Phytochemistry, nutritional composition, health benefits and future prospects of Mespilus germanica L. (Medlar): A review.

Mespilus germanica L., commonly known as medlar, is one of two species of the Rosaceae family. The medlar plant has a long history of use in gastronomy and healthcare. Medlar waste is used to extract hazardous heavy metals from contaminated water. The nutritional value of M. germanica fruits comes from their composition of carbohydrates, carotenoids, amino acids, organic acids, proteins, vitamins, fatty acids, and vital components. M. germanica fruit contains a high concentration of important phenolic components, which contribute to its anti-diabetic and antioxidant properties. Additionally, several studies have identified diverse biological properties of the M. germanica plant, including the cytotoxic, neurodegenerative, and antibacterial properties of its fruits and leaves. Scientists are investigating underutilized plant species to address sustainability issues in food production. This review study will provide a comprehensive examination of its chemical composition, medical applications, plant waste utilization, and potential biological activities.

Simultaneous Hydrodistillation of Healthy Cedrus atlantica Manetti and Infected by Trametes pini and Ungulina officinalis: Effect on Antibacterial Activity Utilizing a Mixture-Design Method.

The Atlas cedar belongs to the Pinaceae family of trees and can be found in a crucial resinous mountain forest in Morocco that spans 133,000 hectares. This endemic species is valued for its wood quality and essential oil (EO), which has various biological activities. However, pathogenic fungi, particularly Trametes pini and Ungulina officinalis, frequently attack Atlas cedarwood, causing significant damage and loss of value. This study aims to extract EO from both healthy and infected Atlas cedarwood to promote its valorization and to assess the antibacterial properties of the resulting EOs. The EOs from healthy and sick cedarwood, as well as a combination of these woods, were extracted using hydrodistillation and simultaneous hydrodistillation. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry were used to examine the chemical compositions of the EOs. In addition, the disk diffusion method and a measurement of the minimum inhibitory concentration were used to assess the EOs' antibacterial activity against two bacterial strains, namely, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The results show that the extraction yields of healthy cedarwood, cedarwood infected by Trametes pini, and cedarwood infected by U. officinalis were 1.43 ± 0.03, 0.56 ± 0.03, and 0.26 ± 0.06%, respectively, Moreover, the antibacterial results showed that neither the healthy nor the diseased cedar oil had any impact on either strain. However, the EOs from some binary mixtures (75:25, 50:50, and 25:75%) of cedarwood infected by Trametes pini and cedarwood infected by U.ngulina officinalis and the mixture of healthy cedarwood and cedarwood infected by the two fungi inhibited the growth of S. aureus with different MIC values. The findings of this research could lead to the development of new products with antibacterial properties, such as natural disinfectants, and reduce the amount of waste generated by the cedar industry.

Simultaneous Hydrodistillation of Cedrus atlantica Manetti and Salvia rosmarinus Spenn: Optimization of Anti-Wood-Decay Fungal Activity Using Mixture Design Methodology.

Chemical fungicides are often harmful to people and the environment because of their toxicity. The wood protection industry places a high priority on replacing them with natural products. Therefore, this investigation focused on developing a formulation of a binary combination of Salvia rosmarinus Spenn and Cedrus atlantica Manetti obtained by Simultaneous hydrodistillation to protect the wood from decay using a mixture design methodology. The chemical composition of essential oil was identified by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS), and their anti-wood-decay fungal activity was assessed using the macrodilution method against four fungi responsible for wood decay: Coniophora puteana, Coriolus versicolor, Gloeophyllum trabeum, and Poria placenta. The results of GC/MS identified myrtenal as a new component appearing in all binary combinations. The optimum anti-wood-decay fungal activity was observed in a combination of 60% S. rosmarinus and 40% C. atlantica essential oils, providing an effective concentration for 50% of maximal effect (EC50) value of 9.91 ± 1.91 and 9.28 ± 1.55 µg/mL for C. puteana and C. versicolor, respectively. The highest anti-wood-decay fungal activity for G. trabeum and P. placenta was found in the combination of 55% of S. rosmarinus and 45% of C. atlantica essential oils, with EC50 values of 11.48 ± 3.73 and 22.619 ± 3.79 µg/mL, respectively. Combined simultaneous hydrodistillation improved the antifungal effect of these essential oils. These results could be used to improve antifungal activity and protect wood against wood-decay fungi.

