Polyalthia longifolia-mediated green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles: characterization, photocatalytic and antifungal activities.

The biological synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) from plant extracts has emerged as a novel method for producing NPs with great scalability and biocompatibility. The present study is focused on bio-fabricated zinc oxide nanomaterial characterization and investigation of its photocatalytic and antifungal activities. ZnO NPs were biosynthesized using the leaf extract of Polyalthia longifolia without using harmful reducing or capping chemicals, which demonstrated fungicidal activity against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris. The results showed that the inhibition of the radial growth of F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceris was enhanced as the concentration increased from 100 ppm to 300 ppm. The effectiveness of the photocatalytic activity of biosynthesized ZnO NPs was analyzed using MB dye degradation in aqueous medium under ultraviolet (UV) radiation and natural sunlight. After four consecutive cycles, the photocatalytic degradation of MB was stable and was 84%, 83%, 83%, and 83%, respectively, during natural sunlight exposure. Under the UV sources, degradation reached 92%, 89%, 88%, and 87%, respectively, in 90 minutes. This study suggests that the ZnO NPs obtained from plant extract have outstanding photocatalytic and antifungal activities against F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceris and have the potential for application as a natural pest control agent to reduce pathogenesis.

Analysis of Quantitative Phytochemical Content and Antioxidant Activity of Leaf, Stem, and Bark of Gymnosporia senegalensis (Lam.) Loes.

To the best of our knowledge, there was no prior report providing valuable preliminary data through a demonstration of the quantitative phytochemical and antioxidant activity of Gymnosporia senegalensis. The total contents of phenols, flavonoid, flavanol, tannin, and saponin were evaluated from different fractions extracted from the leaf, stem, and bark of G. senegalensis by using standards such as gallic acid, quercetin, rutin, tannic acid, and saponin quillaja. The antioxidant potential was measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydrogen peroxide scavenging (H2O2), superoxide anion radical scavenging, metal chelating ferrous ion, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Data were subjected to half-inhibitory concentration (IC50) and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at p < 0.05 as a significant value. The total phenol content was found to be highest in the chloroform extract of stem at 97.7 ± 0.02 mg GAE/g. The total flavonoid and flavonol contents in the aqueous extract were 97.1 ± 0.03 mg QE/g and 96.7 ± 0.07 mg RE/g, respectively. The total tannin content in the ethyl acetate extract of leaf was 97.5 ± 0.01 mg TAE/g, and the total saponin content in the methanol extract of stem was 79.1 ± 0.06 mg SQE/g. The antioxidant analysis indicated that IC50 and percentage (%) inhibition were dose-dependent and showed the highest antioxidant activity (40.9 ± 0.9 µg/mL) in methanol extract of leaf for DPPH, (88.8 ± 1.12 µg/mL) in the chloroform extract of stem for H2O2, (43.9 ± 0.15 µg/mL) in the aqueous extract of bark for superoxide anion radical scavenging activity, (26.9 ± 0.11 µg/mL) in the chloroform extract of leaf for the metal chelating ferrous ion activity, (7.55 ± 0.10 mg/mL) in the benzene extract of leaf for FRAP, and (2.97 ± 0.01 mg/mL) in the methanol extract of bark for TAC. These results show that G. senegalensis has great potential in antioxidant activities. The isolation and characterization of specific bioactive compounds and the in vivo applicability of such activity await further extensive studies for drug discovery and development.

Micro and nanoplastics pollution: Sources, distribution, uptake in plants, toxicological effects, and innovative remediation strategies for environmental sustainability.

Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs), are minute particles resulting from plastic fragmentation, have raised concerns due to their widespread presence in the environment. This study investigates sources and distribution of MNPs and their impact on plants, elucidating the intricate mechanisms of toxicity. Through a comprehensive analysis, it reveals that these tiny plastic particles infiltrate plant tissues, disrupting vital physiological processes. Micro and nanoplastics impair root development, hinder water and nutrient uptake, photosynthesis, and induce oxidative stress and cyto-genotoxicity leading to stunted growth and diminished crop yields. Moreover, they interfere with plant-microbe interactions essential for nutrient cycling and soil health. The research also explores the translocation of these particles within plants, raising concerns about their potential entry into the food chain and subsequent human health risks. The study underscores the urgency of understanding MNPs toxicity on plants, emphasizing the need for innovative remediation strategies such as bioremediation by algae, fungi, bacteria, and plants and eco-friendly plastic alternatives. Addressing this issue is pivotal not only for environmental conservation but also for ensuring sustainable agriculture and global food security in the face of escalating plastic pollution.

