Integrated management of groundwater quantity, physicochemical properties, and microbial quality in West Nile delta using a new MATLAB code and geographic information system mapping.

Groundwater is an excellent alternative to freshwater for drinking, irrigation, and developing arid regions. Agricultural, commercial, industrial, residential, and municipal activities may affect groundwater quantity and quality. Therefore, we aimed to use advanced methods/techniques to monitor the piezometric levels and collect groundwater samples to test their physicochemical and biological characteristics. Our results using software programs showed two main types of groundwater: the most prevalent was the Na-Cl type, which accounts for 94% of the groundwater samples, whereas the Mg-Cl type was found in 6% of samples only. In general, the hydraulic gradient values, ranging from medium to low, could be attributed to the slow movement of groundwater. Salinity distribution in groundwater maps varied between 238 and 1350 mg L-1. Although lower salinity values were observed in northwestern wells, higher values were recorded in southern ones. The collected seventeen water samples exhibited brackish characteristics and were subjected to microbial growth monitoring. Sample WD12 had the lowest total bacterial count (TBC) of 4.8 ± 0.9 colony forming unit (CFU mg L-1), while WD14 had the highest TBC (7.5 ± 0.5 CFU mg L-1). None of the tested water samples, however, contained pathogenic microorganisms. In conclusion, the current simulation models for groundwater drawdown of the Quaternary aquifer system predict a considerable drawdown of water levels over the next 10, 20, and 30 years with the continuous development of the region.

Exploiting the role of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria in reducing heavy metal toxicity of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.).

Microorganisms are cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative methods for removing heavy metals (HM) from contaminated agricultural soils. Therefore, this study aims to identify and characterize HM-tolerant (HMT) plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) isolated from industry-contaminated soils to determine their impact as bioremediators on HM-stressed pepper plants. Four isolates [Pseudomonas azotoformans (Pa), Serratia rubidaea (Sr), Paenibacillus pabuli (Pp) and Bacillus velezensis (Bv)] were identified based on their remarkable levels of HM tolerance in vitro. Field studies were conducted to evaluate the growth promotion and tolerance to HM toxicity of pepper plants grown in HM-polluted soils. Plants exposed to HM stress showed improved growth, physio-biochemistry, and antioxidant defense system components when treated with any of the individual isolates, in contrast to the control group that did not receive PGPR. The combined treatment of the tested HMT PGPR was, however, relatively superior to other treatments. Compared to no or single PGPR treatment, the consortia (Pa+Sr+Pp+Bv) increased the photosynthetic pigment contents, relative water content, and membrane stability index but lowered the electrolyte leakage and contents of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide by suppressing the (non) enzymatic antioxidants in plant tissues. In pepper, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Ni contents decreased by 88.0-88.5, 63.8-66.5, 66.2-67.0, and 90.2-90.9% in leaves, and 87.2-88.1, 69.4-70.0%, 80.0-81.3, and 92.3%% in fruits, respectively. Thus, these PGPR are highly effective at immobilizing HM and reducing translocation in planta. These findings indicate that the application of HMT PGPR could be a promising "bioremediation" strategy to enhance growth and productivity of crops cultivated in soils contaminated with HM for sustainable agricultural practices.

The apocarotenoid ß-ionone regulates the transcriptome of Arabidopsis thaliana and increases its resistance against Botrytis cinerea.

