Effects of pulsed Nd:YAG laser kernel irradiation on maize (Zea mays L.): Insights into germination, gas exchange, photosynthetic pigments, and morphological modifications.

Energy has always been the most concerned topic worldwide due to its large consumption. Among various types of energies, light has amazing characteristics and have interesting effects on living organisms. Interest is increasing in the use of laser kernel treatment as an environment friendly physical technique for better results in agronomic crops, but the work is still in progress. The present study was conducted with the aim to examine the application of range of Neodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG) pulsed laser exposures (200, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1400 J/cm2) as pre-sowing kernel treatment on seedling survival rate, leaf photosynthetic activity in relation with photosynthetic pigments and visual morphological effects at seedling to maturity stage. Results showed that the low laser exposure (200, 400 and 600 J/cm2) improved the photosynthetic activity in parallel with improvement in chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, carotenoids as well as morphological traits. Kernel treatments with higher laser fluences (800, 1000, 1200 and 1400 J/cm2) showed irregular responses in studied attributes examined at the individual plant level. At 800 and 1000 J/cm2 improvements were found in some plants but at higher doses clear negative impacts were recorded on studied attributes. In conclusion, the lower doses of Nd:YAG pulsed laser fluences are found beneficial for induction of improvement in maize plants for better growth but higher doses were found toxic ones. In future further studies are needed to check the impacts of low laser doses on yield related attributes under field conditions and the high doses might also be used to create variants with beneficial characteristics if possible.

Prevalence, transmission and molecular characterization of Cotton leaf curl Multan virus infecting hollyhock plants in Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Hollyhock (Alcea rosea) is an ornamental plant belonging to the Malvaceae family and has a remarkable aesthetic and medicinal value. A number of distinct infectious entity including fungi, nematode, bacteria and most importantly both single and double stranded DNA and RNA viruses are reported from infected hollyhock plant. Begomoviruses, the well reputed member of the family Geminiviridae infected the hollyhock recently with a new hollyhock vein yellowing virus and in the present study it infected the hollyhock plant with Cotton leaf curl Multan virus (CLCuMV) which cause the disease of leaf curling. METHODS AND RESULTS: The symptomatic leaves of the hollyhock plants were collected based on the characteristic symptoms of leaf curling, puckering as well as vein thickening. DNA was extracted by using the recommended 2× CTAB protocol and PCR technique was optimized for the detection of begomovirus followed by sequencing. The data of disease incidence of infection location wise was collected based on the positive results of PCR amplification. Virus free whitefly collected from cotton field and feed on infected hollyhock plant in cage for few days then used for the transmission study of begomovirus on healthy hollyhock plants. Results of PCR amplification indicated that the primers Av/Ac core, Begomo 01/02, and CLCV 01/02 showed the bands of 579 bp, 2.8 kb and 1.1 kb respectively. The betasatellite was amplified by using beta01/02 and CLCuMuBF11/R33, which showed the band of 1400 bp and 481 bp. Disease incidence and Transmission study confirmed the begomovirus in hollyhock plants at molecular level. The sequence obtained with Av/Ac core primers showed the 99% identity with Cotton leaf curl Multan virus-Rajasthan strain and betasatellite primers showed 98% identity with Cotton leaf curl Multan betasatellite. CONCLUSION: Hollyhock plants infected by CLCuMV and associated betasatellite has been reported as a possible source of virus inoculum from Pakistan. These findings extend the range of Begomoviruses and betasatellites known to infect A. rosea and highlight this hollyhock species as an important reservoir of agriculturally important Begomoviruses and betasatellites.

Preventive role of propolis against hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in Sprague dawley rats (Rattus norvegicus) animal modelling system.

Human diets with functional ingredients showed promising role in management of diseases of modern age like hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia and even cancer. The study designed to elucidate role of honeybee propolis for management of hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia states through animal modeling system. Hydroalcoholic extract of propolis was used for development of functional drink with standard recipe and addition of specified dose of extracts (400mg/500mL). Animals were grouped into three studies including study-I fed on regular diet, study-II fed on sucrose enrich diet and study-III fed on diet enriched with cholesterol and monitored to evaluate the results. Various parameters like feed consumption, liquid intake of animals measured regularly whereas body weight recorded at the end of each week of study. At the end of the study animals were analyzed for different blood indicators like blood lipid indices (cholesterol, LDL, HDL concentration and triglyceride contents)), glucose concentration and insulin contents as well. The maximum feed and drink intake were examined in animals, fed with control diet whereas a non substantial mode of intake was recorded in rest of two groups of animals. The consumption of honeybee propolis based drink reduced cholesterol (6.63% to 10.25%) and LDL (9.96% to 11.23%), whilst a sharp increase in HDL level was ranged as 4.12 to 4.49% among animal groups fed with high cholesterol and high sucrose diet. Blood glucose level was decreased by 10.25% and 6.98% however 6.99% and 4.51% increase were observed in plasma insulin level in both studies, study-II and study-III correspondingly. The overall findings of the study showed that drinks prepared using propolis of propolis found effective for management of hyperglycemia and hypercholesterolemia in present animal modelling system.

