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The article presents a study which assessed the spatial variations in soil textural fractions, bulk density and porosity of the lesser Himalayas in India. Topics include basic statistical values of the research area soil physical property data, reasons for the variation in soil characteristics, and computed semivariogram soil parameter characteristics.

Micronutrient deficiency is a widespread food-related health problem around the world. The present study was conducted to evaluate a set of 63 advanced breeding lines of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) for grain iron (GFe) and grain zinc (GZn) concentrations, and to characterise the germplasm set via simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers (both genic and random). Substantial variation was found for both micronutrients. GFe concentration ranged from 28.9 to 67.4 mg kg-1 and GZn from 26.3 to 56.6 mg kg-1.Molecular characterisation with six genic and 20 random SSR markers detected 168 alleles with an average of 3.170 alleles per locus. Analysis of genotypic data based on division into two subpopulations revealed 165 alleles with an average of 3.113 alleles per locus in the low GFe--GZn subpopulation, whereas in the high GFe--GZn subpopulation, 149 alleles with an average of 2.811 alleles per locus were detected. Genic SSRs detected a higher average number of alleles (3.273 alleles per locus) than random SSRs (3.143 alleles per locus). Hierarchical clustering using genic markers alone clustered the whole germplasm set into two distinct groups: one possessing low GFe--GZn genotypes, the other with high GFe--GZn genotypes. Study of marker--trait associations (MTAs) identified seven new MTAs (six for GZn and one for GFe) and validated one MTA for GZn concentration. The promising genotypes andMTAs identified during the study will prove useful in wheat bio-fortification programs in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aberrations in epigenetic mechanisms provide a fertile platform for tumour initiation and progression. Thus, agents capable of modulating the epigenetic environment of neoplasms will be a valuable addition to the anticancer therapeutics. Flavones are emerging as befitting anticancer agents due to their inherent antioxidant activity and the ability to restrain epi‐targets namely histone deacetylases (HDACs). HDACs have broader implications in pathogenesis of various cancers. Chrysin, a flavone possessing the ability to inhibit HDACs could prove as a potential anticancer drug. Thus, in this article we focussed on Chrysin and its distinct antineoplastic effect against bellicose malignancies including lung, colorectal, cervical, gastric, melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma and breast cancer. The underlying signalling cascades triggered by Chrysin for inducing cytotoxic effect in these cancer models are discussed. Importantly, approaches towards combinatorial treatments by Chrysin and commercial anticancer agents are taken into account. The downstream molecular mechanism aroused by combined therapy for abrogating onerous cancer chemoresistance is delineated as well. Moreover, the nano‐combinatorial approach involving co‐encapsulation of Chrysin with other herbal and non‐herbal agents for clinical excellence is elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, Pst) is the most damaging wheat disease, causing substantial losses in global wheat production and productivity. Our study aimed to unravel the complex reciprocity between reactive oxygen species and the antioxidant defense system as a source of resistance against stripe rust in diploid, tetraploid and hexaploid wheat genotypes. The significant genetic variability for stripe rust in the materials under study was evident as the genotypes showed contrasting responses during both the adult and seedling stages. Our thorough perspective on the biochemical responses of wheat genotypes to stripe rust infection revealed distinct patterns in oxidative damage, antioxidant enzymes and photosynthetic pigments. Principal component analysis revealed inverse correlations between antioxidants and ROS, underscoring their key function in maintaining the cellular redox balance and protecting plants against oxidative damage. Diploid (Ae. tauschii) wild wheat exhibited a better biochemical defense system and greater resistance to stripe rust than the tetraploid (T. durum) and hexaploid (Triticum aestivum) wheat genotypes. The antioxidant enzyme activity of durum wheat was moderate compared to diploid and hexaploid wheat genotypes. The hexaploid wheat genotypes exhibited increased ROS production, reduced antioxidant enzyme activity and decreased photosynthetic pigment levels. This study enhances understanding of the antioxidant defense system across different wheat ploidies facing stripe rust, serving as a valuable strategy for improving crop disease resistance. This study validated the biochemical response of stripe rust-resistant and susceptible candidate genotypes, which will be used to develop genetic resources for discovering stripe rust resistance genes in wheat., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)