Bacterial-Mediated Salinity Stress Tolerance in Maize (Zea mays L.): A Fortunate Way toward Sustainable Agriculture.

Sustainable agriculture is threatened by salinity stress because of the low yield quality and low crop production. Rhizobacteria that promote plant growth modify physiological and molecular pathways to support plant development and reduce abiotic stresses. The recent study aimed to assess the tolerance capacity and impacts of Bacillus sp. PM31 on the growth, physiological, and molecular responses of maize to salinity stress. In comparison to uninoculated plants, the inoculation of Bacillus sp. PM31 improved the agro-morphological traits [shoot length (6%), root length (22%), plant height (16%), fresh weight (39%), dry weight (29%), leaf area (11%)], chlorophyll [Chl a (17%), Chl b (37%), total chl (22%)], carotenoids (15%), proteins (40%), sugars (43%), relative water (11%), flavonoids (22%), phenols (23%), radical scavenging capacity (13%), and antioxidants. The Bacillus sp. PM31-inoculated plants showed a reduction in the oxidative stress indicators [electrolyte leakage (12%), H2O2 (9%), and MDA (32%)] as compared to uninoculated plants under salinity and increased the level of osmolytes [free amino acids (36%), glycine betaine (17%), proline (11%)]. The enhancement of plant growth under salinity was further validated by the molecular profiling of Bacillus sp. PM31. Moreover, these physiological and molecular mechanisms were accompanied by the upregulation of stress-related genes (APX and SOD). Our study found that Bacillus sp. PM31 has a crucial and substantial role in reducing salinity stress through physiological and molecular processes, which may be used as an alternative approach to boost crop production and yield.

Fruit Quality Characteristics of Service Tree (Sorbus domestica L.) Genotypes.

In this study, agro-morphological properties, phenolic compounds, and organic acid contents in the fruits of service tree (Sorbus domestica L.) genotypes naturally grown in Türkiye (Bolu) were determined. The fruit weights of genotypes were found to be quite variable, ranging from 5.42 g (14MR05) to 12.54 g (14MR07). The highest L*, a*, and b* fruit external color values were found to be 34.65 (14MR04), 10.48 (14MR09), and 9.10 (14MR08), respectively. The highest chroma and hue values were recorded as 12.87 (14MR09) and 49.07 (14MR04), respectively. 14MR03 and 14MR08 genotypes exhibited the highest amount of soluble solid content and titratable acidity (TA) as 20.58 and 1.55%, respectively. The pH value was found to be in the range of 3.98 (14MR010)-4.32 (14MR04). Chlorogenic acid (14MR10, 48.49 mg/100 g), ferulic acid (14MR10, 36.93 mg/100 g), and rutin (14MR05, 36.95 mg/100 g) were predominant phenolic acids observed in the fruits of service tree genotypes. The predominant organic acid in all fruit samples was malic acid (14MR07, 34.14 g/kg fresh weight basis), and the highest quantity of vitamin C was detected at 95.83 mg/100 g in genotype 14MR02. Principal component analyses (%) were performed to determine the correlation between the morphological-physicochemical (60.6%) and biochemical characteristics of genotypes (phenolic compounds: 54.3%; organic acids and vitamin C: 79.9%). It was determined that measured genotypes were important genetic resources in terms of nutritional value.

Application of Plant-Based Edible Coatings and Extracts Influences the Postharvest Quality and Shelf Life Potential of "Surahi" Guava Fruits.