Carotenoids are isoprenoid pigments indispensable for photosynthesis. Moreover, they are the precursor of apocarotenoids, which include the phytohormones abscisic acid (ABA) and strigolactones (SLs) as well as retrograde signaling molecules and growth regulators, such as ß-cyclocitral and zaxinone. Here, we show that the application of the volatile apocarotenoid ß-ionone (ß-I) to Arabidopsis plants at micromolar concentrations caused a global reprogramming of gene expression, affecting thousands of transcripts involved in stress tolerance, growth, hormone metabolism, pathogen defense, and photosynthesis. This transcriptional reprogramming changes, along with induced changes in the level of the phytohormones ABA, jasmonic acid, and salicylic acid, led to enhanced Arabidopsis resistance to the widespread necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea (B.c.) that causes the gray mold disease in many crop species and spoilage of harvested fruits. Pre-treatment of tobacco and tomato plants with ß-I followed by inoculation with B.c. confirmed the effect of ß-I in increasing the resistance to this pathogen in crop plants. Moreover, we observed reduced susceptibility to B.c. in fruits of transgenic tomato plants overexpressing LYCOPENE ß-CYCLASE, which contains elevated levels of endogenous ß-I, providing a further evidence for its effect on B.c. infestation. Our work unraveled ß-I as a further carotenoid-derived regulatory metabolite and indicates the possibility of establishing this natural volatile as an environmentally friendly bio-fungicide to control B.c.

Enhancement of mangrove growth performance using fish emulsion and halotolerant plant growth-promoting actinobacteria for sustainable management in the UAE.

The combination of fish emulsion (FE) and the actinobacterial isolate, Streptomyces griseorubens UAE1 (Sg) capable of producing plant growth regulators (PGRs) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase, was evaluated on mangrove (Avicennia marina) in the United Arab Emirates. Under greenhouse and field conditions, sediments amended with the biostimulant FE effectively enhanced mangrove growth compared to those inoculated with Sg only. Plant growth promotion by Sg was more pronounced in the presence of FE (+FE/+Sg) than in individual applications. Our data showed that Sg appeared to use FE as a source of nutrients and precursors for plant growth promotion. Thus, in planta PGR levels following the combined +FE/+Sg were significantly induced. This is the first report in the field of marine agriculture that uses FE as a nutrient base for soil microorganisms to promote mangrove growth. This study will support mangrove restoration along the Arabian Gulf coastline as a nature-based solution to changing climate and economic activities.

How Synthesis of Algal Nanoparticles Affects Cancer Therapy? - A Complete Review of the Literature.

The necessity to engineer sustainable nanomaterials for the environment and human health has recently increased. Due to their abundance, fast growth, easy cultivation, biocompatibility and richness of secondary metabolites, algae are valuable biological source for the green synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs). The aim of this review is to demonstrate the feasibility of using algal-based NPs for cancer treatment. Blue-green, brown, red and green micro- and macro-algae are the most commonly participating algae in the green synthesis of NPs. In this process, many algal bioactive compounds, such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, alkaloids, flavonoids and phenols, can catalyze the reduction of metal ions to NPs. In addition, many driving factors, including pH, temperature, duration, static conditions and substrate concentration, are involved to facilitate the green synthesis of algal-based NPs. Here, the biosynthesis, mechanisms and applications of algal-synthesized NPs in cancer therapy have been critically discussed. We also reviewed the effective role of algal synthesized NPs as anticancer treatment against human breast, colon and lung cancers and carcinoma.

Application of bio-organic amendments improves soil quality and yield of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) plants in saline calcareous soil.

The impact of bio-organic amendments on crop production is poorly understood in saline calcareous soils. The aim in the present study was to determine the effects of the application of organic manure along with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on soil quality, and morpho-physio-biochemical responses, seed yield (SY) and essential oil yield (EOY) of fennel plants (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) grown in saline calcareous soils. Eight treatments of farmyard manure (FM) or poultry manure (PM) individually or combined with Lactobacillus plantarum (Lp) and/or Lactococcus lactis (Ll) were applied to saline calcareous soil in two growing seasons. Either FM or PM combined with LAB had beneficial effects on lowering ECe, pH and bulk density and increasing total porosity, organic matter, and water and nutrient retention capacities in addition to total bacterial population in the soil. Growth, nutrient uptake, SY and EOY of plants were also enhanced when fennel seeds were inoculated with Lp and/or Ll and the soil was amended with any of the organic manures under unfavorable conditions. Compared to control (no bio-organic amendments), FM + Lp + Lt or PM + Lp + Lt treatment signficantlly (P ≤ 0.05) increased plant height by 86.2 or 65.0%, total chlorophyll by 73 or 50%, proline by 35 or 45%, glutathione by 100 or 138%, SY by 625 or 463% and EOY by 300 or 335%, respectively, in fennel plants. Co-application of the naturally occurring microorganisms (i.e., LAB) and organically-derived, nutrient-rich fertilizer (i.e., FM or PM) is recommended to improve yield of fennel plants in saline calcareous soils.

