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Plant species are distributed in different types of habitats, forming different communities driven by different sets of environmental variables. Here, we assessed potential plant communities along an altitudinal gradient and their associations with different environmental drivers in the unexplored Manoor Valley (Lesser Himalaya), Pakistan. We have implemented various ecological techniques and evaluated phytosociological attributes in three randomly selected 50 m-transects within each stand (a total of 133) during different seasons for four years (2015–2018). This phytosociological exploration reported 354 plant species representing 93 different families. The results revealed that the Therophytic life form class dominated the flora, whereas Nanophyll dominated the leaf size spectra. There were a total of twelve plant communities identified, ranging from the lowest elevations to the alpine meadows and cold deserts. The maximum number of species were found in Cedrus–Pinus–Parrotiopsis community (197 species), in the middle altitudinal ranges (2292–3168 m). Our results showed that at high altitudes, species richness was reduced, whereas an increase in soil nutrients was linked to progression in vegetation indicators. We also found different clusters of species with similar habitats. Our study clearly shows how altitudinal variables can cluster different plant communities according to different microclimates. Studies such as ours are paramount to better understanding how environmental factors influence ecological and evolutionary aspects.

A study was conducted to explore the plant biodiversity, phenology, life form and leaf size spectra of the vegetation of Biha Valley, District SWAT. The study area was surveyed thoroughly in different seasons of the year. Floristic diversity of the area consists of 202 plant species belonging to 154 genera and 70 families. There were two flowering seasons, 85.15% plant species flowers during May to August while 14.65% plant species flowers during the September to November. Biological spectrum of the area indicated that Therophytes (46.60%) was the dominant life form class, followed by Hemicryptophytes having 15.53%, Nanophanarophytes (11.65%), Megaphanerophytes (8.25%), Chamaephytes (7.77%), Geophytes (5.34%), Liana (2.91%) and Mesophanarophytes (1.94%). Leaf spectra of study area revealed that Microphylls was dominant with (41.26%) followed by Nanophylls (32.04%), Mesophylls (15.53%), Leptophylls (8.85%) and Megaphylls (2.91%).

Marble industry is one of the pillars of modern buildings and structures but marble industry’s effluents, organic pollutants and heavy metals are affecting natural ecosystem. In present work, fourteen bacteria were isolated from the rhizo-surface soil, receiving marble industry effluent from Hattar industrial area. The soil was heavily polluted with manganese (Mn). Among isolated strains Rothia sp, Methylobacterium sp, Pantoea eucrina and Bacillus safensis were found strong phosphate solublizer, indole acetic and organic acids producers. B. safensis and P. eucrina exhibited strong tolerance at 1750 ppm and 2000 ppm of MnSO4; and were applied alone and in consortium to naturally polluted soil collected from Hattar in a green house on maize (Zea mays L.). Consortium + recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) and different concentrations of MnSO4 improved 12-25% of plant biomass. Plants grown in naturally polluted soil of marble industry exhibited 50-60% increases in growth indices in single inoculation, and these increases were 65% in consortium application. Plants grown in naturally polluted soil exhibited 30-45% increases in physiological indices. It is inferred that Mn stressed soil may be reclaimed by the application of B. safensis and P. eucrina.

Pakistan has rich history of indigenous folk medicine, and of the 6000 species of higher plants found in the country 12% are used in medicinal formulations. This immensely important knowledge of folk practices to cure different ailments has been learned after centuries and is mostly verbally communicated. Therefore, a field study was designed to investigate the plant biodiversity and accumulate the indigenous knowledge about the uses of plants of Tehsil Oghi, District Mansehra, Pakistan. A total of 141 local inhabitants were interviewed through a structured questionnaire followed by multivariate approaches to evaluate the data based on the Principle Component Analysis (PCA) and Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA). Plants specimen were preserved, mounted and labeled on the herbarium sheets, cataloged and deposited for voucher numbers in Herbarium, Government Post Graduate College , Mansehra, Pakistan. In present study, a total 104 species belonging to 88 genera and 54 families were recorded from the study area; herbaceous growth form dominated the study area with 56 species, followed by trees with 30 species and shrubs 14 species. Among all 54 families, Rosaceae species were dominant with 12 species, followed by Asteraceae with 8 species. Out of the reported 104 species, 94 plant species are medicinal, 22 plant species are edible fruits, 37 plant species are fuel wood, 24 plant species are timber wood, 38 plant species are fuel wood, 9 plant species are vegetables, while 34 plant species are ornamental. The present study revealed the importance of the flora of this unexplored area and also provides the baseline study for future biological, phytochemical and pharmacological experimentations.

