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Rising atmospheric CO2 levels, a significant consequence of anthropogenic activities, profoundly impact global agriculture and food security by altering plant physiological processes. Despite extensive research, a comprehensive understanding of the specific effects of elevated CO2 on maize (Zea mays L.)'s primary and secondary metabolism remains elusive. This study investigated the responses of maize seedlings cultivated in open-top chambers (OTCs) under three CO2 concentrations: ambient (380 ppm), elevated (600 ppm), and high (1800 ppm). Key growth parameters, including plant height, leaf area, and aboveground biomass (leaf and stem), were assessed alongside metabolic profiles encompassing nonstructural and structural carbohydrates, syringyl (S) and guaiacyl lignin, the syringyl-to-guaiacyl (S/G)-lignin ratio, photosynthetic pigments, total soluble protein, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The results demonstrated that exposure to 600 ppm CO2 significantly enhanced plant height, leaf area, and aboveground biomass compared to ambient conditions. Concurrently, there were notable increases in the concentrations of primary metabolites. In contrast, exposure to 1800 ppm CO2 severely inhibited these growth parameters and induced reductions in secondary metabolites, such as chlorophyll and soluble proteins, throughout the growth stages. The findings underscore the intricate responses of maize metabolism to varying CO2 levels, highlighting adaptive strategies in primary and secondary metabolism under changing atmospheric conditions. This research contributes to a nuanced understanding of maize's physiological adaptations to future climate scenarios characterized by elevated CO2, with implications for sustainable agriculture and food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of great necessity to develop new antimicrobial agents to overcome the accelerated increment in drug-resistant bacteria. The main aim of this work is to manufacture two cationic surfactants, QHETA-9 and QHETA-14, based on quaternary hexamethylenetetramine with long alkyl chains (C-9 and C-14) by simple one-step alkylation reaction. These surfactants were characterized by analytical and statistical data, including FTIR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and DLS. The antibacterial activities of QHETA-9 and QHETA-14 against some pathogenic bacterial strains were tested using agar disk diffusion method. The results exhibited that QHETA-14 has higher antibacterial activity than that of QHETA-9. It displayed inhibitory zone values for Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Enterococcus faecalis, as Gram-positive bacteria, of 22.7, 21.5 and 25.9 mm, respectively, at 200 μg/disk. Meanwhile, it recorded inhibition zone values of 17.5, 25.2 and 23.8 mm for Escherichia coli, Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Erwinia carotovora, respectively, at 200 μg/disk. As a result, the current investigation verified that the antibacterial properties of QHETA-14 were greater than those of QHETA-9 due to the increase in the length of the alkyl chain. It is clear that QHETA-14 has the potential to be used as an antibacterial agent against bacteria that cause nosocomial infections and food poisoning diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary food components have the ability to affect immune function; following absorption, specifically orally ingested dietary food containing lectins can systemically modulate the immune cells and affect the response to self- and co-administered food antigens. The mannose-binding lectins from garlic (Allium sativum agglutinins; ASAs) were identified as immunodulatory proteins in vitro. The objective of the present study was to assess the immunogenicity and adjuvanticity of garlic agglutinins and to evaluate whether they have adjuvant properties in vivo for a weak antigen ovalbumin (OVA). Garlic lectins (ASA I and ASA II) were administered by intranasal (50 days duration) and intradermal (14 days duration) routes, and the anti-lectin and anti-OVA immune (IgG) responses in the control and test groups of the BALB/c mice were assessed for humoral immunogenicity. Lectins, co-administered with OVA, were examined for lectin-induced anti-OVA IgG response to assess their adjuvant properties. The splenic and thymic indices were evaluated as a measure of immunomodulatory functions. Intradermal administration of ASA I and ASA II had showed a four-fold and two-fold increase in anti-lectin IgG response, respectively, vs. the control on day 14. In the intranasal route, the increases were 3-fold and 2.4-fold for ASA I and ASA II, respectively, on day 50. No decrease in the body weights of animals was noticed; the increases in the spleen and thymus weights, as well as their indices, were significant in the lectin groups. In the adjuvanticity study by intranasal administration, ASA I co-administered with ovalbumin (OVA) induced a remarkable increase in anti-OVA IgG response (~six-fold; p < 0.001) compared to the control, and ASA II induced a four-fold increase vs. the control on day 50. The results indicated that ASA was a potent immunogen which induced mucosal immunogenicity to the antigens that were administered intranasally in BALB/c mice. The observations