Guava fruits have a short shelf life due to climacteric nature. The current work was conducted to extend the shelf life of guavas with garlic extract (GRE), ginger extract (GNE), gum arabic (GA), and Aloe vera (AV) gel coatings. After coating, fruits of guava were stored at 25 ± 3 °C and RH 85 ± 2% for 15 days. Results showed that guavas treated with plant-based edible coatings and extracts had lower weight loss than that of the control. GRE-treated guavas had the maximum shelf life in contrast to all other treatments including the control. GNE-treated guavas showed the lowest nonreducing sugar content, whereas they had higher antioxidant activity, vitamin C content, and total phenolics compared with all other coating treatments. After the control, antioxidant capacity was the highest in GNE- and GRE-treated fruits. On the other hand, GA-treated guavas had reduced total soluble solids and juice pH (more acidic) and exhibited higher total flavonoids compared with the control, while both GA- and GNE-treated guavas had the highest flavonoid content. GRE-treated fruits exhibited the highest total sugar content and taste and aroma scores. In conclusion, GRE treatment was more effective in conserving the quality and extending the shelf life of guava fruits.

Chemical Composition of Essential Oils from Nepeta transcaucasica Grossh. and Nepeta cataria L. Cultivated in Bulgaria and Their Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activity.

The genus Nepeta, belonging to the family Lamiaceae, includes about 300 species, most of which are used in folk medicine due to their pronounced biological properties. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the agrobiological characteristics of Nepeta transcaucasica (N. transcaucasica) Grossh. and Nepeta cataria (N. cataria) L., cultivated in Bulgaria, and obtain their essential oils and determine their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. The agrobiological characteristics of the two species growing in Kazanlak were analyzed; therefore, high variability in the population of N. transcaucasica and comparative homogeneity in N. cataria was shown. The species N. transcaucasica contained 0.28% essential oil with main components ß-citronellol (52.05%), eucalyptol (7.34%), ß-citronellal (6.06%), germacrene D (5.45%), (Z)-ß-ocimene (5.14%), and ß-caryophyllene (3.06%). The species N. cataria consisted of 0.19% essential oil with main components ß-citronellol (26.31%), geraniol (15.92%), neral (11.45%), nerol (9.56%), carvacrol (6.04%), and ß-citronellal (5.35%). The antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Abony was determined. The essential oils showed antimicrobial activity only against E. coli. The diameters of the inhibition zones were found to be 26 mm for the species N. transcaucasica and 10 mm for the species N. cataria. The antioxidant activity of the two essential oils was also determined by four different methods, DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and CUPRAC, with the highest values for the ABTS radical, for the species N. transcaucasica (48.72 µM TE/mL), and the species N. cataria (310 µM TE/mL).

Application of silicon and sodium hydrosulfide alleviates arsenic toxicity by regulating the physio-biochemical and molecular mechanisms of Zea mays.

Soil contamination with toxic heavy metals (such as arsenic (As)) is becoming a serious global problem due to rapid development of social economy, although the use of silicon (Si) and sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) has been found effective in enhancing plant tolerance against biotic and abiotic stresses including the As toxicity. For this purpose, a pot experiment was conducted using the different levels of As toxicity in the soil, i.e., (0 mM (no As), 50, and 100 µM) which were also supplied with the different exogenous levels of Si, i.e., (0 (no Si), 1.5, and 3 mM) and also with the NaHS, i.e., (0 (no NaHS), 1, and 2 mM) on growth, photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange characteristics, oxidative stress biomarkers, antioxidant machinery (enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants), and their gene expression, ion uptake, organic acid exudation, and As uptake of maize (Zea mays L.). Results from the present study showed that the increasing levels of As in the soil significantly (P < 0.05) decreased plant growth and biomass, photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange attributes, sugars, and nutritional contents from the roots and shoots of the plants. In contrast, increasing levels of As in the soil significantly (P < 0.05) increased oxidative stress indicators in terms of malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and electrolyte leakage and also increased organic acid exudation patter in the roots of Z. mays, although the activities of enzymatic antioxidants and the response of their gene expressions in the roots and shoots of the plants and non-enzymatic such as phenolic, flavonoid, ascorbic acid, and anthocyanin contents were initially increased with the exposure of 50 µM As, but decreased by the increasing the As concentration 100 µM in the soil. The negative impact of As toxicity can overcome the application of Si and NaHS, which ultimately increased plant growth and biomass by capturing the reactive oxygen species and decreased oxidative stress in Z. mays by decreasing the As contents in the roots and shoots of the plants. Our results also showed that the Si was more sever and showed better results when we compared with NaHS under the same treatment of As in the soil. Research findings, therefore, suggest that the combined application of Si and NaHS can ameliorate As toxicity in Z. mays, resulting in improved plant growth and composition under metal stress, as depicted by balanced exudation of organic acids.