The ecotonal zones support populations that are acclimated to changing, fluctuating, and unstable conditions, and as a result, these populations are better equipped to adjust to expected change. In this context, a hypothesis was tested that there must be vegetation dominated by unique indicator plant species under the influence of ecological gradients in the ecotonal zone of Manoor Valley (northwestern Himalaya), Pakistan. Keeping the aforementioned hypothesis in mind, detailed field studies were conducted during different seasons in 2015-18. Line transect sampling and phytosociological characteristics (density, frequency, cover, and their relative values and Importance Value) were implemented as ecological methods. This investigation documented 97 plant species recorded from seven sampling sites. The community distribution modelling revealed that the ecological variables separate the seven sampling sites into two major plant communities (Indigofera-Parrotiopsis-Bistorta and Ziziphus-Leptopus-Quercus) recognized by TWINSPAN. The IBP communities showed a positive and significant correlation with altitude (1789.6–1896.3 m), sandy soil texture with a slightly acidic pH (6.4–6.5), and higher phosphorous (9–13 mg kg−1). In contrast with this, the ZLQ community was recognized on the southern slope under the strong influence of high electrical conductivity (2.82–5.4 dsm−1), organic matter (1.08–1.25%), calcium carbonate (5.8–7.6 mg kg−1), potassium (202–220 mg kg−1), and temperature (28.8–31.8 °C). Hence, both communities were found on opposite axes with clear differences based on the ecological gradients. NMDS clustered different species with similar habitats and different stands with common species, showing that plant species and stands were in a linear combination with ecological gradients. The IPB community has the maximum number of plant species (87 species), Shannon value (H’ = 4), Simpson value (0.98), and Pielou’s evenness value (0.96). Thus, the multivariate approaches revealed unique vegetation with sharp boundaries between communities which might be due to abrupt environmental changes.

Main objective of the study was to record the ethnobotanical uses of indigenous plants of the federally administered tribal area (FATA), Bhittani (Local Tribe). Total interviewed local informants of different ages through questionnaire were 212 (196 male and 16 female). Well-known statistical indices, Use Value (UVi) formula and Fidelity Level (FL%) were used for quantification of the recorded data. After identification, the collected specimens were deposited in the Herbarium of Botany Department, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Present findings reveal that 38 plants species belonging to 26 families were being used in the treatment of 31 different diseases. Regarding plant habit, herbs were the leading growth form (63%), followed by trees (24%) and shrubs (13%) respectively. Solanaceae (13.16%) was leading family used in curing various diseases, followed by Asteraceae and Moraceae (7.89% each). Most cited families by the informants were Solanaceae (5 species, 137 citations), Asteraceae (3 species, 81 citations), Moraceae (3 species, 69 citations) and Amaryllidaceae (2 species, 57 citations). Most of taxa were used in curing constipation and stomach problem (9.88% each), followed by pain and cough (7.41% each), digestive and fever (4.96% each). Most frequently used plant part for curing different diseases was leaves (33.33%), followed by fruits (21.67%) and roots (13.33%). Medicinal plants with most use values and high ranks were Withania coagulans (0.88) ranked 1st and Cichorium intybus 2nd (0.81) while Cichorium intybus also showed 100% FL value. Plants of study area provide most of the basic requirements for the survival of local communities. There is huge pressure exerted on the natural vegetation due to their overuse by the inhabitants of the area. If proper remedial measures are not taken soon, this process may lead to decline of the valuable plant species from the study area.

In spite of the remarkable achievements in healthcare sector over the recent decades, difficulties in accessibility and affordability of these facilities coexist throughout Pakistan. The aim of the present investigation was to explore and document the cultural knowledge of Asteraceae members used medicinally and apply multivariate approaches to gain insights into the traditional medication system of Manoor Valley, Lesser Himalaya, Pakistan. Field investigations were undertaken, and medicinal plant uses for treating various ailments were gathered. Ethnomedicinal insights of the medicinal plants used in the treatment of various diseases were gained, and the recorded data was assessed through statistical packages for evaluation of detrended correspondence analysis, principal component analysis, species response curve, species disease curve, two-way cluster analysis, and neighbor joining clusters. In the present study, 33 plant species of the family Asteraceae were identified and linked to the cultural drivers during semi-structured interviews with 77 participants. The species were used for curing 51 different diseases. Arthritis and inflammation were the most commonly treated ailments with three medicinal plant species. Leaves and flowers were the most widely utilized plant parts. The DCA plot illustrated a significant distribution pattern of plant species and their medicinal uses; similar position of both indicated positive and significant linkage between them. PCA revealed all plant species were positively correlated following their most frequent medicinal use citation. SRC analysis showed highly significant differences for Helianthus annuus, Cirsium falconeri, Cichorium intybus, and Leucanthemum vulgare with maximum response (62.8%, 41.4%, 40.8%, and 17.3%) as well as computed value (82.8, 34.8, 33.6, and 10.2) respectively. SDC revealed relation of plant species with diseases, and with new medicinal species cited, increase in number of ailments cured was observed. TWCA categorizes 51 ailments treated by 33 plant species into 22 clusters, while NJC classified 13 plant species as unbranched clusters and 20 species on branched clusters based on their medicinal use. Unless documented, the orally transmitted traditional knowledge is on the verge of extinction following death of the old practitioners. This documentation is providing the first insights of multivariate approaches in ethnomedicinal study.