made of the in vivo study indicate that ASA I has the potential use as an oral and mucosal adjuvant to deliver candidate weak antigens. Further clinical studies in humans are required to confirm its applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture in a water-limited environment is critically important for today and for the future. This research evaluates the impact of deficit irrigation in different planting methods on the physio-morphological traits, grain yield and WUE of maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment was carried out in 2015 and 2016, consisting of three planting methods (i.e., BBF, SNF, and DWF) and four irrigation levels (i.e., I10D: irrigation once in ten days, I40: irrigation at 40% DASM, I50: irrigation at 50% DASM, and I60: irrigation at 60% DASM). The results reveal that varying degrees of water stress due to planting methods and irrigation levels greatly influenced the maize physio-morphological traits and yield attributes. The combined effect of DWF + I50 benefited the maize in terms of higher leaf area, RWC, SPAD values, CGR, and LAD, followed by the SNF method at 60 DAS. As a result, DWF + I50 and SNF + I50 had higher 100 grain weight (30.5 to 31.8 g), cob weight (181.4 to 189.6 g cob−1) and grain yield (35.3% to 36.4%) compared to other treatments. However, the reduction in the number of irrigations (24.0%) under SNF + I50 resulted in a 34% water saving. Thus, under a water-limited situation in semi-arid tropics, the practice of the SNF method + I50 could be an alternative way to explore the physio-morphological benefits in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From time immemorial, humans have exploited plants as a source of food and medicines. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded 21,000 plants with medicinal value out of 300,000 species available worldwide. The promising modern "multi-omics" platforms and tools have been proven as functional platforms able to endow us with comprehensive knowledge of the proteome, genome, transcriptome, and metabolome of medicinal plant systems so as to reveal the novel connected genetic (gene) pathways, proteins, regulator sequences and secondary metabolite (molecule) biosynthetic pathways of various drug and protein molecules from a variety of plants with therapeutic significance. This review paper endeavors to abridge the contemporary advancements in research areas of multi-omics and the information involved in decoding its prospective relevance to the utilization of plants with medicinal value in the present global scenario. The crosstalk of medicinal plants with genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics approaches will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guar, the most popular vegetable, is tolerant of drought and is a valuable industrial crop enormously grown across India, Pakistan, USA, and South Africa for pharmaceutically and cosmetically usable galactomannan (gum) content present in seed endosperm. Guar genotypes with productive traits which could perform better in differential environmental conditions are of utmost priority for genotype selection. This could be achieved by employing multivariate trait analysis. In this context, Multi-Trait Stability Index (MTSI) and Multi-Trait Genotype-Ideotype Distance Index (MGIDI) were employed for identifying high-performing genotypes exhibiting multiple traits. In the current investigation, 85 guar accessions growing in different seasons were assessed for 15 morphological traits. The results obtained by MTSI and MGIDI indexes revealed that, out of 85, only 13 genotypes performed better across and within the seasons, and, based on the coincidence index, only three genotypes (IC-415106, IC-420320, and IC-402301) were found stable with high seed production in multi-environmental conditions. View on strengths and weakness as described by the MGIDI reveals that breeders concentrated on developing genotype with desired traits, such as quality of the gum and seed yield. The strength of the ideal genotypes in the present work is mainly focused on high gum content, short crop cycle, and high seed yield possessing good biochemical traits. Thus, MTSI and MGIDI serve as a novel tool for desired genotype selection process simultaneously in plant breeding programs across multi-environments due to uniqueness and ease in interpreting data with minimal multicollinearity issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research work explores the productive performance of local paddy landraces under different fertility levels as well as the role of microbial inoculants in improving the yields of paddy landraces and reducing nutrient additions by increasing nutrient use efficiency under changing climatic scenarios in coastal areas. The landrace Padmarekha recorded taller plants, more tillers per hill, higher total dry matter accumulation other than grain and straw yields besides better uptake of N, P2O5, K2O, S and Zn. Further, nutrient management with the application of 100% of the recommended doses of fertilizers combined with biofertilizers including Azospirillum + Bacillus megatherium var. Phosphoticum + Frateuria quaratia + Thiobacillus thiooxidans + Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza recorded higher growth and yield traits