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The present study aimed to assess the diversity and regeneration status of tree species in different forest types viz., Pinus forest (PF), Pinus-Oak mixed forest (POF) and Deodar forest (DF) of Kotla watershed (Barkot, Uttakashi, Uttarakhand). The data were collected through quadrat method and analyzed quantitatively. A total of 28 tree species, belonging to 21 families were recorded in the sampling area (3 forests 10 plots in each plot size 400 m2). Fagaceae, Pinaceae, Ericaceae, Fabaceae and Juglandaceae were the major families (in terms of number of species). The species-area curves (SACs) of PF and DF reached an asymptote while it predicted more species (din not reach asymptote) in case of POF. The resulted values of different diversity indices (i.e., Dominance, Simpson, Shannon, Evenness, Margalef, and Equitability) revealed that the POF was most diverse (in tree diversity) followed by PF and DF. The ranked species abundance (RSA) curve of POF was log normal type but geometric series type for PF and DF. The density-diameter curves (d-d curves) was reverse J-shaped for POF while in case of PF and DF, the higher densities were observed for middle DBH classes in comparison to lowest and highest DBH classes. The overall regeneration status of the forests in the area was fair (25.8% tree, 18.6% saplings and 55.6% seedlings). The present study provides a deeper understanding of tree diversity pattern and regeneration status from a pocket of IHR.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM), a metabolic disorder mainly characterized by hyperglycemia, causes the damage of various organs, including the eyes, liver, kidney and heart. It is evident that diet plays a key role in the management of DM. Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of Zn and Mg supplemented diets as an adjuvant therapy with glibenclamide on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Methods: The rats which showed a blood glucose level of 200 mg/dL or higher after 48 h of STZ injection were considered as diabetic. The rats were divided into eight groups in which the normal control group comprised non-diabetic rats, whereas the rest of the groups had diabetic rats in which glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) with an ordinary diet was given to the positive control group while the test groups were treated with glibenclamide along with specific diets. Blood glucose, body weight and lipid profile, as well as the liver and kidney functions were evaluated using standard kits after a certain interval up to 21 days. Results: Glibenclamide at different doses with or without Zn and Mg significantly decreased blood glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, urea, creatinine, total bilirubin and LDL levels, whereas it increased the HDL level. The study revealed glibenclamide together with Zn and Mg-rich diet to provide the most significant (p Conclusion: The treatment of diabetes mellitus with glibenclamide can provide better results if it is used with Zn and Mg-rich diet, which can prove to be a potential adjuvant therapy for type-2 diabetes and its associated complications.

Vegetable cultivation is a promising economic activity, and vegetable consumption is important for human health due to the high nutritional content of vegetables. Vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and several phytochemical compounds. However, the production of vegetables is insufficient to meet the demand of the ever-increasing population. Plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) facilitate the growth and production of vegetable crops by acquiring nutrients, producing phytohormones, and protecting them from various detrimental effects. In this review, we highlight well-developed and cutting-edge findings focusing on the role of a PGPR-based bioinoculant formulation in enhancing vegetable crop production. We also discuss the role of PGPR in promoting vegetable crop growth and resisting the adverse effects arising from various abiotic (drought, salinity, heat, heavy metals) and biotic (fungi, bacteria, nematodes, and insect pests) stresses.

Being an important oilseed crop, flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) grows mostly in temperate climates. The present study involved the seeds and seedlings of the flaxseed plant for analysis. The current experiment was carried out to determine the effect on seed germination, seedling growth and the antioxidant profiling of the plant when treated with heavy metal exposures. The heavy metals selected for the study were Zinc (Zn), Lead (Pb), and Copper (Cu). The inhibition caused by these metals varied from day to day as the experimental setup was upto 60 days and the observations started from the 15th day. The plant indicated inhibition on seed germination highest with Cu stress. The highest effect of heavy metal on reduced growth of shoot and root was exhibited by Pb and Cu stress. Also, when the antioxidant profiling was done, Zn had the most toxic effect on phytochemicals. The conclusions divulged that the metal toxicity was as follows: Pb > Cu >Zn.

Metabolic regulation is the key mechanism implicated in plants maintaining cell osmotic potential under drought stress. Understanding drought stress tolerance in plants will have a significant impact on food security in the face of increasingly harsh climatic conditions. Plant primary and secondary metabolites and metabolic genes are key factors in drought tolerance through their involvement in diverse metabolic pathways. Physio-biochemical and molecular strategies involved in plant tolerance mechanisms could be exploited to increase plant survival under drought stress. This review summarizes the most updated findings on primary and secondary metabolites involved in drought stress. We also examine the application of useful metabolic genes and their molecular responses to drought tolerance in plants and discuss possible strategies to help plants to counteract unfavorable drought periods.