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Abstract Background Enriching the soil with organic matter such as humic and fulvic acid to increase its content available nutrients, improves the chemical properties of the soil and increases plant growth as well as grain yield. In this study, we conducted a field experiment using humic acid (HA), fulvic acid (FA) and recommended dose (RDP) of phosphorus fertilizer to treat Hordeum vulgare seedling, in which four concentrations from HA, FA and RDP (0.0 %, 50 %, 75 % and 100%) under saline soil conditions . Moreover, some agronomic traits (e.g. grain yield, straw yield, spikes weight, plant height, spike length and spike weight) in barley seedling after treated with different concentrations from HA, FA and RDP were determined. As such the beneficial effects of these combinations to improve plant growth, N, P, and K uptake, grain yield, and its components under salinity stress were assessed. Results The findings showed that the treatments HA + 100% RDP (T1), HA + 75% RDP (T2), FA + 100% RDP (T5), HA + 50% RDP (T3), and FA + 75% RDP (T6), improved number of spikes/plant, 1000-grain weight, grain yield/ha, harvest index, the amount of uptake of nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) in straw and grain. The increase for grain yield over the control was 64.69, 56.77, 49.83, 49.17, and 44.22% in the first season, and 64.08, 56.63, 49.19, 48.87, and 43.69% in the second season,. Meanwhile, the increase for grain yield when compared to the recommended dose was 22.30, 16.42, 11.27, 10.78, and 7.11% in the first season, and 22.17, 16.63, 11.08, 10.84, and 6.99% in the second season. Therefore, under salinity conditions the best results were obtained when, in addition to phosphate fertilizer, the soil was treated with humic acid or foliar application the plants with fulvic acid under one of the following treatments: HA + 100% RDP (T1), HA + 75% RDP (T2), FA + 100% RDP (T5), HA + 50% RDP (T3), and FA + 75% RDP (T6). Conclusions The result of the use of organic amendments was an increase in the tolerance of barley plant to salinity stress, which was evident from the improvement in the different traits that occurred after the treatment using treatments that included organic amendments (humic acid or fulvic acid).

Abstract In the present study, Aeromonas hydrophila was isolated from Tilapia zillii and Mugil cephalus samples collected during different seasons from various Suez Canal areas in Egypt. The prevalence of A. hydrophila, virulence genes, and antibiotic resistance profile of the isolates to the commonly used antibiotics in aquaculture were investigated to identify multiple drug resistance (MDR) and extensive drug-resistant (XDR) strains. In addition, a pathogenicity test was conducted using A. hydrophila, which was isolated and selected based on the prevalence of virulence and resistance genes, and morbidity of natural infected fish. The results revealed that A. hydrophila was isolated from 38 of the 120 collected fish samples (31.6%) and confirmed phenotypically and biochemically. Several virulence genes were detected in retrieved A. hydrophila isolates, including aerolysin aerA (57.9%), ser (28.9%), alt (26.3%), ast (13.1%), act (7.9%), hlyA (7.9%), and nuc (18.4%). Detection of antibiotic-resistant genes revealed that all isolates were positive for bla pse1 (100%), bla SHV (42.1%), tetA (60.5%), and sul1 (42.1%). 63.1% of recovered isolates were considered MDR, while 28.9% of recovered isolates were considered XDR. Some isolates harbor both virulence and MDR genes; the highest percentage carried 11, followed by isolates harboring 9 virulence and resistance genes. It could be concluded that the high prevalence of A. hydrophila in aquaculture species and their diverse antibiotic resistance and virulence genes suggest the high risk of Aeromonas infection and could have important implications for aquaculture and public health.

Abstract Obesity upsurges the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, primarily heart failure and coronary heart disease. Chia seeds have a high concentration of dietary fiber and increased concentrations of anti-inflammatoryand antioxidant compounds. They are used for weight loss plus enhancing blood glucose and lipid profile. The current perspective was commenced to examine the protective influence of chia seeds ingestion on cardiovascular disease risk factors in high-fat diet-fed rats. Forty male albino rats (with an initial body weight of 180–200 g) were used in this study. Rats were randomly and equally divided into 4 groups: Group I was the control group and group II was a control group with chia seeds supplementation. Group III was a high-fat diet group (HFD) that received HFD for 10 weeks and group IV was fed on HFD plus chia seeds for 10 weeks. In all groups Echocardiographic measurements were performed, initial and final BMI, serum glucose, AC/TC ratio, lipid profile, insulin (with a computed HOMA-IR), creatinine phosphokinase-muscle/brain (CPK-MB), CRP, and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and MAP were estimated. Whole heart weight (WHW) was calculated, and then WHW/body weight (BW) ratio was estimated. Eventually, a histopathological picture of cardiac tissues was performed to assess the changes in the structure of the heart under Haematoxylin and Eosin and Crossmon’s trichrome stain. Ingestion of a high diet for 10 weeks induced a clear elevation in BMI, AC/ TC, insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, CRP, CPK-MB, and cTnI in all HFD groups. Moreover, there was a significant increase in MAP, left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD), and left ventricular end systolic diameter (LVESD). Furthermore, histological cardiac examination showed structural alteration of the normal structure of the heart tissue with an increase in collagen deposition. Also, the Bcl-2 expression in the heart muscle was significantly lower, but Bax expression was significantly higher. Chia seeds ingestion combined with HFD noticeably ameliorated the previously-recorded biochemical biomarkers, hemodynamic and echocardiography measures, and histopathological changes. Outcomes of this report reveal that obesity is a hazard factor for cardiovascular disease and chia seeds could be a good candidate for cardiovascular system protection.