Influence of foliar spray and post-harvest treatments on head yield, shelf-life, and physicochemical qualities of broccoli.

Rapid senescence is the key factor in the deterioration of post-harvest shelf-life in broccoli heads. This study evaluates the head yield and its related traits, and physicochemical attributes of broccoli under four foliar sprays of mineral nutrients (B, Zn, Mo, and B + Zn + Mo) with control. The interaction effects of shelf-life and physicochemical attributes of broccoli for these five pre-harvest and five post-harvest storage treatments (LDP bag, HDP vacuum pack, 2% eggshell powder solution, 2% ascorbic acid, and control) both at cold storage and room temperature were evaluated with three replications. The significantly higher marketable head yield of 28.02 t ha-1, maximum gross return [(Bangladesh Taka (BDT 420300 ha-1)], net return (BDT 30565 ha-1), and maximum benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 3.67 were obtained from the pre-harvest foliar application of B + Zn + Mo in broccoli. Pre-harvest foliar spray of combined nutrient B + Zn + Mo and post-harvest treatment high-density polyethylene (HDP, 15 µm) vacuum packaging efficiently improve post-harvest physicochemical attributes, viz., compactness, green color, texture, carbohydrates, fats, energy, antioxidants, vitamin C, and total phenols in broccoli head compared to the rest of the treatment combinations. In addition, this treatment combination also confirmed a maximum shelf-life of 24.55 days at cold storage [relative humidity (RH) 90-95% and 4°C] and 7.05 days at room temperature (RH 60-65% and 14-22°C) compared to the rest of the treatment combinations. Therefore, we recommend a pre-harvest foliar spray of combined nutrient elements B + Zn + Mo and an HDP (15 µm) vacuum post-harvest packaging for the maximum benefits for both farmers and consumers to get the best head yield, anticipated physicochemical attributes, and maximum shelf-life of broccoli.

Silicic and Ascorbic Acid Induced Modulations in Photosynthetic, Mineral Uptake, and Yield Attributes of Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) under Ozone Stress.

Most of the world's crop production and plant growth are anticipated to be seriously threatened by the increasing tropospheric ozone (O3) levels. The current study demonstrates how different mung bean genotypes reacted to the elevated level of O3 in the presence of exogenous ascorbic and silicic acid treatments. It is the first report to outline the potential protective effects of ascorbic and silicic acid applications against O3 toxicity in 12 mung bean {Vigna radiata (L.) Wilken} varieties. Under controlled circumstances, the present investigation was conducted in a glass house. There were four different treatments used: control (ambient O3 concentration of 40-45 ppb), elevated O3 (120 ppb), elevated O3 with silicic acid (0.1 mM), and elevated O3 with ascorbic acid (10 mM). Three varieties, viz. NM 20-21, NM 2006, and NM 2016, showcased tolerance to O3 toxicity. Our findings showed that ascorbic and silicic acid applications gradually increased yield characteristics such as seed yield, harvest index, days to maturity, and characteristics related to gas exchange such as transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, net photosynthetic activity, and water-use efficiency. Compared to the control, applying both growth regulators enhanced the mineral uptake across all treatments. Based on the findings of the current study, it is concluded that the subject mung bean genotypes responded to silicic acid treatment more efficiently than ascorbic acid to mitigate the harmful effects of O3 stress.