First report of Alternaria alternata causing Alternaria leaf spot of Fig in Pakistan.

Fig (Ficus carica) is a species of flowering plants within the mulberry family. During June 2020, leaf spots were observed on several fig plants (31°26'15.0"N 73°04'25.6"E) at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Early symptoms were small, oval to circular, light brown, sunken spots that were uniformly distributed on the leaves. Spots gradually enlarged and coalesced into circular to irregular dark brown to black spots that could be up to 3cm diam. with no or small sized fruit. Disease incidence was approximately 25%. To identify the causal agent of the disease, 15 symptomatic leaves were collected. Small pieces from all diseased samples were removed from the margin between healthy and diseased tissues were surface disinfested in 70% ethanol for 2 min, rinsed three times with sterile distilled water, plated on Potato dextrose agar and incubated at 25 ± 2°C with a 12-h photoperiod. Fungal isolation on PDA medium frequency was 95% from diseases leaves. Morphological observations were made on 7- day- old single-spore cultures. The colonies initially appeared light grayish which turned sooty black in color. All fungal isolates were characterized by small, short-beaked, multicellular conidia. The conidia were ellipsoidal or ovoid and measured 9 to 25 µm × 5 to 10 µm (n = 40) with longitudinal and transverse septa. The morphological characters matched those of Alternaria alternata (Simmons et al. 2007). Genomic DNA of a representative isolate (FG01-FG03) was extracted using DNAzol reagent (Thermo Fisher Scientific MA, USA) and PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA region, was performed with primers ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990), partial RNA polymerase II largest subunit (RPB2) with RPB2-5F/RPB2-7cR (Liu et al. 1999) and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene regions was performed with gpd1/gpd2 (Berbee et al. 1999). The obtained sequences were deposited in GenBank with accession numbers MW692903.1 to MW692905.1 for ITS-rDNA gene, MZ066731.1 to MZ066733.1 for RPB2 and MZ066728.1 to MZ066730.1 for GAPDH. BLASTn analysis showed 100% identity with the submitted sequences of A. alternata for ITS rDNA, RPB2, and GAPDH. To confirm pathogenicity, 2-month-old 15 healthy potted F. carica plants were sprayed at true leaf stage with conidial suspension by using an atomizer in a greenhouse. Each representative A. alternata isolate (FG01-FG03) was inoculated on every three plants with conidial suspensions (106 conidia/ml; obtained from 1-week-old cultures) amended with 0.1% (vol/vol) of Tween 20 until runoff (1.5 to 2 ml per plant) whereas, three control plants were sprayed with sterile distilled water amended with 0.1% Tween 20. All plants were incubated at 25 ± 2°C in a greenhouse, and the experiment was conducted twice. After 10 days of inoculation, each isolate induced leaf spots similar to typical spots observed in the field, whereas the control plants remained symptomless. The fungus was re-isolated from symptomatic tissues and reisolation frequency was 100%. Re-isolated fungal cultures were again morphologically and molecularly identical to A. alternata, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. Previously, A. alternata has been reported cause fruit disease of fig in Pakistan and California, USA (Alam et al. 2021; Latinovic et al. 2014). To our knowledge, this is the first report of A. alternata causing leaf spot on common fig in Pakistan. In Pakistan, fig is widely grown for drying, and this disease may represent a threat to fig cultivation.

Low Doses of Cuscuta reflexa Extract Act as Natural Biostimulants to Improve the Germination Vigor, Growth, and Grain Yield of Wheat Grown under Water Stress: Photosynthetic Pigments, Antioxidative Defense Mechanisms, and Nutrient Acquisition.