Regulatory mechanisms of plant rhizobacteria on plants to the adaptation of adverse agroclimatic variables.

The mutualistic plant rhizobacteria which improve plant development and productivity are known as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). It is more significant due to their ability to help the plants in different ways. The main physiological responses, such as malondialdehyde, membrane stability index, relative leaf water content, photosynthetic leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence efficiency of photosystem-II, and photosynthetic pigments are observed in plants during unfavorable environmental conditions. Plant rhizobacteria are one of the more crucial chemical messengers that mediate plant development in response to stressed conditions. The interaction of plant rhizobacteria with essential plant nutrition can enhance the agricultural sustainability of various plant genotypes or cultivars. Rhizobacterial inoculated plants induce biochemical variations resulting in increased stress resistance efficiency, defined as induced systemic resistance. Omic strategies revealed plant rhizobacteria inoculation caused the upregulation of stress-responsive genes-numerous recent approaches have been developed to protect plants from unfavorable environmental threats. The plant microbes and compounds they secrete constitute valuable biostimulants and play significant roles in regulating plant stress mechanisms. The present review summarized the recent developments in the functional characteristics and action mechanisms of plant rhizobacteria in sustaining the development and production of plants under unfavorable environmental conditions, with special attention on plant rhizobacteria-mediated physiological and molecular responses associated with stress-induced responses.

Enhanced adsorption of Bismark Brown R dye by chitosan conjugated magnetic pectin loaded filter mud: A comprehensive study on modeling and mechanisms.

Herein, a polymer-based bioadsorbent was prepared by cross-linking chitosan to filter mud and magnetic pectin (Ch-mPC@FM) for the removal of Bismark Brown R dye (BB-R) from wastewater. Morphological characterization analysis indicated that Ch-mPC@FM had a higher surface area and better pore structure than its components. The Artificial Neuron Network (ANN) and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) were employed to evaluate the simulation and prediction of the adsorption process based on input variables like temperature, pH, dosage, initial BB-R dye concentration, and contact time. ANFIS and ANN demonstrated significant modeling and predictive accuracy, with R2 > 0.93 and R2 > 0.96, and root mean square error < 0.023 and <0.020, respectively. The Langmuir isotherm and the pseudo-second-order kinetic models provided the best fits to the equilibrium and kinetic data. The thermodynamic assessment showed spontaneous and endothermic adsorption with average entropy and enthalpy changes of 119.32 kJ mol-1 K and 403.47 kJ mol-1, respectively. The study of BB-R dye adsorption on Ch-mPC@FM revealed multiple mechanisms, including electrostatic, complexation, pore filling, cation-π interaction, hydrogen bonding, and π-π interactions. The approximate production cost of US$ 5.809 Kg-1 and excellent adsorption capability render Ch-mPC@FM an inexpensive, pragmatic, and ecologically safe bioadsorbent for BB-R dye removal from wastewater.

Sodium nitroprusside modulates oxidative and nitrosative processes in Lycopersicum esculentum L. under drought stress.

