Search

IntroductionIt is well known that different ecotypes adopt different mechanisms to survive under environmental stress conditions. In this regard, each ecotype showed different type of modifications for their existence in a specific habitat that reflects to their ecological success.MethodsHere, differently adapted ecotypes of Bermuda grass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] were collected to evaluate their differential structural and functional modifications that are specific to cope with environmental stress conditions. The soil that adheres ecotypes roots were highly saline in case of DF-SD (Derawar Fort-Saline Desert), UL-HS (Ucchali Lake-Hyper Saline) and G-SSA (Gatwala-Saline Semiarid) ecotypes. Soils of S- HS (Sahianwala-Hyper Saline), S-SW (Sahianwala-Saline Wetland) and PA-RF (Pakka Anna-Reclaimed Field) were basic (pH 9 to 10). Soils of UL-HS and PA- HS (Pakka Anna-Hyper Saline), KKL-S (Kalar Kahar Lake-Saline), BG-NS (Botanic Garden-Non Saline) and G-SSA were rich in organic matter, and soil of BG-NS and DF-SD were rich in minerals. Anatomical modifications were performed by using the free hand sectioning technique and light microscopy.Results and DiscussionDF-SD is one of the best ecotypes which showed anatomical modifications to cope with environmental changes. These modifications included stem cross-sectional area and leaf sheath thickness that contribute towards water storage, vascular tissues for proficient translocation of solutes and trichomes that provide resistance to water loss. On the other hand, sclerification in root is the only notable modification in the Gatwala Saline Semiarid (G-SSA) ecotype from saline arid habitat where rainfall is not as low as in the Cholistan Desert. Two ecotypes from hyper-saline wetlands, UL-HS and KL-HS showed increased number and size of vascular tissue, central cavity and sclerification in stem which are important for solutes conduction, water loss and salts bulk movement, respectively. The ecotype from reclaimed site was not much different from its counterpart from hyper-saline dryland. Overall, anatomical modifications to maintain water conservation are key mechanisms that have been identified as mediating stress tolerance in C. dactylon ecotypes.

Melatonin plays a crucial role in the mitigation of plant biotic stress through induced defense responses and pathogen attenuation. Utilizing the current knowledge of signaling and associated mechanism of this phytoprotectant will be invaluable in sustainable plant disease management. Biotic stress in plants involves complex regulatory networks of various sensory and signaling molecules. In this context, the polyfunctional, ubiquitous-signaling molecule melatonin has shown a regulatory role in biotic stress mitigation in plants. The present review conceptualized the current knowledge concerning the melatonin-mediated activation of the defense signaling network that leads to the resistant or tolerant phenotype of the infected plants. Fundamentals of signaling networks involved in melatonin-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) or reactive nitrogen species (RNS) scavenging through enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants have also been discussed. Increasing evidence has suggested that melatonin acts upstream of mitogen-activated proteinase kinases in activation of defense-related genes and heat shock proteins that provide immunity against pathogen attack. Besides, the direct application of melatonin on virulent fungi and bacteria showed disrupted spore morphology, destabilization of cell ultrastructure, reduced biofilm formation, and enhanced mortality that led to attenuate disease symptoms on melatonin-treated plants. The transcriptome analysis has revealed the down-regulation of pathogenicity genes, metabolism-related genes, and up-regulation of fungicide susceptibility genes in melatonin-treated pathogens. The activation of melatonin-mediated systemic acquired resistance (SAR) through cross-talk with salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA) has been essential for viral disease management. The high endogenous melatonin concentration has also been correlated with the up-regulation of genes involved in pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI). The present review highlights the versatile functions of melatonin towards direct inhibition of pathogen propagule along with active participation in mediating oxidative burst and simulating PTI, ETI and SAR responses. The hormonal cross-talk involving melatonin mediated biotic stress tolerance through defense signaling network suggests its suitability in a sustainable plant protection system.

Antibody response of buffalo calves to different levels of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) virus immunogen was investigated. Vaccine containing 106.2 units of immunogen/TCID50 of FMD virus (O, A and Asia-1) serotypes induced log2 (1.3± 0.4) units of anti-FMD O Complement Fixing Geometric Mean antibody (FMD O CFT-CGM) titer, log2 (1.4±0.3) units of anti-FMD A CFT-CGM titer and log2 (2.0±0.7) units of anti-FMD Asia-1 CFT-CGM titer. The vaccine containing 2x106.2 units of immunogen of each of the virus serotypes induced log2 (2.2±0.2) units of anti- FMD O CFT-CGM titer, log2 (2.1±0.25) units of anti- FMD A CFT-CGM titer and log2 (3.4±0.8) units of anti-FMD Asia-1 CFT-CGM titer. The vaccine containing 3x106.2 units of TCID50 of each of the virus serotypes induced log2 (5.3 ± 2.0) units of anti-FMD O CFT-CGM titer, log2 (4.6±1.9) units of anti-FMD A CFT-CGM titer and log2 (5.0±2.2) units of anti- FMD Asia-1 CFT-CGM titer. Moreover, buffalo calves (n=3) which were primed and boosted with 60 days interval using vaccine containing 2x106.2 units of immunogen of each of the virus serotype, showed log25.0 and log26.3 units of anti FMD O CFT-GMT antibody titer, log24.6 and log26.0 units of anti FMD A CFT GMT antibody titer, log25.6 and log26.0 units of anti FMD Asia-1 CFT GMT antibody titer, on 30 and 120 days post boosting. Antibody response of buffalo calves was directly proportional to amount of FMD virus immunogen serotypes in the vaccine.

Narcissus, belonging to Amaryllidaceae family, is one of the emerging cut flower in ornamental industry. Appropriate cut flower packaging for ideal time period provides potential benefit of improving their post-harvest quality of flower. Current research was conducted with an objective to find out best suitable packaging materials and optimum storage duration for cut flowers of narcissus. Narcissus postharvest features were analyzed statistically and results showed significant difference among the treatments with respect to packaging material as well as storage duration. In our findings, polyethylene sleeve showed best results in most of postharvest parameters (vase life, total life, dry weight, and change in fresh weight). In our results, 2 hours duration of storage significantly improved the post-harvest parameters of cut Narcissus. Vase life, fresh and dry weight of flower obtained maximum value in two hours storage duration. It was interesting to note that as storage duration increased, post-harvest characters reduced. In conclusion, postharvest quality of cut Narcissus can be improved significantly by using suitable packaging material and optimizing storage duration.

The Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) expression profile data of ten samples including human Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) adipogenic differentiation 0, 3, and 6 days from the GEO database, and then perform gene ID conversion, BLAST comparison, and annotation marking. Finally, group A (treatment group on day 3 of differentiation and control group on day 0 of differentiation) obtained a total of 1180 mRNA and 185 lncRNA; group B (treatment group on day 6 of differentiation and control group on day 0 of differentiation). A total of 1376 mRNA and 206 lncRNA were obtained. Finally, we processed the differential lncRNAs and mRNAs obtained in the two groups, and obtained 113 shared differential lncRNAs to further predict the targeted miRNA, a total of 815 lncRNA-miRNA pairs. The targeted mRNA was further predicted, and the grouped differential mRNAs were combined to obtain 64 differential mRNAs. In the end, we obtained 216 ceRNAs containing 26 lncRNAs, 27 miRNAs and 64 mRNAs. We found that the mRNAs in the ceRNA network were mainly enriched with 45 Gene Ontology (GO) terms, mainly including glucose homeostasis mechanism and insulin stimulation response. 69 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were mainly enriched. It mainly includes many pathways related to lipid metabolism such as Adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK), Rap1, cAMP, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), Ras, hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), PI3K-Akt, insulin signaling and so on. In the end, we identified 216 ceRNA regulatory relationships related to obesity research. Our research provides a clearer direction for understanding the molecular mechanism of obesity, the screening and determination of drug targets biomarkers in the future.

Mango is king of fruits and grown in various countries including Pakistan. The production of mango fruits in Pakistan is low due to attack of various insect pests especially fruit flies. Fruit flies are the major issue in the mango production. Fruit flies are considered as quarantine and key pests of Agricultural and horticultural crops causing huge losses in crop production. The current study was conducted at a farmer field in Bahawalnagar, to monitor the population of fruit flies installingdifferent traps like bottle, jar,and pheromones traps (methyl eugenol) in mango orchards. Data were recorded from January,2020-December, 2020. The results showed that maximum population of male fruit flies was captured in pheromones traps while minimum in jar traps. The population of fruit flies was emerged in month of April and no population was recorded in first three month and last one month of study. The June and July were the most favorable months for fruit fly attack on mango while December was least.Pheromones traps which are installed at 12 feet height from the ground surface captured 99% fruit fly population while lowest 30% population were captured at 4 feet height.Methyl eugenol trap were more effectiveto capture maximum population of fruit flies among tested traps. It can prove effective trap in controlling pest population in the mango orchards globally especially in Pakistan

Pedicularis groenlandica is one of the most important medicinal plant of Deosai Plateau (Gilgit-Baltistan) Pakistan. The present study was aim to evaluate the micromorphological features, phytochemical screening and pharmacological potential of P. groenlandica by using multiple microscopic techniques. Six different solvents were used to prepare P. groenlandica extracts. Phytochemical and antioxidant activities were determined calorimetrically. To investigate antidiabetic, α-amylase inhibition assay was performed. Cytotoxicity was tested using brine shrimp assay. Anti-leishmanial via MTT assay. Disc-diffusion assay was used for protein kinase inhibitory, antibacterial and antifungal activities. Palyno-anatomical study showed significant variation for the authentication and correct identification of this highly therapeutic plant by using light and scanning electron microscopic techniques. All extracts were found rich in phytochemicals, significant amount of phenolic and flavonoid contents were found in methanol extract (PGM) 95.78 mg GAE/g and 66.90 mg QE/g. Highest DPPH scavenging potential with IC50 88.65 μg/mL, total antioxidant capacity (60.33 mg AAE/g sample) and total reducing power (83.97 mg AAE/g) were found for PGM. Disc-diffusion method showed significant antibacterial and antifungal activities. Noticeable growth inhibition in L. tropica was displayed by n-hexane extract (IC50 112 μg/mL). Brine shrimp with highest LD50 (67.65 μg/mL) in ethyl-acetate extract. Ethanol extract gives persuasive protein kinase inhibition (26 mm) against Streptomyces 85-E hyphae. Highest alpha-amylase inhibition (74.10%) was found in n-hexane extract. In conclusion, our findings scientifically support the ethno-medicinal and biological potential of P. groenlandica. In future, the plant needs to be explored for further identification and isolation of bioactive compounds to develop new drugs to treat several aliments.

Background: Global Filer PCR Amplification Kit is a 6-dye amplification assay, which amplifies 24 genetic loci simultaneously in a single reaction. The amplification system encompasses both Combine...

Citrus holds the key position in horticulture sector of Pakistan in terms of area and production. Kinnow is considered as the trademark of Pakistan’s citriculture industry. Cultivation experiment was conducted to evaluate the endogenous plant hormones, leaf gas exchange, photosynthetic pigments, vegetative performance, and yield of Kinnow mandarin grafted on nine rootstocks (Rough lemon, cox mandarin, Fraser hybrid, Troyer citrange, Cleopatra mandarin, Poncirus trifoliata, Benton, C-35, and Carrizo citrange). Maximum indole acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA3), and zeatin (ZT) levels were recorded in scion and rootstock of Poncirus trifoliata followed by Fraser hybrid. Troyer citrange rootstock depicted maximum amount of abscisic acid in scion and rootstock. Maximum leaf gas exchange in Kinnow mandarin was recorded on Fraser hybrid rootstock. Kinnow grafted on Troyer citrange rootstock had minimum stomatal conductance and photosynthetic activity because of high ABA level. Photosynthetic pigments of Kinnow mandarin were maximum on Poncirus trifoliata and minimum on Troyer citrange. A positive correlation was observed among the levels of IAA, GA, ZT, and vegetative growth of Kinnow mandarin. It is concluded that endogenous hormones modulated the growth of Kinnow mandarin. Poncirus trifoliata and Fraser hybrid rootstocks could be an alternate rootstocks of traditional Rough lemon for Kinnow mandarin.

Selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) are known for their nutritional importance in biological systems. In plants, exogenous supply of these nutrients has beneficial effects on growth and development particularly under environmental stress conditions. The present study examined the effects of Zn and Se seed priming on germination and seedling growth of maize (Zea mays cv. P1574) under drought stress. The seeds were soaked in individual or combined Se (0.075 mM) and Zn (10 mM) solutions for 12 and 24 h using water-primed and un-primed seeds as control. Various priming treatments included HP1 [hydropriming for 12 h], HP2 [hydropriming for 24 h], Se1 [selenium seed priming for 12 h], Se2[selenium seed priming for 24 h], Zn1 [zinc seed priming for 12 h], Zn2 [zinc seed priming for 24 h], (Se + Zn)1[Se + Zn seed priming for 12 h] and (Se + Zn)2[Se + Zn seed priming for 24 h], whereas water stress treatments were kept at 100 (normal) and 60% (drought stress) field capacity. Zn or Se seed treatment significantly increased germination indices (germination percentage [52%], promptness index [54%], vigor index [35%] and emergence index [42%]) and upregulated enzymatic antioxidants such as catalase (69%), guaiacol peroxidase (116%), superoxide dismutase (48%) and ascorbate peroxidase (39%) in maize seedlings raised from Se + Zn primed seeds compared to water and un-primed seeds. Moreover, the primed Se and Zn were efficiently translocated to the shoot resulting in 154 and 114% higher Se and Zn content, respectively by Se + Zn seed priming compared to their individual treatments. These results demonstrate the role of combined Se and Zn seed treatment to improve drought tolerance in maize, which may simultaneously bring about biofortification benefits considering nutritional importance of Se and Zn in human diet.

Globally, crop production has been widely threatened by contamination of arable lands with heavy metals including Nickel (Ni). Stress-relief molecule melatonin (ME) has been widely used to mitigate the phytotoxicity induced by heavy metals. The current study aimed to explore the response to Ni stress and the alleviating role of ME in boosting Ni-stress tolerance in tomato seedlings. The roots of tomato seedlings pretreated with ME (100 μM) for 3 days, followed by applied Ni (50 μM) for 7 days. The treatments were composed of (1) control (CK); (2) melatonin (ME, 100 μM); (3) nickel (Ni, 50 μM); and (4) melatonin and nickel treatment (ME+Ni, 100 μM + 50 μM). Nickel toxicity noticeably inhibited plant growth and biomass production by impairing the root architecture, photosynthesis process, nutrient uptake, and antioxidant enzymes. Conversely, ME-supplementation inhibited Ni-induced growth damage, improved root architecture, nutrient uptake, pigment contents, and leaf gas exchange parameters, and decreased Ni-accumulation. Furthermore, the electrolyte leakage (EL), malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation were significantly reduced in ME-treated seedlings via improving antioxidant enzyme activity as well as upregulation of their encoding gene expression. In conclusion, our findings provide a shred of substantial evidence that ME improved Ni-induced phytotoxicity in tomato seedlings, mainly by improving the root architecture, biomass production, mineral homeostasis (reducing nickel accumulation in plants), and photosynthetic efficiency.

In maize-soybean intercropping system, shade is the major chronic restrain that effected the normal growth of soybean. Different spatial patterns of this system have affected the microclimate of soybean by shading of maize plants. However, the negative impacts of shading stress can be mitigated by providing the optimal ratios of different fertilizers. Therefore, to test this hypothesis, the soybean plants were grown under different light conditions (normal light and shade) to evaluate the response to varying NH4 + /NO3 - ratios. The seed of soybean (Glycine max L. cultivar of "Nan-99-6") were grown in nutrient solution at a total concentration of 5mM N using different NH4 + /NO3 - ratios (To= 0:0, T1= 0:100, T2= 25:75, T3=50:50, and T4= 75:25) for 40 days in greenhouse at PPFD 320.95 μmolm-2 s-1 (low light intensity) and 967.53 μmolm-2 s-1 (normal light intensity). Under low light the growth and photosynthesis of soybean seedlings had significantly decreased as compared to normal light conditions. Nonetheless, the optimal ratios of NH4 + /NO3 - had improved the growth and photosynthesis activities of soybean seedlings under both light conditions. Our results indicated that soybean seedlings supplied with optimal NH4 + /NO3 - ratios (25:75 and 50:50) have showed the maximum biomass yield, chlorophyll pigments, leaf gas exchange, photochemical activities and root growth as compared to high NH4 + /NO3 - ratios (T1 and T4). Since, the higher ratios of NH4 + /NO3 - resulted in lower plant growth due to accumulation in plant tissues; therefore, we suggested that optimal ratios of NH4 + /NO3 - can enhance the shade resistance of soybean seedlings.

Under natural conditions, plants constantly encounter various biotic and abiotic factors, which can potentially restrict plant growth and development and even limit crop productivity. Among various abiotic factors affecting plant photosynthesis, light serves as an important factor that drives carbon metabolism in plants and supports life on earth. The two components of light (light quality and light intensity) greatly affect plant photosynthesis and other plant’s morphological, physiological and biochemical parameters. The response of plants to different spectral radiations and intensities differs in various species and also depends on growing conditions. To date, much research has been conducted regarding how different spectral radiations of varying intensity can affect plant growth and development. This review is an effort to briefly summarize the available information on the effects of light components on various plant parameters such as stem and leaf morphology and anatomy, stomatal development, photosynthetic apparatus, pigment composition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, antioxidants, and hormone production.

The toxicity of seven biorational insecticides [five insect growth regulators (Buprofezin, Fenoxycarb, Pyriproxyfen, Methoxyfenozide, and Tebufenozide) and two oil-extracts of neem and bitter gourd seeds] against Bemisia tabaci and their selectivity for its parasitoid, Encarsia formosa were evaluated in laboratory and field conditions for 2 years (2018–2019) in Pakistan. Toxicity results demonstrate that Pyriproxyfen, Buprofezin, and Fenoxycarb proved to be effective (80–91% mortality and 66.3–84.2% population-reduction) against B. tabaci followed by Methoxyfenozide, Tebufenozide (50–75% mortality and 47.8–52.4% population-reduction), and then oil-extracts of neem and bitter gourd (25–50% mortality and 36.5–39.8% population-reduction) in the laboratory [72 h post-application exposure interval (PAEI)] and field trails (168 h PAEI), respectively. All tested biorationals, except Methoxyfenozide [(slightly-harmful/Class-II), i.e., causing mortality of parasitoids between a range of 25–50%] and Tebufenozide [(moderately-harmful/Class-III), i.e., causing mortality of parasitoids between the ranges of 51–75%], proved harmless/Class-I biorationals at PAEI of 7-days in the field (parasitism-reduction E. formosa. We conclude that most of the tested biorationals proved harmless or slightly harmful to E. formosa, except tebufenozide after PAEI of 7-days (168 h) in the field and, therefore, may be used strategically in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) of B. tabaci.

