Enhancing saline stress tolerance in soybean seedlings through optimal NH4+/NO3- ratios: a coordinated regulation of ions, hormones, and antioxidant potential.

BACKGROUND: Nitrogen (N) availability is crucial in regulating plants' abiotic stress resistance, particularly at the seedling stage. Nevertheless, plant responses to N under salinity conditions may vary depending on the soil's NH4+ to NO3- ratio. METHODS: In this study, we investigated the effects of different NH4+:NO3- ratios (100/0, 0/100, 25/75, 50/50, and 75/25) on the growth and physio-biochemical responses of soybean seedlings grown under controlled and saline stress conditions (0-, 50-, and 100-mM L- 1 NaCl and Na2SO4, at a 1:1 molar ratio). RESULTS: We observed that shoot length, root length, and leaf-stem-root dry weight decreased significantly with increased saline stress levels compared to control. Moreover, there was a significant accumulation of Na+, Cl-, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and malondialdehyde (MDA) but impaired ascorbate-glutathione pools (AsA-GSH). They also displayed lower photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll-a and chlorophyll-b), K+ ion, K+/Na+ ratio, and weakened O2•--H2O2-scavenging enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, glutathione reductase under both saline stress levels, while reduced ascorbate peroxidase, and dehydroascorbate reductase under 100-mM stress, demonstrating their sensitivity to a saline environment. Moreover, the concentrations of proline, glycine betaine, total phenolic, flavonoids, and abscisic acid increased under both stresses compared to the control. They also exhibited lower indole acetic acid, gibberellic acid, cytokinins, and zeatine riboside, which may account for their reduced biomass. However, NH4+:NO3- ratios caused a differential response to alleviate saline stress toxicity. Soybean seedlings supplemented with optimal ratios of NH4+:NO3- (T3 = 25:75 and T = 4 50:50) displayed lower Na+ and Cl- and ABA but improved K+ and K+/Na+, pigments, growth hormones, and biomass compared to higher NH4+:NO3- ratios. They also exhibited higher O2•--H2O2-scavenging enzymes and optimized H2O2, MDA, and AsA-GSH pools status in favor of the higher biomass of seedlings. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, the NH4+ and NO3- ratios followed the order of 50:50 > 25:75 > 0:100 > 75:25 > 100:0 for regulating the morpho-physio-biochemical responses in seedlings under SS conditions. Accordingly, we suggest that applying optimal ratios of NH4+ and NO3- (25/75 and 50:50) can improve the resistance of soybean seedlings grown in saline conditions.

Plant root mechanisms and their effects on carbon and nutrient accumulation in desert ecosystems under changes in land use and climate.

Deserts represent key carbon reservoirs, yet as these systems are threatened this has implications for biodiversity and climate change. This review focuses on how these changes affect desert ecosystems, particularly plant root systems and their impact on carbon and mineral nutrient stocks. Desert plants have diverse root architectures shaped by water acquisition strategies, affecting plant biomass and overall carbon and nutrient stocks. Climate change can disrupt desert plant communities, with droughts impacting both shallow and deep-rooted plants as groundwater levels fluctuate. Vegetation management practices, like grazing, significantly influence plant communities, soil composition, root microorganisms, biomass, and nutrient stocks. Shallow-rooted plants are particularly susceptible to climate change and human interference. To safeguard desert ecosystems, understanding root architecture and deep soil layers is crucial. Implementing strategic management practices such as reducing grazing pressure, maintaining moderate harvesting levels, and adopting moderate fertilization can help preserve plant-soil systems. Employing socio-ecological approaches for community restoration enhances carbon and nutrient retention, limits desert expansion, and reduces CO2 emissions. This review underscores the importance of investigating belowground plant processes and their role in shaping desert landscapes, emphasizing the urgent need for a comprehensive understanding of desert ecosystems.

Combining different species in restoration is not always the right decision: Monocultures can provide higher ecological functions than intercropping in a desert ecosystem.