KEY MESSAGE: Sodium nitroprusside mediates drought stress responses in tomatoes by modulating nitrosative and oxidative pathways, highlighting the interplay between nitric oxide, hydrogen sulfide, and antioxidant systems for enhanced drought tolerance. While nitric oxide (NO), a signalling molecule, enhances plant tolerance to abiotic stresses, its precise contribution to improving tomato tolerance to drought stress (DS) through modulating oxide-nitrosative processes is not yet fully understood. We aimed to examine the interaction of NO and nitrosative signaling, revealing how sodium nitroprusside (SNP) could mitigate the effects of DS on tomatoes. DS-seedlings endured 12% polyethylene glycol (PEG) in a 10% nutrient solution (NS) for 2 days, then transitioned to half-strength NS for 10 days alongside control plants. DS reduced total plant dry weight, chlorophyll a and b, Fv/Fm, leaf water potential (ΨI), and relative water content, but improved hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), proline, and NO content. The SNP reduced the DS-induced H2O2 generation by reducing thiol (-SH) and the carbonyl (-CO) groups. SNP increased not only NO but also the activity of L-cysteine desulfhydrase (L-DES), leading to the generation of H2S. Decreases in S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) and NADPH oxidase (NOX) suggest a potential regulatory mechanism in which S-nitrosylation [formation of S-nitrosothiol (SNO)] may influence protein function and signaling pathways during DS. Moreover, SNP improved ascorbate (AsA) and glutathione (GSH) and reduced oxidized glutathione (GSSG) levels in tomato plants under drought. Furthermore, the interaction of NO and H2S, mediated by L-DES activity, may serve as a vital cross-talk mechanism impacting plant responses to DS. Understanding these signaling interactions is crucial for developing innovative drought-tolerance strategies in crops.

Recent advancement of nano-biochar for the remediation of heavy metals and emerging contaminants: Mechanism, adsorption kinetic model, plant growth and development.

Even though researches have shown that biochar can improve soil-health and plant-growth even in harsh environments and get rid of harmful heavy metals and new contaminants, it is still not sustainable, affordable, or effective enough. Therefore, scientists are required to develop nanomaterials in order to preserve numerous aquatic and terrestrial species. The carbonaceous chemical known as nano-biochar (N-BC) can be used to get rid of metal contamination and emerging contaminants. However, techniques to reduce hetero-aggregation and agglomeration of nano-biochar are needed that lead to the emergence of emerging nano-biochar (EN-BC) in order to maximise its capacity for adsorption of nano-biochar. To address concerns in regards to the expanding human population and sustain a healthy community, it is imperative to address the problems associated with toxic heavy metals, emerging contaminants, and other abiotic stressors that are threatening agricultural development. Nano-biochar can provide an effective solution for removal of emerging contaminants, toxic heavy metals, and non-degradable substance. This review provides the detailed functional mechanistic and kinetics of nano-biochar, its effectiveness in promoting plant growth, and soil health under abiotic stress. Nonetheless, this review paper has comprehensively illustrated various adsorption study models that will be employed in future research.

Synergistic interactions of nanoparticles and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria enhancing soil-plant systems: a multigenerational perspective.

Sustainable food security and safety are major concerns on a global scale, especially in developed nations. Adverse agroclimatic conditions affect the largest agricultural-producing areas, which reduces the production of crops. Achieving sustainable food safety is challenging because of several factors, such as soil flooding/waterlogging, ultraviolet (UV) rays, acidic/sodic soil, hazardous ions, low and high temperatures, and nutritional imbalances. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are widely employed in in-vitro conditions because they are widely recognized as a more environmentally and sustainably friendly approach to increasing crop yield in contaminated and fertile soil. Conversely, the use of nanoparticles (NPs) as an amendment in the soil has recently been proposed as an economical way to enhance the texture of the soil and improving agricultural yields. Nowadays, various research experiments have combined or individually applied with the PGPR and NPs for balancing soil elements and crop yield in response to control and adverse situations, with the expectation that both additives might perform well together. According to several research findings, interactive applications significantly increase sustainable crop yields more than PGPR or NPs alone. The present review summarized the functional and mechanistic basis of the interactive role of PGPR and NPs. However, this article focused on the potential of the research direction to realize the possible interaction of PGPR and NPs at a large scale in the upcoming years.

Comparative investigation on chemical and green synthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles against chromium (VI) stress eliciting differential physiological, biochemical, and cellular attributes in Helianthus annuus L.

Nanotechnology is a new scientific area that promotes unique concepts to comprehend the optimal mechanics of nanoparticles (NPs) in plants under heavy metal stress. The present investigation focuses on effects of synthetic and green synthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs and gTiO2 NPs) against Cr(VI). Green TiO2 NPs have been produced from plant leaf extract (Ricinus communis L.). Synthesis was confirmed employing an array of optical spectroscopic and electron microscopic techniques. Chromium strongly accelerated H2O2 and MDA productions by 227 % and 266 % at highest chromium concentration (60 mg/kg of soil), respectively, and also caused DNA damage, and decline in photosynthesis. Additionally, anomalies were observed in stomatal cells with gradual increment in chromium concentrations. Conversely, foliar applications of TiO2 NPs and gTiO2 NPs considerably mitigated chromium stress. Sunflower plants treated with modest amounts of green TiO2 NPs had significantly better growth index compared to chemically synthesized ones. Principal component analysis highlighted the variations among photosynthetic attributes, oxidative stress markers, and antioxidant defense systems. Notably, gTiO2 supplementation to the Cr(VI) strained plants minimized PC3 production which is a rare report so far. Conclusively, gTiO2 NPs have been identified to be promising nano-based nutrition resource for farming applications.