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 after emerging in China has caused a global pandemic that is risking the lives of millions. COVID-19 has spread across the world at a very rapid rate raising concerns of capacity limitations and lack of unified responses at the global level, particularly from the world’s most developed countries. The spread of further infection has been curtailed by lockdown and mass social distancing that has been enforced in most parts of the world. There are no clinical data yet suggesting that any available candidate vaccine will be effective for COVID-19 which will be a critical need for eventually preventing this disease. Extensive research is underway with some success in identification of monoclonal antibodies from COVID-19 recovered patients, which may inform on vaccine development. The clinical evaluations of COVID-19 vaccines need to follow standardized protocols that are essential for safeguarding humans. In absence of a vaccine or a widely available effective therapy, quarantine and other preventive measures are essential in curtailing the risk of pandemic spread.

Commercially available foliar spray labeled as ‘Planto-fuel’ increased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) most of the growth traits viz., leaf length, bulb diameter (7.6 cm), bulb length (5.9 cm), leaves fresh weight/plant, neck fresh weight/plant, bulb fresh weight/plant (166.6 g) and plant fresh weight. It also produced the maximum yield (14.2 tons/ha) while the basal application of DAP significantly increased the number of leaves/plant and 2nd best results in yield whereas the lowest yield was observed through water spray. It is observed that the foliar application of micronutrients mixture in combination with nitrogen is the most suitable method to increase the onion production.

Chromium contamination of agronomic soil has to turn into a serious global problem. This research was pointed to assess the effects of three Cr-tolerant rhizobacteria (SS1, SS3, and SS6) on sunflower growth and heavy metal uptake under Cr smog i.e. 20, 30 and 40 ppm using K2Cr2O7. Root promotion assay and pot experiment were conducted to investigate and evaluate the effects of Cr tolerance rhizobacteria and Cr accumulation capacity of sunflower. From root promotion assay non-significant variation was observed in the root length between SS1 and SS3 compared with un-inoculated whereas SS6 enhanced the root length in the absence and presence of chromium. In addition, inoculation with rhizobacteria alleviated the Cr concentration and endorsed plant growth by enhancing Cr accumulation in sunflower. At different Cr levels, the Cr concentration in shoot was improved by each rhizobacterium though their difference was non-significant with each other, while the percentage increase was half as the Cr level doubled. Different rhizobacterium inoculation significantly (P < 0.05) affected the physiological and morphological characteristics of sunflower and increased the plant height, stem diameter, head diameter, grain yield, oil content of seeds, and total biomass, and among them, SS6 observed best followed by SS1 and SS3 comparing with un-inoculated. Our study illustrates an assessment about Cr-tolerant bacteria and their influences and recommends that these bacteria can effectively be used for crop improvement which provides a potential approach for Cr phytoremediation.

The graphical dataset in this paper is related to the research article entitled “A novel survey of the ethno medicinal knowledge of dental problems in Manoor Valley (Northern Himalaya), Pakistan” (I.U. Rahman, F. Ijaz, Z. Iqbal, A. Afzal, N. Ali, M. Afzal, M.A. Khan, S. Muhammad, G. Qadir, M. Asif, 2016) [1]. This article describes how the local community of Manoor Valley practices cultural / traditional knowledge for dental problems. For the recorded data of 25 medicinal plants, six quantitative ethnomedicinal statistical approaches / equations were used. Out of these indices, four were used to measure the most imported and cited medicinal plant species while two for the comparative analysis to evaluate the novelty of work.