Fully resolved assembly of Fusarium proliferatum DSM106835 genome.

In the United Arab Emirates, sudden decline syndrome (SDS) is a destructive disease of date palm caused by the soil-borne fungal pathogen Fusarium proliferatum (Fp) DSM106835. Here, a high-resolution genome assembly of Fp DSM106835 was generated using PacBio HiFi sequencing with Omni-C data to provide a high-quality chromatin-organised reference genome with 418 scaffolds, totalling 58,468,907 bp in length and an N50 value of 4,383,091 bp from which 15,580 genes and 16,321 transcripts were predicted. The assembly achieved a complete BUSCO score of 99.2% for 758 orthologous genes. Compared to seven other Fp strains, Fp DSM106835 exhibited the highest continuity with a cumulative size of 44.26 Mbp for the first ten scaffolds/contigs, surpassing the assemblies of all examined Fp strains. Our findings of the high-quality genome of Fp DSM106835 provide an important resource to investigate its genetics, biology and evolutionary history. This study also contributes to fulfill the gaps in fungal knowledge, particularly the genes/metabolites associated with pathogenicity during the plant-pathogen interaction responsible for SDS.

Bio-organic fertilizers promote yield, chemical composition, and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of essential oil in fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seeds.

The aromatic fennel plant (Foeniculum vulgare Miller) is cultivated worldwide due to its high nutritional and medicinal values. The aim of the current study was to determine the effect of the application of bio-organic fertilization (BOF), farmyard manure (FM) or poultry manure (PM), either individually or combined with Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) and/or Lactococcus lactis (LL) on the yield, chemical composition, and antioxidative and antimicrobial activities of fennel seed essential oil (FSEO). In general, PM + LP + LL and FM + LP + LL showed the best results compared to any of the applications of BOF. Among the seventeen identified FSEO components, trans-anethole (78.90 and 91.4%), fenchone (3.35 and 10.10%), limonene (2.94 and 8.62%), and estragole (0.50 and 4.29%) were highly abundant in PM + LP + LL and FM + LP + LL, respectively. In addition, PM + LP + LL and FM + LP + LL exhibited the lowest half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 8.11 and 9.01 µg mL-1, respectively, compared to L-ascorbic acid (IC50 = 35.90 µg mL-1). We also observed a significant (P > 0.05) difference in the free radical scavenging activity of FSEO in the triple treatments. The in vitro study using FSEO obtained from PM + LP + LL or FM + LP + LL showed the largest inhibition zones against all tested Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial strains as well as pathogenic fungi. This suggests that the triple application has suppressive effects against a wide range of foodborne bacterial and fungal pathogens. This study provides the first in-depth analysis of Egyptian fennel seeds processed utilizing BOF treatments, yielding high-quality FSEO that could be used in industrial applications.

Exogenously applied sodium nitroprusside alleviates nickel toxicity in maize by regulating antioxidant activities and defense-related gene expression.