Vegetation restoration in deserts is challenging due to these ecosystems' inherent fragility and harsh environmental conditions. One approach for active restoration involves planting native species, which can accelerate the recovery of ecosystem functions. To ensure the effectiveness of this process, carefully selecting species for planting is crucial. Generally, it is expected that a more diverse mix of species in the plantation will lead to the recovery of a greater number of ecosystem functions, especially when the selected species have complementary niche traits that facilitate maximum cooperation and minimize competition among them. In this study, we evaluated the planting of two native species from the hyper-desert of Taklamakan, China, which exhibit marked morpho-physiological differences: a phreatophytic legume (Alhagi sparsifolia) and a halophytic non-legume (Karelinia caspia). These species were grown in both monoculture and intercrop communities. Monoculture of the legume resulted in the highest biomass accumulation. Intercropping improved several ecosystem functions in the 50 cm-upper soil, particularly those related to phosphorus (P), carbon (C), and sulfur (S) concentrations, as well as soil enzyme activities. However, it also increased soil sodium (Na+) concentration and pH. Halophyte monocultures enhanced ecological functions associated with nitrogen concentrations in the upper soil and with P, S, C, and cation concentrations (K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, Zn2+, Co2+, Ni2+), along with enzyme activities in the deep soil. It also maximized Na+ accumulation in plant biomass. In summary, we recommend legume monoculture when the primary goal is to optimize biomass accumulation. Conversely, halophyte monoculture is advisable when the objective is to extract sodium from the soil or enhance ecosystem functions in the deep soil. Intercropping the two species is recommended to maximize the ecosystem functions of the upper soil, provided there is no salinization risk. When planning restoration efforts in desert regions, it is essential to understand the impact of each species on ecosystem function and how complementary species behave when intercropped. However, these interactions are likely species- and system-specific, highlighting the need for more work to optimize solutions for different arid ecosystems.

Utilizing hydrothermal time models to assess the effects of temperature and osmotic stress on maize (Zea mays L.) germination and physiological responses.

The application of germination models in economic crop management makes them extremely useful for predicting seed germination. Hence, we examined the effect of varying water potentials (Ψs; 0. - 0.3, - 0.6, - 0.9, - 1.2 MPa) and temperatures (Ts; 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 °C) on maize germination and enzymatic antioxidant mechanism. We observed that varying Ts and Ψs significantly influenced germination percentage (GP) and germination rate (GR), and other germination parameters, including germination rate index (GRI), germination index (GI), mean germination index (MGI), mean germination time (MGT), coefficient of the velocity of germination (CVG), and germination energy (GE) (p ≤ 0.01). Maximum (87.60) and minimum (55.20) hydro-time constant (θH) were reported at 35 °C and 20 °C, respectively. In addition, base water potential at 50 percentiles was highest at 30 °C (15.84 MPa) and lowest at 20 °C (15.46 MPa). Furthermore, the optimal, low, and ceiling T (To, Tb and Tc, respectively) were determined as 30 °C, 20 °C and 40 °C, respectively. The highest θT1 and θT2 were reported at 40 °C (0 MPa) and 20 °C (- 0.9 MPa), respectively. HTT has a higher value (R2 = 0.43 at 40 °C) at sub-optimal than supra-optimal temperatures (R2 = 0.41 at 40 °C). Antioxidant enzymes, including peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), increased with decreasing Ψs. In contrast, CAT and POD were higher at 20 °C and 40 °C but declined at 25, 30, and 35 °C. The APX and GPX remained unchanged at 20, 25, 30, and 40 °C but declined at 35 °C. Thus, maintaining enzymatic activity is a protective mechanism against oxidative stress. A decline in germination characteristics may result from energy diverting to anti-stress tools (antioxidant enzymes) necessary for eliminating reactive oxygen species (ROS) to reduce salinity-induced oxidative damage. The parameters examined in this study are easily applicable to simulation models of Z. mays L. germination under extreme environmental conditions characterized by water deficits and temperature fluctuations.

Strigolactones can be a potential tool to fight environmental stresses in arid lands.