In spite of the remarkable achievements in the healthcare sector over recent decades, inequities in accessibility and affordability of these facilities coexist throughout Pakistan. Thus, we aimed to explore and document the cultural knowledge of herbal teas used medicinally by the local community members of Manoor Valley, Pakistan. Field investigations were undertaken during the summer season of 2015&ndash, 2017, and cultural practices of medicinal plant usage for treating various ailments were gathered through interviews of the local inhabitants. Ethnomedicinal insights of the medicinal plants used in herbal teas were gained with different indexes. Our results revealed 27 plant species, comprising of herbs (70%), shrubs (26%), and trees (4%), which were used for treating 21 diseases. Plants belonged to 18 families: Asteraceae and Lamiaceae were the leading families used for treating diseases. Diarrhea and gas troubles were the most frequent diseases. Based on indexes values, Cannabis sativa was the dominant species used. The results revealed that 57% of medicinal uses are new to literature. This ethnomedicinal study is providing the first insights into the traditional medication system of Lesser Himalaya, Pakistan, through ethnomedicinal teas.

Plants have evolved several metabolic pathways as a response to environmental stress like low temperatures. In this perspective, it is paramount to highlight physiological mechanisms of plant responses to changing environments. To determine the impact of cold stress on the physiological attributes of high altitude plant natives, i.e. Pedicularis punctata and Plantago major, we studied the protein, sugar and proline contents, as well as abscisic acid (ABA) and indoleacetic acid (IAA) in leaves collected from three different altitudinal ranges in Himalayan region of Pakistan. Leaves were collected at the initial blooming phase from each altitudinal range i.e. 2400–2500 m, 2950–3250 m and 3500–3550 m. Temperature decreases with an increase in the altitude which induces cold acclimation. Both plant species showed significant variation in the concentrations of the ecophysiological attributes evaluated at the different collection altitudes. The concentrations of all compounds except for IAA increased as temperature decreased and altitude increased. IAA showed an opposite response, that is, the concentrations of this phytohormone decreased with decreasing temperature and increasing altitude. We showed that temperature significantly affected the physiological attributes of Pedicularis punctata and Plantago major in the Himalayan region, which works as a proxy for understanding the plant responses to climate change. As per survival and risk assessment, underlying physiological mechanisms of plant response (understory plants) to changing environments (altitude and temperature ranges) revealed adaptation in the chilling environments. Further studies are needed to completely understand how the studied plants photosynthetic characteristics are affected by altitudinal gradient.

Agriculture in the current era is highly dependent on chemical fertilizers, pesticides and weedicides. Excessive applications of these chemicals on crop plants has increased the production cost, jeopardized the environment and has depleted the non-renewable resources. Potential threats to non-renewable resources and soil, water, air environments have led to seek alternative approaches for sustainable crop production and clean environment. To lessen these adversaries, not only scientific community, but industry and farmers are also continuously involved in research, development and adoption of new sustainable technologies. The tiny organisms in rhizosphere have shown their potential to play ubiquitous role in sustainable agricultural development and have been in continuous use since over the last century. In this chapter, different aspects of microbial applications for sustainable agriculture are elaborated. Applications of bacteria-containing biofertilizers, their types and benefits to crops have been discussed. Reports on plant growth promotion through phytohormones, siderophores and enzymes production by rhizobacteria are also detailed. Moreover, sustainable control of plant diseases through biocontrol and amelioration of abiotic stresses including; drought, salinity, climate change and heavy metals by using rhizobacteria are also encompassed in this chapter.

An alytical and decision support tools have played a very vital role in the growth and development of agriculture, especially in the developed countries. This chapter deals mainly with the experiences of advanced and novel statistical approaches applied in various agricultural studies. Recent advances and subsequent applicaion of statistical techniques are laying the foundations for sustainable agriculture. It is necessary to emphasize on the use of statistical methods to allow the agriculturist to apply these techniques in different fields of agricultural sciences. It is expected that the statistical knowledge achieved by agriculturist will provide a solid foundation for future studies and will result in delivery of desired crops in less time.