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of Cuscuta reflexa extract (CRE) on the activities of germination enzymes, seed germination vigor, biomass production, physio-biochemical attributes, and seed yield of water-stressed wheat plants. Different levels of CRE (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50%), including water soaking, were used as seed priming. Water stress negatively affected the seed germination, germination enzyme activities, growth, yield, and different physio-biochemical attributes of wheat plants. Low doses of CRE (10, 20, and 30%) ameliorated the adverse effects of water stress on seed germination attributes, and activities of germination enzymes, but negative impacts were recorded at higher doses (40 and 50%) of CRE. Water-stressed wheat plants grown from seeds pre-treated with low doses of CRE also showed better growth and yield as compared with non-treated ones, and that was associated with an improvement in water relations, photosynthetic pigments, nutrient acquisition, reduced lipid peroxidation, and better antioxidative defense mechanisms. The maximum increase in seed yield was 14.77 and 12.32%, found in plants grown from seeds treated with 20% and 10% CRE, respectively. In conclusion, it is suggested that using low doses of CRE as seed priming can contribute to better wheat yield under water stress, especially in semi-arid and arid areas.

Foliar Spray of Fe-Asp Confers Better Drought Tolerance in Sunflower as Compared with FeSO4: Yield Traits, Osmotic Adjustment, and Antioxidative Defense Mechanisms.

Different techniques are being employed to reduce the adverse effects of water stress on seed yield and quality of crop plants. The current study aimed to improve the water stress tolerance of field-grown sunflower by foliar-supplied ecofriendly iron-chelated aspartate (Fe-Asp) in comparison with FeSO4. Water stress decreased the plant growth and yield, accompanied with disturbed water relations, nutrient acquisition, accumulation of amino acids, and antioxidative defense mechanisms. However, lipid peroxidation, total anthocyanin, and photosynthetic pigments were increased. Fertigation of FeSO4 and Fe-Asp as foliar sprays proved effective to reduce the negativities of limited irrigation on biomass production and seed yield, accompanied with a reduction in lipid peroxidation and improvements in water relations, antioxidative defense mechanisms, and leaf photosynthetic pigments. In comparison with FeSO4, foliary applied Fe-Asp better improved the plant water relations with more accumulation of essential amino acids and nutrient acquisition, especially leaf aspartate (Asp) and Fe accumulation which showed better translocation. Overall, foliary applied Fe-Asp proved better for induction of drought tolerance in sunflower plants as compared with FeSO4. The study recommended the use of the ecofriendly Fe-Asp as a foliar spray for better growth and production of sunflower under limited irrigation.

Assessment of grain yield indices in response to drought stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Drought stress constricts crop production in the world. Increasing human population and predicted temperature increase owing to global warming will lead ruthless problems for agricultural production in near future. Hence, use of high yielding genotypes having drought tolerance and scrutinize of drought sensitive local cultivars for making them tolerant may be the proficient approaches to cope its detrimental outcomes. The current study was executed during 20015-2016 and 2016-2017 in field using randomized complete block design under factorial arrangements on 50 wheat genotypes for exploring their sensitivity and tolerance against drought. Some of the attributes of grain yield and drought tolerance indices were recorded. Grain yield showed negative correlations with tolerance index (TOL), drought index (DI) and stress susceptibility index (SSI) while positive correlation with mean productivity (MP) and geometric mean productivity (GMP) under drought condition. These findings depicted that tolerant genotypes could be chosen by high MP and GMP values and low SSI and TOL values. Based on the results, genotypes GA-02, Faisalabad-83, 9444, Sehar-06, Pirsabak-04 and Kohistan-97 were more tolerant and recognized as suitable for both normal and drought conditions. Genotypes of Chenab-00, Kohsar-95, Parwaz-94 and Kohenoor-83 confirmed more sensitive due to high grain yield loss under drought stress.

Use of Nitric Oxide and Hydrogen Peroxide for Better Yield of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under Water Deficit Conditions: Growth, Osmoregulation, and Antioxidative Defense Mechanism.

The present experiment was carried out to study the influences of exogenously-applied nitric oxide (NO) donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as seed primers on growth and yield in relation with different physio-biochemical parameters, antioxidant activities, and osmolyte accumulation in wheat plants grown under control (100% field capacity) and water stress (60% field capacity) conditions. During soaking, the seeds were covered and kept in completely dark. Drought stress markedly reduced the plant growth, grain yield, leaf photosynthetic pigments, total phenolic content (TPC), total soluble proteins (TSP), leaf water potential (Ψw), leaf turgor potential (Ψp), osmotic potential (Ψs), and leaf relative water content (LRWC), while it increased the activities of enzymatic antioxidants and the accumulation of leaf ascorbic acid (AsA), proline (Pro), glycine betaine (GB), malondialdehyde (MDA), and H2O2. However, seed priming with SNP and H2O2 alone and in combination mitigated the deleterious effects of water stress on growth and yield by improving the Ψw, Ψs, Ψp, photosynthetic pigments, osmolytes accumulation (GB and Pro), TSP, and the antioxidative defense mechanism. Furthermore, the application of NO and H2O2 as seed primers also reduced the accumulation of H2O2 and MDA contents. The effectiveness was treatment-specific and the combined application was also found to be effective. The results revealed that exogenous application of NO and H2O2 was effective in increasing the tolerance of wheat plants under drought stress in terms of growth and grain yield by regulating plant-water relations, the antioxidative defense mechanism, and accumulation of osmolytes, and by reducing the membrane lipid peroxidation.