BACKGROUND: Environmental stresses pose a significant threat to plant growth and ecosystem productivity, particularly in arid lands that are more susceptible to climate change. Strigolactones (SLs), carotenoid-derived plant hormones, have emerged as a potential tool for mitigating environmental stresses. METHODS: This review aimed to gather information on SLs' role in enhancing plant tolerance to ecological stresses and their possible use in improving the resistance mechanisms of arid land plant species to intense aridity in the face of climate change. RESULTS: Roots exude SLs under different environmental stresses, including macronutrient deficiency, especially phosphorus (P), which facilitates a symbiotic association with arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF). SLs, in association with AMF, improve root system architecture, nutrient acquisition, water uptake, stomatal conductance, antioxidant mechanisms, morphological traits, and overall stress tolerance in plants. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that SL-mediated acclimatization to abiotic stresses involves multiple hormonal pathways, including abscisic acid (ABA), cytokinins (CK), gibberellic acid (GA), and auxin. However, most of the experiments have been conducted on crops, and little attention has been paid to the dominant vegetation in arid lands that plays a crucial role in reducing soil erosion, desertification, and land degradation. All the environmental gradients (nutrient starvation, drought, salinity, and temperature) that trigger SL biosynthesis/exudation prevail in arid regions. The above-mentioned functions of SLs can potentially be used to improve vegetation restoration and sustainable agriculture. CONCLUSIONS: Present review concluded that knowledge on SL-mediated tolerance in plants is developed, but still in-depth research is needed on downstream signaling components in plants, SL molecular mechanisms and physiological interactions, efficient methods of synthetic SLs production, and their effective application in field conditions. This review also invites researchers to explore the possible application of SLs in improving the survival rate of indigenous vegetation in arid lands, which can potentially help combat land degradation problems.

Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of Traditional Antimalarial and Antidengue Plants: A Mechanistic Perspective.

Malaria, a highly perilous infectious disease, impacted approximately 230 million individuals globally in 2019. Mosquitoes, vectors of over 10% of worldwide diseases, pose a significant public health menace. The pressing need for novel antimalarial drugs arises due to the imminent threat faced by nearly 40% of the global population and the escalating resistance of parasites to current treatments. This study comprehensively addresses prevalent parasitic and viral illnesses transmitted by mosquitoes, leading to the annual symptomatic infections of 400 million individuals, placing 100 million at constant risk of contracting these diseases. Extensive investigations underscore the pivotal role of traditional plants as rich sources for pioneering pharmaceuticals. The latter half of this century witnessed the ascent of bioactive compounds within traditional medicine, laying the foundation for modern therapeutic breakthroughs. Herbal medicine, notably influential in underdeveloped or developing nations, remains an essential healthcare resource. Traditional Indian medical systems such as Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani, with a history of successful outcomes, highlight the potential of these methodologies. Current scrutiny of Indian medicinal herbs reveals their promise as cutting-edge drug reservoirs. The propensity of plant-derived compounds to interact with biological receptors positions them as prime candidates for drug development. Yet, a comprehensive perspective is crucial. While this study underscores the promise of plant-based compounds as therapeutic agents against malaria and dengue fever, acknowledging the intricate complexities of drug development and the challenges therein are imperative. The journey from traditional remedies to contemporary medical applications is multifaceted and warrants prudent consideration. This research aspires to offer invaluable insights into the management of malaria and dengue fever. By unveiling plant-based compounds with potential antimalarial and antiviral properties, this study aims to contribute to disease control. In pursuit of this goal, a thorough understanding of the mechanistic foundations of traditional antimalarial and antidengue plants opens doors to novel therapeutic avenues.

Alhagi sparsifolia acclimatizes to saline stress by regulating its osmotic, antioxidant, and nitrogen assimilation potential.

BACKGROUND: Alhagi sparsifolia (Camelthorn) is a leguminous shrub species that dominates the Taklimakan desert's salty, hyperarid, and infertile landscapes in northwest China. Although this plant can colonize and spread in very saline soils, how it adapts to saline stress in the seedling stage remains unclear so a pot-based experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of four different saline stress levels (0, 50, 150, and 300 mM) on the morphological and physio-biochemical responses in A. sparsifolia seedlings. RESULTS: Our results revealed that N-fixing A. sparsifolia has a variety of physio-biochemical anti-saline stress acclimations, including osmotic adjustments, enzymatic mechanisms, and the allocation of metabolic resources. Shoot-root growth and chlorophyll pigments significantly decreased under intermediate and high saline stress. Additionally, increasing levels of saline stress significantly increased Na+ but decreased K+ concentrations in roots and leaves, resulting in a decreased K+/Na+ ratio and leaves accumulated more Na + and K + ions than roots, highlighting their ability to increase cellular osmolarity, favouring water fluxes from soil to leaves. Salt-induced higher lipid peroxidation significantly triggered antioxidant enzymes, both for mass-scavenging (catalase) and cytosolic fine-regulation (superoxide dismutase and peroxidase) of H2O2. Nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthase also increased at low and intermediate saline stress levels but decreased under higher stress levels. Soluble proteins and proline rose at all salt levels, whereas soluble sugars increased only at low and medium stress. The results show that when under low-to-intermediate saline stress, seedlings invest more energy in osmotic adjustments but shift their investment towards antioxidant defense mechanisms under high levels of saline stress. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our results suggest that A. sparsifolia seedlings tolerate low, intermediate, and high salt stress by promoting high antioxidant mechanisms, osmolytes accumulations, and the maintenance of mineral N assimilation. However, a gradual decline in growth with increasing salt levels could be attributed to the diversion of energy from growth to maintain salinity homeostasis and anti-stress oxidative mechanisms.