Nickel (Ni) stress adversely affects plant growth and biomass accumulation, posturing severe menace to crop production and food security. The current study aimed to determine the putative role of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in mitigating Ni-induced phytotoxicity and identify the underlying defense mechanisms in maize, which are poorly understood. Our findings showed that SNP significantly augmented plant growth, biomass, and photosynthesis-related attributes (Fv/Fm, Fm, qP ETR, and ΦPSII) through diminishing Ni uptake and translocation in root and shoot tissues of maize under Ni stress conditions. In parallel, exogenous SNP substantially relieved maize seedlings from Ni-induced stress by enhancing enzymatic (SOD, CAT, and GPX) and non-enzymatic (phenol and flavonoids) antioxidant defenses and reducing oxidative stress indicators (MDA and H2 O2 ). The results revealed that SNP treatment increased the content of organic osmolyte glycine betaine and the activity of GST, concomitantly with ATP and ionic exchange capacity (including Ca2+ -ATPase and Mg2+ -ATPase), advocating its sufficiency to promote plant growth and avert Ni-induced stress in maize plants. The only exception was the production of organic acids (citric, oxalic, malic, and formic acids), which was reduced as SNP treatment relieved maize seedlings from Ni-induced oxidative damage. The application of SNP also displayed higher expression of defense- and detoxifying-related genes than in control treatments. Together, our data highlighted the mechanism involved in the amelioration of Ni toxicity by SNP; thus, suggesting a potential role of SNP in mitigating the adverse effects of Ni-contaminated soils to boost growth and yield of crop plants, that is, maize.

Exploiting fungi in bioremediation for cleaning-up emerging pollutants in aquatic ecosystems.

Aquatic pollution negatively affects water bodies, marine ecosystems, public health, and economy. Restoration of contaminated habitats has attracted global interest since protecting the health of marine ecosystems is crucial. Bioremediation is a cost-effective and eco-friendly way of transforming hazardous, resistant contaminants into environmentally benign products using diverse biological treatments. Because of their robust morphology and broad metabolic capabilities, fungi play an important role in bioremediation. This review summarizes the features employed by aquatic fungi for detoxification and subsequent bioremediation of different toxic and recalcitrant compounds in aquatic ecosystems. It also details how mycoremediation may convert chemically-suspended matters, microbial, nutritional, and oxygen-depleting aquatic contaminants into ecologically less hazardous products using multiple modes of action. Mycoremediation can also be considered in future research studies on aquatic, including marine, ecosystems as a possible tool for sustainable management, providing a foundation for selecting and utilizing fungi either independently or in microbial consortia.

Foliar spray of silica improved water stress tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a major cereal crop and a staple food across the world, mainly in developing countries. Drought is one of the most important limiting factors for rice production, which negatively affects food security worldwide. Silica enhances antioxidant activity and reduces oxidative damage in plants. The current study evaluated the efficiency of foliar spray of silica in alleviating water stress of three rice cultivars (Giza178, Sakha102, and Sakha107). The seedlings of the three cultivars were foliar sprayed with 200 or 400 mg l-1 silica under well-watered [80% water holding capacity (WHC)] and drought-stressed (40% WHC)] conditions for two summer seasons of 2019 and 2020. The obtained results demonstrated that drought stress caused significant decreases in growth, yield, and physiological parameters but increases in biochemical parameters (except proline) of leaves in all rice cultivars compared to well-irrigated plants (control). The roots of drought-stressed seedlings exhibited smaller diameters, fewer numbers, and narrower areas of xylem vessels compared to those well-watered. Regardless of its concentration, the application of silica was found to increase the contents of photosynthetic pigments and proline. Water relation also increased in seedlings of the three tested rice cultivars that were treated with silica in comparison to their corresponding control cultivars when no silica was sprayed. Foliar application of 400 mg l-1 silica improved the physiological and biochemical parameters and plant growth. Overall, foliar application of silica proved to be beneficial for mitigating drought stress in the tested rice cultivars, among which Giza178 was the most drought-tolerant cultivar. The integration of silica in breeding programs is recommended to improve the quality of yield and to provide drought-tolerant rice cultivars under drought-stress conditions.

Role of Nanoparticles in Enhancing Crop Tolerance to Abiotic Stress: A Comprehensive Review.