Ethno pharmacological relevance Ethno medicinal traditional knowledge regarding the uses of indigenous medicinal plants used for various human digestive disorders are mostly known to the elder community members. As the young generation is not much aware about such vital traditional medicinal practice because they rely on elders. Aim of study To document, accumulate and widely disseminate the massive indigenous knowledge of century's practiced therapeutic uses of medicinal plants by the local people living in this remote area. Materials and methods A total of 63 local inhabitants (39 males and 24 females) were interviewed through a structured questionnaire. The data obtained were quantitatively analyzed through the use value (UV i ), fidelity level index (FL%) and relative frequency citations (RFCs), consensus index (CI%) and informant consensus factor (F IC ). For novel uses all the plants were checked with previously published articles on same disease by analyzing through Jaccard index (JI) and Sorensen’s similarity index (QS). Plants specimen were preserved, mounted and labeled on the herbarium sheets, cataloged and deposited with voucher numbers in Hazara University Herbarium, Mansehra, Pakistan (HUP). Results 44 plant species belonging to 44 genera and 28 families were documented in the current study. These medicinal plant species were used commonly as an ethno medicine against 26 various digestive disorders out of which most frequently occurred are; stomach ache, diarrhea, indigestion, constipation and inflammation etc. Herbaceous plant species were the dominant among plants studied which were 64% of the total plants, followed by trees (20%) and shrubs (16%). Lamiaceae was the leading family among collected medicinal plant species (13.6%). Maximum medicinal plant species were used for treatment of stomach ache (11.7%), diarrhea and indigestion (10.9% each). Most widely used parts were leaves (41% citations), fruit and whole plant (12% citations each) for medication of various digestive problems by the traditional drivers. Dominated medicinal plants with most use values were Ficus carica having (UV i =0.90) and Trifolium repens (UV i =0.84). Based on the RFC values, the most cited medicinal plant species by the traditional drivers were Ficus carica (0.43) and Berberis lycium (0.41), while most respondents percentage was noticed for same plant species calculated through consensus index (CI%=42.9% and 41.3%) respectively. The medicinal plant species with highest fidelity level was of Grewia optiva , Juglans regia and Sorbaria tomentosa each cited 100% for anthelmintic, easy digestion and Diarrhea respectively. Due to representation by only single medicinal plant taxa ( N t=1), the digestive diseases viz. cholera, colon cancer, emetic, internal injuries, kill microorganisms, Soothing, tumor and urine suppression had maximum F IC value. The analytical result reveals that 57% of medicinal plant species were reported for the first time regarding their uses. new medicinal uses of Anaphalis contorta, Caltha palustris, Pinus wallichiana , Plantago himalaica were recorded for the first time from Pakistan and Aralia cachemirica , Bupleurum longicaule, Pleurospermum stellatum, Potentilla argentea and Juglans regia across the globe for currently reported medicinal uses. Besides this, all the mentioned plant species were reported for the first time for digestive disorders from Manoor Valley as no single study up-till now has been conducted ethno medicinally. Conclusion The present study revealed the importance to document and launch list of all the possible plants that are used in traditional medicinal practices against digestive disorders in the unexplored study area and to show the important medicinal plants for future biological, phytochemical and pharmacological experimentation regarding digestive problems.

The development of vegetation communities is typically influenced by their response to variation in environmental, geographic and as well as physiographic gradients. The current study was planned to evaluate the influence of environmental gradients upon the structure of plant communities and to highlight their respective indicators in subalpine pastures of the Himalaya, Pakistan. In relation to this aim, ecological techniques were used following the Line transect (50 m) method to quantify the vegetation structure of the study area. Soil samples were collected from each sampling site and edaphic gradients were examined using standard protocols. Weather station data (Kestrel 4000) was used to determine the climatic gradients, GPS data was used to record the geographic and physiographic gradients. PCORD software was used to recognize communities through two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN), R and CANOCO software was employed for ordination analysis to find variation directories of different plant species. A total of 56 plant species, recorded from 21 sampling sites, were grouped into four plant communities with the help of environmental gradients. The highest index of similarity was recorded between the Bergenia-Sibbaldia-Rheum and Sibbaldia-Rheum-Bergenia communities and highest dissimilarity between Bergenia-Sibbaldia-Rheum and Juniperus-Sibbaldia-Poa communities. The highest number of plant species (50 species), maximum alpha diversity (H′ = 3.38) and beta diversity was reported in Sibbaldia-Rheum-Bergenia community (0.95), but Pielou's evenness was highest (0.89) in Juniperus-Sibbaldia-Poa among all recorded communities. Besides, the edaphic (i.e. organic matter, phosphorous, pH and soil texture) and climatic factors (temperature, humidity) were the strong environmental gradients that were responsible for structuring and hosting the diverse plant communities in subalpine meadows. Techniques adapted in the current study for identification of vegetation indicators could further be used for conservation management.

