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Soil zinc (Zn) deficiency is a major cause of Zn-malnutrition, low yields, and low nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in wheat. Improving grain Zn concentration and NUE in wheat without compromising yield has become a global concern. A study was therefore conducted to explore the potential of Zn-solubilizing bacteria (ZnSB) and Zn oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) for improving Zn biofortification and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in wheat. Two strains of ZnSB (Pseudomonas aeruginosa(YZn1) and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia(WZn1)) were isolated from field soil and selected for study based on Zn solubilization efficiency, IAA production, and Zn release efficiency. The potential of soil and foliar applications of ZnONPs separately, or in combination with consortia of ZnSB, to enhance wheat Zn concentrations, productivity and NUE was evaluated. The treatments tested were: Control (T1), ZnSB (T2), ZnSO4(soil application; T3), ZnONPs (foliar application; T4), ZnSB + ZnONPs (soil and foliar applications respectively; T5), and ZnONPs + ZnSB (soil applications of both) + ZnONPs (foliar application) (T6). Soil application of ZnONPs when combined with ZnSB and a foliar application of ZnONPs (T6) significantly (P≤ 0.05) improved yield and yield traits compared to the control (T1) and ZnSO4(T3) treatments. Notably, T6increased chlorophyll SPAD value, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, harvest index (HI), and grain Zn concentration by 27.61%, 29.63%, 53.54%, 23.07%, and 89.06% respectively, over control (T1). The T6treatment also increased grain zinc concentration and yield relative to T3by 20.95% and 6.12% respectively. The NUE was also increased in response to T6, with significantly higher nitrogen physiological efficiency (48.79 g g− 1), agronomic use efficiency (27.08 g g− 1), nitrogen harvest index (80.84%), and partial factor productivity (61.34 g g− 1). However, the maximum Zn apparent recovery (71.02%) was observed in plants subjected to T5. Combined application of ZnSB and ZnONPs in the soil along with foliar application of ZnONPs can replace conventional application of ZnSO4for maximum yield, Zn-enriched grain, and improved NUE in wheat when grown in Zn-deficient soils.

Temperature and precipitation significantly influence the cultivation of Soybean (Glycine maxL.) across the globe. Therefore, the current investigation was planned to evaluate the impacts of these climate change indicators on the phenology and yield of this oilseed legume. For this purpose, the experiments were conducted during June-September of 2019 and 2020 in the rainfed and irrigated regions of Pakistan. Four soybean cultivars, Rawal‑1, Ajmeri, NARC‑2, and NARC-16, were planted on three sowing dates, viz. 15 June, 30 June, and 15 July. The impacts of water availability and climatic conditions were assessed by a relationship between planting dates and phenological and yield parameters. Results revealed that flowering, pod formation, and maturity days were more remarkable in plants cultivated on June 15, while late plantation took the least days to mature. Leaf area index (LAI) and total dry matter (TDM) accelerated 50–70 days after planting. The highest LAI and TDM were observed in the NARC-16 cultivar under all environments, but it performed exceptionally well under irrigated conditions. A similar response was observed in the yield of the early planted NARC-16 cultivar, whereas Rawal‑1 plants produced the least LAI, TDM, and yield regardless of sowing time and environment. The cultivar NARC-16 had a promising yield when sown during the 2nd–3rd week of June and performed equally better under rainfed and irrigated conditions. Therefore, this cultivar is recommended for cultivation for improved production of Soybean in the irrigated and rainfed regions of Pakistan.

Higher pH of calcareous soils and mineral fertilizers lowers the bioavailability of plant nutrients. Hence, it requires amending the nature of nutrients input through suitable bioactive materials, like sulfur (S), organic, microbial, and nano-materials. This study assessed the effects of S-enriched composites of organo-phosphate (OP) and bio-organic phosphate (BOP) on soil and plant attributes. Elemental sulfur (ES) and nano-sulfur (NS) were admixed separately in compost and rock phosphate (RP) with/without sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB), viz., Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans. Sulfur-based amalgams were incubated at 25–35 °C for 60 days to develop S-enriched organo-phosphate (ES-OP) and bio-organic phosphate (ES-BOP and NS-BOP) composites. Greenhouse and micro-plot experiments were conducted to evaluate the impact of these composites on nutrients bioavailability and vegetative growth of maize. Treatments included control (no sulfur), ES (12.5 kg ha−1), ES-OP (50 kg ha−1), ES-BOP (50 kg ha−1), and NS-BOP (50 kg ha−1) application in soil. Inoculation with SOB in both ES-BOP and NS-BOP reduced the pH and increased macronutrients as compared to ES-OP. Thus, ES-BOP and NS-BOP improved maize growth and soil nutrients status. Composite NS-BOP rendered the highest N, P, K, and S concentrations in both soil and plants due to lower soil pH. Application of S-BOP containing Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans, and use of nano-S are beneficial for improving nutrients bioavailability and plant growth in calcareous soils via pH reduction. These composites are low-cost, nutrients-rich, and have greater efficiency than fertilizers in calcareous soil.