in addition to improving the uptake of nutrients and partial factor productivity. Thus, it can be concluded that the application of 100% of the recommended dose of fertilizer, inoculated with biofertilizers, would be helpful in increasing the efficiency of applied nutrients in addition to improving yield and nutrient use efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of Pythium oligandrum as a biocontrol agent against Pythium aphanidermatum was investigated to avoid the harmful impacts of fungicides. Three isolates of P. oligandrum (MS15, MS19, and MS31) were assessed facing the plant pathogenic P. aphanidermatum the causal agent of Glycine max damping-off. The tested Pythium species were recognized according to their cultural and microscopic characterizations. The identification was confirmed through sequencing of rDNA-ITS regions including the 5.8 S rDNA. The biocontrol agent, P. oligandrum, isolates decreased the mycelial growth of the pathogenic P. aphanidermatum with 71.3%, 67.1%, and 68.7% through mycoparasitism on CMA plates. While the half-strength millipore sterilized filtrates of P. oligandrum isolates degrade the pathogenic mycelial linear growth by 34.1%, 32.5%, and 31.7%, and reduce the mycelial dry weight of the pathogenic P. aphanidermatum by 40.1%, 37.4%, and 36.8%, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the most effective antagonistic P. oligandrum isolate (MS15) interaction showed coiling, haustorial parts of P. oligandrum to P. aphanidermatum hyphae. Furthermore, P. oligandrum isolates were proven to enhance the germination of Glycine max seedling to 93.3% in damping-off infection using agar pots and promote germination of up to 80% during soil pot assay. On the other hand, P. oligandrum isolates increase the shoot, root lengths, and the number of lateral roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetable soybean production is dependent on the development of vegetable type varieties that would be achieved by the use of germplasm to evolve new agronomically superior yielding vegetable type with beneficial biochemical traits. This can be accomplished by a better understanding of genetics, which is why the research was conducted to reveal the quantitative genetics of vegetable soybean genotypes. Genetic variability of main morphological traits in vegetable soybean genotypes and their divergence was estimated, as a result of the magnitude of genotypic variation (GV), and phenotypic variation (PV) of traits varied among the genotypes. All traits showed high heritability (h2) associated with high genetic advance percentage mean (GAM). Therefore, these variable traits are potential for genetic improvement of vegetable type soybean. Genetic diversity is the prime need for breeding, and the magnitude of genetic diversity values were maximized among specific genotypes. Eight clusters were found for all genotypes; cluster VIII and cluster I were considered to have the most diversity. Cluster VIII consisted of two genotypes (GM-6 and GM-27), based on the mean outcomes of the high yield attributing traits. Hence, these two (GM-6, GM-27) genotypes can be advanced for commercial cultivation; furthermore, other genotypes can be used as source of breeding lines for genetic improvement of vegetable soybean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive mono-cropping without a balanced supply of nutrients and declining water resources are degrading soil health, and as a consequence, agriculture production is becoming unsustainable and causing environmental degradation. The field experiment was conducted during Rabi season to assess the effect of an irrigation schedule, nutrient management, and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties on soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) and soil enzymes activities. Two nutrient levels, recommended rate of chemical fertilizer (RDF) and 50% RDF + 50% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) through farmyard manure (FYM) designated as Integrated Nutrient Sources (INS), and three irrigations levels, one irrigation at crown root initiation (CRI), two irrigations at CRI and flowering stages, and five irrigations at all main stages of the crop (CRI, tillering, jointing, flowering, and grain filling) were allocated to main-plots while four varieties of wheat, HD 2967, WR 544, HD 2987, and HD 2932, were allocated to sub-plots. The results revealed that SMBC and activities of dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase enzymes, and acid phosphatase were higher under restricted irrigation (irrigation at CRI stage) than other irrigation schedules. SMBC, dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase, and alkaline phosphatase activities were 73.0 µg g soil−1, 86.0 µg TPF g soil−1d−1, 39.6 µg PNP g soil−1 h1, and 81.8 µg PNP g−1 soil h−1, respectively, with the use of INS that was higher than RDF. Root weight and root volume followed a similar pattern. Applying single irrigation at CRI left behind the maximum available nitrogen (166.4 kg ha−1) in soil compared to other irrigation schedules and it was highest (149.31 kg ha−1) with the use of INS. Moreover, total organic carbon (TOC) was 0.44 and 0.43% higher with irrigation at CRI stages and the use of INS, respectively. The INS with single irrigation at the CRI