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Zeolitic Imidazolate (metal organic) Frameworks (ZIFs) and Prussian Blue Analogues (PBAs) are promising materials in electrochemical sensing due to their unique properties. In this study, a composite material comprising NiFe-PBA and ZIF-67 was synthesized and made to form a uniform layer onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to enhance electrochemical performance for furazolidone (FZD) detection. The synthesized NiFe-PBA/ZIF-67 composite exhibited excellent sensitivity, selectivity, and stability towards FZD detection, with a low limit of detection (LOD). The electrochemical behaviour of FZD on the NiFe-PBA/ZIF-67/GCE electrode was investigated, revealing a diffusion-controlled process. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) analysis demonstrated the synergetic effect of the PBA/MOF core-shell structure in enhancing FZD electro-reduction. The sensor exhibited exceptional LOD of 0.007 μM. Selectivity studies confirmed the sensor's ability to distinguish FZD from potential interferents. Extensive evaluations demonstrated the sensor's reproducibility, repeatability, and long-term stability, affirming its practical utility. Real sample analysis further validated the sensor's excellent analytical capabilities in diverse matrices., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The cultivation of forage crops on wastewater-irrigated soils, while common in many developing countries, poses significant risks due to heavy metal pollution, particularly Lead (Pb) and Nickel (Ni). This practice, aimed at addressing water scarcity challenges and providing affordable irrigation, was investigated for its ecological and human health implications across three diverse sites (site A, site B, and site C). Our study unveiled increases in Pb concentrations in contaminated soil, cultivated with Sesbania bispinosa showing the highest Pb accumulation. The Ni concentrations ranged from 5.34 to 10.43 across all forage crop samples, with S. fruticosa from site C displaying the highest Ni concentration and S. bicolor from site A exhibiting the lowest. Trace element concentrations in the specimens were determined using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The Pb levels in the blood, hair, and feces of farm ruminants (cows, buffaloes, and sheep) varied across the sites, with buffaloes consistently displaying the highest Pb levels. Insights into daily Pb intake by ruminant's highlighted variations influenced by plant species, animal types, and sites, with site C, the cows exhibiting the highest Health Risk Index (HRI) associated with lead exposure from consuming forage crops. Soil and forage samples showed Pb concentrations ranging from 8.003 to 12.29 mg/kg and 6.69-10.52 mg/kg, respectively, emphasizing the severe health risks associated with continuous sewage usage. Variations in Ni concentrations across animal blood, hair, and feces samples underscored the importance of monitoring Ni exposure in livestock, with sheep at site B consistently showing the highest Ni levels. These findings highlight the necessity of vigilance in monitoring trace element (Pb and Ni) exposure in forage crops and livestock, to mitigate potential health risks associated with their consumption, with variations dependent on species, site, and trace element concentrations., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Arsenic (As) contamination of agricultural soils poses a serious threat to crop productivity and food safety. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) have emerged as a potential amendment for mitigating the adverse effects of As stress in plants. Soybean crop is mostly grown on marginalized land and is known for high accumulation of As in roots than others tissue. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of ZnONPs in ameliorating arsenic toxicity in soybean. Our results demonstrated that ZnOB significantly improved the growth performance of soybean plants exposed to arsenic. This improvement was accompanied by a decrease (55%) in As accumulation and an increase in photosynthetic efficiency. ZnOB also modulated hormonal balance, with a significant increase in auxin (149%), abscisic acid (118%), gibberellin (160%) and jasmonic acid content (92%) under As(V) stress assuring that ZnONPs may enhance root growth and development by regulating hormonal signaling. We then conducted a transcriptomic analysis to understand further the molecular mechanisms underlying the NPs-induced As(V) tolerance. This analysis identified genes differentially expressed in response to ZnONPs supplementation, including those involved in auxin, abscisic acid, gibberellin, and jasmonic acid biosynthesis and signaling pathways. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified 37 potential hub genes encoding stress responders, transporters, and signal transducers across six modules potentially facilitated the efflux of arsenic from cells, reducing its toxicity. Our study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms associated with metalloid tolerance in soybean and offers new avenues for improving As tolerance in contaminated soils., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Zeeshan, Sun, Wang, Hu, Wu, Li, Salam, Zhu, Khan, Holford, Ali, Elshikh, Zhang and Zhang.)

Medicinal plants have been widely used for their antimicrobial properties against various microorganisms. Arisaema dracontium a familiar medicinal plant, was analyzed and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using extracts of different parts of its shoot including leaves and stem. Further, the antimicrobial activity of different solvent extracts such as ethyl acetate, n-hexane, ethanol, methanol, and chloroform extracts were analyzed. AgNPs were prepared using aqueous silver nitrate solution and assessed their antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant (MDR) and Non-multidrug-resistant bacteria. The characterization of AgNPs was done by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTI), and X-ray Diffraction approaches. The leaf extract contained Tannins, Flavonoids, Terpenoids, and Steroids while Alkaloids, Saponins, and Glycosides were undetected. The stem extract contained Alkaloids, Tannins, Flavonoids, Saponins, Steroids, and Glycosides while Terpenoids were not observed. The AgNPs synthesized from stem and leaf extracts in the current study had spherical shapes and ranged in size from 1 to 50 nm and 20-500 nm respectively as were visible in TEM. The leaf extract-prepared AgNPs showed significantly higher activities i.e., 27.75 mm ± 0.86 against the MDR strains as compared to the stem-derived nanoparticles i.e., 24.33 ± 0.33 by comparing the zones of inhibitions which can be attributed to the differences in their phytochemical constituents. The acute toxicity assay confirmed that no mortality was noticed when the dosage was 100 mg per kg which confirms that the confirms that the AgNPs are not toxic when used in low quantities. It is concluded that leaf extract from A. dracontium could be used against pathogenic bacteria offering economic and health benefits compared to the chemical substances., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There is no conflict of interest among the authors. All authors are agreeing to submit the paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Potato farming is a vital component of food security and the economic stability especially in the under developing countries but it faces many challenges in production, blackleg disease caused by Pectobacterium atrosepticum ( Pa ) is one of the main reason for damaging crop yield of the potato. Effective management strategies are essential to control these losses and to get sustainable potato crop yield. This study was focused on characterizing the Pa and the investigating new chemical options for its management. The research was involved a systematic survey across the three district of Punjab, Pakistan (Khanewal, Okara, and Multan) to collect samples exhibiting the black leg symptoms. These samples were analyzed in the laboratory where gram-negative bacteria were isolated and identified through biochemical and pathogenicity tests for Pa . DNA sequencing further confirmed these isolates of Pa strains. Six different chemicals were tested to control blackleg problem in both vitro and vivo at different concentrations. In vitro experiment, Cordate demonstrated the highest efficacy with a maximum inhibition zones of 17.139 mm, followed by Air One (13.778 mm), Profiler (10.167 mm), Blue Copper (7.7778 mm), Spot Fix (7.6689 mm), and Strider (7.0667 mm). In vivo , Cordate maintained its effectiveness with the lowest disease incidence of 14.76%, followed by Blue Copper (17.49%), Air One (16.98%), Spot Fix (20.67%), Profiler (21.45%), Strider (24.99%), and the control group (43.00%). The results highlight Cordate's potential as a most effective chemical against Pa , offering promising role for managing blackleg disease in potato and to improve overall productivity., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024 Hameed et al.)