In spite of the remarkable achievements in the health care sector over recent decades, inequities in accessibility and affordability of these facilities coexist throughout Pakistan, which has led us to explore and document the cultural knowledge of medicinal plants used in skin disorders by the local community members of Manoor Valley, Pakistan. Field investigations were undertaken during the summer seasons of 2015-2017, and cultural practices of medicinal plants usage for treating various ailments were gathered through interviews with the local inhabitants. Ethnomedicinal insights of the medicinal plants used for skin ailments were gained with recorded data assessed through different statistical packages for evaluation of principal components analysis, species disease curve, and two-way cluster analysis. We conclude that plants play an important role as ethnomedicine in daily life and especially in the health care of the people living in the study area.

Main purpose of this study was to investigate the ethno-ecological profile of Tarnawai, Abbottabad District, KP, Pakistan. Tarnawai is located at elevation of 1524 m. It is situated between 34°16′15’ North and 73°17′47’ East. Questionnaires were used during interviews for the documentation of data. Plants were photographed, collected, and pressed in the post interviw field surveys. During field visits GPS, camera, presser, field notebook, polythene bags, twig cutter, pen, trowel, tags, and scissor were also used. Ethno-ecological data were recorded from 89 informants including 45% male, 51% female, and 4% hakims. A total of 71 plant species were documented belonging to 37 plant families and 63 genera with a share of 45% herbs, 24% trees and 13% shrubs. The leading plant family was Rosaceae with eight plant species followed by others. A total of 43 plant species were used for 35 various ailments by the local inhabitants. Almost nine plant species belonging to different families were used for the treatment of gastrointestinal disease. Juglans regia was the most cited medicinal plant species with a use value (UVi = 0.98) and relative frequency citations (RFCs = 0.46). Due to overexploitation and lack of proper training, plants are increasingly threatened. There must be guidelines for work to improve the local management system for all the natural plant resources. There must be resource ownership and decision-making processes within the local communities.

Heavy metal contamination in the environment is a global threat which accelerated after the industrial revolution. Remediation of these noxious elements has been widely investigated and multifarious technologies have been practiced for many decades. Phytoremediation has attracted much attention from researchers. Under this technology, heavy metal hyperaccumulator plants have been extensively employed to extract extraordinary concentrations of heavy metals but slow growth, limited biomass and stresses caused by heavy metals imperil the efficiency of hyperaccumulators. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can help overcome/lessen heavy metal-induced adversities. PGPR produce several metabolites, including growth hormones, siderophores and organic acids, which aid in solubilization and provision of essential nutrients (e.g. Fe and Mg) to the plant. Hyperaccumulator plants may be employed to remediate metal contaminated sites. Use of PGPR to enhance growth of hyperaccumulator plant species may enhance their metal accumulating capacity by increasing metal availability and also by alleviating plant stress induced by the heavy metals. Combined use of hyperaccumulator plants and PGPR may prove to be a cost effective and environmentally friendly technology to clean heavy metal contaminated sites on a sustainable basis. This review discusses the current status of PGPR in improving the growth and development of hyperaccumulator plants growing in metal contaminated environments. The mechanisms used by these rhizosphere bacteria in increasing the availability of heavy metals to plants and coping with heavy metal stresses are also described.

The effect of inoculation of Rhizobium or Pseudomonas, or both, in the presence and absence of phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) fertilizer on wheat yield was tested. The experiment was conducted outdoors in potted soil during two consecutive years under natural conditions. Rhizobial strain (Thal 8-chickpea nodulating bacteria) and Pseudomonas strain (54RB), both indigenous P solubilizers were applied in broth culture at seedling stage. Fertilizer in the form of P2O5 was an additional treatment applied at sowing time. Results revealed that inoculation of Pseudomonas strain in presence of phosphorus (P) fertilizer increased yield up to 41.8% when it was compared with only P fertilizer applied. Co-inoculation of Rhizobium and Pseudomonas strains with the P2O5 treatment however resulted in increased grains yield by 10% over the P2O5 treatment alone. It is inferred that inoculation with Rhizobium and Pseudomonas combined with P2O5 is not only environmentally beneficial but also economically sound and productive, wi...