Shattering and yield expression of sesame (Sesamum indicum L) genotypes influenced by paclobutrazol concentration under rainfed conditions of Pothwar.

Seed shattering is a critical challenge that significantly reduces sesame production by 50%. These shattering losses can be reduced by selecting shattering resistant genotypes or by incorporating modern agronomic management such as paclobutrazol, which can boost productivity and prevent seed shattering in sesame. Two-years of field trials were conducted to examine the effect of sesame genotypes, environment, and paclobutrazol (PBZ) concentrations. Twelve sesame genotypes were used in a four-way factorial RCBD with three replications and five PBZ concentrations (T0 = Control; T1 = 150; T2 = 300; T3 = 450; and T4 = 600 mg L- 1) under rainfed conditions of Pothwar. The findings revealed significant variations in the major effects of all examined variables (genotypes, locations, years, and PBZ levels). Sesame genotypes PI-154304 and PI-175907 had the highest plant height, number of capsule plant- 1, seed capsule- 1, 1000 seed weight, biological yield, and seed yield, while also having the lowest seed losses and shattering percentage. Regarding environments, NARC-Islamabad generated the highest plant height, number of capsule plant- 1, shattering percentage, and biological yield; however, the URF-Koont produced the highest seed yield with the lowest shattering percentage. Additionally, plant height, capsules plant- 1, and biological yield were higher in 2021, while seed capsule- 1, 1000 seed weight, seed losses, shattering percentage, and seed yield were higher in 2020. PBZ concentration affected all measured parameters; plant height and number of seed capsule- 1 decreased with increasing PBZ concentrations. 450 mg L- 1 PBZ concentration generated the highest biomass, number of capsules plant- 1, and seed yield. At the same time, PBZ concentration 600 mg L- 1 generated the smallest plant, the lowest seed capsules- 1, the greatest thousand seed weight, and the lowest shattering percentage. The study concluded that paclobutrazol could dramatically reduce shattering percentage and shattering losses while increasing economic returns through better productivity. Based on the findings, the genotypes PI-154304 and PI-175907 with paclobutrazol level 450 mgL- 1 may be suggested for cultivation in Pothwar farming community under rainfed conditions, as they showed promising shattering resistance as well as enhanced growth and yield.

Heat-Stress-Induced Changes in Physio-Biochemical Parameters of Mustard Cultivars and Their Role in Heat Stress Tolerance at the Seedling Stage.

In the era of global warming, heat stress, particularly at the seedling stage, is a major problem that affects the production and productivity of crops such as mustard that are grown in cooler climates. Nineteen mustard cultivars were exposed to contrasting temperature regimes-20 °C, 30 °C, 40 °C and a variable range of 25-40 °C-and evaluated for changes in physiological and biochemical parameters at the seedling stage to study their role in heat-stress tolerance. Exposure to heat stress showed detrimental effects on seedling growth as revealed by reduced vigor indices, survival percentages, antioxidant activity and proline content. The cultivars were grouped into tolerant, moderately tolerant and susceptible based on the survival percentage and biochemical parameters. All the conventional and three single-zero cultivars were found to be tolerant and moderately tolerant, respectively, while double-zero cultivars were reckoned to be susceptible except for two cultivars. Significant increases in proline content and catalase and peroxidase activities were found associated with thermo-tolerant cultivars. More efficient antioxidant system activity and proline accumulation were noticed in conventional along with three single-zero (PM-21, PM-22, PM-30) and two double-zero (JC-21, JC-33) cultivars that might have provided better protection to them under heat stress than the remaining one single- and nine double-zero cultivars. Tolerant cultivars also resulted in significantly higher values of most of the yield attributing traits. Heat-stress-tolerant cultivars could easily be selected based on the survival percentage, proline and antioxidants at the seedling stage and included as efficient cultivars in breeding programs.