Alpha-tocopherol fertigation confers growth physio-biochemical and qualitative yield enhancement in field grown water deficit wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Water stress is a major problem to fulfill the world food demand and to solve the problem of malnutrition. Different strategies are being used to solve these problems including the fertigation of plants with different biochemical at different growth stages. The present study was conducted for the induction of drought tolerance in field grown wheat for better yield and nutritional quality through foliar spray of α-tocopherol (α-Toc) at start of reproductive stage. Water stress was maintained based on number of irrigation. Three levels of α-Toc 0.001, 0.01 and 0.1 mM were applied as foliar spray. Water stress significantly reduced the biomass production that associated with the decreased photosynthetic pigments, water relation, photosynthetic efficiency, but increased the lipid peroxidation, leaf relative membrane permeability, activities of antioxidant enzymes and the contents of phenolic, flavonoids, α-toc and ASA. Water stress also negatively effected the different yield attributes and seed nutrient quality. Foliar fertigation of wheat plants with α-Toc significantly improved the water stress tolerance of wheat plants in term of improvement in growth and seed yield associated with improved water relations, photosynthetic efficiency, contents of photosynthetic pigments and improvement in antioxidative defence mechanism (enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants). Fertigation of water stressed wheat plants with α-Toc also improved the seed nutritional quality in terms of the contents of seed phenolics, flavonoids, activities of antioxidant enzymes and the content of α-, ß- and γ-tocopherols. In conclusion, it was found that fertigation of water stressed wheat plants not only improved the water stress tolerance but also improved the seed yield and nutritional quality that will not only be helpful for the improvement in wheat yield that also be a step to solve the problem of malnutrition through the bio-fertification of α-Toc.

Is the diagnostic coding position of acute heart failure related to mortality? A report from the Euro Heart Failure Survey-1.

AIMS: Most studies on acute heart failure (HF) exploring the relationship between admissions to hospital for HF and subsequent outcomes have focused only on HF coded as the primary diagnosis, but many other patients have admissions complicated by HF requiring attention. Failure to quantify the total hospital burden of HF underestimates its health economic impact, leading to underprovision of resources for its care. METHODS AND RESULTS: The First Euro Heart Failure Survey (EHFS-1) screened consecutive deaths and discharges, regardless of cause, from medical wards in 115 hospitals from 24 European countries during 2000-2001, to identify patients with known or suspected HF. Information on presenting symptoms and signs were gathered. Of 10 701 patients enrolled, HF was reported as the primary reason for admission in 4234 (40%), a secondary reason for admission if it complicated or prolonged stay in 1772 (17%), and in 4695 (43%) patients it was uncertain whether HF was actively contributing to the admission. Mortality on the index admission was 301 (7%), 290 (16%), and 189 (4%), respectively, with hazard ratios of 1.73 (P < 0.001) and 3.26 (P < 0.001) compared with the 'uncertain' group. In the 12 weeks following discharge, 287 (7%) patients with a primary, 117 (8%) with a secondary, and 238 (5%) with an incidental or uncertain diagnosis of HF died. CONCLUSION: Patients admitted to hospital with HF as a secondary rather than a primary diagnosis have a high mortality. More attention should be focused on patients with a secondary diagnosis of HF in terms of both care and research.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Carotenoids and Lycopenes Chemistry; Metabolism, Absorption, Nutrition, and Allied Health Claims--A Comprehensive Review.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the most essential herbaceous plants that have been probed against various life sight related disorders owing to array of phytochemicals. It is important source of vitamin C, potassium, folic acid, and carotenoids, such as lycopene. Carotenoids are the pigments synthesized during fruit ripening and responsible for the final red color of the tomato. Consumption of tomato and tomato-based products contribute to the absorption of carotenoids and lycopenes in human serum. Lycopene is chemically acyclic carotene with 11 conjugated double bonds, normally in transconfiguration while isomerization occur in blood plasma for its better absorption. It has ability for adenosine deaminase inhibition that plays important role in the regression of tumor. Tomato also contain other active compounds, namely, neoxanthin, lutein, α-cryptoxanthin, α-carotene, ß-carotene, cyclolycopene, and ß-carotene 5, 6-epoxide. These components provide synergistic effect against various threats but still need further attention of the researchers. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have elucidated the potential of tomato against variety of metabolic syndromes. Latest research highlights the relationship between consuming tomato and its products with reduced risk of various maladies like obesity, hyperglycemic and hypercholesterolemic attributes, cardiovascular disorders, and cancer insurgences. Moreover, tomato and its bioactive components hold potential to become effective modules in diet-based regimens; however, integrated research and meta-analysis are still required to enhance meticulousness.