Mechanistic and future prospects in rhizospheric engineering for agricultural contaminants removal, soil health restoration, and management of climate change stress.

Climate change, food insecurity, and agricultural pollution are all serious challenges in the twenty-first century, impacting plant growth, soil quality, and food security. Innovative techniques are required to mitigate these negative outcomes. Toxic heavy metals (THMs), organic pollutants (OPs), and emerging contaminants (ECs), as well as other biotic and abiotic stressors, can all affect nutrient availability, plant metabolic pathways, agricultural productivity, and soil-fertility. Comprehending the interactions between root exudates, microorganisms, and modified biochar can aid in the fight against environmental problems such as the accumulation of pollutants and the stressful effects of climate change. Microbes can inhibit THMs uptake, degrade organic pollutants, releases biomolecules that regulate crop development under drought, salinity, pathogenic attack and other stresses. However, these microbial abilities are primarily demonstrated in research facilities rather than in contaminated or stressed habitats. Despite not being a perfect solution, biochar can remove THMs, OPs, and ECs from contaminated areas and reduce the impact of climate change on plants. We hypothesized that combining microorganisms with biochar to address the problems of contaminated soil and climate change stress would be effective in the field. Despite the fact that root exudates have the potential to attract selected microorganisms and biochar, there has been little attention paid to these areas, considering that this work addresses a critical knowledge gap of rhizospheric engineering mediated root exudates to foster microbial and biochar adaptation. Reducing the detrimental impacts of THMs, OPs, ECs, as well as abiotic and biotic stress, requires identifying the best root-associated microbes and biochar adaptation mechanisms.

Harnessing weedy rice as functional food and source of novel traits for crop improvement.

A relative of cultivated rice (Oryza sativa L.), weedy or red rice (Oryza spp.) is currently recognized as the dominant weed, leading to a drastic loss of yield of cultivated rice due to its highly competitive abilities like producing more tillers, panicles, and biomass with better nutrient uptake. Due to its high nutritional value, antioxidant properties (anthocyanin and proanthocyanin), and nutrient absorption ability, weedy rice is gaining immense research attentions to understand its genetic constitution to augment future breeding strategies and to develop nutrition-rich functional foods. Consequently, this review focuses on the unique gene source of weedy rice to enhance the cultivated rice for its crucial features like water use efficiency, abiotic and biotic stress tolerance, early flowering, and the red pericarp of the seed. It explores the debating issues on the origin and evolution of weedy rice, including its high diversity, signalling aspects, quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping under stress conditions, the intricacy of the mechanism in the expression of the gene flow, and ecological challenges of nutrient removal by weedy rice. This review may create a foundation for future researchers to understand the gene flow between cultivated crops and weedy traits and support an improved approach for the applicability of several models in predicting multiomics variables.

Cadmium negatively affects the growth and physiological status and the alleviation effects by exogenous selenium in silage maize (Zea mays L.).

Increasing soil cadmium (Cd) contamination is a serious threat to human food health and safety. In order to reduce Cd uptake and Cd toxicity in silage maize, hydroponic tests were conducted to investigate the effect of exogenous Cd on the toxicity of silage maize in this study. In the study, a combination of Cd (5, 20, 50, 80, and 10 µM) treatments was applied in a hydroponic system. With increasing Cd concentration, Cd significantly inhibited the total root length (RL), root surface area (SA), root volume (RV), root tip number (RT), and branching number (RF) of maize seedlings, which were reduced by 28.1 to 71.3%, 20.2 to 64.9%, 11.2 to 56.5%, 43.7 to 63.4%, and 38.2 to 72.6%, respectively. The excessive Cd accumulation inhibited biomass accumulation and reduced silage maize growth, photosynthesis, and chlorophyll content and activated the antioxidant systems, including increasing lipid peroxidation and stimulating catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD), but reduced the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in the root. Besides, selenium (Se) significantly decreased the Cd concentration of the shoot and root by 27.1% and 35.1% under Cd50, respectively. Our results reveal that exogenously applied Cd reduced silage maize growth and impaired photosynthesis. Whereas silage maize can tolerate Cd by increasing the concentration of ascorbate and glutathione and activating the antioxidant defense system, the application of exogenous selenium significantly reduced the content of Cd in silage maize.