Background: Optimum planting date and appropriate fertilizer module are essential facets of chrysanthemum cultivation, to enhance quality yield, and improve soil health. A field-based study was undertaken over multiple growing seasons in 2022 and 2023, where six different planting dates, viz., P 1 :June 15, P 2 :June 30, P 3 :July 15, P 4 :July 30, P 5 :August 15 and P 6 :August 30 and two fertilizer modules, FM 1 :Jeevamrit @ 30 ml plant -1 and FM 2 :NPK @ 30 g m -2 were systematically examined using a Randomized Block Design (factorial), replicated thrice., Results: P 6 planting resulted in early bud formation (44.03 days) and harvesting stage (90.78 days). Maximum plant height (79.44 cm), plant spread (34.04 cm), cut stem length (68.40 cm), flower diameter (7.83 cm), stem strength (19.38˚), vase life (14.90 days), flowering duration (24.08 days), available soil N (314 kg ha -1 ), available P (37 kg ha -1 ), available K (347 kg ha -1 ), bacterial count (124.87 × 10 7  cfu g -1 soil), actinomycetes count (60.72 × 10 2  cfu g -1 soil), fungal count (30.95 × 10 2  cfu g -1 soil), microbial biomass (48.79 µg g -1 soil), dehydrogenase enzyme (3.64 mg TPF h -1  g -1 soil) and phosphatase enzyme (23.79 mol PNP h -1  g -1 soil) was recorded in P 1 planting. Among the fertilization module, minimum days to bud formation (74.94 days) and days to reach the harvesting stage (120.95 days) were recorded with the application of NPK @30 g m -2 . However, maximum plant height (60.62 cm), plant spread (23.10 cm), number of cut stems m -2 (43.88), cut stem length (51.34 cm), flower diameter (6.92 cm), stem strength (21.24˚), flowering duration (21.75 days), available soil N (317 kg ha -1 ), available P (37 kg ha -1 ) and available K (349 kg ha -1 ) were also recorded with the application of NPK @300 kg ha -1 . Maximum vase life (13.87 days), OC (1.13%), bacterial count (131.65 × 10 7  cfu g -1 soil), actinomycetes count (60.89 × 10 2  cfu g -1 soil), fungal count (31.11 × 10 2  cfu g -1 soil), microbial biomass (51.27 µg g -1 soil), dehydrogenase enzyme (3.77 mg TPF h -1  g -1 soil) and phosphatase enzyme (21.72 mol PNP h -1  g -1 soil) were observed with the application of Jeevamrit @ 30 ml plant -1 ., Conclusion: Early planting (P 1 ) and inorganic fertilization (NPK @ 30 g m -2 ) resulted in improved yield and soil macronutrient content. The soil microbial population and enzymatic activity were improved with the jeevamrit application. This approach highlights the potential for improved yield and soil health in chrysanthemum cultivation, promoting a more eco-friendly and economically viable agricultural model., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Radiative balance, local climate, and human health are all significantly influenced by aerosol. Recent severe air pollution over Lahore, a city in Pakistan calls for more thorough research to determine the negative impacts brought on by too many aerosols. To study regional aerosol characteristics and their differences from various aspects, in-depth and long-term (2007-2020) investigations of the columnar aerosol properties over the urban environment of Lahore were carried out by using AERONET data. The Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD 400 ) and Angstrom Exponent (AE 400-870 ) vary from low values of 0.10 to a maximum value of 4.51 and from 0.03 to 1.81, respectively. The huge differences in the amount of AOD 440 as well as AE 440-870 show the large fluctuation of aerosol classes because of various sources of their emission. During the autumn and winter seasons, the decreasing trend of the optical parameters of aerosols like Single Scattering Albedo (SSA) and Asymmetry Parameter (ASY) with increasing wavelength from 675 to 1020 nm indicates the dominance of light-absorbing aerosols (biomass burning (BB) and industrial/urban (UI). Due to the long-distance dust movement during spring, summer, and autumn, coarse mode particles predominated in Lahore during the study period. Dust type (DD) aerosols are found to be the dominant one during spring (46.92%), summer (54.31%), and autumn (57.46%) while urban industry (BB/UI) was dominant during the winter season (53.21%). During each season, the clean continental (CC) aerosols are found to be in negligible amounts, indicating terrible air quality in Lahore City. The present research work fills up the study gap in the optical properties of aerosols in Lahore and will help us understand more fully how local aerosol fluctuation affects regional climate change over the urban environment of Lahore., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The medicinal Dendrobium species of Orchidaceae possess significant pharmaceutical value, and modern pharmacological research has shown that Dendrobium contains many important active ingredients. Alkaloids, the crucial components of medicinal Dendrobium, demonstrate beneficial healing properties in cardiovascular, cataract, gastrointestinal, and respiratory diseases. Members of the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP) gene family play essential roles in alkaloid synthesis, participating in alkaloid terpene skeleton construction and subsequent modifications. Although studies of the CYP family have been conducted in some species, genome-wide characterization and systematic analysis of the CYP family in medicinal Dendrobium remain underexplored. In this study, we identified CYP gene family members in the genomes of four medicinal Dendrobium species recorded in the Pharmacopoeia: D. nobile, D. chrysotoxum, D. catenatum, and D. huoshanense. Further, we analyzed the motif composition, gene replication events, and selection pressure of this family. Syntenic analysis revealed that members of the clan 710 were present on chromosome 18 in three medicinal Dendrobium species, except for D. nobile, indicating a loss of clan 710 occurring in D. nobile. We also conducted an initial screening of the CYP genes involved in alkaloid synthesis through transcriptome sequencing. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR showed that the expression of DnoNew43 and DnoNew50, homologs of secologanin synthase involved in the alkaloid synthesis pathway, was significantly higher in the stems than in the leaves. This result coincided with the distribution of dendrobine content in Dendrobium stems and leaves, indicating that these two genes might be involved in the dendrobine synthesis pathway. Our results give insights into the CYP gene family evolution analysis in four medicinal Dendrobium species for the first time and identify two related genes that may be involved in alkaloid synthesis, providing a valuable resource for further investigations into alkaloid synthesis pathway in Dendrobium and other medicinal plants., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that may have influenced the work reported in this study., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: The mountainous region of Kashmir is a biodiversity hotspot, with diverse local communities and a rich cultural history linked to nature. Mountain ecosystems are highly vulnerable to climate change. This study emphasises the need to record the indigenous ethnoecological knowledge of wild plants used for the treatment of various ailments at higher elevations in remote areas where globalisation poses a threat to this traditional knowledge., Methods: The field survey was carried out in 2020-2022, to collect data on wild medicinal plants. Informants were selected randomly to collect indigenous medicinal knowledge using semi-structured interviews and group discussions. Various quantitative indices were employed to evaluate ethnomedicinal data., Results: A total of 110 medicinal plants belonging to 49 families were recorded in the study area. These medicinal plants are extensively used by local communities for the treatment of 20 major disease categories. Asteraceae was the dominant family contributing (9.09%) to medicinal plants, followed by Polygonaceae (8.18%), Apiaceae (7.27%), Lamiaceae (5.45%), and Ranunculaceae (5.45%). We observed 166 remedies were used for the treatment of various diseases in humans, and 9 remedies were used for animals. The most frequently used medicinal remedy was tea or decoction (30.91%). Among the medicinal plants, herbs (85.5%) were most frequently used by the local populations of Kashmir, whereas leaves (10.26%) were used for the treatment of various ailments. Out of 110 species, 31 were endemic, 15 of which are endemic to the Kashmir region and 16 to the Western Himalaya. The highest RFC value was reported for Allium humile (0.77), the highest UV value for Fritillaria cirrhosa (1.33), and the highest ICF value for gastro-intestinal/digestive disorders (0.85)., Conclusions: Local communities still rely on wild medicinal plants for primary healthcare. These communities retained valuable indigenous knowledge, which needs to be preserved for the conservation and sustainable utilisation of natural resources. Further field exploration is required to fully explore indigenous knowledge in the mountainous regions of Kashmir, and this knowledge has the potential to support the ongoing ecological transition., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Chromium (Cr) contamination in soil poses a serious hazard because it hinders plant growth, which eventually reduces crop yield and raises the possibility of a food shortage. Cr's harmful effects interfere with crucial plant functions like photosynthesis and respiration, reducing energy output, causing oxidative stress, and interfering with nutrient intake. In this study, the negative effects of Cr on mung beans are examined, as well as investigate the effectiveness of Azospirillum brasilense and salicylic acid in reducing Cr-induced stress., Results: We investigated how different Cr levels (200, 300, and 400 mg/kg soil) affected the growth of mung bean seedlings with the use of Azospirillum brasilense and salicylic acid. Experiment was conducted with randomized complete block design with 13 treatments having three replications. Significant growth retardation was caused by Cr, as were important factors like shoot and root length, plant height, dry weight, and chlorophyll content significantly reduced. 37.15% plant height, 71.85% root length, 57.09% chlorophyll contents, 82.34% crop growth rate was decreased when Cr toxicity was @ 50 µM but this decrease was remain 27.80%, 44.70%, 38.97% and 63.42%, respectively when applied A. brasilense and Salicylic acid in combine form. Use of Azospirillum brasilense and salicylic acid significantly increased mung bean seedling growth (49%) and contributed to reducing the toxic effect of Cr stress (34% and 14% in plant height, respectively) due to their beneficial properties in promoting plant growth., Conclusions: Mung bean seedlings are severely damaged by Cr contamination, which limits their growth and physiological characteristics. Using Azospirillum brasilense and salicylic acid together appears to be a viable way to combat stress brought on by Cr and promote general plant growth. Greater nutrient intake, increased antioxidant enzyme activity, and greater root growth are examples of synergistic effects. This strategy has the ability to reduce oxidative stress brought on by chromium, enhancing plant resistance to adverse circumstances. The study offers new perspectives on sustainable practices that hold potential for increasing agricultural output and guaranteeing food security., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The main aim of this study was to assess the presence of microplastics in the water and sediments of the Surakarta city river basin in Indonesia. In order to accurately reflect the river basin, a deliberate selection process was employed to choose three separate sampling locations and twelve sampling points. The results of the study revealed that fragments and fibers were the primary types of microplastics seen in both water and sediment samples. Furthermore, a considerable percentage of microplastics, comprising 53.8 % of the total, had dimensions below 1 mm. Moreover, the prevailing hues identified in the water samples were blue and black, comprising 45.1 % of the overall composition. In contrast, same color categories accounted for 23.3 % of the microplastics found in the soil samples. The analysis of microplastic polymers was carried out utilizing ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, which yielded the identification of various types including polystyrene, silicone polymer, polyester, and polyamide., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Salinity stress is one of the major hurdles in agriculture which adversely affects crop production. It can cause osmotic imbalance, ion toxicity that disrupts essential nutrient balance, impaired nutrient uptake, stunted growth, increased oxidative stress, altered metabolism, and diminished crop yield and quality. However, foliar application of osmoprotectant is becoming popular to resolve this issue in crops. These osmoprotectants regulate the cellular osmotic balance and protect plants from the detrimental effects of high salt concentrations. Furthermore, the role of arbuscular mycorrhizae (AMF) is also established in this regard. These AMF effectively reduce the salinity negative effects by improving the essential nutrient balance via the promotion of root growth. That's why keeping in mind the effectiveness of osmoprotectants current study was conducted on cotton. Total of six levels of γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA = 0 mM, 0. 5 mM, and 1 mM) and ectoine (ECT = 0 mM, 0.25 mM, and 0.5 mM) were applied as treatments in 3 replications. Results showed that 0.5 mM γ-Aminobutyric acid and ectoine performed significantly best for the improvement in cotton growth attributes. It also caused significant enhancement in K and Ca contents of the leaf, stem, bur, and seeds compared to the control. Furthermore, 0.5 mM γ-Aminobutyric acid and ectoine also caused a significant decline in Cl and Na contents of leaf, stem, bur, and seeds of cotton compared to control under salinity stress. A significant enhancement in chlorophyll contents, gas exchange attributes, and decline in electrolyte leakage validated the effectiveness of 0.5 mM γ-Aminobutyric acid and ectoine over control. In conclusion, 0.5 mM γ-Aminobutyric acid and ectoine have the potential to mitigate the salinity stress in cotton., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Mushrooms play a crucial role in human life as well as in nature, providing food, medicine, and carrying out vital processes of decomposition, nutrient recycling, and developing mycorrhizal association with plants. The traditional system of knowledge about identification, collection, and usage of mushrooms has been accumulated through the shared experiences of many generations. Unfortunately, there have been continuous threats to the folk knowledge of mushrooms mainly due to habitat degradation, urbanization, and contemporary medication. The current research was, therefore, aimed to document an ethnomycological knowledge possessed by the ethnic communities of Swat, Pakistan. The purposive randomized sampling was carried out using chain referral method. Ethno-mycological information was collected from 62 informants using free listing, preference ranking, and use totaled methods. In total, 34 species of mushrooms belonging to 31 genera and 21 families were reported. About 85% of the reported species belong to Basidiomycetes, and 12.5% to Ascomycetes are used as food and for medicinal purposes. Morchella angusticeps , M. esculenta , Pleurotus sp., Auricularia sp., Flammulina velutipes , Agaricus bisporus , Ganoderma lucidum , and Sanghuangporus sanghuang were among the most cited edible and medicinal mushrooms. The current study revealed that district Swat is rich in wild edible and medicinal mushrooms (WEMs), and the local communities possess rich traditional knowledge about their collection, storage, and utilization. The diversity of WEMs of this region could contribute substantially to the socio-economic uplifting of the local communities through appropriate domestication and commercialization. Anthropogenic factors, coupled with depletion of traditional knowledge, threaten the diversity of WEMs in the region; therefore, in situ and ex situ conservation strategies are highly recommended.