Humic acid (HA) is natural product obtained by plant decomposition. It improves systematic resistance in plants and the shelf life of food products. Oyster mushrooms occupy important place in human food due to their palatability and nutritional enrichment. Little is known about the impacts of HA on mushrooms yield. Therefore, a trial was conducted to study the role of HA improving growth, nutritional and chemical composition of two oyster mushroom strains (Pleurotus ostreatus, Lentinus sajor-caju). Pure cotton waste amalgamated with five levels of HA, i.e., 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 mM/L was used as growth media. The responses of oyster mushroom to HA were recorded in various traits i.e. time to spawn initiation, time to mycelium growth initiation, time to maturity of flushes, time to initiation of pinheads, yield, biological efficiency (BE), minerals (N, P, K, and ascorbic acid, Zn, Cu, Mg, Mn, Fe, Na and Ca), sugars (total sugars, reducing and non-reducing sugars), proximate, total soluble solids (TSS), acidity, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The HA amalgation notably improved the growth, nutritional and chemical composition of oyster mushroom; however, strains differences were non-significant (>0.05) to various level of HA on dry weight basis TSS ranged from 6 to 6.8 °Brix, total sugar was 5.8–11.9%, reducing sugar was 2.6–3%, non-reducing sugar was 9.2–9.6%, ascorbic acid was 35.9–43 mg/100 g, carbohydrates were 68–74%, crude protein was 62–69%, crude fiber was 22–37%, fat contents were 2.5–17%, ash content was 9–11%. These results suggest that HA is an innovative substrate for valuable and high-quality production of the oyster mushroom.

Strigolactone (GR24) is a phytohormone, involved in reconfiguration of plant development pattern in response to salinity stress. Current experiment was carried out in vitro conditions to study the role of GR24 on sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. cv. OLIVER-P) under saline and non-saline growth mediums. Two salinity levels [0 mM (control) and 150 mM NaCl] were maintained in growth mediums for callus induction along with four GR24 levels (0, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 mg L−1) in Somatic Cell Genetic Lab, Centre of Agricultural Biochemistry and Biotechnology (CABB), University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan. Results of this study showed that among GR24 levels, 0.01 mg L−1 proved to be ideal dose as it improved callus fresh weight (30.59%), dry weight (45.26%), free protein (55.87%), Ca2+ (13.04%) and K+ (11.76%) contents under non-saline, while superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), free proline and glycine betaine (GB) contents by 38.1%, 67.87%, 124.01%, 63.38% and 76.12%, respectively, under salinity stress mediums. However, water potential (Ψw), osmotic potential (Ψs), turgor potential (Ψp), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were reduced up to 32.65%, 39.80%, 40.74%, 65.78% and 30.76%, respectively, due to different levels of GR24. Overall, high saline conditions caused a significant reduction in concentration of callus biomass, Ψw, Ψs, soluble protein, Ca2+ and K+ ions than non-saline mediums. These results reflected that GR24 application could be an effective approach to mitigate hazardous impacts of salinity in sunflower production. Further, the molecular techniques of processes in which GR24 may play a key role in different commercially vital crops is extreme important and may carry new leads for future experimentation in this exciting area of plant hormones.

Copper oxide nanoparticles are used in various fields. The increased use also enhances the release of these particles into the aquatic environment. CuO-NPs cause toxicity to every stage of aquatic organisms’ lives. This study investigates the effects of CuO-NPs on the antioxidant system of rohu (Labeo rohita). Four treatment groups were maintained in this study including; T0 (control), T1 (0.5 µg/L), T2 (1 mµ/L) and T3 (1.5 mµ/L) CuO-NPs for 45 days. 25% of water was exchanged on daily basis with redosing with CuO-NPs. The samples were taken for antioxidant analysis after 45 days. The samples of gill, heart, liver and kidney were analyzed with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy to measure the absorbed concentration of Cu. Results showed an increase in Cu accumulation in tissues (P ≤ 0.001) in all the treatments compared to control. The accumulation pattern of Cu was gill > kidney > liver > heart. Besides, the treatment also disturbs the GST level in the liver, heart, kidney and gill tissue. A sharp decline in GST activities (P ≤ 0.05) was observed due to raised in MDA content. The high GSH level (P ≤ 0.001) in liver indicates an alteration in the defensive mechanism against. This study concluded that Cu has more potential to deposit in soft tissues from CuO-NPs and cause disruption in antioxidant defenses by raising the glutathione (GSH) level. This study recommended taking preventive measures for minimizing the entry of CuO-NPs into the aquatic environment and building up in the food chain.

Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), is a substantial pest of Okra crop, Abelmoschus esculentus, that caused substantial losses through sucking cell sap. On the basis of susceptibility, a field experiment was carried out to assess the different genotypes of A. esculentus during growing season (July–August) against B. tabaci. Plant genotype resistance and vigor were also evaluated in this study. Meanwhile, morphological parameters were also recorded as well as whitefly-infested and healthy leaves were collected for biochemical analysis. The obtained results revealed that the Okra varieties A. esculentus OK-1304 and Pen Beauty were less infested (mean populations 4.10, 4.97 adults/leaf, respectively) while OK-1307 was highly susceptible to B. tabaci (10.22 adults/leaf). Meanwhile, comparative analysis revealed that B. tabaci population was negatively correlated to relative humidity and positively correlated with low and high temperature. The low concentrations (0.5%) of salicylic acid and citric acid effectively reduced the infestation to 4.63 adults/leaf and 4.87 adult/leaf, respectively, as compared to control (10.17 adult/leaf). The biochemical analysis represented that the catalase concentration decreased in infested leaves and the concentrations of peroxidase, phenolics and superoxide dismutase that act as resistant compound against insect feeding increased.

Background: The constituents of Lavandula stoechas L. possess antioxidant properties that help in protecting the mucosal cells from oxidative damage and speed up the healing process however, its role in the treatment of ethanol-induced peptic ulcers is not clear. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the pharmacological potential of Lavandula stoechas L. extracts for anti-ulcer activity, and compare with the standard drugs and to explore novel treatment for peptic ulcer. Methods: We evaluated anti-ulcer potential of plant extract in ethanol-induced ulcer model in rats. Omeprazole and ranitidine were standard drugs. After 5 h of disease induction, animals were sacrificed to get tissues for histological evaluation and ulcer index was measured. While the antimicrobial potential of Lavandula stoechas L. aqueous and methanolic extracts was evaluated against different bacterial stains using standard antibiotic discs. Qualitative phytochemical and GCMS analysis were performed to identify novel constituents. Results: The methanolic extract of Lavandula stoechas L. showed antimicrobial activity against Proteus Mirabilis while the GCMS based analysis revealed the presence of 10 phytochemicals including camphor (antimicrobial agent). The aqueous extract showed significant anti-ulcer activity in ethanol-induced gastric (P < 0.001) and duodenal (P < 0.01) ulcers when compared with controls. Aqueous and methanolic Lavandula stoechas L. extracts showed strong free radical scavenging activity. Conclusion: Lavandula stoechas L. extract possess antimicrobial and anti-ulcer activity in alcohol-induced ulcer model in experimental animals.

