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Moringa oleifera is gaining popularity as multi-cut quality fodder in Pakistan because of its great nutritional value and biomass production. For successful quality biomass production, proper crop nutrition is vital especially during dry season. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the objective to explore the impact of variable doses of "nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK)" fertilizer for maximum foliage production and improve the quality of moringa under field conditions. Three levels of NPK (No fertilizer, 25:25:50, and 50:50:100 kg ha−1) were applied in already established two years old moringa plants on 15 September 2016, at research area of University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-Pakistan. Dimension of each experimental unit was 3.5 × 5.5 m. After thirty days of fertilizer treatments, two cuttings were taken with the interval of 30 days. The experimental design was RCBD with factorial arrangements having three replications. Significant differences were observed in growth, biomass production, and quality of produce. The moringa plants treated with application of 50:50:100 kg NPK ha−1 produced maximum dry biomass with good quality (crude protein, fiber, fat, and ash%) during both cuttings. Nonetheless, first cutting produced more growth and biomass as compared to second cutting. While NPK supplementation increased 50% more biomass production and better quality compared to control in second cutting. Increased biomass production of moringa was associated with high chlorophyll contents, better antioxidant, and quality (crude protein, fiber, fat, and ash%) status with NPK supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn (Asteraceae) is a well-known medicinal plant enriched with antioxidative properties beneficial for liver-related diseases. The experiment was conducted to explore the effect of different PGPs as soil-supplied mode to modulate the growth-related attributes, gas exchange parameters, and antioxidative efficiency of different milk thistle ecotypes such as Faisalabad (FSD), Gujranwala (GUJ), Quetta (QTA), and Kallar Kahar (KK) under saline stresses conditions (NaCl 120 mM/irrigation water). After salinity development, ascorbic acid (AsA), thiourea (TU), and moringa leaf extract (MLE) were soil supplied with 500 µM, 250 µM, and 3% concentrations, respectively. Data conferring the growth parameters elucidate significant reduction in all growth parameters and pigment contents under salinity stress. The effect of PGPs effectively upregulates the activity of these enzymatic antioxidants and improved salt tolerance to saline field conditions with numerous additional stresses, and the order of improvement was AsA, followed by MLE and TU. The percent increase with AsA treatment was noted as GR (34.78), DHAR (1.73), MDHAR (11.83), soluble sugar (8.78), amino acid (7.47), and free proline 15.75, while percent decrease in H2O2 content was 20.56 as compared to control plants. QTA and FSD ecotypes were observed as salt-tolerant ecotypes compared to GUJ and KK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quinoa's germplasm evaluation is the first step towards determining its suitability under new environmental conditions. The aim of this study was to introduce suitable germplasm to the lowland areas of the Faisalabad Plain that could then be used to introduce quinoa more effectively to that region. A set of 117 quinoa genotypes belonging to the USDA quinoa collection was evaluated for 11 phenotypic quantitative traits (grain yield (Y), its biological and numerical components plus phenological variables) in a RCBD during two consecutive growing seasons at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan under mid-autumn sowings. Genotypic performance changed across the years, however most phenotypic traits showed high heritability, from 0.75 for Harvest Index (HI) to 0.97 for aerial biomass (B) and Y. Ordination and cluster analyses differentiated four groups dominated by genotypes from: Peru and the Bolivian Highlands (G1); the Bolivian Highlands (G2); the Ballón collection (regarded as a cross between Bolivian and Sea Level (Chilean) genotypes) plus Bolivian Highlands (G3); and Ballón plus Sea Level (G4), this latter group being the most differentiated one. This genetic structure shared similarities with previous groups identified using SSR markers and G×E data from an international quinoa test. G4 genotypes showed the highest Y associated with higher B and seed numbers (SN), while HI made a significant contribution to yield determination in G2 and seed weight (SW) in G3. G1 and G2 showed the lowest Y associated with a lower B and SN. Moreover, SW showed a strongly negative association with SN in G2. Accordingly, G4 followed by G3 are better suited to the lowland areas of Faisalabad plain and the physiological traits underlying yield determination among genotypic groups should be considered in future breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn (Astraceae) is a well-reputed medicinal plant mostly utilized for silymarin (Sily) content and oil production, however, the information about Sily contents in achene part is still fragmented under different climatic conditions. In this study four milk thistle ecotypes from Faisalabad (FSD), Gujranwala (GUJ), Quetta (QTA), and Kallar kahar (KK) having an altered achene color were analyzed under salt stress. Application of plant growth promoters (PGPs) is one of the solution for ameliorating the effect of salinity and increasing the quantity and quality traits of milk thistle, so ascorbic acid (AsA), thiourea (TU), and moringa leaf extract (MLE) were soil supplied after developing salinity stress (120 mM with irrigation) at germination stage. Predetermined levels were selected for PGPs such as AsA (500 µM), MLE (3%), and TU (250 µM). Results revealed that all yield related attributes were significantly decreased, while secondary metabolites, pericarp epidermis, pericarp parenchyma, and pericarp seed integument increased under salinity stress. Data suggested that PGPs treatment was helpful to alleviate the deleterious effects of salinity stress and enhance the milk thistle quality and quantity parameters. The ecotypic variations with altered achene color patterns represent an advantage for QTA ecotypes for higher Sily extraction under salt stressed conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changing climate, food shortage, water scarcity and rapidly increasing population are some of the emerging challenges globally. Drought stress is the most devastating threat for agricultural productivity. Natural plant growth substances are intensively used to improve the productivity of crop plants grown under stressed and benign environments. The current study evaluated whether leaf extract of different moringa (Moringa oleifera L.) could play a role in improving drought-tolerance of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Rice plants were grown under three drought conditions, i.e., no, moderate and severe drought (100, 75 and 50% field capacity, respectively). Moringa leaf extract (MLE) obtained from four landraces (Multan, Faisalabad, D. G. Khan and exotic landrace from India) was applied during critical crop growth stages, i.e., tillering, panicle initiation and grain filling. Drought stress adversely affected the gas exchange attributes, photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant enzymes' activities, yield and quality parameters of rice. Application of MLE from all landraces significantly improved physiological, biochemical and yield parameters under stressed and normal environmental conditions. The highest improvement in gas exchange traits (photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and respiration rate), photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids) and enzymatic activities (superoxide dismutase, catalase) and oxidative marker (H2O2) was recorded with MLE obtained from Faisalabad landrace. The application of MLE of Faisalabad landrace also improved yield and grain quality of rice grown under drought stress as well as drought-free environment. Thus, MLE of Faisalabad can be successfully used to improve growth, productivity and grain quality of rice under drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moringa (Moringa oleifera L.) tree is being used for animal feed and human food as its leaves are an excellent source of amino acids and proteins. Moringa is indigenous plant of Pakistan, but its adaptation and production as agroforestry and fodder crop in smallholder farming sector is very low. Inorganic fertilization has been identified as a major limiting factor for moringa growth and quality of produce. A field experiment was conducted at the Directorate of Farms, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, to optimize NPK dose for healthy and quality produce of moringa. The experiment was comprised of four treatments—control (no fertilizer), 125:75:75 NPK, 100:50:50 NPK and 75:25:25 NPK kg ha−1—under randomized complete block design with factorial arrangements having four replicates. First harvest was taken in May and then applied with fertilizers. Results revealed that different harvesting time (months) significantly affected the number of branches, shoot dry weight, chlorophyll a and b contents, carotenoid contents, total phenolic contents, K contents and total soluble protein except shoot fresh weight. Regarding the fertilizer treatments, application of 125:75:75 kg NPK ha−1 produced total phenolic contents, K concentration and soluble proteins as compared to control and other treatments. Maximum growth, nutrient and biochemical attributes were observed in the month of August. In crux, for the maximum growth, nutrient and biochemical attributes, August is the best harvesting time using the 125:75:75 kg of NPK ha−1 as fertilizer dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of different plant growth promoters (PGPs) such as ascorbic acid (500 μM), thiourea (250 μM) and moringa leaf extract (3%) to mitigate salinity stress (120 mM NaCl) in four different milk thistle [ Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.] ecotypes from Faisalabad (FSD), Gujranwala (GUJ), Kallar Kahar (KK), and Quetta (QTA) under field conditions for two years (2017–2018). In the present study, oxidative stress indicators such as malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) and activities of different antioxidant enzymes and levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants were significantly differed among ecotypes, salinity, and PGPs. Supplementation with ascorbic acid and moringa leaf extract improved antioxidant defense machinery during the acclimation process against salinity, and milk thistle ecotypes represent their background of ecological zones and inherent tendency to face and confronting stress with improving antioxidant levels to a significant extent in varying ways. Ecotypic variations showed that QTA ecotype Followed by FSD, GUJ, and KK had more antioxidant capacity, with minimum reactive oxygen species production. Interestingly, the correlation data revealed that MDA and H 2 O 2 had a positive correlation with each other and showed a negative correlation with all the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. • Salinity stress induced oxidative damage and hampered growth-related attributes. • PGPs application improves enzymatic antioxidants involved in Asada-Halliwell pathway. • Interrelationship exist between ROS and antioxidant machinery for confronting salt stress. • Milk thistle anti-oxidative system showed significant variations in different ecotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]