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is one of the most important cash crops primarily grown for fiber. It is a perennial crop with indeterminate growth pattern. Nitrogen (N) is extremely important for vegetative growth as balanced N-nutrition improves photosynthesis, resulting in better vegetative growth. Excessive N-supply results in more vegetative growth, which increases the incidence of insect pest and diseases' infestation, pollute surface and ground water, delays maturity and produces low crop yield with poor quality. The use of plant growth regulators (PGRs) is an emerging option to control excessive vegetative growth. The PGRs help in improving plant architecture, boll retention, boll opening, yield and quality by altering growth and physiological processes such as photosynthesis, assimilate partitioning and nutrients dynamic inside the plant body. Mepiquat chloride (1,1-dimethylpiperidinum chloride) is globally used PGR for canopy development and control of excessive vegetative growth in cotton. This study investigated the effect of mepiquat chloride (MC) and N application on yield and yield components of transgenic cotton variety 'BT-FSH-326'. Two N rates (0, 198 kg ha-1) and five MC rates (0, 30,60, 90 and 120 g ha-1) were included in the study. Results revealed that MC and N application improved boll weight, number of bolls per plant, and seed cotton and lint yields. The highest seed cotton and lint yields (3595 kg ha-1 and 1701 kg ha-1, respectively) were observed under foliar application of 198 kg ha-1 N and 120 g ha-1 MC. Fiber length, fiber strength, micronaire and uniformity were significantly improved with foliar application of MC and N. In conclusion, foliar application of MC and N could be helpful in improving yield and fiber quality of cotton., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Salinity is a major threat to agricultural productivity worldwide. The selection and evaluation of crop varieties that can tolerate salt stress are the main components for the rehabilitation of salt-degraded marginal soils. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate salinity tolerance potential, growth performance, carbon (δ 13 C) and nitrogen isotope composition (δ 15 N), intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE), harvest index, and yield stability attributes in six barley genotypes (113/1B, 59/3A, N1-10, N1-29, Barjouj, Alanda01) at three salinity levels (0, 7, and 14 dS m -1 ). The number of spikes m -2 was highest in Alanda01 (620.8) while the lowest (556.2) was exhibited by Barjouj. Alanda01 produced the highest grain yield (3.96 t ha -1 ), while the lowest yield was obtained in 59/3A (2.31 t ha -1 ). Genotypes 113/1B, Barjouj, and Alanda01 demonstrate the highest negative δ 13 C values (-27.10‱, -26.49‱, -26.45‱), while the lowest values were obtained in N1-29 (-21.63‱) under salt stress. The δ 15 N was increased (4.93‱ and 4.59‱) after 7 and 14 dS m -1 as compared to control (3.12‱). The iWUE was higher in N1-29 (144.5) and N1-10 (131.8), while lowest in Barjouj (81.4). Grain protein contents were higher in 113/1B and Barjouj than other genotypes. We concluded that salt tolerant barley genotypes can be cultivated in saline marginal soils for food and nutrition security and can help in the rehabilitation of marginal lands.