Plants are subjected to a wide range of abiotic stresses, such as heat, cold, drought, salinity, flooding, and heavy metals. Generally, abiotic stresses have adverse impacts on plant growth and development which affects agricultural productivity, causing food security problems, and resulting in economic losses. To reduce the negative effects of environmental stress on crop plants, novel technologies, such as nanotechnology, have emerged. Implementing nanotechnology in modern agriculture can also help improve the efficiency of water usage, prevent plant diseases, ensure food security, reduce environmental pollution, and enhance sustainability. In this regard, nanoparticles (NPs) can help combat nutrient deficiencies, promote stress tolerance, and improve the yield and quality of crops. This can be achieved by stimulating the activity of certain enzymes, increasing the contents (e.g., chlorophyll) and efficiency of photosynthesis, and controlling plant pathogens. The use of nanoscale agrochemicals, including nanopesticides, nanoherbicides, and nanofertilizers, has recently acquired increasing interest as potential plant-enhancing technologies. This review acknowledges the positive impacts of NPs in sustainable agriculture, and highlights their adverse effects on the environment, health, and food chain. Here, the role and scope of NPs as a practical tool to enhance yield and mitigate the detrimental effects of abiotic stresses in crops are described. The future perspective of nanoparticles in agriculture has also been discussed.

Integrated application of bacterial carbonate precipitation and silicon nanoparticles enhances productivity, physiological attributes, and antioxidant defenses of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under semi-arid conditions.

The use of calcium carbonate-precipitating bacteria (CCPB) has become a well-established ground-improvement technique. However, the effect of the interaction of CCPB with nanoparticles (NPs) on plant performance is still meager. In this study, we aimed at evaluating the role of CCPB and/or silicon NPs (Si-NPs) on the growth, physio-biochemical traits, and antioxidative defense of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under semi-arid environmental conditions. A 2-year pot experiment was carried out to determine the improvement of the sandy soil inoculated with CCPB and the foliar application of Si-NPs on wheat plants. We tested the following treatments: spraying plants with 1.0 or 1.5 mM Si-NPs (control = 0 mM Si-NPs), soil inoculated with Bacillus lichenforms (MA16), Bacillus megaterium (MA27), or Bacillus subtilis (MA34), and the interaction of individual Bacillus species with Si-NPs. Our results showed that soil inoculation with any of the three isolated CCPB and/or foliar application of Si-NPs at the rates of 1.0 or 1.5 mM significantly improved (p ≤ 0.05) the physiological and biochemical attributes as well as the enzymatic antioxidant activities of wheat plants. Therefore, the combined treatments of CCPB + Si-NPs were more effective in enhancing physio-biochemical characteristics and enzymatic antioxidant activities than the individual treatments of CCPB or Si-NPs, thus achieving the best performance in the treatment of MA34 + 1.5 mM Si-NPs. Our results demonstrated that the co-application of CCPB and Si-NPs, particularly MA34 + 1.5 mM Si-NPs, considerably activated the antioxidant defense system to mitigate the adverse effects of oxidative stress, thus increasing tolerance and enhancing the production of wheat plants in sandy soils under semi-arid environmental conditions.

Plant growth-promoting microorganisms as biocontrol agents of plant diseases: Mechanisms, challenges and future perspectives.

Plant diseases and pests are risk factors that threaten global food security. Excessive chemical pesticide applications are commonly used to reduce the effects of plant diseases caused by bacterial and fungal pathogens. A major concern, as we strive toward more sustainable agriculture, is to increase crop yields for the increasing population. Microbial biological control agents (MBCAs) have proved their efficacy to be a green strategy to manage plant diseases, stimulate plant growth and performance, and increase yield. Besides their role in growth enhancement, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria/fungi (PGPR/PGPF) could suppress plant diseases by producing inhibitory chemicals and inducing immune responses in plants against phytopathogens. As biofertilizers and biopesticides, PGPR and PGPF are considered as feasible, attractive economic approach for sustainable agriculture; thus, resulting in a "win-win" situation. Several PGPR and PGPF strains have been identified as effective BCAs under environmentally controlled conditions. In general, any MBCA must overcome certain challenges before it can be registered or widely utilized to control diseases/pests. Successful MBCAs offer a practical solution to improve greenhouse crop performance with reduced fertilizer inputs and chemical pesticide applications. This current review aims to fill the gap in the current knowledge of plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPM), provide attention about the scientific basis for policy development, and recommend further research related to the applications of PGPM used for commercial purposes.