stage is important to improve the root growth, SMBC dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, and acid phosphatase enzyme activity in the wheat production system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has increasing effects on horticultural crops. To investigate the impact of CO2 and temperature at elevated levels on tomato production and quality of fruits an experiment was conducted by growing plants in open top chambers. The tomato plants were raised at EC550 (elevated CO2 at 550 ppm) and EC700 (elevated CO2 at 700 ppm) alone and in combination with elevated temperature (ET) + 2 °C in the open top chambers. These elevate CO2 and temperature treatment effects were compared with plants grown under ambient conditions. Outcome of the experiment indicated that growth parameters namely plant stature in terms of height (152.20 cm), leaf number (158.67), canopy spread (6127.70 cm2), leaf area (9110.68 cm2) and total dry matter (223.0 g/plant) were found to be high at EC700 compared to plants grown at ambient conditions in open field. The plants grown at EC700 also exhibited significantly higher number of flowers (273.80) and fruits (261.13), more fruit weight (90.46 g) and yield (5.09 kg plant−1) compared to plants grown at ambient conditions in open field. The percent increase in fruit yield due to EC varied from 18.37 (EC550) to 21.41 (EC700) percent respectively compared to open field and the ET by 2 °C has reduced the fruit yield by 20.01 percent. Quality traits like Total Soluble Solids (3.67 °Brix), reducing sugars (2.48%), total sugars (4.41%) and ascorbic acid (18.18 mg/100 g) were found maximum in EC700 treated tomato than other elevated conditions. Keeping quality was also improved in tomato cultivated under EC700 (25.60 days) than the open field (17.80 days). These findings reveal that CO2 at 700 ppm would be a better option to improve both quantitative as well as qualitative traits in tomato. Among the combinations, EC550 + 2 °C proved better than EC700 + 2 °C with respect to yield as well as for the quality traits. The tomato grown under ET (+2 °C) alone recorded lowest growth and yield attributes compared to open field conditions and rest of the treatments. The positive influence of EC700 is negated to an extent of 14.35 % when the EC700 combined with elevated temperature of + 2 °C. The present study clearly demonstrates that the climate change in terms of increased temperature and CO2 will have a positive effect on tomato by way of increase in production and quality of fruits. Meanwhile the increase in EC beyond 700 ppm along with ET may reduce the positive effects on yield and quality of tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing the impact of planting methods and irrigation levels is needed to determine the effects on maize root morphological traits, grain yield, and water productivity in semi-arid regions. A study was initiated on maize (Zea mays L.) from 2015 to 2016, including three planting methods [i.e. broad bed and furrow (BBF), shallow and narrow furrow (SNF) and deep and wider furrow (DWF)] and four irrigation levels [i.e. irrigation once in ten days (I10D), irrigation at 40% depletion of available soil moisture (DASM, I40), irrigation at 50% DASM (I50) and irrigation at 60% DASM (I60)] arranged in a split-plot design with three replications. Results reveal that the DWF method has increased root length, root volume, root surface area and root dry weight compared to SNF and BBF (p < 0.05). DWF and SNF resulted in higher grain yield than BBF, although the DWF grain yield was non-significant with SNF but resulted in 22.40% higher irrigation application. Irrigation at I50 had a significant effect on root length, root surface area, and grain yield, regardless of planting methods. Therefore, where irrigation has been a costly and limited farm input, the practice of SNF and deficit irrigation (I50) could be a viable option for greater water saving and higher grain yields of maize. Assessing the impact of planting methods and irrigation levels is needed to determine the effects on maize root morphological traits, grain yield, and water productivity in semi-arid regions. A study was initiated on maize (Zea mays L.) from 2015 to 2016, including three planting methods [i.e. broad bed and furrow (BBF), shallow and narrow furrow (SNF) and deep and wider furrow (DWF)] and four irrigation levels [i.e. irrigation once in ten days (I10D), irrigation at 40% depletion of available soil moisture (DASM, I40), irrigation at 50% DASM (I50) and irrigation at 60% DASM (I60)] arranged in a split-plot design with three replications. Results reveal that the DWF method has increased root length, root volume, root surface area and root dry weight compared to SNF and BBF (p < 0.05). DWF and SNF resulted in higher grain yield than BBF, although the DWF grain yield was non-significant with SNF but resulted in 22.40% higher irrigation application. Irrigation at I50 had a significant effect on root length, root surface area, and grain yield, regardless of planting methods. Therefore, where irrigation has been a costly and limited farm input, the practice of SNF and deficit irrigation (I50) could be a viable option for greater water saving and higher grain yields of maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]