In South Asia, the high costs of synthetic fertilizers have imposed research on alternative nutrient inputs. We aimed to identify potential trace elements (PTE) present in some organic manure that might be a source of environmental pollutions and risk to public health following consumption. The study aims to evaluate how different organic waste (poultry waste, PW; press mud, PM; and farmyard manure, FYM) influences the heavy metal migration in soil, the accumulation in garlic, and their potential health risks. Organic waste caused a higher accumulation of certain metals (Zn, Cu, Fe, and Co), whereas Mn, Cd, Cr, and Pb were in lower concentrations in soil. Amendments of soil with PM revealed a higher accumulation of Cd, Cr, Fe, and Pb, whereas PW resulted in Cu and Zn accumulation in garlic. Treatment of soil with FYM exhibited higher metal concentration of Co and Mn. An environmental hazard indices study revealed that pollution load index (PLI) was highest for Cu following treatment with PM. The health risk index (HRI) was greater for Cd following amendment with PM. Maximum daily intake of metals (DIM) was observed for Zn after treatment with PW. The Pb exhibited maximum bioconcentration factor (BCF) in PM-amended plants. Based on these findings, we concluded that garlic grown on contaminated soil with organic waste may pose serious health hazards following consumption.

Genetic diversity and Agro-climatic conditions contribute significantly to the agronomic and morphological features of the food plant species, and their nutraceutical potential. The present study was intended to evaluate the impact of growing conditions on total phenolic and total flavonoid contents, and in vitro antioxidant potential in the bulbs and leaves of onion varieties planted under diverse environmental conditions. Standard analytical methods were used to quantify total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and free radicals’ scavenging/antioxidant capacity. The impact of climatic and soil conditions was assessed using statistical tools. In general, onion varieties cultivated at three different locations viz. Kalar Kahar, Lahore and Swabi exhibited significant variations in TPC and TFC, and antioxidant activities. The bulbs and leaves of Mustang (V1) variety planted at Lahore and Swabi had significantly (p < 0.05), high levels of TPC (659.5 ± 6.59, and 631.1 ± 8.58 mg GAE/100 g, respectively). However, leaves of Red Orb (V2) and bulbs of Mustang (V1), and Golden Orb (V6), harvested from Kalar Kahar depicted the highest concentration of TFC (432.5 ± 10.3, 303.0 ± 6.67, and 303.0 ± 2.52 mg QE/100 g DW, respectively). Likewise, bulbs of V1 planted at Kalar Kahar, Lahore and Swabi exhibited maximum inhibition of DPPH, ABTS, and H2O2 radicals (79.01 ± 1.49, 65.38 ± 0.99, and 59.76 ± 0.90%, respectively). Golden Orb (V6) harvested from Lahore had the highest scavenging of OH radical (67.40 ± 0.09%). Likewise, bulbs of V1 variety planted at KalarKahar and Swabi had significant capacity to scavenge ferric ions (415.1 ± 10.6 mg GAE/100 g DW), and molybdate ions (213.7 ± 0.00 mg AAE/100 g DW). Conversely, leaves of Amazon (V8), planted at Lahore and Swabi depicted significant levels of DPPH, ABTS, H2O2 radical scavenging (90.69 ± 0.26, 63.55 ± 1.06, 51.86 ± 0.43%, respectively), and reduction of ferric ions (184.2 ± 6.75 mg GAE/100 g DW). V6 leaves harvested from Lahore and that of Super Sarhad (V3) from Swabi showed the highest inhibition of OH radical (61.21 ± 0.79%), and molybdate ions (623.6 ± 0.12 mg AAE/100 g DW), respectively. Pearson correlation and principal component analysis revealed strong relationships of climatic conditions, soil properties and elevation with TPC, TFC and free radicals’ scavenging potential in the bulbs and leaves of onion varieties. The variations in the total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and antioxidant potential of different varieties, and their associations with climatic and soil factors revealed the complexity of the growing conditions and genetic makeup that imposed significant impacts on the synthesis of secondary metabolites and nutraceutical potential of food and medicinal plant species.

Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa belongs to the family Rutaceae is generally known as "bael fruit tree" occuring across the south Asian countries. The current investigation screened the main derivatives from crude ethanolic extracts of the Bael tree leaf and evaluated activity effects on the larvae and adults of Aedes aegypti (L.) Dengue vector mosquito and a non-target aquatic predator. The GC-MS results showed that the peak area was found to be profound in N-methyl-1-adamantaneacetamide (N-M 1a) followed by oleic acid (OA) with 63.08 and 11.43% respectively. The larvicidal activity against the fourth instar larvae and the crude Ex-Am showed prominent mortality rate (93.60%) at the maximum dosage of 100 ppm. The mortality rate of N-M 1a and OA was occurred at 10 ppm (97.73%) and 12 ppm (95.4%). The repellent activity was found to be prominent at crude Ex-Am (50 ppm) as compared to the pure compounds (N-m 1a and OA) with maximum protection time up to 210 min. The non-target screening of Ex-Am, N-M 1a, and OA on mosquito predator Tx. splendens showed that they are scarcely toxic even at the maximum dosage of 1000 ppm (34.13%), 100 ppm (27.3%), and 120 ppm (31.3%) respectively. Thus, the present investigation clearly proved that the crude Ex-Am and their major derivatives Nm 1-a and OA showed their acute larval toxicity as well as potential mosquito repellent against the dengue mosquito and eco-safety against the mosquito predator., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The South American pinworm Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Family: Gelechiidae) is one of the most devastating lepidopteran pests in the developing countries of South America, Africa, and Asia. This pest is classified as the most serious threat for tomato production worldwide. In the present study, we analyzed RNAi-mediated control through exogenously applied dsRNA delivery on tomato. The dsRNA treatments were made to target the juvenile hormone binding protein and the v-ATPase B. Both mRNA targets were cloned, validated by sequencing, and used to produce each dsRNA. After treatments the relative transcript expression was analyzed using qRTPCR to assess to efficacy of RNAi. A leaf-dip assay was used to provide late 2nd instar larvae three feeding access periods: 24, 48, and 72 h, to evaluate the effect of gene silencing of each target. Larvae were fed tomato leaves coated with five different RNAi concentrations (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 micrograms/centimeter-squared), that suppressed two genes (juvenile hormone protein, JHBP, and vacuolar-type adenosine triphosphatase enzyme, v-ATPase). Treatments with dsRNA showed a significant increase in mortality at 24, 48, and 72 h after ingestion ( P < 0.01, α = 0.05), along with reduced leaf damage, and increased feeding deterrence. The results suggest that these two RNAi products may provide a suitable treatment for control of this and other lepidopteran pests., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Ramkumar, Asokan, Prasannakumar, Kariyanna, Karthi, Alwahibi, Elshikh, Abdel-Megeed, Ghaith, Senthil-Nathan, Kalaivani, Hunter and Krutmuang.)

In this present research, we succeeded in synthesizing nanostructured silver particles (NS-AgPs) using bio active agent present in the leaf extracts of Cleome gynandra (CG) under green synthesis. While adding silver nitrate (AgNO 3 ) solution in green extracts of CG leaf containing bio compound, the mixture turns from yellow to reddish brown, as a consequence of existence of nanostructured silver particles (NS-AgPs) and later UV instrument is used to obtain the Ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) spectra to confirm existing nanostructured silver particles (NS-AgPs) in aqueous solutions (synthesized sample). To confirm existing functional groups in NS-AgPs, the fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) study is carried throughout this research. The scanning and tunneling of wave like nature of electrons passing through powdered NS-AgPs sample gives Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images respectively, which are carried out to find out the 2-dimensional size and shape distribution of NS-AgPs. Further dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential studies are used to confirm the size and good stability of NS-AgPs respectively. It is evident that NS-AgPs exhibits a strong toxic activity against microorganism and to confirm this mechanism the antibacterial (against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) study is carried out., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

