ABSTRACT
This study examines the challenges Pakistani farmers face in adopting global good agricultural practices (GGAP) and highlights the limitations in infrastructure and cost-based clauses. A questionnaire based on GGAP's fruit and vegetable module version 5.0 was developed and validated by the Department of Environmental Sciences, Government College University, Faisalabad. This was a survey-based study of 15 farmers divided into 5 groups according to their annual farm turnover. The findings of the study indicated that, although the basic paperwork requirements of GGAP were implementable, clauses related to capital investment and technical record-keeping were not. Results showed that 90-100% of farmers considered risk assessments, training, and documentation on their farms. However, 42-56% of clauses related to record-keeping, installation, visual presentation, and infrastructure development, and 24-37% of clauses related to external testing, health, safety, and hygiene were declared not implementable. The study revealed a need for adapting GGAP standards to Pakistan's unique agricultural conditions, suggesting the development of localized standards for more practical implementation. The study's findings highlight crucial insights for policymakers and stakeholders in the agriculture sector and suggest the need for target strategies to overcome implementation barriers and optimize the adaptation of Global GAP in Pakistan that would help to increase exports of agricultural commodities.
ABSTRACT
Water scarcity due to overuse and growing water pollution has led to the need for upgrading of conventional methods of wastewater treatment. The biological synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) and their photocatalytic capacity to degrade contaminants offer a promising and environment-friendly approach to municipal wastewater treatment. This technique is advantageous due to its cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and reduction in toxic residual substances. In this study, microbial-synthesized ZnO-NPs were used for the treatment of municipal wastewater. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of treated wastewater for wheat crop cultivation. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized from a pre-isolated bacterial strain, namely Shewanela sp., and characterized using UV-VIS, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses. The results showed that after the treatment of wastewater, the concentration of total dissolve solids (TDS), the chemical oxygen demand (COD), and sulfate and phosphate levels decreased by 76.5%, 57.1%, 81.1%, and 67.4%, respectively. However, the application of treated wastewater increased chlorophyll, carotenoids, and antioxidants by 45%, 40.8%, and 10.5 to 30.6%, respectively. Further, the application of treated wastewater also significantly decreased oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) by 8.1% and 30.1%, respectively. In conclusion, biosynthesized ZnO-NPs could be an important choice to treat municipal wastewater and to improve wheat productivity.