In the present study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were synthesized using neem leaf aqueous extracts and characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Then compare its efficacy as anticancer and antibacterial agents with chemically synthesized ZnO-NPs and the neem leaf extract used for the green synthesis of ZnO-NPs. The TEM, UV-vis, and particle size confirmed that the developed ZnO-NPs are nanoscale. The chemically and greenly synthesized ZnO-NPs showed their optical absorbance at 328 nm and 380 nm, respectively, and were observed as spherical particles with a size of about 85 nm and 62.5 nm, respectively. HPLC and GC-MS were utilized to identify the bioactive components in the neem leaf aqueous extract employed for the eco-friendly production of ZnO-NPs. The HPLC analysis revealed that the aqueous extract of neem leaf contains 19 phenolic component fractions. The GC-MS analysis revealed the existence of 21 bioactive compounds. The antiproliferative effect of green ZnO-NPs was observed at different concentrations (31.25 µg/mL–1000 µg/mL) on Hct 116 and A 549 cancer cells, with an IC50 value of 111 µg/mL for A 549 and 118 µg/mL for Hct 116. On the other hand, the antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria was estimated. The antibacterial result showed that the MIC of green synthesized ZnO-NPs against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria were 5, and 1 µg/mL. Hence, they could be utilized as effective antibacterial and antiproliferative agents.

Drought stress is one of the major threats to food security in the climate change scenario. Reducing the deleterious impacts of drought stress on the productivity of cereal crops is crucial. Hence, limited information has been available about the effect of the combined use of plant growth regulators and mineral fertilisers on promoting drought tolerance in maize seedlings. In this study, a pot experiment was carried out to evaluate the potential of sole or combined application of silicon (Si) and putrescine (Put) to mitigate the detrimental effects of drought on maize. The experimental treatments were, i.e. control (CK), water spray, 4.0 mmol Si, 0.5 mmol Put, and 4.0 mmol Si + 0.5 mmol Put on maize crop grown at two different water-holding capacity levels (80% well-water condition and 40% drought stress). The experiment was arranged in a complete randomised design with factorial arrangements having three replications. Exposure of maize plants to drought stress at the reproductive phase (VT-tasseling) reduced the photosynthetic pigments, including chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and chlorophyll a + b, relative water contents, leaf area, yield and yield attributes. However, foliar application of Si and Put individually and Si + Put dramatically reduced these negative effects by improving photosynthetic pigments, relative water contents, and activities of enzymatic antioxidant defence. Drought stress-induced lipid peroxidation in the form of more production of malondialdehyde content, hydrogen peroxide and electrolyte leakage significantly declined due to the combined application of Si and Put compared to the respective control. Drought stress boosted the activities of key enzymatic antioxidants (catalase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase) irrespective of the treatment application. Moreover, it was noted that the accumulation of osmolytes (proline and soluble protein) contents was increased by the combined application of Si and Put. Under drought stress conditions, combined foliar application of Si and Put considerably improved 22.70% cob length, 12.77% number of grains per cob, and 18.30% 100-grain weight, which ultimately enhanced maize's 10.29% grain yield. From the current study's findings, it was concluded that a combined foliar spray of silicon and putrescine at the reproductive phase is an effective strategy to enhance the maize yield in drought-prone areas.

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of dietary concentrate: forage (C: F) ratio on fat deposition, fatty acid composition, oxidative stability and mRNA expression levels of sirtuins genes associated with adipose tissue metabolism of subcutaneous fat in Black Tibetan sheep. Three diets with different C: F (HC: 70:30, IC:50:50 and LC: 30:70) were fed to fifteen weaned male lambs (2-month-old, 10.05 ± 0.96 Kg). The experiment lasted for 120 d. Five lambs from each group were randomly selected and slaughtered at the end of the experiment. The subcutaneous fat thicknesses increased with increasing concentrate level (P

Plants possess various defense mechanisms to cope with genotoxic and environmental challenges, with high temperatures posing a significant threat due to global warming. In this investigation, ten-day-old Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) seedlings were cultivated in a controlled environment chamber with conditions set at 70–80% relative humidity, a day/night cycle of 25/18 °C, and a photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) of 1000 μmol m−2 s−1. Other groups of seedlings were subjected to temperatures of 30, 35, or 40 °C. Our research aimed to investigate the relationship between temperature intensity, duration, growth responses, physiological and metabolic activities, and the stress alleviation by salicylic acid. The results demonstrated that high temperatures significantly reduced plant growth, membrane stability, while increasing proline and protein content, as well as electrolyte leakage in the leaves. The most pronounced results were observed when exposed to 40 °C for 24 h. Salicylic acid completely mitigated the negative impacts of high-temperature stress when it was applied at 40 °C for 24 h. We utilized two-dimensional electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry to examine proteins across three groups: control plants, stressed plants, and plants subjected to salicylic acid treatment. Our results revealed that, among the proteins influenced by high-temperature stress, 12 displayed the most significant differences in regulation. These stress-responsive proteins played roles in signal transduction, stress defense, detoxification, amino acid metabolism, protein metabolism (including translation, processing, and degradation), photosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, and energy pathways. These proteins may hold practical implications for diverse biological activities. In conclusion, salicylic acid treatment enhanced thermotolerance in fenugreek plants, although further investigation is required at the genome level to elucidate the mechanism of salicylic acid action under heat stress.