Circadian-based approach for improving physiological, phytochemical and chloroplast proteome in Spinacia oleracea under salinity stress and light emitting diodes.

Salt stress is a recognized annihilating abiotic stress that has a significant impact on agricultural and horticulture crop productivity. Plant development faces three distinct dangers as a result of salt stress: oxidative stress, osmotic stress, and ionic toxicity. It has been shown that plants can forecast diurnal patterns using the circadian clock; moreover, they can manage their defensive mechanism for the detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Circadian rhythmicity in gene expression assembles transcription and translation feedback networks to govern plant shape, physiology, cellular and molecular activities. Both external and internal variables influence the systemic rhythm via input routes. The Malav Jyoti (MJ) and Delhi Green (DG) genotypes of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) were grown in the plant growth chamber. The chamber had an optimized temperature of 25 °C and humidity of 65% containing light emitting diode (LED) having Red: Blue: white (one side) and White fluorescent (other side) under salinity stress. The samples were collected on the basis of 4 h intervals of circadian hours (0 h, 4 h, 8 h and 12 h) during Day-10 and Day-20 of salt treatments. Under salt stress, the circadian and light-emitting diode-based strategy had a substantial influence on spinach's anti-oxidative responses, stomatal movement, CO2 assimilation, PS-I and II efficiency, phytochrome pigment efficiency, and photosynthesis. Based on the findings of the free radical scavenging enzyme tests, the photoperiodic hours for the proteome analysis were set to 11 am and 3 pm on Day-20. When compared to white fluorescent, this study found that LED has the capacity to influence the entrainment cues of the circadian clock in the cultivation of salt-sensitive spinach genotypes. According to our findings, changing the cellular scavenging mechanism and chloroplast proteome has increased the survival rate of spinach genotypes under LED when compared to white fluorescent.

Extracellular synthesis of silver nanoparticle using yeast extracts: antibacterial and seed priming applicationss.

The evolution and rapid spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial pathogens have become a major concern for human health and demand the development of alternative antimicrobial agents to combat this emergent threat. Conventional intracellular methods for producing metal nanoparticles (NPs) using whole-cell microorganisms have limitations, including binding of NPs to cellular components, potential product loss, and environmental contamination. In contrast, this study introduces a green, extracellular, and sustainable methodology for the bio-materialization of silver NPs (AgNPs) using renewable resource cell-free yeast extract. These extracts serve as a sustainable, biogenic route for both reducing the metal precursor and stabilizing the surface of AgNPs. This method offers several advantages such as cost-effectiveness, environment-friendliness, ease of synthesis, and scalability. HR-TEM imaging of the biosynthesized AgNPs revealed an isotropic growth route, resulting in an average size of about ~ 18 nm and shapes ranging from spherical to oval. Further characterization by FTIR and XPS results revealed various functional groups, including carboxyl, hydroxyl, and amide contribute to enhanced colloidal stability. AgNPs exhibited potent antibacterial activity against tested MDR strains, showing particularly high efficacy against Gram-negative bacteria. These findings suggest their potential role in developing alternative treatments to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Additionally, seed priming experiments demonstrated that pre-sowing treatment with AgNPs improves both the germination rate and survival of Sorghum jowar and Zea mays seedlings. KEY POINTS: •Yeast extract enables efficient, cost-effective, and eco-friendly AgNP synthesis. •Biosynthesized AgNPs showed strong antibacterial activity against MDR bacteria. •AgNPs boost seed germination and protect against seed-borne diseases.

Nanotechnology, a frontier in agricultural science, a novel approach in abiotic stress management and convergence with new age medicine-A review.