During the decomposition of trashes, leachate is created and leaching is gradually pollutes the surface and groundwater. Thus, the most severe ecological impact is the risk of ground water pollution because of collection of leachate from unlined insecure landfills. Due to the low biodegradable organic strength, irregular productivity and composition, the environmentally neglected landfill leachate treatment is challenging. This work was conducted on a synthetically effective bimetallic surface enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS) nanosensor by gold/silver-bimetallic nanoparticles (Au/Ag-NPs), and used for the specific detection of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill leachate in groundwater. The optical study of Au/Ag-NPs led to reflections from Ag cores and small Au shells. The structural studies represent the FCC structure of Au/Ag-NPs. The core-shell nanocrevice NPs with particle size of 23 nm played an important role with plasmonic behaviour enhances the electromagnetic excitation to achieve SERS detection and plasmonic photocatalysis. Thus, obtained results clearly show that Au was successfully added to Ag-NPs, and its existence can also be confirmed by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDAX). The prepared SERS based sensors have the potential to detect aromatic hydrocarbon, pesticides and heavy metals from environmentally ignored MSW landfill leachate. In general, the application of this new synergetic strategy of the photocatalytic degradation of leachate was irradiated by visible wavelength with the rate constant of 0.0036/min, 0.0047/min and 0.005/min by Ag-NPs, Au-NPs and Au/Ag-NPs respectively. Overall, this is the only study achieved efficiently with photocatalytic degradation and SERS detection of environmentally ignored real sample (leachate) to make pollutant free homeland aquifers., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and AuNPs functionalized by β-cyclodextrin (β-CD/AuNPs) were prepared successfully through chemical reduction method. The structural, morphological, optical, compositional and vibrational studies for the AuNPs and β-CD/AuNPs were carried out. Functionalization of AuNPs by β-CD was confirmed with FT-IR results. The UV-visible absorption spectra exhibit a red-shift with decreasing average particle size. This sustains the enhancement in surface area (SA) to volume (V) ratio that is one of the peculiar characteristics of nanoparticles. TEM results show that β-CD/AuNPs formed were monodispersed and self assembled. Also it shows a decrease in average particle size and improved distribution. The use of β-CD in the synthesis of AuNPs are revealed not only create uniform small sized nanoparticles but these water soluble nanoparticles have very good antibacterial action by inhibiting the growth of bacteria commonly found in water and sensing activity for sensing the concentration of toxic metals in water. The sensitivity of the system towards copper (Cu) concentration was found as 1.788/mM for β-CD/AuNPs and 1.333/mM for AuNPs. The photocatalytic action of the obtained nanoparticles increases with decreasing average particle size. The k app value of this photocatalytic degradation of textile dyeing waste water in presence of AuNPs was 0.002/min and β-CD/AuNPs was 0.005/min. This is a non-toxic and eco-friendly approach., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Heterostructured transition metal oxide hybrid have more attention in energy saving and environmental related field due to their higher electro-catalytic activity. In this work, we demonstrated SnO decorated with NiO nanocrystal electrocatalyst is successfully synthesized through solvothermal method and well characterized by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Physical characterizations confirm that spherical shape of SnO nanoparticles are homogeneously dispersed on the surface of NiO. The kinetic study of catalytic performance towards urea oxidation reaction were measured by liner sweep voltammetry and chronoamprometry. As proposed catalyst to facilitate the rate of urea oxidation reaction can increase by SnO doped NiO catalyst. The urea oxidation on SnO-NiO nanostructured modified electrode exhibits lower onset potential of 1.12 V and enhancement of current with tafel slope of 150 mV dec -1 . The obtained results demonstrated the synthesized SnO-NiO anode material could be promising electrode for urea-rich containing wastewater remediation and hydrogen production from wastewater., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This investigation was done for the assurance of potassium amassing in four assortments of maize (grains, shoot and root), soil, and water and in seven tissues of chickens (kidney, liver, heart, bone, gizzard, breast meat). The analysis of variance showed significant differences for potassium concentration in water in all sources of water; however, the season and variety significantly influenced the quantity of potassium in cereals. The corn varieties MMRI, Sadaf, and Pearl behaved differently when treated with water from various sources. Water taken from sewage had a higher concentration of potassium compared to canal and groundwater that is why the maize plants irrigated with this water had a higher grouping. Data regarding potassium concentration in different body parts of chicken showed that season and treatment have a significant effect on the potassium concentration in chicken organs. The variety was non-significant for the potassium concentration only in the bone. Season × Variety interaction was only significant in blood, meat heart, and gizzard. Season × Treatment and Variety × Treatment interactions were significant in the heart, kidney, and gizzard. The potassium contents were higher in the chicken body parts that were reared on grains irrigated with sewage water as compared to other groups. The potassium contents were higher in the chicken meat (96.23 ± 0.00) reared on grains of the Pearl variety raised with the sewage water. In a nutshell, the irrigation of grains with sewage water led to accumulation of nutrients greater than those irrigated with ground or canal water., (© 2021. This is a U.S. government work and not under copyright protection in the U.S.; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

In the present study, Allium cepa leaf extract was utilized to reduce the silver nitrate into the nanoscale range of silver ions (Ag NPs). The biosynthesized Ag NPs were extensively characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Dynamic light scattering analysis (DLS), UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The antioxidant activity of synthesized Ag NPs was verified by DPPH assay. From the results obtained from XRD and DLS studies, the size of Ag NPs was determined to be around 54.3 nm. The measured zeta potential value of -19.1 mV confirms the excellent stability of biosynthesized Ag NPs. TEM analyses reveal that the biosynthesized Ag NPs have a spherical structure of 13 nm in size. The presence of various functional groups was confirmed through FTIR studies and EDAX verifies the weight percentage of silver content in biosynthesized nanoparticles to be 30.33%. In the present study, anti-cancer activity was carried out by using breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Further, silver nanoparticles exhibited antimicrobial effectiveness against gram-positive Bacillus cereus and gram-negative Escherichia coli. The MTT assay also showed better cytotoxic activity against the MCF- 7 cell line., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The present research investigated the chemical characterization and insecticidal activity of n -Hexane extracts of Epaltes divaricata (NH-EDx) along with their chief derivatives n -Hexadecanoic acid ( n -HDa) and n -Octadecanoic acid ( n -ODa) against the dengue vector Aedes aegypti and lepidopteran pest Spodoptera litura . Chemical screening of NH-EDx through GC-MS analysis delivered nine major derivatives, and the maximum peak area percentage was observed in n -Hexadecanoic acid (14.63%) followed by n -Octadecadienoic acid (6.73%). The larvicidal activity of NH-EDx (1000 ppm), n -HDa (5 ppm), and n -ODa (5 ppm) against the A. aegypti and S. litura larvae showed significant mortality rate in a dose-dependent way across all the instars. The larvicidal activity was profound in the A. aegypti as compared to the S. litura across all the larval instars. The sublethal dosages of NH-EDx (500 ppm), n -HDa (2.5 ppm), and n -ODa (2.5 ppm) also showed alterations in the larval/pupal durations and adult longevity in both the insect pests. The enzyme activity revealed that the α- and β-carboxylesterase levels were decreased significantly in both the insect pests, whereas the levels of GST and CYP450 uplifted in a dose-dependent manner of NH-EDx, n -HDa, and n -ODa. Correspondingly, midgut tissues such as the epithelial layer (EL), gut lumen (GL), peritrophic matrix (Pm), and brush border membrane (BBM) were significantly altered in their morphology across both A. aegypti and S. litura against the NH-EDx and their bioactive metabolites. NH-EDx and their bioactive metabolites n -HDa and n -ODa showed significant larvicidal, growth retardant, enzyme inhibition, and midgut toxicity effects against two crucial agriculturally and medically challenging insect pest of ecological importance.

The dry matter partitioning is the product of the flow of assimilates from the source organs (leaves and stems) along the transport route to the storage organs (grains). A 2-year field experiment was conducted at the agronomy research farm of the University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan during 2015-2016 (Y1) to 2016-2017 (Y2) having semiarid climate. Four summer crops, pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoidum L.), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) and mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) and pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.) and four winter crops, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), fababean (Vicia faba) and rapeseed (Brassica napus) were grown under two irrigation regimes (full vs. limited irrigation) with the pattern of growing each crop either alone as sole crop or in combination of two crops in each intercropping system under both winter and summer seasons. The result showed that under full irrigated condition (no water stress), all crops had higher crop growth rate (CGR), leaf dry weight (LDW), stem dry weight (SDW), and spike/head dry weight (S/H/PDW) at both anthesis and physiological maturity (PM) than limited irrigated condition (water stress). In winter crops, both wheat and barley grown as sole crop or intercropped with fababean produced maximum CGR, LDW, SDW, S/H/PDW than other intercrops. Among summer crops, sorghum intercropped either with pigeon pea or with mungbean produced maximum CGR, LDW, SDW, and S/H/PDW at both growth stages. Sole mungbean and pigeon pea or pigeon pea and mungbean intercropping had higher CGR, LDW, SDW, S/H/PDW than millet and sorghum intercropping. On the other hand, wheat and barley grown as sole crops or intercropped with fababean produced maximum CGR, LDW, SDW, and S/H/PDW than other intercrops. Fababean grown as sole crop or intercropped with wheat produced higher CGR, LDW, SDW, and S/H/PDW at PM than intercropped with barley or rapeseed. From the results it was concluded that cereal plus legume intercropping particularly wheat/fababean in winter and sorghum/pigeon pea or sorgum/mungbean in summer are the most productive intercropping systems under both low and high moisture regimes.