Germination, physio-anatomical behavior, and productivity of wheat plants irrigated with magnetically treated seawater.

Salinity is an abiotic stress that reduces the seed germination and productivity of wheat. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of irrigation with magnetically treated seawater on the germination, growth, certain physiological and anatomical parameters, and production attributes of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cv. Sakha 93 plants. Experiments were conducted in the Experimental Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Menoufia University, Egypt, during two consecutive winter seasons. Pot experiments involved ten treatments with non-magnetized and magnetized water with various degrees of salinity. Plant samples were taken 95 days after sowing. Irrigation with magnetically treated seawater was found to have beneficial effects on plant growth, water relations, biochemical characteristics, and yield components compared with untreated plants. The germination of wheat seeds increased 13% when treated with magnetic seawater. On the yield scale, the spike length was increased by 40% in season one, and 82% in season two when compared to the control, while the weight of 100 grains increased by 148% and 171%, in each season, respectively, when treated with magnetic water. The anatomical leaf and stem parameters of the plants were markedly improved by watering with magnetically treated seawater at 10 dS m-1 compared to the control. However, the leaf water deficit, transpiration rate, and abscisic acid content in the plant shoots decreased significantly (p < 0.05). The use of magnetically treated seawater of up to 7.5 dS m-1, instead of tap water, is recommended due to benefits to germination and seedling parameters, growth, yield, and physiological, chemical, and anatomical characteristics. In conclusion, magnetic treatment of seawater improved germination performance, growth, and yield of wheat under saline conditions.

Association of jasmonic acid priming with multiple defense mechanisms in wheat plants under high salt stress.

Salinity is a global conundrum that negatively affects various biometrics of agricultural crops. Jasmonic acid (JA) is a phytohormone that reinforces multilayered defense strategies against abiotic stress, including salinity. This study investigated the effect of JA (60 µM) on two wheat cultivars, namely ZM9 and YM25, exposed to NaCl (14.50 dSm-1) during two consecutive growing seasons. Morphologically, plants primed with JA enhanced the vegetative growth and yield components. The improvement of growth by JA priming is associated with increased photosynthetic pigments, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2, maximal photosystem II efficiency, and transpiration rate of the stressed plants. Furthermore, wheat cultivars primed with JA showed a reduction in the swelling of the chloroplast, recovery of the disintegrated thylakoids grana, and increased plastoglobuli numbers compared to saline-treated plants. JA prevented dehydration of leaves by increasing relative water content and water use efficiency via reducing water and osmotic potential using proline as an osmoticum. There was a reduction in sodium (Na+) and increased potassium (K+) contents, indicating a significant role of JA priming in ionic homeostasis, which was associated with induction of the transporters, viz., SOS1, NHX2, and HVP1. Exogenously applied JA mitigated the inhibitory effect of salt stress in plants by increasing the endogenous levels of cytokinins and indole acetic acid, and reducing the abscisic acid (ABA) contents. In addition, the oxidative stress caused by increasing hydrogen peroxide in salt-stressed plants was restrained by JA, which was associated with increased α-tocopherol, phenolics, and flavonoids levels and triggered the activities of superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase activity. This increase in phenolics and flavonoids could be explained by the induction of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity. The results suggest that JA plays a key role at the morphological, biochemical, and genetic levels of stressed and non-stressed wheat plants which is reflected in yield attributes. Hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analyses showed that salt sensitivity was associated with the increments of Na+, hydrogen peroxide, and ABA contents. The regulatory role of JA under salinity stress was interlinked with increased JA level which consequentially improved ion transporting, osmoregulation, and antioxidant defense.

