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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).)

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.)

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.)

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary intake of contaminated crops with heavy metals causes serious human health risks. The current study focused on the atomic absorption analysis of Zn, Cu, Co, Pb, Mn, Fe, Cd, and Cr in the wheat grains and soil using pot experiment conducted in Sargodha, Pakistan. Results showed that the Zn concentration in wheat grains increased with continuous wastewater utilization. Except cadmium, mean concentration of other heavy metals was within permissible limits in the soil. A significant and positive correlation was also observed for Cu, Pb, and Cr between soil and crop. The application of wastewater for longer period of time caused enrichment factor and health risk index to be increased considerably suggesting that proper management is required for treating domestic wastewater to prevent potential health risks via dietary intake of crops contaminated with heavy metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]