The instant endeavor was undertaken to monitor copper (Cu) contents in water, soil, forage, and cow's blood impacted by heavy automobiles in Sahiwal town of district Sargodha, Pakistan. The samples were collected in triplicates with a total of 120 soil and water samples with corresponding forage samples. For the analysis of metal concentration in cows, 60 blood samples were collected from the cows feeding on these forages on selected sites. Metal contents were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results showed that water samples contained mean values of Cu concentration ranged from 1.01 to 0.444 mg/kg at all sites. It was maximum at site 3 and minimum at site 6. The soil samples of all the forage fields showed Cu mean values concentration ranged from 1.94 to 0.286 mg/kg at all sites. It was maximum in Trifolium alexandrinum grown field at site 2, and minimum in Avena sativa at site 2. All the forage samples showed the mean value of Cu concentration ranged from 0.151 to 1.86 mg/kg at all sites. The concentration of Cu was maximum in Zea mays grown at site 5 and minimum in Trifolium alexandrinum at site 4. The cow blood samples showed the mean concentration of Cu ranged from 1.368 to 0.53 mg/kg at all sites. It was maximum at site 2 and minimum at site 6. Owing to the results of pollution index and transfer factors, metal content was found to be in permissible range in forages as well as animal samples.

In this present work, we report the green synthesis of mixed bimetal oxides (CuO/NiO) for the efficient reduction of toxic nitrophenols (NP, DNP and TNP) in aqueous medium. The CuO/NiO NPs were synthesized by green hydrothermal method combined calcination process. The physiochemical properties of the synthesized CuO/NiO NPs were systematically characterized by using XRD, XPS, FTIR, SEM, and HR-TEM techniques. The calcinated CuO/NiO NPs XRD pattern and SEM morphology show the high crystalline nature than the non-calcinated. Whereas, the XPS and FTIR results confirmed the formation of the metal oxide bonding and the interaction of the bimetals. The HR-TEM images showed the spherical crystals with average particle size about 25 nm. In addition, the SAED pattern confirmed the polycrystalline nature of CuO/NiO NPs. The catalytic reduction of nitro compounds to amino derivative was studied with reducing agent (NaBH 4 ). The CuO/NiO NPs showed the high catalytic activity and completed the reduction reaction of NP, DNP and TNP with in 2, 5 and 10 min respectively. In addition, CuO/NiO NPS exhibited the excellent kinetic rate constant k value about 1.519, 0.5102, 0.4601 min -1 for NP, DNP and TNP respectively. Furthermore, the conversion product aminophenol was observed for these three nitro compounds. The proposed CuO/NiO NPs showed excellent crystal stability after the nitrophenol reduction reactions. An inexpensive CuO/NiO NPs is a promising catalysts for reduction of toxic nitro compounds to useful products in aqueous or non-aqueous medium., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Biochar, created from Prosopis Juliflora (B-PJ) through an ionic polymerization route, was utilized as a sorbent to remediate turquoise blue (TB). The biochar was described utilizing Fourier change infrared spectroscopy. The effects of operating factors such as flow rate, bed depth, concentration, and solution pH were investigated in column mode. Thomas, Yoon-Nelson, and Adams-Bohart models were applied to examine the experimental column data and the correlation between operating factors. The greatest adsorption limit of the BPJ was discovered utilizing 200 mg/L of the adsorbate, B-PJ portion 3 g, at a contact time of 150 min and pH of 6. The adsorption energy and harmony isotherms were all around spoken to by the pseudo-second-request model and the Langmuir model, separately. The most extreme adsorption limit acquired from the Langmuir isotherm model was 0.005173 mg/g. The test energy information dissected utilizing various models featured that the pseudo-second request motor model created a prevalent depiction of the trial information. The adsorption energy followed a pseudo-second-request active model with high connection coefficients (R 2 ˃0.98). These outcomes showed that alginate immobilized biochar is earth well-disposed locally accessible, powerful and practical adsorbent for the expulsion of TB color from modern wastewaters., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The photocatalytic dye degradation of pure α-Fe 2 O 3 and different concentration of Co doped α-Fe 2 O 3 is explored. Facile hydrothermal method were employed to prepare pristine, 2% and 4% Co-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles. Further, synthesized product confirmation studies were employed from X-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectrometry, Fourier-transform infrared, Raman, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope studies. The rhombohedral nanoparticles developed were enhanced photocatalytic action. Photocatalytic dye degradation studies were analyzed for prepared three samples and the photocatalytic efficacy of the obtained photocatalysts was compared experimentally. Methylene blue dye was degraded under UV-light irradiation with 364 nm. The results showed that 4% Co doped α-Fe 2 O 3 sample exhibited better dye degradation with 92% efficiency. The 4% doping of cobalt ions enhanced the photocatalytic property of Fe 2 O 3 and is a good candidate for methylene blue dye degradation above 90%. In addition, strategy for photocatalytic efficiency enhancement was proposed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We hereby declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the effects of soil amendments including biomasses (rice husk, RRH and maple leaf, RML), biochar (rice husk biochar, RHB and maple leaf biochar, MLB), and industrial by-products (red mud, RM and steel slag, SS), at two application rates (0, 1, and 2% w/w) on leaching and bioavailability of heavy metal(loid)s (HMs) (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) in the presence of an Asteraceae (i.e., lettuce). Physicochemical properties of the soil (i.e., pH, EC, CEC, and HMs leaching) and plants were examined before and after amending. The addition of amendments significantly (p < 0.05) increased soil EC (from 100 to 180 μScm -1 ) and CEC (from 7.6 to 15 meq100 g -1 ). Soil pH from 6.7 ± 0.05 increased about 2 units with increasing in the application rate of MLB, RM, and SS, while it decreased about 0.8 units in RML amended soil. Soil amendments reduced the easily leachable fractions (exchangeable and carbonate) of HMs in the order of MLB > SS > RM > RHB. The average concentration of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in plant roots and shoots decreased >30 wt% in biochars and industrial by-products amended soils, while biomasses mitigated As uptake in lettuce. Results demonstrated that adding maple-derived biochar combined with revegetation effectively immobilized HMs in a post-mining area beside an induce in plant growth parameters., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest I am Zahra Derakhshan Nejad the corresponding author of the paper entitled “Effects of environmentally friendly soil amendments on the mitigation of heavy metal(loid)s leaching and bioavailability in a post-mining area” declare that there is no conflict of interest for this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Cadmium contamination in croplands is recognized one of the major threat, seriously affecting soil health and sustainable agriculture around the globe. Cd mobility in wastewater irrigated soils can be curtailed through eco-friendly and cost effective organic soil amendments (biochars) that eventually minimizes its translocation from soil to plant. This study explored the possible effects of various types of plants straw biochar as soil amendments on cadmium (Cd) phytoavailability in wastewater degraded soil and its subsequent accumulation in sunflower tissues. The studied biochars including rice straw (RS), wheat straw (WS), acacia (AC) and sugarcane bagasse (SB) to wastewater irrigated soil containing Cd. Sunflower plant was grown as a test plant and Cd accumulation was recorded in its tissues, antioxidant enzymatic activity chlorophyll contents, plant biomass, yield and soil properties (pH, NPK, OM and Soluble Cd) were also examined. Results revealed that addition of biochar significantly minimized Cd mobility in soil by 53.4%, 44%, 41% and 36% when RS, WS, AC and SB were added at 2% over control. Comparing the control soil, biochar amended soil effectively reduced Cd uptake via plants shoots by 71.7%, 60.6%, 59% and 36.6%, when RS, WS, AC and SB. Among all the biochar, rice husk induced biochar significantly reduced oxidative stress and reduced SOD, POD and CAT activity by 49%, 40.5% and 46.5% respectively over control. In addition, NPK were significantly increased among all the added biochars in soil-plant system as well as improved chlorophyll contents relative to non-bioachar amended soil. Thus, among all the amendments, rice husk and wheat straw biochar performed well and might be considered the suitable approach for sunflower growth in polluted soil., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

The low-temperature synthesis of the graphene oxide-wrapped perovskite-type strontium titanate nanocomposites (GO@SrTiO 3 -NC) is reported for the electrochemical sensing of organochlorine pesticide 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) detection. The as-prepared GO@SrTiO 3 nanocomposites provide a large surface area, excellent conductivity, and active sites, which are more favorable to the catalysis of TCP. The synergistic effect between the GO and the perovskite SrTiO 3 results in the extended working range of 0.01 to 1.47 and 1.47 to 434.4 μM with a very low detection limit of 3.21 nM towards TCP detection. Moreover, the prepared sensor possessed good selectivity and long-term stability. Finally, the practical applicability of the sensor was tested in environmental samples of river water and soil, exhibiting adequate recovery values.