Promising prospective effects of Withania somnifera on broiler performance and carcass characteristics: A comprehensive review.

Poultry production contributes markedly to bridging the global food gap. Many nations have limited the use of antibiotics as growth promoters due to increasing bacterial antibiotic tolerance/resistance, as well as the presence of antibiotic residues in edible tissues of the birds. Consequently, the world is turning to use natural alternatives to improve birds' productivity and immunity. Withania somnifera, commonly known as ashwagandha or winter cherry, is abundant in many countries of the world and is considered a potent medicinal herb because of its distinct chemical, medicinal, biological, and physiological properties. This plant exhibits antioxidant, cardioprotective, immunomodulatory, anti-aging, neuroprotective, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antistress, antitumor, hepatoprotective, and growth-promoting activities. In poultry, dietary inclusion of W. somnifera revealed promising results in improving feed intake, body weight gain, feed efficiency, and feed conversion ratio, as well as reducing mortality, increasing livability, increasing disease resistance, reducing stress impacts, and maintaining health of the birds. This review sheds light on the distribution, chemical structure, and biological effects of W. somnifera and its impacts on poultry productivity, livability, carcass characteristics, meat quality, blood parameters, immune response, and economic efficiency.

Coapplication of Effective Microorganisms and Nanomagnesium Boosts the Agronomic, Physio-Biochemical, Osmolytes, and Antioxidants Defenses Against Salt Stress in Ipomoea batatas.

The application of bio- and nanofertilizers are undoubtedly opening new sustainable approaches toward enhancing abiotic stress tolerance in crops. In this study, we evaluated the application of effective microorganisms (EMs) of five groups belonging to photosynthetic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, yeast, actinobacteria, and fermenting fungi combined with magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles (MgO-NP) on the growth and productivity of sweet potato plants grown in salt-affected soils. In two field experiments carried out in 2020 and 2021, we tested the impacts of EMs using two treatments (with vs. without EMs as soil drench) coupled with three foliar applications of MgO-NP (0, 50, and 100 µg ml-1 of MgO, representing MgO-NP0, MgO-NP50, and MgO-NP100, respectively). In our efforts to investigate the EMs:MgO-NP effects, the performance (growth and yield), nutrient acquisition, and physio-biochemical attributes of sweet potatoes grown in salt-affected soil (7.56 dS m-1) were assessed. Our results revealed that salinity stress significantly reduced the growth parameters, yield traits, photosynthetic pigment content (chlorophylls a and b, and carotenoids), cell membrane stability, relative water content, and nutrient acquisition of sweet potatoes. However, the EMs+ and/or MgO-NP-treated plants showed high tolerance to salt stress, specifically with a relatively superior increase when any of the biostimulants were combined. The application of EMs and/or MgO-NP improved osmotic stress tolerance by increasing the relative water content and membrane integrity. These positive responses owed to increase the osmolytes level (proline, free amino acids, and soluble sugars) and antioxidative compounds (non-enzymatic concentration, enzymatic activities, phenolic acid, and carotenoids). We also noticed that soil salinity significantly increased the Na+ content, whereas EMS+ and/or MgO-NP-treated plants exhibited lower Na+ concentration and increased K+ concentration and K+/Na+ ratio. These improvements contributed to increasing the photosynthetic pigments, growth, and yield under salinity stress. The integrative application of EMs and MgO-NP showed higher efficacy bypassing all single treatments. Our findings indicated the potential of coapplying EMs and MgO-NP for future use in attenuating salt-induced damage beneficially promoting crop performance.

The 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase-producing Streptomyces violaceoruber UAE1 can provide protection from sudden decline syndrome on date palm.