Wheat is an important cereal crop constrained by several biotic and abiotic stresses including drought stress. Understating the effect of drought stress and the genetic basis of stress tolerance is important to develop drought resilient, high-yielding wheat cultivars. In this study, we investigated the effects of drought stress on seedling characteristics in an association panel consisting of 198 germplasm lines. Our findings revealed that drought stress had a detrimental effect on all the seedling characteristics under investigation with a maximum effect on shoot length (50.94% reduction) and the minimum effect on germination percentage (7.9% reduction). To gain a deeper understanding, we conducted a genome-wide association analysis using 12,511 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which led to the identification of 39 marker-trait associations (MTAs). Of these 39 MTAs, 13 were particularly noteworthy as they accounted for >10% of the phenotypic variance with a LOD score >5. These high-confidence MTAs were further utilized to extract 216 candidate gene (CGs) models within 1 Mb regions. Gene annotation and functional characterization identified 83 CGs with functional relevance to drought stress. These genes encoded the WD40 repeat domain, Myb/SANT-like domain, WSD1-like domain, BTB/POZ domain, Protein kinase domain, Cytochrome P450, Leucine-rich repeat domain superfamily, BURP domain, Calmodulin-binding protein60, Ubiquitin-like domain, etc. Findings from this study hold significant promise for wheat breeders as they provide direct assistance in selecting lines harboring favorable alleles for improved drought stress tolerance. Additionally, the identified SNPs and CGs will enable marker-assisted selection of potential genomic regions associated with enhanced drought stress tolerance in wheat.

Soil organisms play a pivotal role in terrestrial ecosystems, sparking growing curiosity about the comprehensive diversity of subterranean biota across large ecological levels. Soil inhabitants’ exhibit varied responses to soil physicochemical properties (SPPs) across desert ecosystem. Yet, the knowledge of their population dynamics across different soil depths (SDs) in the indigenous natural dominant zone of Karelinia caspia, a primary desert shrub in China, remains limited. This study employed advanced illumina sequencing to assess soil bacteria, fungi, archaea, protist, and metazoa populations across six distinct SDs (0 to 100 cm) within the K. caspia desert landscape. Our findings indicate a descending alpha diversity pattern in bacteria, archaea, and protists as soil depth increases, contrary to fungi and metazoa, which exhibit the opposite trend. SDs significantly shape soil biota beta diversity, notably impacting bacteria, protists, and fungi, as revealed by Non-Metric Dimensional Scaling. Prominent classes include Actinobacteria, Sordariomycetes, Nitrososphaeria, Spirotrichea, and Nematoda for soil bacteria, fungi, archaea, protists, and metazoa, respectively. Correlation analysis between predominant biotic communities' vertical distribution and SPPs variations revealed total potassium (TK) and pH's pronounced influence on bacteria, while fungi were affected by total nitrogen (TN) and soil water content (SWC). Archaea exhibit sensitivity to SWC, available potassium (AK), and available phosphorus (AP); protists respond to C/N-Ratio, nitrate (NO3), and total phosphorus (TP); metazoa correlate with SWC, pH, and NO3. Overall, these findings offer valuable insights regarding population fluctuations of soil biota within naturally established K. caspia across vertical soil strata within China's desert ecosystem.

Abstract Background Water deficit is one of the most significant abiotic factors affecting rice and agricultural production worldwide. In hybrid rice, cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is an important technique for creating high-yielding crop based on heterosis. The phytohormone kinetin (Kin) regulates cell division in plant during the early stages of grain formation, as well as flow assimilation and osmotic regulation under water stress. The present study performed to estimate the effects of irrigation intervals (irrigation each six days (I6), nine days (I9), twelve days (I12) and fifteen days (I15) against continuous flooding (CF, each three days)) and kinetin exogenously application (control, 15 mg L−1 and 30 mg L−1) on hybrid rice (L1, IR69625A; L2, G46A and R, Giza 178 R) seed production. Results Leaves traits (Chlorophyll content (CHC), relative water content (RWC), stomatal conductance (SC), Leaf temperature (LT) and transpiration rate (TR)), floral traits such as style length (SL) and total stigma length (TSL), in addition to root traits (i.e., root length (RL), root volume (RV), root: shoot ratio (RSR), root thickness (RT), root xylem vessels number (RXVN) and root xylem vessel area (RXVA) were evaluated and a significant enhancement in most traits was observed. Applying 30 mg L−1 kinetin significantly and positively enhanced all growth, floral and roots traits (RV and RXVA recorded the most increased values by 14.8% and 23.9%, respectively) under prolonging irrigation intervals, in comparison to non-treated plants. Conclusions Subsequently, spraying kinetin exogenously on foliar could be an alternative method to reduce the harmful influences of water deficiency during seed production in hybrid rice.