Climate change imposes various environmental stresses which substantially impact plant growth and productivity. Salinity, drought, temperature extremes, heavy metals, and nutritional imbalances are among several abiotic stresses contributing to high yield losses of crops in various parts of the world, resulting in food insecurity. Many interesting strategies are being researched in the attempt to improve plants' environmental stress tolerance. These include the application of nanoparticles, which have been found to improve plant function under stress situations. Nanotechnology will be a key driver in the upcoming agri-tech and pharmaceutical revolution, which promises a more sustainable, efficient, and resilient agricultural and medical system Nano-fertilizers can help plants utilise nutrients more efficiently by releasing nutrients slowly and sustainably. Plant physiology and nanomaterial features (such as size, shape, and charge) are important aspects influencing the impact on plant growth. Here, we discussed the most promising new opportunities and methodologies for using nanotechnology to increase the efficiency of critical inputs for crop agriculture, as well as to better manage biotic and abiotic stress. Potential development and implementation challenges are highlighted, emphasising the importance of designing suggested nanotechnologies using a systems approach. Finally, the strengths, flaws, possibilities, and risks of nanotechnology are assessed and analysed in order to present a comprehensive and clear picture of the nanotechnology potentials, as well as future paths for nano-based agri-food applications towards sustainability. Future research directions have been established in order to support research towards the long-term development of nano-enabled agriculture and evolution of pharmaceutical industry.

Nanozymes: A comprehensive review on emerging applications in cancer diagnosis and therapeutics.

Nanozymes, a new class of nanomaterials-based artificial enzymes, have gained huge attraction due to their high operational stability, working efficiency in extreme conditions, and resistance towards protease digestion. Nowadays, they are effectively substituted for natural enzymes for catalysis by closely resembling the active sites found in natural enzymes. Nanozymes can compensate for natural enzymes' drawbacks, such as high cost, poor stability, low yield, and storage challenges. Due to their transforming nature, nanozymes are of utmost importance in the detection and treatment of cancer. They enable precise cancer detection, tailored drug delivery, and catalytic therapy. Through enhanced diagnosis, personalized therapies, and reduced side effects, their adaptability and biocompatibility can transform the management of cancer. The review focuses on metal and metal oxide-based nanozymes, highlighting their catalytic processes, and their applications in the prevention and treatment of cancer. It emphasizes their potential to alter diagnosis and therapy, particularly when it comes to controlling reactive oxygen species (ROS). The article reveals the game-changing importance of nanozymes in the future of cancer care and describes future research objectives, making it a useful resource for researchers, and scientists. Lastly, outlooks for future perspective areas in this rapidly emerging field have been provided in detail.

Alginic acid-functionalized silver nanoparticles: A rapid monitoring tool for detecting the technology-critical element tellurium.

The increasing global demand for tellurium, driven by its critical role in alloys, photovoltaic devices, and electronics, has raised concerns about its environmental pollution and neurotoxicity. In response, the potential of alginic acid (AA), a renewable, low-cost, and sustainable biopolymer, was explored for the biosynthesis of ultra-small silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and their application in the detection of tellurium (Te(IV)). The effect of key synthesis parameters on desired physicochemical properties and yield of AgNPs was established to ensure high specificity and sensitivity towards Te(IV). The purified AgNPs with AA surface ligands were utilized to demonstrate a ratiometric absorbance sensor that exhibits excellent linearity and nanomolar-level affinity. This approach achieved a high correlation coefficient of ∼ 0.982, with a low detection limit of about 22 nM. Further investigations into the effect of pH, ionic strength, and organic molecules were conducted to elucidate detection performance and molecular understanding. The detection mechanism relies on the coordination between Te(IV) ions and the carboxylate groups of AA, which initiates aggregation-induced plasmon coupling in adjacent AgNPs. The capability of this analytical method to monitor Te(IV) in real-world water samples features its rapidity, user-friendliness, and suitability for point-of-care monitoring, making it a promising alternative to more complex techniques.

The molecular paradigm of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) with different phytohormone signaling pathways during drought stress in plants.