Ameliorating effects of exogenously applied proline on seed composition, seed oil quality and oil antioxidant activity of maize (Zea mays L.) under drought stress.

This study was carried out to appraise whether or not the exogenous application of a potential osmoprotectant, proline, could ameliorate the adverse effects of drought stress on maize seed and seed oil composition, as well as oil antioxidant activity. Water stress reduced the kernel sugar, oil, protein and moisture contents and most of the seed macro- and micro-elements analyzed in both maize cultivars but it increased the contents of seed fiber and ash. Water stress increased the oil oleic acid content with a subsequent decrease in the amount of linoleic acid, resulting in an increased oil oleic/linoleic ratio for both maize cultivars. However, no variation was observed in oil stearic and palmitic acids content due to water stress. A considerable drought induced an increase in seed oil α-, γ-, δ- and total tocopherols and flavonoids were observed in both maize cultivars. However, oil phenolic and carotenoid content as well as 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity decreased. Foliar-applied proline significantly increased the content of seed sugar, oil, protein, moisture, fiber and ash in both maize cultivars under well irrigated and water deficit conditions. Furthermore, exogenous application of proline increased the oil oleic and linoleic acid contents. The concentrations of antioxidant compounds namely phenolics, carotenoids, flavonoids and tocopherols estimated in the seed oil increased due to foliar-applied proline under water deficit conditions that was positively correlated with the enhanced oil DPPH free radical scavenging activity. Moreover, the increase in the contents of these antioxidant compounds and oil antioxidant activity due to the foliar application of proline was noted to be more pronounced under water deficit conditions.

He-Ne laser-induced improvement in biochemical, physiological, growth and yield characteristics in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.).

The water-soaked seeds of sunflower were exposed to low power continuous wave He-Ne laser irradiation of energies 0, 100, 300 and 500 mJ to evaluate the effect on various biochemical, physiological, growth and yield parameters of sunflower. The experiments which consisted of four replicates arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD) were carried out under the greenhouse conditions. The physiological attributes like, photosynthetic rate (A), transpiration rate (E), intrinsic CO(2) concentration (C(i) ), stomatal conductance (g(s)), chlorophyll a and b contents, relative membrane permeability and leaf water (ψ(w)), osmotic (ψ(s)) and turgor (ψ(p)) potentials, relative water contents and leaf area increased significantly as compared to control due to He-Ne treatment of seeds. The activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalases and contents of total soluble proteins, malondialdehyde, proline and leaf total phenolic also increased due to laser treatment. Significant increase in growth parameters of sunflower like shoot fresh and dry masses, root fresh and dry masses, root and shoot lengths, number of leaves per plant and stem diameter has also been observed. The contents of K, Ca and Mg in shoot and root were also increased and an overall increase of up to 28.12% was observed due to laser treatment.

Effects of different doses of low power continuous wave he-ne laser radiation on some seed thermodynamic and germination parameters, and potential enzymes involved in seed germination of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.).

In this study, water-soaked seeds of sunflower were exposed to He-Ne laser irradiation of different energies to determine whether or not He-Ne laser irradiation caused changes to seed thermodynamic and germination parameters as well as effects on the activities of germination enzymes. The experiment comprised four energy levels: 0 (control), 100, 300 and 500mJ of laser energy and each treatment replicated four times arranged in a completely randomized design. The experimentation was performed under the greenhouse conditions in the net-house of the Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. The seed thermodynamic parameters were calculated according to seed germination thermograms determined with a calorimeter at 25.8°C for 72h. Various thermodynamic parameters of seed (ΔH, (ΔS)(e), (ΔS)(c), (ΔS)(e) /Δt and (ΔS)(c) /Δt) were affected significantly due to presowing laser treatment. Significant changes in seed germination parameters and enzyme activities were observed in seeds treated with He-Ne laser. The He-Ne laser seed treatment resulted in increased activities of amylase and protease. These results indicate that the low power continuous wave He-Ne laser light seed treatment has considerable biological effects on seed metabolism. This seed treatment technique can be potentially employed to enhance agricultural productivity.