Scientific investigation of crude alkaloids from medicinal plants for the management of pain.

BACKGROUND: Tissue damage is associated with pain, which is an alarming sign. Aspirin and morphine have been widely used in recent decades for management of pain. Medicinal herbs have been in use for treatment of different diseases for centuries. Many of these herbs possess analgesic activity with relatively less incidences of adverse effects. The strong positive correlation of alkaloids in medicinal plants for analgesic activity persuades an intention to determine possible analgesic activity of total alkaloids extracted from the selected medicinal plants using animal models to answer its possible mechanisms. METHODS: Crude alkaloids from selected medicinal plants (Woodfordia fruticosa, Adhatoda vasica, Chenopodium ambrosioides, Vitex negundo, Peganum harmala and Broussonetia papyrifera) were extracted as per reported literature. The test crude alkaloids were screened foracute toxicity study. Writhings induced by acetic acid, tail immersion method and formalin-induced nociception assay procedures were used for possible analgesic effects of the crude alkaloids. RESULTS: Crude alkaloids were safe up to dose of 1250 mg/kg body weight in mice. The alkaloids significantly reduced the abdominal constrictions, and increased the time for paw licking response in both phases with a significant raise in latency time in nociception models (P ≤ 0.05). Moreover, the antinociceptive response was significantly attenuated by pretreatment with naloxone suggesting involvement of the opioid receptors for possible antinociceptive action. CONCLUSIONS: Crude alkaloids of Woodfordia fruticosa and Peganum harmala showed prominent analgesic potentials through inhibition of peripheral as well as central nervous system mechanisms. Further work is required for isolation of the pharmacologically active constituents.

Toxicological evaluation of copper oxide nanoparticles following their intraperitoneal injection to Wistar rats.

Background: Copper oxide (Cu2O) nanoparticles (CO NPs) are in extensive use during our everyday life as antimicrobial agent, lubricant, in manufacturing electrodes of lithium ion batteries as well as for photo catalytic degradation of organic pollutants. Due to extensive and diverse use Cu2O NPs, they are likely to accumulate in the environment and to affect the live forms. Present investigation was aimed to report the biocompatibility of CO NPs in Wistar rats in sex specific manner. CO NPs, having average diameter of 14.06 nm, were synthesized by co-precipitation method and scanning electron microscopy and X ray diffraction were used for their characterization. Methods: For 14 consecutive days, Wistar rats (6 weeks old) of both sexes were intraperitoneally injected with 10 mg/mL saline/Kg body weight of CO NPs, while the control groups intraperitoneally received saline solution for same duration. Behavioral tests (open field and novel object recognition), complete blood count, selected biomarkers of oxidative stress and Copper concentration in brain and liver were determined in all subjects. Results: High mortality rates [male 40% and female 60%] were observed in rats exposed to CO NPs. A sever decrease in body weight was also observed in both male and female rats exposed to CO NPs. Female rats treated with CO NPs spent significantly more time with novel object as compared to control [P = 0.05] during second trial of novel object test. CO NPs treated female rats had higher mean corpuscular hemoglobin [P < 0.001] levels and Copper concentration in liver [P = 0.04] than control. Male rats exposed to CO NPs had significantly higher mean corpuscular volume [P = 0.02] and superoxide dismutase [SOD] [P = 0.04] in lungs than their control group. All other studied parameters non significantly varied upon comparison between CO NPs treated and untreated rats of both sex. Conclusion: In conclusion, we are reporting that intraperitoneal injections of CO NPs for 14 days can disturb complete blood count and biomarkers of oxidative stress in lungs of Wistar rats.

Recent trends and economic significance of modified/functionalized biochars for remediation of environmental pollutants.