Vanadium (V) as minor concentration is present in various plants and extensively found in soils. The current study was established to assess the response of rice seedlings to different V concentrations and also investigated its toxic effect on growth, photosynthetic assimilation, relative chlorophyll content, SPAD index, ion leakage, enzyme activities, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and cell death. The rice seeds were sown in Petri dishes for 8 days, and after that, rice seedlings were grown hydroponically in a climate-controlled growth chamber. After 15 days of V-treatment, antioxidant enzyme activities, H2O2, protein contents, photosynthetic assimilation, relative chlorophyll content, and cell death were determined by utilizing the Spectrophotometer (Lambda 25 UV/VIS Spectrophotometer), and V accumulation (roots and shoots) was determined by GFAAS (GTA 120). The obtained results showed that all V concentrations significantly decreased the biomass (dry and fresh) and root growth as a result of the reduction in total root length, root tips, root fork, root surface area, and root crossing, and V was more accumulated in roots than shoots. Besides this, enzymatic activities were significantly enhanced under V stress. The findings also confirmed that seedling exposed to V stress had lower tolerance indices, photosynthetic activity, and protein contents while the ion leakage was consistently increased by increasing the V concentrations. The viability of plant cells severely damaged in response to high V stress, and H2O2 induction might be responsible for cell death. Generally, all V doses had a drastic effect on enzyme activities and caused cell death of rice plans. Moreover, the current study demonstrated that V ≥ 35 mg L−1 caused damaging effects on rice plants.

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is one of the most important vegetables in family Alliaceae, which is cultivated worldwide. In onion, weeds are among one of the major concerns which cause its yield reduction. The present study was designed to assess the effectiveness of different methods for weed control in onion. In this study, five treatments were selected including control, black polythene mulch sheet, white polythene mulch sheet, Dual Gold spray @ 9.0 mL L-1 and Preact spray @ 7.5 mL L-1 to control weeds. The weedicides were applied as pre-emergence sprays before transplanting the seedlings. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. From the results, it was concluded that there were significant differences among the studied weed control treatments. Among the five treatments, greater plant height (33.0 cm), number of leaves per plant (8), bulb diameter (4.7 cm) and bulb weight (73 g) were observed in the ridges covered with black mulch sheet. However, the minimum weed biomass (fresh and dry) was recorded in black mulch sheet and Preact pre-emergence weedicide spray (140 and 80 g in both). Thus, black polythene sheet as mulching material was found better option for weed management in onion fields.

Plants and crops are widely suffered by shade stress in the natural communities or in the agricultural fields. The three main phytohormones auxin, gibberellins (GAs) and brassinosteroids (BRs) were found essential in shade avoidance in Arabidopsis. However, their relationship have been seldom reported in plant shade avoidance control. Here, we report our investigation of the crosstalk of auxin, GAs and BRs in shade-induced hypocotyl elongation of soybean. Exogenous feeding of indol-3-acetic acid (IAA), GA3 or 24-epibrassinolide (EBL) distinctly promoted hypocotyl elongation in the white light, while the potent biosynthesis inhibitors of GA3, IAA, BRs severely diminished shade-induced hypocotyl elongation. Synergistic treatment of their biosynthesis inhibitors showed that GA3 fully, while EBL slightly, restored the hypocotyl elongation that was efficiently repressed by IAA biosynthesis inhibitor, GA3 and IAA dramatically suppressed the hypocotyl growth inhibition by BR biosynthesis inhibitor in the shade, whereas both IAA and EBL feeding cannot suppress the elongation inhibition by GA biosynthesis inhibitor. Further analyses revealed that shade remarkably upregulated expression of key genes of IAA, GA and BR biosynthesis in the soybean hypocotyls, and GA biosynthesis genes were effectively blocked by IAA, GA and BR biosynthesis inhibitors in the shade. Taken together, these results suggest that GAs modulate shade-induced hypocotyl elongation downstream of mutual promotion of auxin and BRs in soybean.

Increased world population will demand more food production, less water-consuming crops, better crop production techniques and better strategies for weed control. More production with rational use of available resources should enhance food security. Here, we review weed management approaches, which vary from crop to crop, with focus on organic weed management, non-chemical weed control, cover crops and allelopathy. Weeding practice in any crop depends on crop factors such as position in rotation, plant spacing and architecture; on field factors such as soil type and weed seed bank history; and on seasonal factors, e.g. rainfall. Crop losses can be reduced by integrated weed management with resistant crop varieties, rational use of agrochemicals, biocontrol agents, allelopathic crops, crop rotation and better cultural practices. Complementary weed control methods include grazing, herbicide application, land fallowing, biological control, cover crops, inclusion of competitive ability of crops, mechanical weeding, sowing time adjustment, irrigation methods, mulching and intercropping.

Climate change exacerbates flooding problems due to hurricanes followed by heavy rains, particularly in sub-tropical regions. Consequently, submerged plants experience hypoxia stress which limits agronomic and horticultural crop growth and production. Hypoxia causes oxidative damage by accelerating the lipid peroxidation associated with O2- and H2O2 levels. Additionally, hypoxia increases the accumulation of organic osmoprotectants and antioxidant activity, whereas it decreases the macronutrient (N, P, K, and Zn) uptake. This study aimed at investigating the effects of flooding-induced hypoxia stress on the growth and the physiological, biochemical, and nutritional characteristics of the hydroponically grown southern highbush blueberry (cv. Jewel) plants. In addition, the hypoxia-mitigating effects of conventional silicon (Si-C) and silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) and their application methods (foliar vs. foliar and rootzone application) were also appraised. Both the Si-C and the SiNPs efficiently alleviated hypoxia-induced oxidative and osmotic damage to cells by enhancing the activities of the enzymatic antioxidants (ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, dehydroascorbate reductase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate, reductase), the non-enzymatic antioxidants (ascorbic acid and glutathione contents), and the accumulation of compatible solutes (proline and glycinebetaine) in leaves and roots. However, the SiNPs were more effective than Si-C at improving antioxidant activities and osmolytes formation. A strong negative correlation between the antioxidant activities and the lipid peroxidation rate was observed in the SiNP-treated plants under hypoxia stress. The SiNPs also regulated nutrient uptake by increasing the K, N, P, and Zn concentrations while decreasing Fe and Mn concentrations to a less toxic level. Blueberry plants treated with SiNPs responded more effectively to hypoxia stress by maintaining higher antioxidant and osmoprotectant concentrations than blueberry plants treated with Si-C. Additionally, the foliar and rootzone applications yielded better results than the foliar applications only.