Background Okra is a plant farmed for its pods, leaves, and stems all of which are edible. It is famous for its ability to tolerate long desiccation periods. It belongs to the Malvaceae family and is a sister species to hibiscus, cotton, and cacao plants. Methods In the current study, okra plants were used as a model to sequence, assemble, and analyze the evolutionary and functional characteristics of the Dicer-like protein gene family (DCL) based on DNAseq and qPCR techniques. Results Four Dicer-like (DCL) single-copy genes of the okra plant Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench (AeDCL) were successfully assembled. The lengths of the AeDCL copies were 8,494, 5,214, 4,731, and 9,329 bp. The detected exons in these samples ranged from a single exon in AeDCL3 to 24 exons in AeDCL4. AeDCLs had five functional domains of two DEAD-like helicase superfamilies, N and C; one Dicer domain; one ribonuclease III domain (a and b); and one double-stranded RNA-binding domain. The PAZ domain was completely annotated only for AeDCL1 and AeDCL3. All AeDCLs were up-regulated under drought conditions, with leaves showing more extensive fold changes than roots. The study focused on a comprehensive genome-wide identification and analysis of the DCL gene family in naturally drought-tolerant okra plants, an orphan crop that can be used as a model for further genomic and transcriptomic studies on drought-tolerance mechanisms in plants.

Introduction: The Capsicum annuum nuclear factor Y subunit B (CaNFYB) gene family plays a significant role in diverse biological processes, including plant responses to abiotic stressors such as salinity.Methods: In this study, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the CaNFYB gene family in pepper, encompassing their identification, structural details, evolutionary relationships, regulatory elements in promoter regions, and expression profiles under salinity stress.Results and discussion: A total of 19 CaNFYB genes were identified and subsequently characterized based on their secondary protein structures, revealing conserved domains essential for their functionality. Chromosomal distribution showed a non-random localization of these genes, suggesting potential clusters or hotspots for NFYB genes on specific chromosomes. The evolutionary analysis focused on pepper and comparison with other plant species indicated a complex tapestry of relationships with distinct evolutionary events, including gene duplication. Moreover, promoter cis-element analysis highlighted potential regulatory intricacies, with notable occurrences of light-responsive and stress-responsive binding sites. In response to salinity stress, several CaNFYB genes demonstrated significant temporal expression variations, particularly in the roots, elucidating their role in stress adaptation. Particularly CaNFYB01, CaNFYB18, and CaNFYB19, play a pivotal role in early salinity stress response, potentially through specific regulatory mechanisms elucidated by their cis-elements. Their evolutionary clustering with other Solanaceae family members suggests conserved ancestral functions vital for the family’s survival under stress. This study provides foundational knowledge on the CaNFYB gene family in C. annuum, paving the way for further research to understand their functional implications in pepper plants and relative species and their potential utilization in breeding programs to enhance salinity tolerance.

Under salinity conditions, growth and productivity of grain crops decrease, leading to inhibition and limited absorption of water and elements necessary for plant growth, osmotic imbalance, ionic stress, and oxidative stress. Microorganisms in bio-fertilizers have several mechanisms to provide benefits to crop plants and reduce the harmful effect of salinity. They can be effective in dissolving phosphate, fixing nitrogen, promoting plant growth, and can have a combination of all these qualities. During two successful agricultural seasons, two field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of bio-fertilizer applications, including phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), nitrogen fixation bacteria and a mix of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria and nitrogen fixation bacteria with three rates, 50, 75 and 100% NPK, of the recommended dose of minimal fertilizer on agronomic traits, yield and nutrient uptake of barley (Hordeum vulgare) under saline condition in Village 13, Farafra Oasis, New Valley Governorate, Egypt. The results showed that the application of Microbein + 75% NPK recorded the highest values of plant height, spike length, number of spikes/m2, grain yield (Mg ha−1), straw yield (Mg ha−1), biological yield (Mg ha−1), protein content %, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) uptakes in grain and straw (kg ha−1), available nitrogen (mg/kg soil), available phosphorus (mg/kg soil), total microbial count of soil, antioxidant activity of soil (AOA), dehydrogenase, nitrogen fixers, and PSB counts. The application of bio-fertilizers led to an increase in plant tolerance to salt stress, plant growth, grain yield, and straw yield, in addition to the application of the bio-fertilizers, which resulted in a 25% saving in the cost of mineral fertilizers used in barley production.