The pollution of soil and aquatic systems by inorganic and organic chemicals has become a global concern. Economical, eco-friendly, and sustainable solutions are direly required to alleviate the deleterious effects of these chemicals to ensure human well-being and environmental sustainability. In recent decades, biochar has emerged as an efficient material encompassing huge potential to decontaminate a wide range of pollutants from soil and aquatic systems. However, the application of raw biochars for pollutant remediation is confronting a major challenge of not getting the desired decontamination results due to its specific properties. Thus, multiple functionalizing/modification techniques have been introduced to alter the physicochemical and molecular attributes of biochars to increase their efficacy in environmental remediation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in developing multiple functionalized/modified biochars via biological and other physiochemical techniques. Related mechanisms and further applications of multiple modified biochar in soil and water systems remediation have been discussed and summarized. Furthermore, existing research gaps and challenges are discussed, as well as further study needs are suggested. This work epitomizes the scientific prospects for a complete understanding of employing modified biochar as an efficient candidate for the decontamination of polluted soil and water systems for regenerative development.

Response of total belowground soil biota in Alhagi sparsifolia monoculture at different soil vertical profiles in desert ecosystem.

The soil organisms are extremely important for the land-based ecosystem. There is a growing interest in studying the variety and composition of the entire underground soil organism community at a large ecological scale. Soil organisms show different patterns in relation to soil physiochemical properties (SPPs) in various ecosystems. However, there is limited knowledge regarding their response to soil vertical profiles (SVPs) in monoculture of Alhagi sparsifolia, which is the primary shrub in the deserts of China, and is well-known for its contributions to sand dune stabilization, traditional Chinese medicine, and forage. Here, we investigated the population dynamics of soil bacteria, fungi, archaea, protists and metazoa across six different SVPs ranging from 0 to 100 cm in monoculture of A. sparsifolia, in its natural desert ecosystem. Our findings indicate that the soil biota communities displayed a declining pattern in the alpha diversity of bacteria, protists, and metazoa with an increase in soil depth. However, the opposite trend was observed for fungi and archaea. The beta diversity of soil biota was significantly affected by SVPs, particularly for metazoa, fungi and protists as revealed by Non-Metric Dimensional Scaling. The most prevalent soil bacterial, fungal, archaeal, protist, and metazoa classes were Actinobacteria, Sordariomycetes, Nitrososphaeria, Filosa-Sarcomonadea, and Nematoda, respectively. The correlation among vertical distribution of the most abundant biotic communities and variations in SPPs exhibited that the variations in total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN) had the most significant influence on bacterial changes, while available potassium (AK) had an impact on fungi. Archaea were affected by TC and pH, protists by the C/N-Ratio and TP, and metazoa by TN, AK, and soil water capacity (SWC). Collectively, our findings provide a new perspective on the vertical distribution and distinct response patterns of soil biota in A. sparsifolia monoculture under natural desert ecosystem of China.

Diversity and biological characteristics of macrofungi of district Bajaur, a remote area of Pakistan in the Hindu Kush range.

The present study was carried out to document the diversity and ecological characteristics of macrofungi of Bajaur, Pakistan. The diversity of macrofungi comprised 51 species belonging to 22 families and 37 genera. The families Agaricaceae (7 species) and Psathyrellaceae (7 species) were found dominant followed by Tricholomataceae (4 species), Fomitopsidaceae and Polyporaceae (4 species each) and Amanitaceae (3 species). White (23 species), brown (11 species), and yellow were the most prevalent morphological colours in basidiocarps (8 species). Among the identified species, 32 were saprophytic in nutrition followed by 7 parasitic, 6 saprophytic and parasitic both, while 6 mycorrhizal that make association with higher plants. The distribution of macrofungal species in the three tehsils of Bajaur was also evaluated based on Shannon diversity index, Simpson diversity index and evenness. The highest Shannon diversity index and Simpson diversity index were found for tehsil Utman Kheil at 3.73 and 0.97, while the maximum value of evenness for tehsil Khar with 0.92 value. The results indicate a very high species richness of the study site. Four species out of the total were identified to be new reports from Pakistan. This survey's findings suggested that there is a wide variety of macrofungi that might be used as food and alternative medications if further research is carried out.

Effects of different tillage systems and mowing time on nutrient accumulation and forage nutritive value of Cyperus esculentus.