Plants have evolved several metabolic pathways as a response to environmental stressors such as low temperatures. In this perspective, it is paramount to highlight physiological mechanisms of plant responses to altitudinal gradients as a proxy to evaluate changing environments. Here, we aimed to determine the impact of elevation on the physiological attributes of two plant species along an altitudinal gradient. Our hypothesis was that the altitudinal gradient influences proline, protein, and sugar contents, as well as abscisic acid (ABA) and indole acetic acid (IAA) concentrations. We studied these physiological components in leaves collected from four different altitudinal ranges in Himalayan region of Pakistan from two native herbs, namely Bistorta affinis and Sibbaldia procumbens. Leaves were collected at the initial blooming phase from each altitudinal range, viz. 2850 m, 3250 m, 3750 m and 4250 m. We observed that most abiotic factors decrease with altitude which induces cold acclimation. A significant increase in the concentration of physiological components was observed as altitude increased, except for IAA, which decreased. Furthermore, we did not find variations in proline, ABA and IAA concentrations between species, only sugar and protein, with higher values for B. affinis. We conclude that altitudinal gradients significantly affect the physiological components of B. affinis and S. procumbens in Himalayan region. This result contributes to the understanding of how plants adapt to environmental pressures, acting as a proxy for the evaluation of impacts caused by climate changes.

Use of heavy metal-tolerant bacteria for bioremediation is an environmentally safe and economical approach. Selected chromium-tolerant bacteria were tested in a greenhouse experiment. Different sets of pots were contaminated with three rates of Cr, i.e., 20, 30, and 40 ppm, using K2Cr2O7 and incubated for 1 month. Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seeds of Hysun-33 variety were inoculated with already screened Cr-tolerant bacteria (SS1, SS3, and SS6) along with un-inoculated seeds as control. Completely randomized design was used and two plants per pot were maintained after thinning. At harvesting, fresh as well as dry shoot and root weights were measured. Shoot and root samples were analyzed for Cr contents. The maximum increase in dry shoot and root weight (58 and 63%) was obtained by SS6 followed by SS1 (48 and 42%) and SS3 (37 and 47%) over control at various Cr concentrations. Cr accumulation in shoot and root was also enhanced by all the bacteria compared to control. Regarding the extent of total Cr uptake, SS6 enhanced Cr accumulation up to 107–171%, SS1 99.3–135%, and SS3 91–138% at 20, 30, and 40 ppm Cr, respectively. It is concluded from the study that there was a decreasing trend in growth with the increase of Cr concentration. All the bacteria improved growth and Cr accumulation significantly over control; however, SS6 found best among all Cr-tolerant bacteria. These bacteria can effectively be used for crop improvement and bioremediation.

Ethnopharmacological relevance In the study area, the traditional knowledge and cultural practices of utilizing medicinal plants in the human healthcare is primarily restricted to the old age members of the community, while younger generation is mostly unaware of the natural wealth usage. Aim of the study We provide the first ever ethno medicinal insights into the management of dental disorders in Pakistan. The prime objective of the study was to explore novel knowledge of these local and remote community members and share it with rest of the world in documented form. Materials and methods Field surveys were arranged for collection and documentation of medicinal plants of Manoor valley during 2015. Total 71 local inhabitants were interviewed randomly through questionnaire. The data obtained were quantitatively analyzed using the use value (UVi), relative frequency citations (RFCs), fidelity level index (FL%) and consensus index (CI%). For novel uses all plants were thoroughly checked with previously published articles on the same disorder and analyzed through Jaccard index (JI) and Sorensen's similarity index (QS). The collected specimens after confirmation were submitted to the Herbarium, Department of Botany, Hazara University, Mansehra, Pakistan (HUP). Results In present study 25 plants belonging to 17 families are reported, these plants were used commonly as ethno medicine. There were herbs (64%), shrubs (20%) and trees (16%) whereas, Lamiaceae with 4 species was the leading family. Majority of medicinal plant species were used in treatment of toothache (38%), wound healing (19%), gum infections (16%) whereas and lowest percentage of species were used for mouth ulcer as well as teeth powder (3%). Leaves were the most widely part used plant part in the treatment of different diseases (36%). Dominated medicinal plants with high used values were Juglans regia (UVi=0.94), Rumex dentatus (0.89) and Indigofera heterantha (0.88). Based on the RFC values, the most valuable and cited medicinal plant species used by the traditional drivers are Juglans regia having (RFCs=0.69) and Rumex dentatus (0.58). CI results show that most respondents percentage was for Juglans regia having CI%=69%, followed by Rumex dentatus (57.7%). Medicinal plants with high fidelity level and reported for one dental disorder were Berberis lycium, Geranium wallichianum, Lathyrus aphaca, Platanus orientalis, Sedum spp. and Urtica dioica for toothache. Further, new medicinal uses of Abies pindrow, Ajuga integrifolia, Berberis lycium, Urtica dioica , Indigofera heterantha were recorded for the first time from Pakistan and Astragalus grahamianus , Corydalis cornuta, Prunella vulgaris, Ranunculus muricatus, Rumex hastatus, Stellaria media, Tagetes minuta, Taraxacum officinale and Lathyrus aphaca, across the world for the current reported medicinal uses. All mentioned plant species are reported for the first time ever for dental disorders from Manoor Valley. Nonetheless, this is a novel study as no single ethno medicinal study on dental disorder up-till now has been reported from Pakistan. Conclusion The present study is the first ever documentation of ethno medicinal practices aiming at the dental disorders in Pakistan, which resulted in 64% of medicinal uses new claims. So, the reported species of remote valley should be further evaluated for proper experimentation and pharmacological activities to authenticate their current traditional usage. Field observation revealed vegetation of the area was generally threatened due to its unwise use by the local communities. Trends like deforestation, over grazing, habitat fragmentation and introduction of the exotic taxa were the visible threats. So conservation of such an important natural God gifted treasure is mandatory.