Numerous plant metabolites, especially amino acids, are accumulated as a result of stress. These amino acids are crucial for plant metabolism and development and have historically been viewed as the building blocks of proteins. Several studies suggested that there is a link between proline buildup and exposure plants to stress. Proline performs important functions under stress in addition to be a great osmolyte, antioxidant enzyme, acts as an antioxidant defense and signaling molecules. Two field trials were during two successive winter seasons (2020/2021 and 2021/2022). The effects of proline foliar application (0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 mg L−1) and irrigation water levels (irrigation by 100, 80 and 60% of crop water requirements, CWR, CWR100, CWR80 and CWR60, respectively) on plant pigments, antioxidants activity, yield traits and nutrient contents of wheat were assessed. The experiment was designed in a split-plot involving 4 replicates. Drought stress (CWR80 and CWR60) led to reductions in photosynthetic pigments, and yield components. Under severe water stress (CWR60), proline 200 and 300 mg L−1 recorded the highest values of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total pigments. Application of proline 300 mg L−1 was the potent practice for enhancing the antioxidant activity% (DPPH radical scavenging) and phenols content under CWR100 and CWR80. Indole acetic acid (IAA) possessed the maximum values with proline 200 mg L−1 under all irrigation patterns. Under severe deficit water (CWR60), without proline spraying (for super oxide dismutase), 200, 300 or 400 mg L−1 proline (for peroxidase) and 200 or 400 mg L−1 proline (for polyphenol oxidase) recorded the highest values. Spraying proline 300 mg L−1 achieved the highest values of grain number spike−1, weight of 1000 grains and grain yield ha−1 under different irrigation regimes. In conclusion, proline is considered a good mitigator for drought stress, due to it increased wheat plant tolerance to water deficiency throughout improving plant physiology and consequently yields quantity and quality. The most efficient concentrations of proline for coping the adverse impact of drought were 200 and 300 mg L−1.

IntroductionThere is an urgent need to develop therapeutic options for biofilm-producing Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Therefore, the renewed interest in essential oils (EOs), especially carvacrol, linalool and eugenol, has attracted the attention of our research group.MethodsMultidrug resistance and multivirulence profiles in addition to biofilm production of S. aureus strains isolated from cows with mastitis were evaluated using both phenotypic and genotypic methods. The antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of EOs were tested using both in vitro and molecular docking studies. Moreover, the interactions between commonly used antibiotics and the tested EOs were detected using the checkerboard method.ResultsWe found that all our isolates (n= 37) were biofilm methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) producers and 40.5% were vancomycin resistant S. aureus (VRSA). Unfortunately, 73 and 43.2% of the recovered MRSA isolates showed multidrug resistant (MDR) and multivirulence patterns, respectively. The antimicrobial activities of the tested EOs matched with the phenotypic evaluation of the antibiofilm activities and molecular docking studies. Linalool showed the highest antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities, followed by carvacrol and eugenol EOs. Fortunately, synergistic interactions between the investigated EOs and methicillin or vancomycin were detected with fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) values ≤ 0.5. Moreover, the antimicrobial resistance patterns of 13 isolates changed to sensitive phenotypes after treatment with any of the investigated EOs. Treatment failure of bovine mastitis with resistant S. aureus can be avoided by combining the investigated EOs with available antimicrobial drugs.ConclusionWe hope that our findings can be translated into a formulation of new pharmaceutical dosage forms against biofilm-producing S. aureus pathogens.

In the realm of applied phycology, algal physiology, and biochemistry publications, the absence of proper identification and documentation of microalgae is a common concern. This poses a significant challenge for non-specialists who struggle to identify numerous eukaryotic microalgae. However, a promising solution lies in employing an appropriate DNA barcoding technique and establishing comprehensive databases of reference sequences. To address this issue, we conducted a study focusing on the molecular characterization and strain identification of Tetraselmis and Chlorella species, utilizing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) barcode approach. By analyzing the full nuclear ITS region through the Sanger sequencing approach, we obtained ITS barcodes that were subsequently compared with other ITS sequences of various Tetraselmis and Chlorella species. To ensure the reliability of our identification procedure, we conducted a meticulous comparison of the DNA alignment, constructed a phylogenetic tree, and determined the percentage of identical nucleotides. The findings of our study reveal the significant value of the ITS genomic region as a tool for distinguishing and identifying morphologically similar chlorophyta. Moreover, our results demonstrate that both the ITS1 and ITS2 regions are capable of effectively discriminating isolates from one another; however, ITS2 is preferred due to its greater intraspecific variation. These results underscore the indispensability of employing ITS barcoding in microalgae identification, highlighting the limitations of relying solely on morphological characterization.

Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSDs) is an oil-body sterol protein (steroleosin) with an NADP(H) binding domain that belongs to the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily. There are numerous studies on the characterization of HSDs in plants. However, thus far, the evolutionary differentiation and divergence analysis of these genes remain to be explored. The current study used an integrated method to elucidate the sequential evolution of HSDs in 64 sequenced plant genomes. Analyses were conducted on their origins, distribution, duplication, evolutionary paths, domain functions, motif composition, properties, and cis-elements. Results indicate that except for algae, HSD1 was widely distributed in plant species ranging from lower to higher plants, while HSD5 was restricted to terrestrial plants, and HSD2 was identified in fewer monocots and several dicot plants. Phylogenetic analysis of HSD proteins revealed that monocotyledonous HSD1 in moss and ferns appeared closest to the outgroup, V. carteri HSD-like, M. musculus HSD1, and H. sapiens HSD1. These data support the hypothesis that HSD1 originated in bryophytes and then in non-vascular and vascular plants, followed by HSD5 only in land plants. Gene structure analysis suggests that HSDs in plant species came up with a fixed number of six exons, and the intron phase was primarily 0, 1, 0, 0, and 0. Similarly, duplication analysis revealed that segmental duplications were the main reason for HSDs in plant species. Physicochemical properties suggest that dicotyledonous HSD1s and HSD5s were mainly acidic. The monocotyledonous HSD1s and HSD2s and the dicotyledonous HSD2s, HSD3s, HSD4s, and HSD6s were mainly basic, implying that HSDs in plants may have a variety of functions. Cis-regulatory elements and expression analysis revealed that HSDs in plants might have roles in several abiotic stresses. Due to the high expression of HSD1s and HSD5s in seeds, these HSDs in plants may have roles in fatty acid accumulation and degradation.