Revealing the complex relationships between management practices, crop growth, forage nutritive value and soil quality will facilitate the development of more sustainable agricultural and livestock production systems. Cyperus esculentus is known as the king of oil crops and high-quality forage. However, there is little information about the effects of different planting modes {continuous cropping (CC)/rotation cropping (RC)} and initial mowing time on the plant nutrient accumulation and forage nutritive value. Here, in a field experiment, we designed two planting patterns, C. esculentus CC and C. esculentus - wheat RC. The leaves, tubers, roots, and soil samples were collected at three mowing time (on the 78th, 101th, and 124th days after seed sowing). Results revealed that RC significantly increased the total nitrogen (TN) and potassium (TK) content of the tuber (p<0.05), while significantly decreased the TN, total phosphorus (TP), crude protein (CP), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) contents of the leaves. Under the CC pattern, the TN, TP, and TK content of roots increased significantly on the 78th days after seed sowing, and the TK content of tubers increased significantly. Under the RC pattern, the ether extract (EE) content of tubers increased significantly on the 124th days after seed sowing, while the CP and TN content of leaves decreased significantly. Correlation analysis showed that soil pH was negatively correlated with TN content in leaves, tubers, and roots. The structural equation model showed that the soil pH directly affected the plant nutrient accumulation and forage nutritive value (ß=0.68) via regulating these properties by changing soil available nutrients, anions, cations, and total nutrients. Overall, we propose that RC for C. esculentus-wheat is should not be recommended to maximize tubers and forage yield.

Salicylic Acid and α-Tocopherol Ameliorate Salinity Impact on Wheat.

Background: Soil salinity negatively impacts agricultural productivity. Consequently, strategies should be developed to inculcate a salinity tolerance in crops for sustainable food production. Growth regulators play a vital role in regulating salinity stress tolerance. Methods: Thus, we examined the effect of exogenous salicylic acid (SA) and alpha-tocopherol (TP) (100 mg/L) on the morphophysio-biochemical responses of two wheat cultivars (Pirsabak-15 and Shankar) to salinity stress (0 and 40 mM). Results: Both Pirsabak-15 and Shankar cultivars were negatively affected by salinity stress. For instance, salinity reduced growth attributes (i.e., leaf fresh and dry weight, leaf moisture content, leaf area ratio, shoot and root dry weight, shoot and root length, as well as root-shoot ratio), pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll a, and carotenoids) but increased hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA), and endogenous TP in both cultivars. Among the antioxidant enzymes, salinity enhanced the activity of peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in Pirsabak-15; glutathione reductase (GR) and PPO in Shankar, while ascorbate peroxidase (APOX) was present in both cultivars. SA and TP could improve the salinity tolerance by improving growth and photosynthetic pigments and reducing MDA and H2O2. In general, the exogenous application did not have a positive effect on antioxidant enzymes; however, it increased PPO in Pirsabak-15 and SOD in the Shankar cultivar. Conclusions: Consequently, we suggest that SA and TP could have enhanced the salinity tolerance of our selected wheat cultivars by modulating their physiological mechanisms in a manner that resulted in improved growth. Future molecular studies can contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms by which SA and TP regulate the selected wheat cultivars underlying salinity tolerance mechanisms.

First-principle insight into the structural, electronic, elastic and optical properties of Cs-based double perovskites Cs2XCrCl6 (X = K, Na).

This study communicates the theoretical investigations on the cubic double perovskite compounds Cs2XCrCl6 (X = K or Na). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out using the TB-mBJ approximation. These compounds were found to be stable in the cubic perovskite structure having lattice constants in the range of 10.58-10.20. The stability of the investigated materials was assessed by the Gold-Schmidt tolerance method, which resulted in the tolerance factor values of 0.891 and 0.951 for Cs2KCrCl6 and Cs2NaCrCl6, respectively. The calculated values of the elastic constants C11, C12, and C44 of the cubic compounds studied by our research team confirm the elastic stability. The values of the formation energies were also calculated for both the compounds and were found in the range from -2.1 to -2.3. The electronic behavior of the presently investigated materials was examined by inspecting their band structures and the density of states. It was observed that both the materials have half-metallic nature. To check the suitability of the studied compounds in optical applications, we determined the real and imaginary parts of their respective dielectric functions, absorption coefficients, optical conductivities, refractive index, and reflectivity as a function of a wide range of incident photon energies up to 40 eV.

Unveiling the Antibiotic Susceptibility and Antimicrobial Potential of Bacteria from Human Breast Milk of Pakistani Women: An Exploratory Study.