Efficacy of priming wheat (Triticum aestivum) seeds with a benzothiazine derivative to improve drought stress tolerance.

We evaluated the effects of different concentrations (0.05 and 0.15mM) of a benzothiazine (BTh) derivative on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in normal (100% field water capacity, FWC) and drought (60% FWC) conditions. Various morphological and physiological characteristics, and the uptake of osmo-protectants and nutrients were measured under the two FWC conditions. Results show that the drought conditions significantly reduced plant growth, affected plant composition, reduced the concentrations of photosynthetic pigments and affected gaseous exchange attributes, stomatal behaviour, and uptake fluxes of essential nutrients, while increasing the contents of different osmo-protectants and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants to decrease the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within the cells/tissues. However, seed priming with BTh reduced water stress conditions by increasing plant growth and biomass, photosynthetic pigments, stomatal behaviour, different gaseous exchange attributes, and uptake fluxes of essential nutrients compared with unprimed plants. In addition, the plant has a strong antioxidant defense system, which further increased its activities under BTh derivative treatments, to scavenge ROS production and maintain cell turgor under water stress conditions. In conclusion, drought stress-induced oxidative stress and altered the growth of T. aestivum , whereas seed priming increased plant growth and antioxidant production by improving the plant tolerance to drought. We suggest that seed priming with a BTh derivative as an effective priming technique in T. aestivum for reducing drought stress tends to benefit a grower in terms of better growth to fulfil the market demand for food cereals.

Salinity Stress Ameliorates Pigments, Minerals, Polyphenolic Profiles, and Antiradical Capacity in Lalshak.

Previous studies have shown that salinity eustress enhances the nutritional and bioactive compounds and antiradical capacity (ARC) of vegetables and increases the food values for nourishing human diets. Amaranth is a salinity-resistant, rapidly grown C4 leafy vegetable with diverse variability and usage. It has a high possibility to enhance nutritional and bioactive compounds and ARC by the application of salinity eustress. Hence, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of sodium chloride stress response in a selected Lalshak (A. gangeticus) genotype on minerals, ascorbic acid (AsA), Folin−Ciocalteu reducing capacity, beta-carotene (BC), total flavonoids (TF), pigments, polyphenolic profiles, and ARC. A high-yield, high-ARC genotype (LS6) was grown under conditions of 0, 25, 50, and 100 mM sodium chloride in four replicates following a block design with complete randomization. We recognized nine copious polyphenolic compounds in this accession for the first time. Minerals, Folin−Ciocalteu reducing capacity, AsA, BC, pigments, polyphenolic profiles, and ARC of Lalshak were augmented progressively in the order: 0 < 25 < 50 < 100 mM sodium chloride. At 50 mM and 100 mM salt concentrations, minerals, AsA, Folin−Ciocalteu reducing capacity, BC, TF, pigments, polyphenolic profiles, and ARC of Lalshak were much greater than those of the control. Lalshak could be used as valuable food for human diets as a potent antioxidant. Sodium chloride-enriched Lalshak provided outstanding quality to the final product in terms of minerals, AsA, Folin−Ciocalteu reducing capacity, BC, TF, pigments, polyphenolic profiles, and ARC. We can cultivate it as a promising alternative crop in salinity-prone areas of the world.

Pumpkin and Pumpkin Byproducts: Phytochemical Constitutes, Food Application and Health Benefits.