Calcareous soil had sufficient phosphorus and potassium (PK) in different forms due to the high contents of PK-bearing minerals; however, the available PK state was reduced due to its PK-fixation capacity. Compost, coupled with high PK solubilization capacity microbes, is a sustainable solution for bioorganic fertilization of plants grown in calcareous soil. A 2-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of compost (20 t ha−1) with Aspergillus niger through soil drenching (C-AN) along with partial substitution of PK fertilization on quinoa performance in normal and calcareous soils. Treatments included PK100% (72 kg P2O5 ha−1 + 60 kg K2O ha−1 as conventional rate), PK100%+C-AN, PK75%+C-AN, PK50%+C-AN, PK25%+C-AN, and only C-AN in normal and calcareous soils. Results showed that C-AN and reduced PK fertilization (up to 75 or 50%) increased photosynthetic pigments and promoted nutrient acquisition in quinoa grown in calcareous soil. Reduced PK fertilization to 75 or 50% plus C-AN in calcareous soil increased osmoprotectants, nonenzymatic antioxidants, and DPPH scavenging activity of quinoa’s leaves compared to the PK0%+C-AN treatment. The integrative application of high PK levels and C-AN enhanced the quinoa’s seed nutritional quality (i.e., lipids, carbohydrates, mineral contents, total phenolics, total flavonoids, half maximal inhibitory concentration, and antiradical power) in calcareous soil. At reduced PK fertilization (up to 75 or 50%), application of compost with Aspergillus niger through soil drenching increased plant dry weight by 38.7 or 53.2%, hectoliter weight by 3.0 or 2.4%, seed yield by 49.1 or 39.5%, and biological yield by 43.4 or 33.6%, respectively, compared to PK0%+C-AN in calcareous soil. The highest P-solubilizing microorganism’s population was found at PK0%+C-AN in calcareous soil, while the highest Azotobacter sp. population was observed under high PK levels + C-AN in normal soil. Our study recommends that compost with Aspergillus niger as a bioorganic fertilization treatment can partially substitute PK fertilization and boost quinoa’s tolerance to salt calcareous-affected soil.

Heavy metal toxicity is an important issue owing to its harmful influence on fish. Hence, this study is a pioneer attempt to verify the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of a magnetite (Fe3O4) nanogel (MNG) in mitigating waterborne lead (Pb) toxicity in African catfish. Fish (n = 160) were assigned into four groups for 45 days. The first (control) and second (MNG) groups were exposed to 0 and 1.2 mg L−1 of MNG in water. The third (Pb) and fourth (MNG + Pb) groups were exposed to 0 and 1.2 mg L−1 of MNG in water and 69.30 mg L−1 of Pb. In vitro, the MNG caused a dramatic drop in the Pb level within 120 h. The Pb-exposed group showed the lowest survival (57.5%) among the groups, with substantial elevations in hepato-renal function and lipid peroxide (MDA). Moreover, Pb exposure caused a remarkable decline in the protein-immune parameters and hepatic antioxidants, along with higher Pb residual deposition in muscles and obvious histopathological changes in the liver and kidney. Interestingly, adding aqueous MNG to Pb-exposed fish relieved these alterations and increased survivability. Thus, MNG is a novel antitoxic agent against Pb toxicity to maintain the health of C. gariepinus.

Recently, the use of nanofertilizers has received a great deal of attention in managing plants under biotic and abiotic stresses. However, studies that elucidate the role of silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO2NPs) in regulating maize tolerance to drought stress are still at early stages of development. In this study, plants that were treated with SiO2NPs (0.25 g/L as foliar spray) displayed considerable improvement in the growth indices, despite being subjected to drought stress. In addition, the action of SiO2NPs led to a considerable rise in the levels of chlorophylls, proline, cell membrane integrity, leaf water content, and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and guaiacol peroxidase (G-POX)). In contrast, an inverse trend was seen in the oxidative injury, the total amount of soluble sugars, and the activity of ascorbate peroxidase (APX). At the same time, carotenoids were unaffected in SiO2NPs-treated and non-treated plants under drought stress. The results of the molecular investigation that was conducted using qRT-PCR showed that the relative expression of the D2 protein of photosystem II (PsbD) was elevated in SiO2NPs-treated plants in response to drought stress, while the expression of the osmotic-like protein (OSM-34) and aquaporin (AQPs) was downregulated in SiO2NPs-treated plants in response to drought stress. This research could pave the way for further investigations into how SiO2NPs boost plant resistance to drought stress.

