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Pulses low yield in the arid and semiarid climates are imbalanced use of chemical fertilizers and no use of organic matter (animal and crop residues incorporation). The hypothesis was tested that integrated use of potassium (K) and animal manures could increase mungbean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) productivity and profitability in the semiarid climate of Peshawar. A field experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of organic matter (composted animal manures) (5, 10, and 15 t ha−1) and potassium (30, 45, and 60 kg ha−1) under irrigated (three irrigations, no water stress) and dryland or limited irrigated (one irrigation, water stresses before flowering and after pod formation) condition on mungbean (cv. Ramazan 92). The experiment was carried out in the summer of 2017 at Agronomy Research Farm, the results revealed that crop under no water stress had delayed phenological development (took more days to flowering, pod formation, and physiological maturity), better growth by producing taller plants with a more number of leaves, nodules, and pods plant−1, seeds pod−1, heavy 1000-grains weight, higher biological and grain yields than water stress condition. The experiment also confirmed that the combination of the highest rate of K and organic matter had improved the vegetative growth and development, and significantly increased yield and yield contributing parameters under both water stress and no stress conditions. It was concluded that mungbean yield and yield components increased with combined application of 60 kg K ha−1 + 15 t OM ha−1 under full irrigated (no water stress) and limited irrigated (water stress) conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in world population especially in developing countries, where soil fertility and health are decreasing continuously, leading to soil degradation and desertification. Water scarcity in developing countries mostly under semiarid climates is one of the major problems that decrease crop growth and yield leading to food security problems. Integrated foliar nutrients management system could improve crop growth, yield and yield components of crops under arid and semiarid climates. There is lack of research to study the impact of integrated foliar nutrients management in field crops. Therefore, two field experiments were designed (2010–11 & 2012–13) with an objective to investigate the impact of integrated foliar nutrients management on wheat productivity under the semiarid condition. In experiment one, foliar spray of sole boron (B), sole zinc (Zn) and their combination (Zn + B) was applied at various growth stages (tillering, booting and anthesis) under irrigated vs. dryland wheat. It was concluded that integrated foliar application of Zn + B in one single split (0.2% each) or two equal splits (0.1% + 0.1% each) at booting stage increased yield and yield components of wheat. In experiment two, foliar macro nutrients [phosphorus (P) and potassium (K)] and micronutrients [boron (B) and zinc (Zn)] alone and in various combinations at boot and pre-anthesis stages was investigated. The results revealed that integrated use of foliar micronutrients (Zn+B) produced the highest spikes m−2, grains spike−1 and heavy seeds (grains). On the other hand, integrated use of foliar macro nutrients along with boron (P + K + B) produced longer spikes, more spikelets spike−1 and higher grain yield. Earlier foliar nutrients spray at boot stage increased wheat productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The p-n junction (Ni/Zn)O and its reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites ((Ni/Zn)O@rGO) has been synthesized through the hydrothermal method and used for effective electrochemical determination analgesic drug acetaminophen (AAP). In addition, the XRD characteristic peak and Raman modes confirm the formation of a p-n junction (Ni/Zn)O@rGO nanocomposites. The morphology of the as-prepared nanocomposites exposes nano-sized spherical particles that were well decorated on the rGO sheets, which results in a larger surface area. Further, the incorporation rGO and (Ni/Zn)O induced the catalytic properties and electrochemical performance. The electrochemical characterization of AAP was investigated at ((Ni/Zn)O@rGO/GCE) glass carbon electrode and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) were adopted for the quantitative analysis of AAP. As a result, the prepared nanocomposite possessed great sensitivity, selectivity and stability. Further, the prepared sensor shows the wider linear range of 0.009-0.096 μM and 0.096-413 μM with a very low detection limit of 2.2 nM. Moreover, the practical applicability of the prepared sensor was tested in the pharmaceutical and human urine samples. Also, the developed method would widen the application of nanocomposites materials in the fabrications of more novel electrochemical sensing platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We described a nanocomposite material that consists of gold nanorods self-assembled on functionalized multiwalled-carbon nanotubes (Au NRs@f-MWCNTs). It was deposited on a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) which then is well suited for sensitive and selective determination of dopamine. Au NRs are prepared by silver ion-assisted seed-mediated method and the Au NRs@f-MWCNTs was prepared by self-assembly of Au NRs on f-MWCNTs. The composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Raman, UV-visible, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The electrochemical analyses were carried out using inexpensive SPCE to modify nanocomposite and visualized signals by cyclic voltammetry and amperometric instrument. The electrode displays excellent electrocatalytic ability to catalyze the redox reaction of dopamine. The modified SPCE, best operated at a working potential as low as 0.12 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), responds linearly to dopamine in the 3.5 nM to 1550 μM concentration range. The detection limit is 5.0 × 10-10 (±0.82) M, and the sensitivity is 4.04 (±0.58) μA.