Nowadays, agricultural waste byproducts are exploited in the food industry rather than discarded. Pumpkin is one of the most significant vegetable crops that is widely consumed in farmland and certain urban regions. The current study was designed to measure the phytochemical constituents, food application, health benefits, and toxicity of pumpkin and pumpkin byproducts. Pumpkins and pumpkin byproducts (seeds, leaf, and skin/peel) can be utilized as functional ingredients. Different parts of the pumpkin contain bioactive compounds including carotenoids, lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin E, ascorbic acid, phytosterols, selenium, and linoleic acid. Pumpkin is used in various food sectors as a functional food, including baking, beverages, meat, and dairy industries. Furthermore, the leaves and pulp of the pumpkin are used to produce soups, purees, jams, and pies. Different parts of pumpkins have several health benefits such as antidiabetic, antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, this review paper elaborates on the pumpkins and pumpkin byproducts that can be used to develop food products and may be valuable against various diseases.

Plant Microbiome Engineering: Hopes or Hypes.

Rhizosphere microbiome is a dynamic and complex zone of microbial communities. This complex plant-associated microbial community, usually regarded as the plant's second genome, plays a crucial role in plant health. It is unquestioned that plant microbiome collectively contributes to plant growth and fitness. It also provides a safeguard from plant pathogens, and induces tolerance in the host against abiotic stressors. The revolution in omics, gene-editing and sequencing tools have somehow led to unravel the compositions and latent interactions between plants and microbes. Similarly, besides standard practices, many biotechnological, (bio)chemical and ecological methods have also been proposed. Such platforms have been solely dedicated to engineer the complex microbiome by untangling the potential barriers, and to achieve better agriculture output. Yet, several limitations, for example, the biological obstacles, abiotic constraints and molecular tools that capably impact plant microbiome engineering and functionality, remained unaddressed problems. In this review, we provide a holistic overview of plant microbiome composition, complexities, and major challenges in plant microbiome engineering. Then, we unearthed all inevitable abiotic factors that serve as bottlenecks by discouraging plant microbiome engineering and functionality. Lastly, by exploring the inherent role of micro/macrofauna, we propose economic and eco-friendly strategies that could be harnessed sustainably and biotechnologically for resilient plant microbiome engineering.

Assessment of sublethal and transgenerational effects of spirotetramat, on population growth of cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae L. (Hemiptera: Aphididae).

The cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae L.) is a devastating pest of cruciferous crops causing economic damage worldwide and notably owing to its increasing resistance to commonly used pesticides. Such resistance prompts the development of integrated pest management (IPM) programs that include novel pesticides being effective against the aphids. Spirotetramat is a novel insecticide used against sap-sucking insect pests, particularly aphids. This study evaluated the toxicity of spirotetramat to adult apterous B. brassicae after 72 h using the leaf dipping method. According to the toxicity bioassay results, the LC50 value of spirotetramat to B. brassicae was 1.304 mgL-1. However, the sublethal concentrations (LC5 and LC15) and transgenerational effects of this novel insecticide on population growth parameters were estimated using the age-stage, two-sex life table theory method. The sublethal concentrations (LC5; 0.125 mgL-1 and LC15; 0.298 mgL-1) of spirotetramat reduced the adult longevity and fecundity of the parent generation (F0). These concentrations prolonged the preadult developmental duration while decreasing preadult survival, adult longevity and reproduction of the F1 generation. The adult pre-reproductive period was also extended by spirotetramat treatment groups. Subsequently, the population growth parameters such as the intrinsic rate of increase r, finite rate of increase λ and net reproductive rate R 0 of the F1 generation were decreased in spirotetramat treatment groups whereas, the mean generation time T of the F1 generation was not affected when compared to the control. These results indicated the negative effect of sublethal concentrations of spirotetramat on the performance of B. brassicae by reducing its nymphal survival, extending the duration of some immature stages and suppressing the population growth of B. brassicae. Overall, we demonstrated that spirotetramat is a pesticide showing both sublethal activities, and transgenerational effects on cabbage aphid; it may be useful for implementation in IPM programs against this aphid pest.