Climate change alters regular weather seasonality. Corn is one of the main crops affected by irregular water regimes. Due to complications in decision-making processes related to climate change, it is estimated that planting corn outside the optimal window results in around USD 340 million in losses per year in the United States’ Corn Belt. In turn, exogenous plant growth regulators have been gaining prominence due to their potential to positively influence the morphology and physiology of plants under stress. This study was based on the hypothesis that the use of plant growth regulators can assist in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change on corn plants sown both inside and outside the recommended planting period. In this context, the effects of biostimulant application on gas exchange in corn plants sown within and outside the recommended period were evaluated. The experiment was carried out in randomized blocks in a 4 × 5 × 2 factorial scheme with four repetitions. These were four sowing times, the application of the biostimulants via seeds in five doses, and foliar applications (presence and absence). The biostimulant doses were 0.00, 6.25, 12.50, 18.75, and 25 mL kg−1. The foliar application used a dose of 500 mL ha−1. Only in the period (2017/2) higher doses of biostimulants indicated a decrease in the water use efficiency of plants, suggesting the need to evaluate this variable carefully. In this regard, future studies may investigate the ideal doses and application timings of biostimulants for different edaphoclimatic conditions. In general, the combined use of biostimulants on seeds and as a foliar treatment boosted physiological activity and stimulated photosynthetic processes in corn plants. Based on these data, plant regulators can be a useful tool to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on corn plants sown inside and outside the planting period.

Tomato is a globally important fruit crop, which is easily susceptible to infection by plant-parasitic nematodes during growth. In this study, selenium nanoparticles were biosynthesized through the selenite reduction pathway in a wild-type Pseudomonas stutzeri BB19 and were characterized by uniform nanostructured needle-like forms with an average size of 95.2 nm. The nematicidal effect of biosynthesized selenium nanoparticles (BioSeNPs) at different concentrations (2, 6, and 10 ppm) during the pre- or post-infection of tomato root-knot nematode (RKN), Meloidogyne incognita, was assessed under greenhouse conditions. The BioSeNPs were applied as a foliar spray or a soil drench, compared to ethoprophos nematicide (100 mL/pot). The results showed that the ethoprophos nematicide significantly reduced the number of galls, egg mass, and eggs/egg mass of M. incognita by 94.2, 92.8, and 49.8%, respectively. BioSeNPs, as foliar sprays, significantly reduced the number of galls in post-treated infected tomato plants at 10 ppm and in pre-treated infected tomato plants at 2 ppm by 91.9 and 91.4%, respectively. Concerning the egg mass, BioSeNPs significantly reduced it in pre-treated infected tomato plants at 2 ppm as a foliar spray by 90.9%. Moreover, BioSeNPs significantly reduced the eggs/egg mass in pre-treated infected tomato plants at 2 ppm as a soil drench by 43.3%. On the other hand, the BioSeNPs considerably improved tomato growth, chlorophyll a and b, carotenoid content, and enzymes (i.e., catalase and peroxidase) activity compared to untreated infected tomato plants (negative control). Hence, the BioSeNPs show a significant application potential as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly biocontrol agent for RKN management in tomato plants.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with nano-curcumin (NCur) and a nano-curcumin/chitosan blend (NCur/Ch) on growth performance, digestibility, immune response, antioxidant status, intestinal morphometric characters, and gene regulation in Nile tilapia. Fish (n = 180, initial body weight = 12.0 ± 0.53 g) received supplementary NCur at rates of 0 (control), 0.00625, and 0.0125, and NCur/Ch at rates of 0.00625 + 0.5 g/kg diet for 4 weeks. Growth performance parameters (final weight and length, body mass gain, specific growth, and length gain rates) were markedly increased, and the feed conversion ratio was significantly decreased in the NCur- and NCur/Ch-supplemented groups. Digestive enzyme (amylase), immune response markers (immunoglobulin M, nitrous oxide, and lysozyme activity), plasma albumin, and total protein were increased significantly, mainly with a diet supplemented with 0.00625 g NCur/kg. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), glucose, and cortisol levels decreased in the supplemented groups compared to the control. Significantly increased glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were observed in the NCur/Ch group. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was improved in the 0.0125 NCur group. Intestinal morphometric characters, including villus length, width, interspace, and goblet cell abundance, were increased to cope with improved growth performance and were associated with upregulation of insulin-like growth factor 1 (igf-1) and complement C-5 (cc5) compared to the control group. Therefore, NCur and an NCur/Ch blend could be supplemented in the Nile tilapia diets as a natural alternative to promote growth, digestion, immune status, liver function, antioxidant status, and related gene expression in O. niloticus.

The present study evaluated the impact of chronic herbicide (oxyfluorfen; OXY) exposure on catfish, Clarias gariepinus, in terms of growth, hematobiochemical parameters, immune response, antioxidant- and immune-related gene expression, and resistance to monogenean parasites, Quadriacanthus aegypticus. In addition, the protective role of Wormwood, Artemisia cina (AC) against OXY exposure through diet inclusion was also analyzed. The catfish fingerlings were exposed to OXY (1.16 mg/L) for 60 days and fed diets without AC supplementation (control) and with 5% AC supplementation. The results demonstrated that exposure to OXY stunted growth; decreased survival, erythrograms and leukograms, serum protein, and acetylcholinesterase; and negatively altered the antioxidant status. On the contrary, AC supplementation significantly reduced OXY’s negative impacts on growth and hematological, biochemical, and antioxidant balance. In addition, exposure to OXY markedly increased levels of biomarkers of hepatorenal damage, stress indicators, and DNA damage, which were alleviated with AC supplementation. OXY exposure induced immunosuppression manifested by a decrease in lysozyme activities, complement c3, nitric oxide levels, and phagocytic activity. Furthermore, exposure to OXY negatively regulated the expression of immune-antioxidant genes (CAT, GPX1, SOD1, GST, and TGF-Β1). However, it upregulated the expression of CYP1a, IL-1β, and TNF-α in the liver, anterior kidney, and intestine of C. gariepinus. Meanwhile, the addition of AC to the OXY-exposed fish diets notably restored immune components and remedied the altered immune-related gene expressions. Likewise, the AC supplementation significantly alleviated the OXY-induced reduction in the fish survival rate after Q. aegypticus challenge. Accordingly, AC dietary supplementation in catfish diets could alleviate the negative impact of exposure to OXY on growth performance, physiological status, and some immune-antioxidant-related gene expression.