Melaleuca is one of the genera of the Myrtaceae family enriched in tea tree oil (TTO). Tea tree oils of Melaleuca bracteata and Melaleuca alternifolia are of prime importance and have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Terpinen-4-ol and 1-8 cineole are major constituents of M. alternifolia oil. The percentages of the compounds in the oils can slightly vary according to the region of plant harvest, the distillation technique, or the part of the plant used for oil extraction. TTO has a bactericidal effect against various bacterial species such as Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis, E. coli, Pseudomonas putida, and S. aureus. Several reports proved that this essential oil is also effective against fungal strains of Fusarium, Aspergillus, and Candida species. It also has antioxidant properties such as radical scavenging activity and reducing power. The antioxidant properties of TTO at a concentration of 30 mM were observed to be greater than those of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), commonly used as a synthetic antioxidant. TTO is also an effective organic fungicide, herbicide, and insecticide for use in the agriculture sector. Postharvest application of the oil has been found efficient on sweet basil, citrus, and strawberry. It is concluded that tea tree oil has the potential to be used in the food, agriculture, and pharmaceutical industries as a natural antimicrobial and preservative agent. This review provides comprehensive information regarding the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of tea tree oil and its potential applications in agriculture.

The present study was conducted to improve the amino acid and protein content of mungbean through interspecific hybridization with mashbean. Sixteen recombinant genotypes from cross-combination NM 2006 × Mash-88 were evaluated for quality traits (protein content and amino acid profile). The recombinant genotypes, MMH 4224, MMH 1115, MMH 2112, MMH 7124 and MMH 4255, exhibited a maximum improvement for all essential amino acids over parental genotypes. For protein contents, all recombinants except MMH 4255 got improved over Mash-88 and maximum improvement (9.11%) over Mash-88 was observed in MMH 2112 followed by MMH 7124 (8.72%), MMH 7111 (7.41%), MMH 2225 (6.70%), MMH 1115 (6.27%) and MMH 4224 (6.07%). MMH 2112, MMH 7124, MMH 4224 and MMH 1115 also showed a higher amino acid concentration. MMH 2112 also showed highest improvement in seed yield (37.98%) over NM 2006 followed by MMH 16425 (36.78%), MMH 210115 (26.36%) and MMH 4224 (18.52%). On the basis of overall performance (high proteins, amino acids contents and seed yield), five recombinant genotypes, viz. MMH 1115, MMH 4224, MMH 4255, MMH 7124 and MMH 2112, were observed to be more prominent and selected as elite lines. These true interspecific recombinants possessing excellent nutritional quality are useful germplasm for inclusion in breeding program and release of new commercial cultivars with improved quality traits.

In this study, different parts (aerial, stem and root) of Salvadora oleoides Decne were investigated in order to explore their phytochemical composition and biological potential. The bioactive contents were evaluated by conventional spectrophotometric methods. Additionally, the secondary metabolite compounds were identified by UHPLC-MS analysis. Biological potential was evaluated by determining antioxidant (DPPH, FRAP, and Phosphomolybdenum) and enzyme inhibitory (butrylcholinesterase and lipoxygenase) effects. Higher total bioactive contents were found in methanolic extracts which tend to correlate with higher radical scavenging and reducing potential of these extracts. LC/MS spectrum revealed the presence of 16 different secondary metabolites belonging to terpene, glucoside and sesquiterpenoid dervivatives. Glucocleomin and emotin A were the main compounds present in all three parts. The strongest butrylcholinesterase and lipoxygenase inhibitory activity was observed for root and stem DCM extracts. Demonstrated biological potential of S. oleoides plant can trace a new road map for developing newly designed bioactive pharmaceuticals.

Mungbean is an important legume rich in protein and carbohydrates. It is cultivated mostly in south to south east Asia and east Africa. One of the important yield contributing traits in mungbean is 100 seed weight. Variation for this trait is available in the mungbean germplasm, and to facilitate improvement of this trait through breeding, genome-wide association mapping for 100 seed weight was carried out in the World Vegetable Center mungbean minicore collection. A total of 24,870 single nucleotide polymorphic markers were tested for association with 100 see weight in plants grown in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Taiwan and candidate loci associated with seed weight on chromosomes 1, 4, 6, 8 and 9 were identified. None of the QTLs was stable across all environments, but loci on chromosomes 4 and 8 were significant in Pakistan and Bangladesh and other loci on chromosome 8 were significantly associated in plants grown in Myanmar and Taiwan.

Seventy two Mungbean × Mashbean recombinant genotypes were evaluated in the field for seed yield and its components traits. Highly significant differences were observed among the genotypes. The magnitudes of genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variability ranged from 2.73% to 28.97% and 3.46% to 31.95%, respectively. Pods per plant exhibited maximum amount of genetic variability followed by clusters per plant and seed yield per plant. 100-seed weight was observed to be the most heritable trait with greatest magnitude (h2 = 99%). Pods per plant had maximum positive and significant genotypic (rg = 0.90) and phenotypic (rp = 0.86) correlations with clusters per plant. Both traits were identified as the most important characters as they had strong genetic and phenotypic relationships with seed yield. Selection for number of pods per plant among different agronomic traits showed greatest improvement in seed yield that was 54% of the improvement possible through direct selection for seed yield. Likewise, clusters per plant and plant height also showed higher improvement in seed yield through indirect selection which was 29% and 20% of the improvement possible by direct selection for yield. Days to flowering also showed promise for 8% of the improvement in seed yield possible through direct selection for seed yield. Thirty six promising recombinants were selected on the basis of desirability index. On the basis of overall performance seven recombinant genotypes, viz; MMH 1115, MMH 4224, MMH 4255, MMH 7124, MMH 2112, MMH 4295 and MMH 2225 were selected as elite lines.

