silver nanoparticles synthesis. The size and shape of the silver nanoparticles were examined as 19.27-22.15 nm and spherical in shape. Interestingly, this kernel fabricated silver nanoparticles possess a reasonable anti-inflammatory (69.77%) and anti-diabetic (73.5%) activity at 100 µg mL-1 and these were partially comparable with standards (anti-inflammatory: 81.15%; anti-diabetic: 87.9%). Thus, the aqueous kernel extract fabricated silver nanoparticles can be considered for further in-vivo study to assess the practical possibility to promote as a pharmaceutical agent.

Green synthesis of Zirconium nanoparticles using Punica granatum (pomegranate) peel extract and their antimicrobial and antioxidant potency.

The biosynthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles provides an excellent alternative to the chemical synthesis approach. The aim of the current study was a green and eco-friendly synthesis of zirconium nanoparticles (ZrNPs) from fruit peels of Punica granatum (Pomegranate). The synthesis of ZrNPs was confirmed using a UV-visible spectrophotometer. The functional groups present on surface of ZrNPs were analyzed using FTIR. The average size of obtained ZrNPs was analyzed using SEM and DLS and it was around 20-60 nm. The antimicrobial activity of obtained ZrNPs was tested against Gram-positive strains (Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus), Gram-negative strains (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae) and Fungi (Aspergillus niger) by agar well diffusion method. ZrNPs showed maximum zone of inhibition against S. aureus (19 mm) and A. niger (18 mm) at the maximum concentration of 200 µg/mL. The antioxidant scavenging activity of obtained ZrNPs was analyzed using the following methods: DPPH radical scavenging activity, Hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, Ferric reducing antioxidant power and hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging activity. This the first and foremost study on ZrNPs synthesized using P. granatum fruit peel extract reporting their efficacy as antimicrobial agents against Bacteria and Fungi. Considering the tolerance of zirconium towards human body, it can also be used as antimicrobial coating material on human implants.

Spectral and structure characterization of Ferula assafoetida fabricated silver nanoparticles and evaluation of its cytotoxic, and photocatalytic competence.

This study aims to develop an eco-friendly method for rapidly synthesizing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Asafoetida ethanol extracts and to validate AgNPs synthesis using UV-vis spectroscopy (absorption spectrum), FTIR (functional groups), XRD (crystallinity), FE-SEM (size of the particles) and SEM-EDAX (Purity). Furthermore, to evaluate the anti-proliferative effect of Ag NPs against grown cultured L6 cell lines, studies have shown that AgNPs biosynthesis inhibits cancer cell growth compared to control cell lines. UV-vis absorption verified the existence of Ag NPs, and the spectrum was observed at 480 nm. Functional groups are present in the synthesized Ag NPs were shifted on 528.48 cm-1 confirmed using an FT-IR spectrum. Consequently, anti-cancer efficacy observed the IC50 value of As Ag NPs against L6 cells was 1.0 µg/mL for 48 h. Finally, using a halogen lamp, studies explored the photocatalytic degradation of AgNPs against the methylene blue radioactive dye and achieved a 96 percent degradation rate in 90 min. Asafoetida mediated silver nanoparticles show grater photodegradation for methylene blue dye, which is present in textile industries, when exposed to solar light, and it has a wide range of potential applications in wastewater treatment. As a whole, biosynthesized silver nanoparticles showed excellent cytotoxic, antioxidant, and photocatalytic dye degradation effects.

A perspective on the interaction between biochar and soil microbes: A way to regain soil eminence.

Soil ecosystem imparts a fundamental role in the growth and survival of the living creatures. The interaction between living and non-living constituents of the environment is important for the regulation of life in the ecosystem. Biochar is a carbon rich product present in the soil that is responsible for various applications in diversified fields. In this review, we focused on the collaboration between the soil, biochar and microbial community present in the soil and consequences of it in the ecosystem. Herein, it primarily discusses on the different approaches of the production and characterization of biochar. Furthermore, this review also discusses about the optimistic interaction of biochar with soil microbes and their role in plant growth. Eventually, it reveals the various physio-chemical properties of biochar, including its specific surface area, porous nature, ion exchange capacity, and pH, which aid in the modification of the soil environment. Furthermore, it elaborately discloses the impact of the biochar addition in the soil focusing mainly on its interaction with microbial communities such as bacteria and fungi. The physicochemical properties of biochar significantly interact with microbes and improve the beneficial microbes growth and increase soil nutrients, which resulting reasonable plant growth. The main focus remains on the role of biochar-soil microbiota in remediation of pollutants, soil amendment and inhibition of pathogenicity among plants by promoting resistance potential. It highlights the fact that adding biochar to soil modulates the soil microbial community by increasing soil fertility, paving the way for its use in farming, and pollutant removal.

Correction: Ramakrishnan et al. The Dynamism of Transposon Methylation for Plant Development and Stress Adaptation. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22, 11387.

The authors would like to make the following corrections to the original publication [...].

Evaluation of interaction among indigenous rhizobacteria and Vigna unguiculata on remediation of metal-containing abandoned magnesite mine tailing.

Abandoned magnesite mine heap causing pollution to nearby farmland and water reservoir. Thus the intention of this research was to screening metal mobilizing and absorbing bacteria from the rhizosphere section of V. unguiculata from farmland nearby to magnesite mine. Further, studied their stimulus effect on growth, biomass, and phytoextraction prospective of V unguiculata in mine tailing. The results of the physicochemical properties of mine tailing shows that four metals (Pb, Mn, Cd, and Zn) were crossing the permissible limit. Out of 27 isolates, 2 isolates (MMS15 and MMS17) were identified with maximum metal tolerance for up to 700 mg L-1 (MIC) and metal mobilization (Pb 5.5 and 5.87, Mn 6.6 and 4.88, Cd 1.99 and 2.59, and Zn 6.55 and 6.94 mg kg-1) and biosorption efficiency as Pb 3.74 and 3.74, Mn 4.9 and 4.7, Cd 2.41 and 3.96, and Zn 4.3 and 4.9 mg g-1. These two strains were identified as members of B. cereus and Kosakonia sp. using 16S rRNA technique and labelled strains NDRMN001 and MGR1, respectively. The Kosakonia sp. MGR1 effectively fixes the nitrogen in the rate of 81.94% and B. cereus NDRMN001 solubilizes 69.98 ± 2.31 mg L-1 of soluble phosphate. The experimental group's study results show that the group C (Kosakonia sp. MGR1 and B. cereus NDRMN001) has effectively stimulate the growth, biomass, and phytoextraction potential of V. unguiculata. The results conclude that the optimistic interaction between these two bacteria could be more significant to minimize the metal pollution in magnesite mine tailing.