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalic acid (DEHP) is the most extensively practiced plasticizer compound and a representative endocrine disrupting pollutant. Recently, the environmental impact and toxicological causes of DHEP on human health have been extensively investigated. DEHP uptake by plants is most significant biotransformation process of DEHP in environment. In this study, Helianthus annuus (H.annuus), vastly efficient in phytoremediation of polluted soil was selected to study the uptake and phytoremediation of DEHP in contaminated soil. In addition, the effect of citric acid on enhanced uptake and removal of DEHP was also investigated. The orders of biomass concentrations showed in the CA treatments were 200 mM (60.5 g) ˃ 150 mM (54.5) ˃ 100 mM (50.2 g) ˃ 50 mM (46.5 g). The maximum shoot accumulation of DHEP (20 mg/kg) was observed at 200 mM citric acid treatment compared to all other treatments (50, 100, and 150 mM). Significant difference of the antioxidant enzymes activity (CAT, 25.7, POD, 22.5 (μmol H 2 O 2 /min/g FW) and COD 5.6 U/g FW) was observed between control and CA treatments as well as different concentrations of CA treated plants. The maximum ALP (0.17 mg.g -1 soil.24 h -1 ) and urease activities (1.65 mg.g -1 soil.24 h -1 ) were observed at 200 mM CA amended soils. The application of citric acid was significantly enhanced the H.annuus growth as well as uptake of DEHP. The results explored that the citric acid has excellent potential for the enhanced uptake of DEHP in contaminated soil., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared that they dont have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A high-performance imipramine (IMPR) sensor has been developed  based on metal chalcogenide-carbon composite materials. The antimony telluride-graphite nanofiber (Sb 2 Te 3 -GNF, hereafter SBT-GNF) composite was synthesized by the hydrothermal method and confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) pattern. The morphology, crystalline lattice, and chemical states were characterized by HRTEM, SAED, and XPS analysis. The characterizations confirmed the formation of an effective composite, SBT-GNF. The SBT-GNF was fabricated as a disposable sensor electrode with a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) and examined for the detection of IMPR by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The electroanalytical results of SBT-GNF are compared with the SBT and GNF, and the rational design of effective composite is discussed. SBT-GNF/SPCE showed a good linear range (0.01‑51.8 μM), sensitivity (1.35 ± 0.1 μA μM -1  cm -2 ), and low LOD (4 ± 2 nM). Moreover, the SBT-GNF/SPCE revealed high selectivity and high tolerance limit against potential interfering compounds in blood serum and urine samples. Therefore, this electrochemical sensor can be applicable for the detection of tricyclic antidepressant drug IMPR in clinical and pharmaceutical analysis.

Fungal pathogens exert severe qualitative and quantitative damages to wheat crop. Karnal bunt of wheat caused by Tilletia indica Mitra, Mundkur is a severe threat to global food security. Nonetheless, T. indica is regulated as a quarantine pest in numerous countries, which further aggravates the situation. Tolerant varieties and appropriate management practices for Karnal bunt are imperative to meet the global wheat demands. This two-year study explored the impact of fungicide [Fosetyl-Aluminium (Aliette)] application timing on allometric traits, disease suppression and economic returns of bread wheat. Four bread wheat cultivars differing in their tolerance to Karnal bunt were used in the study. Fungicide was applied as either seed treatment (ST), foliar application at heading (FAH) or ST + FAH, whereas no application (NA) was taken as control. Lasani-08 performed better than the rest of the cultivars in terms of allometric traits (plant height, leaf area, crop growth rate, photosynthesis, and chlorophyll content), yield and economic returns. Nonetheless, minimal disease severity was recorded for Lasani-08 compared to other cultivars during both years. The ST improved allometric traits of all cultivars; however, ST + FAH resulted in higher yield and economic returns. Cultivar Pasban-90 observed the highest disease severity and performed poor for allometric traits, yield and economic returns. It is concluded that ST + FAH of Fosetyl-Aluminium could be a pragmatic option to cope Karnal bunt of wheat. Nonetheless, Pasban-90 must not be used for cultivation to avoid yield and quality losses., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Whitefly ( Bemisia tabaci )-transmitted Geminiviruses cause serious diseases of crop plants in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Plants, animals, and their microbial symbionts have evolved complex ways to interact with each other that impact their life cycles. Blocking virus transmission by altering the biology of vector species, such as the whitefly, can be a potential approach to manage these devastating diseases. Virus transmission by insect vectors to plant hosts often involves bacterial endosymbionts. Molecular chaperonins of bacterial endosymbionts bind with virus particles and have a key role in the transmission of Geminiviruses. Hence, devising new approaches to obstruct virus transmission by manipulating bacterial endosymbionts before infection opens new avenues for viral disease control. The exploitation of bacterial endosymbiont within the insect vector would disrupt interactions among viruses, insects, and their bacterial endosymbionts. The study of this cooperating web could potentially decrease virus transmission and possibly represent an effective solution to control viral diseases in crop plants.

Background: Biofilm forming ability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa make them vulnerable, because it makes them recalcitrant against various antibiotics. Quorum sensing (QS) is cell density based signaling that helps in bacterial cell-cell communication, which regulated various virulence factors such as pigment and biofilm formation that contribute in the establishment of chronic infections. The interruption of QS is one of the effective approach to control various virulence factors. Present study was intended with the aim to authenticate antibiofilm potential in different solvents based extracts of selected medicinal plant species viz. Berginia ciliata, Clematis grata and Clematis viticella traditionally used by the inhabitants of Himalayan region of Pakistan to treat various pathogenic diseases. P. aeruginosa PAO1, an opportunistic pathogen and involves in various life-threatening infections specifically in immune deficient patients was used as a model pathogen., Methods: Plants were extracted in various organic (ethanol, methanol, acetone, ethyl acetate, hexane, chloroform) as well as in aqueous solvents and their ability to inhibit biofilm was measured. Biofilm of PAO1 was grown in Jensen's medium while growing at 30°C and crystal violet assay was performed to assess the biofilm inhibiting activity of plant extracts., Results: Solvents play a vital role in extraction of plant components and it was found that the plants in various solvents exhibit different activity against the PAO1 biofilm. Comparatively, 1% methanolic extract of B. ciliata (rhizome with skin), showed more than 80% inhibition of biofilm formation without effecting on the growth of the bacterium. Significant correlation between flavonoids content and antibiofilm activity in methanolic extract revealed the contribution of secondary metabolites in P. aeruginosa (PAO1) biofilm inhibition., Conclusion: Our study revealed that plants under investigation more specifically B. ciliata could be a potential candidate for drug discovery to treat P. aeruginosa PAO1, induced infectious diseases especially for its biofilm treatment., (Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Xanthium strumarium L. (Common cocklebur) is a noxious weed prevailing in different ecosystems around the world. It incurs significant yield and economic losses in different cropping systems globally. Successful management of any weed species depends on sound knowledge of seed germination biology. However, detailed knowledge on seed germination biology of the species is missing. Therefore, we investigated the impact of different environmental factors on seed germination and seed burial depths on seedling emergence of two X. strumarium populations. The impact of different sorghum mulch doses (0-10 t ha-1) on seedling emergence of the tested populations was also explored. Seed germination was evaluated under different photoperiods (0, 12 and 24), constant temperatures (0-50°C with 5°C stepwise rise), and different levels of pH (3-12), salinity (0-600 mM) and osmotic potential (0 to -1.6 MPa). Seedling emergence was observed for seeds buried at different depths (0-15 cm). Seeds of both populations proved non-photoblastic; however, higher germination was recorded under 12-hour photoperiod. The seeds germinated under a wide range of constant temperatures (10-45°C), pH (4-10), osmotic potentials (0 to -0.8 MPa) and salinity levels (0-400 mM NaCl). However, the highest germination was observed under 30-31°C temperature and neutral pH (7.51-7.52). Seeds were able to withstand 400 mM salinity and -1.00 MPa osmotic potential. Seedling emergence was initially improved with increasing burial depth and then a sharp decline was noted for the seeds buried >3 cm depth. Most of the seeds of both populations did not emerge from >8 cm depth. Different sorghum mulch doses linearly suppressed seedling emergence of tested populations, and 5.83-5.89 t ha-1 mulch application suppressed 50% of seedling emergence. Seedling emergence was completely retarded with 8 t ha-1 sorghum mulch. The tested populations germinated under diverse environmental circumstances indicating that the species can become troublesome in marginal habitats and cropped lands. Deep burial of seeds and application of sorghum mulches suppressed seedling emergence. Thus, deep burial followed by shallow tillage and application of sorghum mulches could be used as a successful strategy to manage the species in agricultural fields. Nonetheless, management strategies must be developed to control the species in other habitats., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