Agriculture on earth is the biggest need for human sustenance. Over years, many farming methods and components have become computerized to guarantee quicker production with higher quality. Because of the enlarged demand in the farming industry, agricultural produce must be cultivated using an efficient process. Onion (Allium cepa L.) is an economically valuable crop and is the second-largest vegetable crop in the world. The spread of various diseases highly affected the production of the onion crop. One of the serious and most common diseases of onion worldwide is purple blotch. To compensate for a limited amount of training dataset of healthy and infected onion crops, the proposed method employs a pre-trained enhanced InceptionV3 model. The proposed model detects onion disease (purple blotch) from images by recognizing the abnormalities caused by the disease. The suggested approach achieves a classification accuracy of 85.47% in recognizing the disease. This research investigates a novel approach for the rapid and accurate diagnosis of plant/crop diseases, laying the theoretical foundation for the use of deep learning in agricultural information.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a halophytic crop that shows resistance to multiple abiotic stresses, including salinity. In this study we investigated the salinity tolerance mechanisms of six contrasting quinoa cultivars belonging to the coastal region of Chile using agro-physiological parameters (plant height (PH), number of branches/plant (BN), number of panicles/plant (PN), panicle length (PL), biochemical traits (leaf C%, leaf N%, grain protein contents), harvest index and yield (seed yield and plant dry biomass (PDM) under three salinity levels (0, 10, and 20 d Sm&minus, 1 NaCl). The yield stability was evaluated through comparision of seed yield characteristics [(static environmental variance (S2) and dynamic Wricke&rsquo, s ecovalence (W2)]. Results showed that significant variations existed in agro-morphological and yield attributes. With increasing salinity levels, yield contributing parameters (number of panicles and panicle length) decreased. Salt stress reduced the leaf carbon and nitrogen contents. Genotypes Q21, and AMES13761 showed higher seed yield (2.30 t ha&minus, 1), more productivity and stability at various salinities as compared to the other genotypes. Salinity reduced seed yield to 44.48% and 60% at lower (10 dS m&minus, 1) and higher salinity (20 dS m&minus, 1), respectively. Grain protein content was highest in NSL106398 and lowest in Q29 when treated with saline water. Seed yield was positively correlated with PH, TB, HI, and C%. Significant and negative correlations were observed between N%, protein contents and seed yield. PH showed significant positive correlation with APL, HI, C% and C:N ratio. HI displayed positive correlations with C%, N% and protein content., All measured plant traits, except for C:N ratio, responded to salt in a genotype-specific way. Our results indicate that the genotypes (Q21 and AMES13761) proved their suitability under sandy desert soils of Dubai, UAE as they exhibited higher seed yield while NSL106398 showed an higher seed protein content. The present research highlights the need to preserve quinoa biodiversity for a better seedling establishment, survival and stable yield in the sandy desertic UAE environment.

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) is a tremendous threat to vegetables across the globe, including in Pakistan. The present work was conducted to investigate the genetic variability of CMV isolates infecting pea and spinach vegetables in the Pothwar region of Pakistan. Serological-based surveys during 2016-2017 revealed 31.70% overall CMV disease incidence from pea and spinach crops. Triple-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (TAS-ELISA) revealed that all the positive isolates belong to CMV subgroup II. Two selected cDNA from ELISA-positive samples representing each pea and spinach crops were PCR-amplified (ca.1100 bp) and sequenced corresponding to the CMV CP gene which shared 93.7% nucleotide identity with each other. Both the sequences of CMV pea (AAHAP) and spinach (AARS) isolates from Pakistan were submitted to GenBank as accession nos. MH119071 and MH119073, respectively. BLAST analysis revealed 93.4% sequence identity of AAHAP isolate with SpK (KC763473) from Iran while AARS isolate shared maximum identity (94.5%) with the strain 241 (AJ585519) from Australia and clustered with some reference isolates of CMV subgroup II from UK (Z12818) and USA (AF127976) in a Neighbour-joining phylogenetic reconstruction. A total of 59 polymorphic (segregating) sites (S) with nucleotide diversity (π) of 0.06218 was evident while no INDEL event was observed in Pakistani isolates. The evolutionary distance of Pakistani CMV isolates was recorded as 0.0657 with each other and 0.0574-0.2964 with other CMV isolates reported elsewhere in the world. A frequent gene flow (Fst = 0.30478

Lodging is one of the most chronic restraints of the maize-soybean intercropping system, which causes a serious threat to agriculture development and sustainability. In the maize-soybean intercropping system, shade is a major causative agent that is triggered by the higher stem length of a maize plant. Many morphological and anatomical characteristics are involved in the lodging phenomenon, along with the chemical configuration of the stem. Due to maize shading, soybean stem evolves the shade avoidance response and resulting in the stem elongation that leads to severe lodging stress. However, the major agro-techniques that are required to explore the lodging stress in the maize-soybean intercropping system for sustainable agriculture have not been precisely elucidated yet. Therefore, the present review is tempted to compare the conceptual insights with preceding published researches and proposed the important techniques which could be applied to overcome the devastating effects of lodging. We further explored that, lodging stress management is dependent on multiple approaches such as agronomical, chemical and genetics which could be helpful to reduce the lodging threats in the maize-soybean intercropping system. Nonetheless, many queries needed to explicate the complex phenomenon of lodging. Henceforth, the agronomists, physiologists, molecular actors and breeders require further exploration to fix this challenging problem. National Key Research and Development Program of China | Ref. 2018YFD1000905 Sichuan Innovation Team Project of National Modern Agricultural Industry Technology System | Ref. SCCXTD−2020−20

Recently, melatonin has gained significant importance in plant research. The presence of melatonin in the plant kingdom has been known since 1995. It is a molecule that is conserved in a wide array of evolutionary distant organisms. Its functions and characteristics have been found to be similar in both plants and animals. The review focuses on the role of melatonin pertaining to physiological functions in higher plants. Melatonin regulates physiological functions regarding auxin activity, root, shoot, and explant growth, activates germination of seeds, promotes rhizogenesis (growth of adventitious and lateral roots), and holds up impelled leaf senescence. Melatonin is a natural bio-stimulant that creates resistance in field crops against various abiotic stress, including heat, chemical pollutants, cold, drought, salinity, and harmful ultra-violet radiation. The full potential of melatonin in regulating physiological functions in higher plants still needs to be explored by further research.

The most famous pacemaking activity found in the human body is in the cardiac system. However, pacemaking is also widely present in the nervous system. The ion channels responsible for the pacemaking activity are called hyperpolarization-activated and cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels. HCN channels are activated during hyperpolarization and create an inward current named Ih containing mixed sodium and potassium ions. The molecular mechanism of these unique features remains mysterious. In the peripheral nervous system (PNS), pacemaking is unique because it is only present in pathologic states when nerve damage occurs and leads to neuropathic pain. For this reason, pacemaking in neuropathic pain is also known as ectopic discharge. In our literature review, the HCN channel physiology is one of the research interests. We will present studies exploring the molecular mechanisms involved in HCN gating and ion permeability. The second research question is, what makes the pacemaking activity unique in the PNS? Thus, our paper will include studies that discuss the role of HCN channels in neuropathic pain. Given the fundamental role of HCN channels in regulating neuronal cells' discharge activity, the modulation of their function for therapeutic purposes could be useful in various pathological conditions. Here we review the present knowledge of the efficacy of HCN blocker treating neuropathic pain in humans.