Background: Human life quality and expectancy have increased dramatically over the past 5 decades because of improvements in nutrition and antibiotic's usage fighting against infectious diseases. Yet, it was soon revealed that the microbes adapted to develop resistance to any of the drugs that were used. Recently, there is great concern that commensal bacteria from food and the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals could act as a reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes. Methodology. This study was intended for evaluating the phenotypic antibiotic resistance/sensitivity profiles of probiotic bacteria from human breast milk and evaluating the inhibitory effect of the probiotic bacteria against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Results: The results point out that some of the isolated bacteria were resistant to diverse antibiotics including gentamycin, imipenem, trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole, and nalidixic acid. Susceptibility profile to certain antibiotics like vancomycin, tetracycline, ofloxacin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, rifampicin, and bacitracin was also observed. The antimicrobial qualities of cell-free supernatants of some probiotic bacteria inhibited the growth of indicator bacteria. Also, antimicrobial properties of the probiotic bacteria from the present study attributed to the production of organic acid, bacterial adhesion to hydrocarbons (BATH), salt aggregation, coaggregation with pathogens, and bacteriocin production. Some isolated bacteria from human milk displayed higher hydrophobicity in addition to intrinsic probiotic properties like Gram-positive classification, catalase-negative activity, resistance to gastric juice (pH 2), and bile salt (0.3%) concentration. Conclusion: This study has added to the data of the antibiotic and antimicrobial activity of some probiotic bacteria from some samples of Pakistani women breast milk. Probiotic bacteria are usually considered to decrease gastrointestinal tract diseases by adhering to the gut epithelial and reducing population of pathogens and in the case of Streptococcus lactarius MB622 and Streptococcus salivarius MB620 in terms of hydrophobicity and exclusion of indicator pathogenic strains.

Biochar-Mediated Control of Metabolites and Other Physiological Responses in Water-Stressed Leptocohloa fusca.

We investigated biochar-induced drought tolerance in Leptocohloa fusca (Kallar grass) by exploring the plant defense system at physiological level. L. fusca plants were exposed to drought stress (100%, 70%, and 30% field capacity), and biochar (BC), as an organic soil amendment was applied in two concentrations (15 and 30 mg kg-1 soil) to induce drought tolerance. Our results demonstrated that drought restricted the growth of L. fusca by inhibiting shoot and root (fresh and dry) weight, total chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate. Under drought stress, the uptake of essential nutrients was also limited due to lower water supply, which ultimately affected metabolites including amino and organic acids, and soluble sugars. In addition, drought stress induced oxidative stress, which is evidenced by the higher production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) including hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide ion (O2-), hydroxyl ion (OH-), and malondialdehyde (MDA). The current study revealed that stress-induced oxidative injury is not a linear path, since the excessive production of lipid peroxidation led to the accumulation of methylglyoxal (MG), a member of reactive carbonyl species (RCS), which ultimately caused cell injury. As a consequence of oxidative-stress induction, the ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) pathway, followed by a series of reactions, was activated by the plants to reduce ROS-induced oxidative damage. Furthermore, biochar considerably improved plant growth and development by mediating metabolites and soil physio-chemical status.

Optimum nitrogen improved stem breaking resistance of intercropped soybean by modifying the stem anatomical structure and lignin metabolism.

Excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers enhanced the stem lodging, leading to serious threats to environmental sustainability. As the maize-soybean intercropping system is eco-friendly, however, soybean micro-climate hinders soybean growth and caused lodging. Since the relationship between nitrogen and lodging resistance under the intercropping system is not widely studied. Therefore, a pot experiment was conducted with the application of different nitrogen concentrations referring to low nitrogen (LN) = 0 mg/kg, optimum nitrogen (OpN) = 100 mg/kg, and high nitrogen (HN) = 300 mg/kg. To evaluate the optimum nitrogen fertilization under the maize-soybean intercropping system, two soybean cultivars were selected Tianlong 1 (TL-1), (lodging resistant) and Chuandou 16 (CD-16), (lodging susceptible). The results revealed that under the intercropping system, the OpN concentration significantly improved the lodging resistance of soybean cultivars by reducing the plant height of TL-1 and CD-16 by 4 and 28% as compared to LN, respectively. Following OpN, the lodging resistance index for CD-16 was also increased by 67% and 59% under the respective cropping systems. In addition, we found that OpN concentration prompted the lignin biosynthesis by stimulating the enzymatic activities of lignin biosynthetic enzymes (PAL, 4CL, CAD, and POD), which was reflected at the transcriptional levels (GmPAL, GmPOD, GmCAD, Gm4CL), too. Henceforth, we proposed that optimum nitrogen fertilization boosts soybean stem lodging resistance by modulating the lignin metabolism in the maize-soybean intercropping system.