Integrated Pangenome Analysis and Pharmacophore Modeling Revealed Potential Novel Inhibitors against Enterobacter xiangfangensis.

Enterobacter xiangfangensis is a novel, multidrug-resistant pathogen belonging to the Enterobacter genus and has the ability to acquire resistance to multiple antibiotic classes. However, there is currently no registered E. xiangfangensis drug on the market that has been shown to be effective. Hence, there is an urgent need to identify novel therapeutic targets and effective treatments for E. xiangfangensis. In the current study, a bacterial pan genome analysis and subtractive proteomics approach was employed to the core proteomes of six strains of E. xiangfangensis using several bioinformatic tools, software, and servers. However, 2611 nonredundant proteins were predicted from the 21,720 core proteins of core proteome. Out of 2611 nonredundant proteins, 372 were obtained from Geptop2.0 as essential proteins. After the subtractive proteomics and subcellular localization analysis, only 133 proteins were found in cytoplasm. All cytoplasmic proteins were examined using BLASTp against the virulence factor database, which classifies 20 therapeutic targets as virulent. Out of these 20, 3 cytoplasmic proteins: ferric iron uptake transcriptional regulator (FUR), UDP-2,3diacylglucosamine diphosphatase (UDP), and lipid-A-disaccharide synthase (lpxB) were chosen as potential drug targets. These drug targets are important for bacterial survival, virulence, and growth and could be used as therapeutic targets. More than 2500 plant chemicals were used to molecularly dock these proteins. Furthermore, the lowest-binding energetic docked compounds were found. The top five hit compounds, Adenine, Mollugin, Xanthohumol C, Sakuranetin, and Toosendanin demonstrated optimum binding against all three target proteins. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations and MM/GBSA analyses validated the stability of ligand-protein complexes and revealed that these compounds could serve as potential E. xiangfangensis replication inhibitors. Consequently, this study marks a significant step forward in the creation of new and powerful drugs against E. xiangfangensis. Future studies should validate these targets experimentally to prove their function in E. xiangfangensis survival and virulence.

Impression of foliar-applied folic acid on coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) to regulate aerial growth, biochemical activity, and essential oil profiling under drought stress.

Drought is one of the major environmental limitations in the crop production sector that has a great impact on food security worldwide. Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is an herbaceous angiosperm of culinary significance and highly susceptible to rootzone dryness. Elucidating the drought-induced physio-chemical changes and the foliar-applied folic acid (FA; vitamin B9)-mediated stress tolerance mechanism of coriander has been found as a research hotspot under the progressing water scarcity challenges for agriculture. The significance of folic acid in ameliorating biochemical activities for the improved vegetative growth and performance of coriander under the mild stress (MS75), severe stress (SS50), and unstressed (US100) conditions was examined in this study during two consecutive seasons. The results revealed that the plants treated with 50 mM FA showed the highest plant fresh biomass, leaf fresh biomass, and shoot fresh biomass from bolting stage to seed filling stage under mild drought stress. In addition, total soluble sugars, total flavonoids content, and chlorophyll content showed significant results by the foliar application of FA, while total phenolic content showed non-significant results under MS75 and SS50. It was found that 50 mM of FA upregulated the activity of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and ascorbate peroxidase enzymes in MS75 and SS50 plants compared with untreated FA plants. Thus, FA treatment improved the overall biological yield and economic yield regardless of water deficit conditions. FA-accompanied plants showed a decline in drought susceptibility index, while it improved the drought tolerance efficiency, indicating this variety to become stress tolerant. The optimum harvest index, essential oil (EO) percentage, and oil yield were found in MS75 followed by SS50 in FA-supplemented plants. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed a higher abundance of linalool as the major chemical constituent of EO, followed by α-terpeniol, terpinene, and p-Cymene in FA-treated SS50 plants. FA can be chosen as a shotgun tactic to improve drought tolerance in coriander by delimiting the drastic changes due to drought stress.