Drought is undoubtedly a major environmental constraint that negatively affects agricultural yield and productivity throughout the globe. Plants are extremely vulnerable to drought which imposes several physiological, biochemical and molecular perturbations. Increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) in different plant organs is one of the inevitable consequences of drought. ROS and RNS are toxic byproducts of metabolic reactions and poise oxidative stress and nitrosative stress that are detrimental for plants. In spite of toxic effects, these potentially active radicals also play a beneficial role in mediating several signal transduction events that lead to plant acclimation and enhanced survival under harsh environmental conditions. The precise understanding of ROS and RNS signaling and their molecular paradigm with different phytohormones, such as auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin, abscisic acid, ethylene, brassinosteroids, strigolactones, jasmonic acid, salicylic acid and melatonin play a pivotal role for maintaining plant fitness and resilience to counteract drought toxicity. Therefore, the present review provides an overview of integrated systemic signaling between ROS, RNS and phytohormones during drought stress based on past and recent advancements and their influential role in conferring protection against drought-induced damages in different plant species. Indeed, it would not be presumptuous to hope that the detailed knowledge provided in this review will be helpful for designing drought-tolerant crop cultivars in the forthcoming times.

Chitosan anchored nZVI bionanocomposites for treatment of textile wastewater: Optimization, mechanism, and phytotoxic assessment.

In recent years, there has been a growing focus on treating textile wastewater due to its escalating threat to aquatic ecosystems and exposed communities. The present study investigates the adsorption efficacy of biopolymer functionalized nanoscale zero-valent iron (CS@nZVI) composite for the treatment of textile wastewater using the RSM-CCD model. The structure and morphology of CS@nZVI were characterized using XRD, FTIR, FESEM, and EDX. CS@nZVI was then evaluated for its adsorption potential in removing COD, color, and other physico-chemical parameters from textile wastewater. The results showed the high efficacy of CS@nZVI for COD and color removal from textile wastewater. Under optimal conditions (pH 6, contact time 60 min, and 1.84 g CS@nZVI), COD removal reached a maximum of 85.53%, and decolorization efficiency was found to be 89.73%. The coefficient of determination R2 (0.98) and AIC (269.75) values suggested quadratic model as the best-fitted model for optimizing the process parameters for COD removal. Additionally, the physico-chemical parameters were found to be within permissible limits after treatment with CS@nZVI. The influence of coexisting ions on COD removal followed the order PO43- > SO42- > Cl- >Na+ > Ca2+. The kinetics data fitted well with the pseudo-first-order reaction, indicating physisorption as the primary mechanism. The thermodynamic study revealed the endothermic nature of the removal process. Reusability tests demonstrated that great regeneration capacity of spent CS@nZVIafter five consecutive cycles. Furthermore, toxicological studies showed reduced toxicity in treated samples, leading to improved growth of Vigna radiata L. These findings suggest that CS@nZVI bionanocomposites could serve as an efficient, cost-effective, and eco-friendly remediation agent for the treatment of textile effluents, presenting significant prospects for commercial applications.

Review on interactions between nanomaterials and phytohormones: Novel perspectives and opportunities for mitigating environmental challenges.

Nanotechnology offers the potential to provide innovative solutions for sustainable crop production as plants are exposed to a combination of climate change factors (CO2, temperature, UV radiation, ozone), abiotic (heavy metals, salinity, drought), and biotic (virus, bacteria, fungi, nematode, and insects) stresses. The application of particular sizes, shapes, and concentration of nanomaterials (NMs) potentially mitigate the negative impacts in plants by modulation of photosynthetic rate, redox homeostasis, hormonal balance, and nutrient assimilation through upregulation of anti-stress metabolites, antioxidant defense pathways, and genes and genes network. The present review inculcates recent advances in uptake, translocation, and accumulation mechanisms of NMs in plants. The critical theme of this review provides detailed insights into different physiological, biochemical, molecular, and stress tolerance mechanism(s) of NMs action and their cross-talk with different phytohormones. The role of NMs as a double-edged sword for climate change factors, abiotic, and biotic stresses for nutrients uptake, hormones synthesis, cytotoxic, and genotoxic effects including chromosomal aberration, and micronuclei synthesis have been extensively studied. Importantly, this review aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the hormesis effect at low and toxicity at higher doses of NMs under different stressors to develop innovative approaches and design smart NMs for sustainable crop production.