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), sudden decline syndrome (SDS) is one of the major fungal diseases caused by Fusarium solani affecting date palm plantations. To minimize the impact of the causal agent of SDS on date palm, native actinobacterial strains isolated from rhizosphere soils of healthy date palm plants were characterized according to their antifungal activities against F. solani DSM 106836 (Fs). Based on their in vitro abilities, two promising biocontrol agents (BCAs), namely Streptomyces tendae UAE1 (St) andStreptomyces violaceoruber UAE1 (Sv), were selected for the production of antifungal compounds and cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDEs), albeit their variations in synthesizing 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase (ACCD). Although both isolates showed antagonism when applied 7 days before the pathogen in the greenhouse experiments, the ACCD-producing Sv was relatively superior in its efficacy against SDS over the non-ACCD-producing St. This was evident from the symptoms of SDS in diseased date palm seedlings which were greatly reduced by Sv compared to St. On a scale of 5.0, the estimated disease severity indices in Fs-diseased seedlings were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced from 4.8 to 1.5 and 0.5 by St and Sv, respectively. Thus, the number of conidia of Fs recovered from plants pre-treated with both BCAs was comparable, but significantly (P < 0.05) reduced compared to plants without any BCA treatment. In addition, a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in ACC levels of both the root and shoot tissues was detected inSv + Fs seedlings to almost similar levels of healthy seedlings. However, in planta ACC levels highly increased in seedlings grown in soils infested with the pathogen alone or amended with St prior to F. solani infestation (St + Fs). This suggests a major role of ACCD production in relieving the stress of date palm seedlings infected with F. solani, thus supporting the integrated preventive disease management programs against this pathogen. This is the first report of effective rhizosphere actinobacterial BCAs to provide protection against SDS on date palm, and to help increase agricultural productivity in a more sustainable manner in the UAE and the other arid regions.

Impact of Folic Acid in Modulating Antioxidant Activity, Osmoprotectants, Anatomical Responses, and Photosynthetic Efficiency of Plectranthus amboinicus Under Salinity Conditions.

Salinity is a major threat to the sustainability of agricultural production systems. Salt stress has unfavorable implications on various plant physio-morphological and biochemical reactions, causing osmotic and ionic stress. Exogenously applied folic acid (FA) may at least provide one mechanism to evade the injurious stress effects of saline irrigation water on Plectranthus amboinicus. In this regard, two pot trials were performed during the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 seasons in an open greenhouse of an experimental farm (29°17'N; 30°53'E) in Fayoum, Egypt. We tested four levels of saline irrigation water (SW): 34, 68, and 102 mM NaCl, plus tap water as the control = 0), combined with FA at three concentrations (25 and 50 µM, plus spray with distilled water as the control = 0). The growth parameters, biochemistry, physiology, elemental leaf status, essential oil content, and anatomical responses were assessed. Salt markedly reduced photosynthetic productivity [Fv/Fm and performance index (PI)], total chlorophyll [soil plant analysis development (SPAD)], and leaf osmoprotectant compounds, i.e., total soluble sugars (TSS), free amino acids, proline, and total phenolics, thus hampering P. amboinicus growth and essential oil yield. However, the addition of FA as a foliar spray to P. amboinicus irrigated with saline water induced increases in Fv/Fm, SPAD, and PI. These were linked with enriched stem anatomical structures, leaf osmoprotectant compounds, and enhanced leaf enzymatic activity, e.g., superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione, ascorbic acid, and antioxidant content. Under salt stress, supplementation of 25 and 50 µM FA increased the growth and production of essential oil by 27.8 and 55.6%, respectively, compared with no applied FA. The highest growth characteristics and elemental leaf contents were obtained when P. amboinicus was irrigated with 0 mM saline water and treated foliarly with 50 µM of FA compared with non-treated plants. Overall, these data showed that foliar spraying with FA reduces the impact of salt stress on P. amboinicus irrigated with saline water.