International audience; Phosphorus availability for soybean growth is frequently low because P reacts with iron, aluminum and calcium in soil to form insoluble phosphates. The increasing price of phosphatic fertilizers is a major obstacle faced by farmers for application of recommended P doses. Low yield of soybean in Pakistan is also lowering adoption by farmers of this oilseed crop. These issues could be solved by inoculation of beneficial microorganisms that enhance the availability of N and P to the plant. Here, we tested the effect of inoculation of Bradyrhizobium or Pseudomonas, or both, in the presence and absence of P2O5 fertilizer, on soybean yield. Experiments were carried out in pots and the field during 2004 and 2005 under natural conditions. The bacterial strains were applied in broth culture in the pots at the seedling stage or as a seed treatment in the field. Our results showed that co-inoculation of Bradyrhizobium and Pseudomonas strains with the P2O5 treatment resulted in increased grain yield of 38% in pot experiments and 12% in the field experiment, compared with the P2O5 treatment alone. Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain TAL 377 produced 74.64 μg/mL indole acetic acid and 261.2 μg/mL gibberellic acid. Similarly, Pseudomonas strain 54RB produced 8.034 μg/mL indole acetic acid and 1766 μg/mL gibberellic acid. The survival efficiency of Bradyrhizobium was up to 46% higher due to co-inoculation and P2O5 as compared with its single inoculation. On the other hand, Pseudomonas survival efficiency was up to 33% higher with added P2O5 as compared with its single inoculation.

Ethno pharmacological relevance Ethno medicinal traditional knowledge regarding the uses of indigenous medicinal plants for treating various human infectious diseases is totally in hold of the elder community members. The young generation is not much aware about such vital traditional medicinal practices. Aim of study To document, accumulate and widely disseminate the massive indigenous knowledge of century's practiced therapeutic uses of medicinal plants by the local people living in this area. Materials and methods A total of 134 local inhabitants (78 male and 56 female) were interviewed through questionnaire method. The data obtained were quantitatively analyzed through the use value, fidelity level index and relative frequency citation. Plants specimen were preserved and mounted on herbarium sheets and labeled, cataloged and deposited with voucher numbers in Hazara University Herbarium, Mansehra, Pakistan (HUP). Results 74 plant species belonging to 70 genera and 42 families were documented in the current study. These medicinal plant species are used commonly as an ethno medicine against 56 various diseases such as digestive disorder, cough, pain and skin diseases etc. Herbaceous plant species were the dominant among plants studied which were 57% of the total plants, followed by shrubs (23%) and trees (20%). Asteraceae was the leading family among collected medicinal plant species (10.81%). Maximum medicinal plant species were used for treatment of digestive disorders (9.09%) and cough (7.44%). Most widely part used is leaf (27.9%), followed by fruit (13.5%) and seed (13.5%) for the treatment of different ailments by the traditional healers. The medicinal plant species with greater use values were Berberis lycium (0.91) and Cannabis sativa (0.81). The medicinal plant species with maximum fidelity level were Ziziphus jujuba (100%) and Lonicera caprifolium (92.31%) whereas the medicinal with most relative frequency citation were B. lycium (0.313), Ziziphus nummularia (0.276). The comparative result reveals that 36% of medicinal plant species were reported for the first time from Abbottabad regarding their uses, whereas 26% of plant species were reported with different medicinal uses. Brugmansia suaveolens and Allium griffithianum were recorded for the first time from Pakistan as well as from other countries across the globe for currently reported medicinal uses. Conclusion The current study revealed the importance to document and launch list of all possible plants that are used in ethno medicinal practices in the study area. Future antimicrobial, antivirals, and pharmacological studies are required to ratify the efficacy and safety of the medicinal plants species.