Nanoparticles in plant resistance against bacterial pathogens: current status and future prospects.

Nanoparticles (NPs) serve immense roles in various fields of science. They have vastly upgraded conventional methods in the fields of agriculture and food sciences to eliminate growing threats of crop damage and disease, caused by various phytopathogens including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and some insects. Bacterial diseases resulted in mass damage of crops by adopting antibacterial resistance, which has proved to be a major threat leading to food scarcity. Therefore, numerous NPs with antibacterial potentials have been formulated to overcome the problem of antibiotic resistance alongside an increase in crop yield and boosting plant immunity. NPs synthesized through green synthesis techniques have proved to be more effective and environment-friendly than those synthesized via chemical methods. NPs exhibit great roles in plants ranging from enhanced crop yield to disease suppression, to targeted drug and pesticide deliveries inside the plants and acting as biosensors for pathogen detection. NPs serves major roles in disruption of cellular membranes, ROS production, altering of DNA and protein entities and changing energy transductions. This review focuses on the antibacterial effect of NPs on several plant bacterial pathogens, mostly, against Pseudomonas syringe, Ralstonia solanacearum, Xanthomonas axonopodis, Clavibacter michiganensisand Pantoea ananatis both in vivo and ex vivo, thereby minimizing their antibacterial resistance and enhancing the plants acquired immunity. Therefore, NPs present a safer and more reliable bactericidal activity against various disease-causing bacteria in plants.

Enhanced Tribological Properties of Electrodeposited Fe-W Alloy Coatings through Carburization.

Carburization is a promising surface-hardening approach to maximize the tribological and mechanical properties of metals and alloys by making thin-layer surface carbides. The current study investigates the effect of carburizing on the electrodeposited Fe-W alloy coating. This process involeves the thermal decomposition of ethanol in an argon (Ar) atmosphere at varying temperatures. The amorphous electrodeposits of Fe-W alloy coating formed at optimized current density (500 A/cm2) are transformed to the uniform W-rich reinforced bimetallic carbide (Fe3W3C) layers at a carburizing temperature of 850 °C. The sample Fe-50WC (850 °C) shows enhanced hardness and highest wear resistance with a lowest specific wear rate (10-7 mm3/Nm) as compared to the as-electrodeposited Fe-W alloy and other Fe-W, Co-W, and hard chromium coatings reported in the literature. The present strategy can be applied to develop alternative, low cost, and environmentally friendly W-based composite coatings to replace the toxic chromium coatings.

Global Trends in Halal Food Standards: A Review.

The demand for ethical foods is rising, with halal foods playing a significant role in this trend. However, halal standards vary globally, which can have substantial implications. Multiple Halal Certification Bodies (HCBs) can approve food products but they often prioritize national regulations over international alignment. To explore the similarities and differences in halal standards, we conducted a critical analysis of various standards, including Pakistan's halal standards, the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries, Majlis Ugama Islam Singapore, Majelis Ulama Indonesia, GCC Standardization Organization, Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia, ASEAN General Guideline, and the halal standards of Thailand, Iran, and Brunei, through a literature survey. While some commonalities exist, differences stemming from various Islamic schools of thought pose challenges for regulators, consumers, and food producers. Controversial issues include stunning, slaughtering, aquatic animals, insects, and labeling requirements. For example, all standards except the GSO allow non-Muslim slaughterers, and stunning is permitted in all standards except those of Pakistan. These disparities underscore the need for standardization and harmonization in the halal food industry to meet the growing demand for ethical foods.