Fish is an excellent source of protein and other essential minerals and vitamins; nevertheless, several food-borne disease outbreaks have been linked to the consumption of different types of fish. Therefore, we aimed to overcome these health threats by evaluating gamma radiation as a good fish preservation method. The aerobic plate count (APC), identification of most common pathogenic bacteria, organoleptic properties, proximate composition, and other chemical evaluations were detected in both untreated and gamma-treated fish. The overall grades of organoleptic evaluations ranged from good to very good. Fortunately, the overall chemical analysis of all examined fish samples was accepted. For the untreated fish samples, the APC was within and above the permissible limit (5 × 107 CFU/g). Pathogenic bacteria were detected with a high prevalence rate, especially S. aureus, which was found in high percentages among examined untreated fish samples. Regarding the treated fish samples, APC and pathogenic bacterial counts were reduced in a dose-dependent manner, and the irradiation at dose 5 KGy resulted in complete eradication of the aerobic plate count (not detectable) with a mean reduction percentage equal to 100%. However, gamma irradiation has no significant effect on proximate composition; particularly, carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids were not significantly affected by low and medium doses of radiation. Therefore, gamma irradiation is a highly effective fish preservation method without any effect on fish quality. Additionally, gamma irradiation as a cold process is an attractive technology for solving the problem arising from fish-borne pathogens, and it has been purposed in this study as a cheap and safe method for reducing microbial contamination of fish.

Plants and soil microorganisms interact at every stage of growth. Pseudomonas spp. are highly regarded for their ability to increase crop production and protection from diseases. The aim of this study is to understand the mechanisms of the rhizobacterial colonization of tomato roots via chemotaxis assay and the activation of tomato resistance against the pathogenic bacterium, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (Pst). The capillary assay was used to evaluate the chemotaxis response of PGPRs (plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria). The activities of defense enzymes and the expressions of PR (pathogenesis-related) genes were measured using real-time qPCR. Chemotactic responses to malic and citric acids (the most important root exudates found in different plant species) at low concentrations varied substantially among the rhizobacterial isolates (63 species). Beneficial isolates including Pseudomonas resinovorans A5, P. vranovensis A30, P. resinovorans A28, P. umsongensis O26, P. stutzeri N42, and P. putida T15 reacted well to different concentrations of root exudates. P. putida T15 demonstrated the most potent anti-Pst activity. At three and six days after inoculation, the greatest levels of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activity were reported in the A5 and T15 groups. In tomato, transcript levels of four PR (pathogenesis-related) genes were elevated by rhizobacterial treatments. PGPR isolates alone or in combination with BABA (β-amino butyric acid) up-regulated the transcriptions of PR1, PR2, LOX, and PAL genes. Treatments with N42 and T15 resulted in the greatest improvements in tomato growth and yield traits. In conclusion, the results explain the mechanisms of rhizobacterial colonization for the improved management of Pst. Rhizobacterial isolates play a role in tomato’s resistance to Pst via salicylic acid and jasmonic acid pathways.

Over the past few years, COVID-19 has caused widespread suffering worldwide. There is great research potential in this domain and it is also necessary. The main objective of this study was to identify potential inhibitors against acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) in order to prevent coronavirus infection. Experimental studies revealed that SARS-CoV-2 causes activation of the acid sphingomyelinase/ceramide pathway, which in turn facilitates the viral entry into the cells. The objective was to inhibit acid sphingomyelinase activity in order to prevent the cells from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Previous studies have reported functional inhibitors against ASM (FIASMAs). These inhibitors can be exploited to block the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into the cells. To achieve our objective, a drug library containing 257 functional inhibitors of ASM was constructed. Computational molecular docking was applied to dock the library against the target protein (PDB: 5I81). The potential binding site of the target protein was identified through structural alignment with the known binding pocket of a protein with a similar function. AutoDock Vina was used to carry out the docking steps. The docking results were analyzed and the inhibitors were screened based on their binding affinity scores and ADME properties. Among the 257 functional inhibitors, Dutasteride, Cepharanthine, and Zafirlukast presented the lowest binding affinity scores of −9.7, −9.6, and −9.5 kcal/mol, respectively. Furthermore, computational ADME analysis of these results revealed Cepharanthine and Zafirlukast to have non-toxic properties. To further validate these findings, the top two inhibitors in complex with the target protein were subjected to molecular dynamic simulations at 100 ns. The molecular interactions and stability of these compounds revealed that these inhibitors could be a promising tool for inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 infection.