Cobalt and Titanium Alleviate the Methylglyoxal-Induced Oxidative Stress in Pennisetum divisum Seedlings under Saline Conditions.

Salinity is considered to be a global problem and a severe danger to modern agriculture since it negatively impacts plants' growth and development at both cellular- and whole-plant level. However, cobalt (Co) and titanium (Ti), multifunctional non-essential micro-elements, play a crucial role in improving plant growth and development under salinity stress. In the current study, Co and Ti impact on the morphological, biochemical, nutritional, and metabolic profile of Pennisetum divisum plants under three salinity levels which were assessed. Two concentrations of Co (Co-1; 15.0 mg/L and Co-2; 25.0 mg/L), and two concentrations of Ti (Ti-1; 50.0 mg/L and Ti-2; 100.0 mg/L) were applied as foliar application to the P. divisum plants under salinity (S1; 200 mM, S2; 500 mM, and S3; 1000 mM) stress. The results revealed that various morphological, biochemical, and metabolic processes were drastically impacted by the salinity-induced methylglyoxal (MG) stress. The excessive accumulation of salt ions, including Na+ (1.24- and 1.21-fold), and Cl- (1.53- and 1.15-fold) in leaves and roots of P. divisum, resulted in the higher production of MG (2.77- and 2.95-fold) in leaves and roots under severe (1000 mM) salinity stress, respectively. However, Ti-treated leaves showed a significant reduction in ionic imbalance and MG concentrations, whereas considerable improvement was shown in K+ and Ca2+ under salinity stress, and Co treatment showed downregulation of MG content (26, 16, and 14%) and improved the antioxidant activity, such as a reduction in glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), Glutathione reductase (GR), Glyoxalase I (Gly I), and Glyoxalase II (Gly II) by up to 1.13-, 1.35-, 3.75-, 2.08-, and 1.68-fold under severe salinity stress in P. divisum roots. Furthermore, MG-induced stress negatively impacted the metabolic profile and antioxidants activity of P. divisum's root and leaves; however, Co and Ti treatment considerably improved the biochemical processes and metabolic profile in both underground and aerial parts of the studied plants. Collectively, the results depicted that Co treatment showed significant results in roots and Ti treatment presented considerable changes in leaves of P. divism under salinity stress.

Using Halothermal Time Model to Describe Barley (Hordeumvulgare L.) Seed Germination Response to Water Potential and Temperature.

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a salt-tolerant crop with considerable economic value in salinity-affected arid and semiarid areas. In the laboratory experiment, the halothermal time (HaloTT) model was used to examine barley seed germination (SG) at six constant cardinal temperatures (Ts) of 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 °C under five different water potentials (ψs) of 0, -0.5, -1.5, -1.0, and -2.0 MPa. Results showed that at optimum moisture (0 MPa), the highest germination percentage (GP) was recorded at 20 °C and the lowest at 40 °C. Moreover, GP increased with the accelerated aging period (AAP) and significantly (p ≤ 0.05) decreased with high T. In addition, with a decrease of ψ from 0 to -0.5, -1, 1.5, and -2.0 MPa, GP decreased by 93.33, 76.67, 46.67, and 33.33%, respectively, in comparison with 0 MPa. The maximum halftime constant (θHalo) and coefficient of determination (R2) values were recorded at 20 °C and 30 °C, respectively. The optimum temperature (To) for barley is 20 °C, base Ψ of 50th percentile (Ψb (50)) is -0.23 Mpa, and standard deviation of Ψb (σΨb) is 0.21 MPa. The cardinal Ts for germination is 15 °C (Tb), 20 °C (To), and 40 °C (Tc). The GP, germination rate index (GRI), germination index (GI), coefficient of the velocity of germination (CVG), germination energy (GE), seed vigor index I and II (SVI-I & II), Timson germination index (GI), and root shoot ratio (RSR) were recorded maximum at 0 MPa at 20 °C and minimum at -2.0 MPa at 40 °C. Mean germination time (MGT) and time to 50% germination (T 50%) were maximum at -2 MPa at 40 °C, and minimum at 20 °C, respectively. In conclusion, the HaloTT model accurately predicted the germination time course of barley in response to T, Ψ, or NaCl. Therefore, barley can be regarded as a salt-tolerant plant and suitable for cultivation in arid and semi-arid regions due to its high resistance to salinity.