μM-1.cm-2. The limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method was 16.6 × 10-10 (±1.2) M. The sensor has good selectivity, appreciable stability, and reproducibility. It was applied to the determination of dopamine in (spiked) human serum and rat brain samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we systematically reported the capability of T. harzianum RY44 for decolorization of Mordant orange-1. The fungi strains were isolated from the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia tropical rain forest. For initial screening, the decolorization was conducted using 50 strains of the fungi for 20 days incubation time and the best performance was selected. Then, the decolorization capability and fungal biomass were evaluated using different dye concentrations, namely, 0, 50, 75 and 100 ppm. Effects of the carbon sources (fructose, glucose, and galactose), nitrogen sources (ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate and yeast extract), surfactant (tween 80), aromatic compounds (benzoic acid, catechol and salicylic acid), and pH on the decolorization efficiency were examined. This study has found that the employed carbon sources, nitrogen sources, and aromatic compounds strongly enhance the decolorization efficiency. In addition, increasing the surfactant volume and pH generally decreased the decolorization efficiencies from 19.5 to 9.0% and 81.7 to 60.5%, respectively. In the mechanism philosophy, the present work has found that Mordant orange-1 were initially degraded by T. harzianum RY44 to benzoic acid and finally transformed into salicylic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimentation was carried out in Sahiwal, Sargodha, Pakistan to evaluate the contamination level in wheat variety (Millat-2011), irrigated with different treatments of household waste water in a Completely Randomized Design with three repetitions. There were five treatments viz. T1 (100% ground water), T2 (25% wastewater, 75% groundwater), T3 (50% wastewater, 50% ground water), T4 (75% wastewater, 25% ground water), T5 (100% wastewater). Analyzed parameters were heavy metal concentration in wheat and soil, metal correlation between food crop and soil, pollution load index, bioconcentration factor, health risk index, daily-intake of metals, and enrichment factor. Current results showed that concentration of heavy metals and metalloids in soil and grains increased due to supply of waste water. Cr, Cd, Ni, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn showed significantly positive correlation while Co showed positive but non-significant correlation in all treatment groups. Mn showed highest bio-concentration factor and enrichment factor values while Cd showed highest health risk index, daily metal intake and pollution load index values. Level of metal toxicity in humans could increase due to irrigation of food crops with untreated waste water. Hence application of waste water must be avoided or its proper treatment before application to agricultural fields must be done. [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]

Under the rice–wheat cropping system (RWS), the continuous cropping of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) deplete soil fertility, and reduce crop growth and total rice biomass. In RWS, both phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies are considered important nutritional constraints for reducing rice crop growth rates (CGR) and total biomass/biological yield (BY). The objective of this experiment was to investigate the impact of phosphorus (0, 40, 80, 120 kg P ha−1) and zinc rates (0, 5, 10, 15 kg Zn ha−1) on CGR and BY of three rice genotypes [fine (Bamati-385) versus coarse (Fakhre-e-Malakand and Pukhraj)] in Northwestern Pakistan during summer 2011 (Y1) and 2012 (Y2). The results revealed that higher CGR at various growth stages and total BY was obtained with the integrated use of higher phosphorus (80 and 120 kg P ha−1) and zinc rates (10 and 15 kg Zn ha−1). The lower CGR and BY were recorded when P and Zn were not applied (control) or when P and Zn were applied alone. In the case of rice genotypes, the highest CGR and BY were recorded for the hybrid rice (Pukhraj) than the other two genotypes. The CGR was increased to the highest level at the heading stage as compared to tillering and physiological maturity. The increase in CGR had a positive impact on the total BY of rice cultivars. The increase in BY had a positive relationship with grain yield and grower's income. It was concluded from the study that the combined application of higher P and Zn rates to the coarse rice genotypes (Fakhre-e-Malakand and Pukhraj) could increase CGR, total BY, crop productivity and profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous cropping of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) deplete soil fertility and reduce crop productivity as well as zinc (Zn) concentrations in rice grains and straw. Low Zn concentrations in rice grains have a negative impact on human health, while low Zn concertation in rice straw creates a nutritional problem for animals. The current high yielding rice varieties and hybrids remove large quantities of Zn from the soils, lowering the residual concentrations of soil Zn for the subsequent crop (e.g., wheat). Field experiments were conducted on farmers field in Malakand with the objective to evaluate the impact of various combinations of phosphorus (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg ha−1) and Zn levels (0, 5, 10, and 15 kg ha−1) on biofortification of Zn in grains and straw of rice genotypes [fine (Bamati-385) vs. coarse (Fakhre-e-Malakand and Pukhraj)]. The results revealed that Zn biofortification in rice genotypes increased with the integrated use of both nutrients (P + Zn) when applied at higher rates (80 and 120 kg P ha−1, and 10 and 15 kg Zn ha−1, respectively). The biofortification of Zn in both grains and straw was higher in the coarse than fine rice genotypes (Pukhraj > Fakhre-e-Malakand > Basmati-385). It was concluded from this study that the application of higher P and Zn levels increased Zn contents in rice parts (grains and straw) under the rice-wheat system. We also concluded from this study that Zn concentrations in rice grains and straw are influenced by plant genetic factors and Zn management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous cropping of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) deplete soil fertility, reduced crop productivity, and grower's income. Phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies are considered important nutritional constraints under rice-wheat cropping system. One strategy to increase crop productivity and grower's income under the rice-wheat system is the balanced application of P and Zn fertilizers. The objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of sole and various combinations of P (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg ha−1) and Zn levels (0, 5, 10, and 15 kg ha−1) on productivity (grain yield and yield components) and profitability (net returns) of different rice genotypes (cultivars) (fine (cv.Bamati-385) vs. coarse (cv. Fakhre-e-Malakand and cv. Pukhraj)) and their residual effect on the income of the succeeding wheat crop (cv. Siran-2010). The results revealed that both rice and wheat productivity and profitability was higher with the combined application of both nutrients at higher rates (80 and 120 kg P ha−1 and 10 and 15 kg Zn ha−1). The highest productivity and profitability was obtained with the cultivation of hybrid rice "Pukhraj" (Pukhraj > Fakhre-e-Malakand > Basmati-385). It was concluded from this study that application of higher P and Zn levels and growing of hybrid rice increased productivity and profitability under the rice-wheat cropping system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the pollen and pollinia morpho-structure of 18 horticultural Apocynaceous species. Advanced light and scanning electron microscopy (LM and SEM) were used to elaborate on and examine the systematic importance of pollen and pollinia micromorphology. Pollen grains were first acetolysed, which was followed by visualisation of their sculpturing features. The quantified data were subjected to statistical tools to elucidate dendrogram clustering and principal component analysis to reveal pollen/pollinia morphotypes. The size of pollen is variable, ranging from 113.45 μm in Cascabela thevetia to 23.4 μm in Alstonia scholaris. The study revealed tetrad, tetraporate, and tricolporate grains. Sculpturing (exine ornamentation) varies from reticulate perforate to reticulate. Pollinum shape was observed to be narrow oblong, obovate, orbicular, and reniform. Reticulate-psilate sculptural features were prominent among pollinia surfaces. Based on examination, it was ascertained that the minimum exine thickness in Periploca aphylla was 4.9 μm, whereas the corresponding number in Cryptolepis dubia was 1.35 μm. Taxonomic identification keys were constructed separately based on pollen/pollinia characters to identify the Apocynaceous taxa. In the presented study, seven pollen shapes were observed: from oblate to per prolate. The findings confirm that morphopollinic traits differ amongst genera of Apocynaceous species. However, these features can be used to distinguish the Apocynaceous taxa. The results show that structural characteristics of pollen and pollinia can help accurately identify Apocynaceous species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [Display omitted] • To explore the phytoconstituents of the Arisaema dracontium which are involved in the capping and stabilizing agent in nanoparticles synthesis. • Green synthesis as an Eco-friendly technique to synthesize AgNPs without consumption of huge amount of energy and chemicals. • Characterization of the AgNPs via SEM, TEM, EDX, XRD, FTIR, and UV. • The study has engrossed on the outcome of AgNPs antimicrobial activities. • The current study also focused to investigate its toxicological properties of the prepared nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "The Local Medicinal Plant Knowledge in Kashmir Western Himalaya: A Way to Foster Ecological Transition via Community-Centred Health Seeking Strategies" is presented.

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.)

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).)

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.)