In this study, we have prepared anatase titanium (IV) oxide warped reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites (TiO 2 -rGO NC) using ultrasonic methodology. The morphology of the TiO 2 -rGO NC was studied using FESEM and TEM. In addition, XRD, Raman, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and XPS are used to analyze the crystallinity and chemical composition of the TiO 2 -rGO NC. We have also investigated the electrochemical behavior of the as-prepared NCs with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and different pulse voltammetry techniques (DPV). The TiO 2 -rGO NC modified electrode shows the lower charge transfer resistance (R ct ) of 62.87 Ω. Next, the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified with sonochemically prepared TiO 2 -rGO NC and used to determine the electrocatalytic reduction of nitrofurazone (NTF). Thus, the proposed sensor established the wider covering range (WCR) of 0.01 to 380 µM and an excellent detection limit of 2.28 nM. Finally, the TiO 2 -rGO NC/GCE was applied to determine the NTF in real samples, including crayfish and human blood serum samples, which acquired good found and recovery values.

Background: The interaction of specially designed nanoparticles with proteins is the basis of formation of a nanoparticle-protein corona. Silver nanoparticles and molecules have been used in many fields due to their strong antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast and fungi. E. coli is a Gram-negative bacteria that has the genome completely sequenced and determined majority of its protein 3D structures. Nitrate Reductase A is a cellular protein often found in many bacteria that uses nitrate as an electron acceptor during anaerobic growth. The enzyme is composed of three different chains α, β and γ, all having properties of metal binding regions and domains., Methods: Bioinformatics tools were used to investigate the structure, domains, interactomes, and docking sites of E. coli Nitrate Reductase A in order to predict the possible site of interaction of silver nitrate AgNO 3 with the protein. The 3D structure of the NAR A protein was predicted with the Phyre2 protein modeling software. The generated structures from Phyre2 were validated and evaluated by analysis of Ramachandran plots using RAMPAGE online software. To understand the evolutionary relationships between the subunits of Nitrate Reductase A, a phylogenetic tree was constructed using Phylogeny.fr., Results: All cysteine and histidine residues in amino acid sequences were identified; 3D structure of subunits predicted together with Ramachandran plots, and the electrostatic potential was computed using various bioinformatics tools. The reactive cationic property of silver ion leads to attachment to specific anionic regions and active sites of the three subunits causing in many prokaryotic cells deactivation of nitrate reductase. Obtained results showed the possible sites of attachment of silver ions and their reactivity with domains that have metal bonding properties. In silico analysis of silver nanoparticles and nitrate reductase is helpful to treat various infections diseases caused by E. coli., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

High-intensity ultrasound can be used to produce novel materials, offering an atypical pathway to recognized products without high bulk temperatures, high pressures, or long reaction times. A highly sensitive and selective robust modified sensor was developed using a composition of electrochemically active strontium metal (Sr) based tungstate interconnected with nafion polymer through a facile sonochemical approach. In addition, multiple parameters are important for sonochemical methods and specifically nanomaterial or electrocatalyst development during the ultrasonic irradiation. Moreover, high-intensity ultrasonic probe (Ti-horn) was used to synthesis of nanomaterial at 50 kHz and 200 W. The SrWO 4 /nafion was characterized via FESEM, EDX and XRD methods. 8-HD-guanosine (8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine) is one of the major byproduct of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) oxidation. The concentrations of 8-HD-guanosine within a cell are a measurement of oxidative stress in body and however its excess level in body causes carcinogenic threats. Therefore, the quantification of 8-HD-guanosine in biological samples with high sensitivity is of great significance. The SrWO 4 /nafion modified sensor displayed low detection of 14.36 nM and wide linear range (0.025-398.6 µM), compare to previous reports., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A nanostructured and high conductive cupric oxide (CuO NPs) with hierarchical CeO 2 sheets-like structure was synthesized by a facile sonochemical approach. Furthermore, CuO/CeO 2 nanostructure is synthesized by high-intensity ultrasonic probe (Ti-horn, 50 kHz and 100 W) at ambient air. Moreover, the synthesized CuO/CeO 2 material was characterized by various analytical techniques including FESEM, EDX, XRD and electrochemical methods. Then, the synthesized CuO/CeO 2 composite was applied for the electrocatalytic detection of dopamine using CV and DPV techniques. In addition, the CuO/CeO 2 modified electrode has good electrocatalytic performance with high linear range from 0.025 to 98.5 µM towards the determination of dopamine drug and high sensitivity of the CuO/CeO 2 modified drug sensor was calculated as 16.34 nM and 4.823 μA·µM -1 ·cm -2 , respectively. Moreover, a repeatability, reproducibility and stability of the CuO@CeO 2 mixture modified electrode were analyzed towards the determination of dopamine biomolecule. Interestingly, the real time application of CuO@CeO 2 modified electrode was established in different serum and drug samples., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The chloroplasts genome encodes several key proteins that involves in the process of the photosynthesis and also in other metabolic processes important for growth and development, yield, biomass, and plant interactions with their environment. The present study aimed to sequencing of cp genome of Fagonia indica Burm.f (Zygophyllaceae), -a plant that occurs even in the hot desert condition of the inner zone of Rub' al-Khali (the Empty Quarter) of south-central Arabia, and its comparative analyses with the representative of the sequence of the different categories [viz. (a) with the other member of the family Zygophyllaceae, and with the representatives from: (b) different clade of the angiosperms, (c) flowering plants occurs in different major habitats, (d) different groups of plants, (e) different group of plants having range of biomass, (f) C3 and C4 plants, and (g) the representative from very common, rare and major high yielding crop of the world] to unravel the genetic pattern of similarity and variations. The comparison of F. indica genome in different categories showed strong evidence and further support for the conservative pattern of chloroplast genome, the coding and non-coding region remains conserved even in phylogenetically distant eukaryotic clades, and might not have the sole roles in organism's yield, rarity or abundance and biomass, and in encountering the stress. Nevertheless, the result could be useful for molecular phylogenetic and molecular ecological and molecular mechanism of photosynthesis., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2019 King Saud University.)

Solena amplexicaulis (Lam.) Gandhi (Family Cucurbitaceae) is one of the important plant species used by the Irula tribes of Walayar valley of southern Western Ghats, India for the management of diabetes. To confirm the antidiabetic property of S. amplexicaulis , the present study was addressed using crude methanolic leaf extract of S. amplexicaulis (MeOHSa) and its isolated compound, Forskolin against streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), blood glucose, lipid profile, serum liver markers, antioxidants, hemoglobin and glycogen were evaluated using standard procedure. The oral administration of Forskolin and MeOHSa (600 mg/kg b.w.) for 30 days resulted in significant restoration of all these parameters supported by histopathological observations too. The results clearly suggest that the Forskolin (diterpene) possess potent antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic activities, which may be considered as a lead molecule for therapeutic purposes, and the source of Forskolin i.e. S. amplexicaulis can be further exploited for pharmaceutical industries., (© 2018 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.)