ABSTRACTIn vitrorecalcitrance of wheat to regeneration is the major bottleneck for its improvement through callus-based genetic transformation. Nanotechnology is one of the most dynamic areas of research, which can transform agriculture and biotechnology to ensure food security on sustainable basis. Present study was designed to investigate effects of CuSO4, AgNO3and their nanoparticles on tissue culture responses of mature embryo culture of wheat genotypes (AS-2002 and Wafaq-2001). Initially, MS-based callus induction and regeneration medium were optimized for both genotypes using various concentrations of auxin (2,4-D, IAA) and cytokinins (BAP, kinetin). The genotypes differed for embryogenic callus induction and regeneration potential. Genotype AS-2002 yielded maximum embryogenic calli in response to 3.0 mg/l 2,4-D, whereas Wafaq-2001 offered the highest embryogenic calli against 3.5 mg/l 2,4-D supplemented in the induction medium. Genotype AS-2002 showed maximum regeneration (59.33%) in response to regeneration protocol comprising 0.5 mg/l IAA, 0.3 mg/l BAP and 1.0 mg/l Kin, while Wafaq-2001 performed best in response to 0.5 mg/l IAA, 0.3 mg/l BAP and 1.5 mg/l Kin with 55.33% regeneration efficiency. The same optimized basal induction and regeneration medium for both genotypes were further used to study effects of CuSO4, AgNO3and their nano-particles employing independent experiments. The optimized induction medium fortified with various concentrations of CuSO4or CuNPs confirmed significant effects on frequency of embryogenic callus. Addition of either 0.020 mg/l or 0.025 mg/l CuSO4, or 0.015 mg/l CNPs showed comparable results for embryogenic callus induction and were statistically at par with embryogenic callus induction of 74.00%, 75.67% and 76.83%, respectively. Significantly higher regeneration was achieved from MS-based regeneration medium supplemented with 0.015 mg/l or 0.020 mg/l CuNPs than standard 0.025 mg/l CuSO4. In another study, the basal induction and regeneration medium were fortified with AgNO3or AgNPs ranging from 1 to 7 mg/l along with basal regeneration media devoid of AgNO3or AgNPs (control). The maximum embryogenic calli were witnessed from medium fortified with 3.0 mg/l or 4.0 mg/l AgNPs compared with control and rest of the treatments. The standardized regeneration medium fortified with 5.0 mg/l AgNO3or 3.0 mg/l AgNPs showed pronounced effect on regeneration of wheat genotypes and offered maximum regeneration compared with control. The individual and combined effect of Cu and Ag nanoparticles along with control (basal regeneration media of each genotype) was also tested. Surprisingly, co-application of metallic NPs showed a significant increase in embryogenic callus formation of genotypes. Induction medium supplemented with 0.015 mg/l CuNPs + 4.0 mg/l AgNPs or 0.020 mg/l CuNPs + 2.0 mg/l AgNPs showed splendid results compared to control and other combination of Cu and Ag nanoparticles. The maximum regeneration was achieved by co-application of 0.015 mg/l CuNP and 4.0 mg/l AgNPs with 21% increment of regeneration over control. It is revealed that CuNPs and AgNPs are potential candidate to augment somatic embryogenesis and regeneration of mature embryo explants of wheat.Abbreviations: 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid), BAP (6-benzylaminopurine), IAA (Indole-3-acetic acid), AgNPs (silver nanoparticles), CuNPs (copper nanoparticles)

The advent of modern wireless telecommunications and the revolutionary development of ubiquitous computing have led to the rapid growth of a novel paradigm: the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT is a collection of devices connected through the Internet with access to computing that enables automated decision making without human intervention. A smart city is a municipality that leverages the use of information and communication technologies in general, and the IoT in particular, to optimize daily operations, such as traffic, transportation, power, water supply networks, waste transportation, law enforcement, education, health care, and other community services. Smart cities around the world are taking advantage of modern technologies to improve their services and enhance the quality of service and welfare for their citizens.

A new type of therapeutic equipment is designed herein, using concepts of convective heat transfer and spray cooling, to treat patients suffering from brain-hyperthermia. The equipment is aimed to provide emergency treatment in order to prevent disability or possible mortality because thermoregulatory system of the patients fails to maintain a homeostasis. The equipment uses noncontact method of forced convection, applied uniformly at body exteriors. The heat exchanger is designed to contain four independent pipe-sections with orifice openings around the body. The cool-air, maintained within ASHRAE’s thermal comfort bounds, is sprayed through the orifices. Design improvements have been made on the basis of image analysis of the flow. The boundary layer (BL) analysis has also been performed over a specially designed mannequin with induced hyperthermia characteristics. The testing indicates a decay of ∼6 °C in 280 min with a time constant of 2 h. Comparative to existing techniques, in addition to being a noncontact approach, the equipment shows better thermoregulatory performance along with a flexibility to accommodate different body contours.

The article focuses on the wheat flour chapatti, the importance of the bread in the Pakistani diet and several techniques for extending the shelf life of the chapatti including the addition of antimycotic agent, the application of treatment and proper packaging.