Great climatic inconsistency and increased frequent occurrences of severe conditions results in plants being exposed to water stress at various growth stages, thus adversely affecting the productivity. This investigation was planned to minimize the water stress induced-losses to cotton plants with the exogenous application of growth promoters i.e. distilled water, salicylic acid (0.5 mM), jasmonic acid (50 μM) and moringa leaf extract (MLE30) including control (un sprayed). Cotton plants were exposed to water stress with the application of irrigation water at 10 (well watered) and 30 day intervals (severe water stress). Results indicated that water stress severely reduced the cotton productivity. It was observed that exogenous application of salicylic acid and moringa leaf extract improved the productivity both under well watered and water stress conditions as compared to other treatments. However, exogenous application of salicylic acid had greater influence on the studied parameters than MLE, although the insignificant differences were documented in most of the traits. Exogenous application of salicylic acid reduced the cell injury percentage, improved the cell membrane thermostability and produced significantly higher content of leaf protein, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) that modulated the negative influence of water stress on yield contributing attributes and produced maximum seed cotton yield. These results indicate that exogenous application of SA and MLE helped the cotton plants to become more tolerant to water stress-induced losses by adjusting the membrane characteristics and improving their antioxidant defense mechanism.

Lentinan is a Lentinus edodes secondary metabolite that can regulate human immune function, but yields are low. Here, the effects of Ca2+ and Na+ on L. edodes lentinan content were investigated. Metal ion concentrations and induction times were optimized according to mycelial biomass, and intracellular polysaccharide (IPS), extracellular polysaccharide (EPS), and total polysaccharide (TPS) content. The activities and gene expression of phospho-glucose isomerase (PGI), phosphoglucomutase (PGM), and UDP-glcpyrophosphorylase (UGP) were also measured. Ca2+ and Na+ concentration and induction time affected biomass, IPS, and EPS concentrations. Na+ increased EPS, IPS and TPS, while Ca2+ increased biomass, IPS, and TPS. During fermentation, mycelial biomass varied greatly under Ca2+ induction, while IPS, EPS and TPS varied greatly under Na+ induction. PGM and UGP activities increased in the presence of Na+, while PGI increased with Ca2+. Compared to control samples, pgi and pgm expression under Na+ was greater at days 45 and 60, respectively, while under Ca2+, ugp expression was greater at day 45. IPS content correlated significantly with enzyme activity, while EPS correlated with PGM activity. Our data contributes to better understanding how Na+ and Ca2+ affect mycelial growth and secondary metabolite production, and of polysaccharide biosynthesis mechanisms of L. edodes.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) causes the current leading infectious disease. Examination of the functional genomics of M.tb and development of drugs and vaccines are hampered by the complicated and time-consuming genetic manipulation techniques for M.tb. Here, we reprogrammed M.tb endogenous type III-A CRISPR-Cas10 system for simple and efficient gene editing, RNA interference and screening via simple delivery of a plasmid harboring a mini-CRISPR array, thereby avoiding the introduction of exogenous proteins and minimizing proteotoxicity. We demonstrated that M.tb genes were efficiently and specifically knocked-in/out by this system, which was confirmed by whole-genome sequencing. This system was further employed for single and simultaneous multiple-gene RNA interference. Moreover, we successfully applied this system for genome-wide CRISPR interference screening to identify the in-vitro and intracellular growth-regulating genes. This system can be extensively used to explore the functional genomics of M.tb and facilitate the development of new anti-Mycobacterial drugs and vaccines.SummaryTuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) is the current leading infectious disease affecting more than ten million people annually. To dissect the functional genomics and understand its virulence, persistence, and antibiotics resistance, a powerful genome editing tool and high-throughput screening methods are desperately wanted. Our study developed an efficient and a robust tool for genome editing and RNA interference in M.tb using its endogenous CRISPR cas10 system. Moreover, the system has been successfully applied for genome-wide CRISPR interference screening. This tool could be employed to explore the functional genomics of M.tb and facilitate the development of anti-M.tb drugs and vaccines.

This research endeavors to inspect the chemical and biological profiling of methanol and dichloromethane (DCM) extracts prepared from Abutilon figarianum Webb. Total bioactive constituents and secondary metabolites were assessed via ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC-MS). Biological effects were evaluated via antioxidant and enzymes inhibitory assays. The methanol extract was able to give the highest phenolic (51.92 mg GAE/g extract) and flavonoid (72.59 mg QE/g extract) contents and was found to contain 11 bioactive metabolites, including flavonoid, alkaloid, phenolic and fatty acid derivatives, as accessed by UHPLC-MS analysis. Similarly, the phytochemical profiling of the DCM extract tentatively identified the 12 different secondary metabolites, most of these were fatty acid derivatives. The methanol extract was most active in the radical scavenging, reducing power and total antioxidant power assays, while dichloromethane extract showed the highest metal chelating activity. For enzyme inhibition, the DCM extract showed the highest activity against cholinesterases, glucosidase and amylase, whereas methanol extract was most active against tyrosinase. Docking studies have supported the observed biological activity, where isobergapten showed higher activity against tyrosinase (&minus, 7.63 kcal/mol) with inhibition constant (2.55 &micro, M), as opposed to other enzymes. The observed antioxidant and inhibitory potentials of A. figarianum against the studied enzymes tend to endorse this plant as a prospective source of bioactive phytochemicals.

Phenolic compounds in barley grains have an important influence on beer flavor and stability. Drought condition enhances the content of phenolics in barley grains, leading to reduced malt quality. In this study, two barley genotypes, XZ20 and XZ25 with different total phenolics content were used to investigate the effect of drought on phenolic compounds during grain developing stage. Totally, 118 phenolic metabolites were affected by drought stress. A weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) of 17,424 highly expressed genes uncovered black (two hub genes belonged to UGT family) and turquoise modules (three hub genes belonged to phenolics pathway) that are significantly associated with the variation of phenolics. All these results reveal the changes of phenolic metabolites during grain development and provide a new insight into the regulation network of phenolic compounds under drought stress.