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This quantum mechanical approach recommends push–pull molecular engineering to fabricate hole‐transporting materials (HTMs) for photovoltaic cells. It integrates acceptor moieties via thiophene to fluorene core, resulting in five novel HTMs (SFD‐1 to SFD‐5). The results exhibit that derivative HTMs show excellent coherence in excitation, dispersion, and transportation of charge carriers, ensuring robust hole mobility. The anchor moieties functionalized HTMs unveil excellent band alignment with perovskite with fitting HOMO energy levels (−4.93–−5.35 eV), less optical absorption in visible portion (λmaxabs$\lambda _{max}^{abs}$ < 520). This acceptor integration has improved the hole mobility in derivatives, accredited to the smaller hole reorganization energy (0.14–0.68 eV), and greater hole transfer integral (0.22–0.33 eV). The transition density matrix analysis exhibited robust electronic coupling, subtler charge carrier overlapping and greater charge transfer length (7.48–13.73 Å). This resulted in an excellent upsurge in intrinsic charge transference (70.75–92.70%) and smaller exciton binding energy, leading to easier exciton dissociation, and fewer recombination fatalities. However, an adequate variation in dipole moment (4.04 D to 16.34 D) and Gibbs solvation‐free energy (−18.06 to −21.89 kcal mol−1) ensures facile film formation and processability. In conclusion, this approach recommends these flourene‐based HTMs are highly desireable for forthcoming solar cell technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising atmospheric CO2 levels, a significant consequence of anthropogenic activities, profoundly impact global agriculture and food security by altering plant physiological processes. Despite extensive research, a comprehensive understanding of the specific effects of elevated CO2 on maize (Zea mays L.)'s primary and secondary metabolism remains elusive. This study investigated the responses of maize seedlings cultivated in open-top chambers (OTCs) under three CO2 concentrations: ambient (380 ppm), elevated (600 ppm), and high (1800 ppm). Key growth parameters, including plant height, leaf area, and aboveground biomass (leaf and stem), were assessed alongside metabolic profiles encompassing nonstructural and structural carbohydrates, syringyl (S) and guaiacyl lignin, the syringyl-to-guaiacyl (S/G)-lignin ratio, photosynthetic pigments, total soluble protein, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The results demonstrated that exposure to 600 ppm CO2 significantly enhanced plant height, leaf area, and aboveground biomass compared to ambient conditions. Concurrently, there were notable increases in the concentrations of primary metabolites. In contrast, exposure to 1800 ppm CO2 severely inhibited these growth parameters and induced reductions in secondary metabolites, such as chlorophyll and soluble proteins, throughout the growth stages. The findings underscore the intricate responses of maize metabolism to varying CO2 levels, highlighting adaptive strategies in primary and secondary metabolism under changing atmospheric conditions. This research contributes to a nuanced understanding of maize's physiological adaptations to future climate scenarios characterized by elevated CO2, with implications for sustainable agriculture and food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the cooling process in an electrical power system is now the most critical topic. Nanoliquids are considered as dependable coolants because of their unique properties, which contain good thermal conductivity, larger critical heat flux and a quicker heat transfer rate. In light of these nanofluid characteristics, the current analysis deals with the flow and heat transference in Maxwell liquid suspended with single and Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT/MWCNT) as nanoparticles in base fluid engine oil (EO) with non-uniform heat sink/source over a stretching sheet. For velocity and thermal profiles, a comparison is made between MWCNT-EO and SWCNT-EO Maxwell liquid. The modeled equations are reduced by using appropriate similarity variables and later, these reduced equations are numerically tackled by using fourth fifth order Runge–Kutta-Fehlberg's (RKF-45) procedure along with the shooting scheme. The influence of the dimensionless parameters on the flow, thermal field, Nusselt number and skin friction are broadly deliberated by using suitable graphs. Results reveal that, SWCNT-EO Maxwell fluid is highly affected by ferromagnetic interaction parameter and shows better heat transfer than MWCNT-EO Maxwell fluid. The MWCNT-EO maxwell nanoliquid shows less rate of heat transference Than SWCNT-EO Maxwell fluid for rise in temperature and space dependent heat sink/source parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has increasing effects on horticultural crops. To investigate the impact of CO2 and temperature at elevated levels on tomato production and quality of fruits an experiment was conducted by growing plants in open top chambers. The tomato plants were raised at EC550 (elevated CO2 at 550 ppm) and EC700 (elevated CO2 at 700 ppm) alone and in combination with elevated temperature (ET) + 2 °C in the open top chambers. These elevate CO2 and temperature treatment effects were compared with plants grown under ambient conditions. Outcome of the experiment indicated that growth parameters namely plant stature in terms of height (152.20 cm), leaf number (158.67), canopy spread (6127.70 cm2), leaf area (9110.68 cm2) and total dry matter (223.0 g/plant) were found to be high at EC700 compared to plants grown at ambient conditions in open field. The plants grown at EC700 also exhibited significantly higher number of flowers (273.80) and fruits (261.13), more fruit weight (90.46 g) and yield (5.09 kg plant−1) compared to plants grown at ambient conditions in open field. The percent increase in fruit yield due to EC varied from 18.37 (EC550) to 21.41 (EC700) percent respectively compared to open field and the ET by 2 °C has reduced the fruit yield by 20.01 percent. Quality traits like Total Soluble Solids (3.67 °Brix), reducing sugars (2.48%), total sugars (4.41%) and ascorbic acid (18.18 mg/100 g) were found maximum in EC700 treated tomato than other elevated conditions. Keeping quality was also improved in tomato cultivated under EC700 (25.60 days) than the open field (17.80 days). These findings reveal that CO2 at 700 ppm would be a better option to improve both quantitative as well as qualitative traits in tomato. Among the combinations, EC550 + 2 °C proved better than EC700 + 2 °C with respect to yield as well as for the quality traits. The tomato grown under ET (+2 °C) alone recorded lowest growth and yield attributes compared to open field conditions and rest of the treatments. The positive influence of EC700 is negated to an extent of 14.35 % when the EC700 combined with elevated temperature of + 2 °C. The present study clearly demonstrates that the climate change in terms of increased temperature and CO2 will have a positive effect on tomato by way of increase in production and quality of fruits. Meanwhile the increase in EC beyond 700 ppm along with ET may reduce the positive effects on yield and quality of tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-one isolates of Rhizoctonia solani were categorized into three anastomosis groups consisting of AG-4-HG-I (eight isolates), AG-2-2 (nine isolates) and AG-5 (four isolates). Their pathogenic capacities were tested on cotton cultivar Giza 86. Pre-emergence damping-off varied in response to the different isolates; however, the differences were not significant. Soluble proteins of the fungal isolates were electrophoresed using SDS-PAGE and gel electrophoreses. A dendrogram of the protein banding patterns by the UPGMA of arithmetic means placed the fungal isolates into distinct groups. There was no evidence of a relationship between protein dendrogram, anastomosis grouping or level of virulence or geographic origin. The dendrogram generated from these isolates based on PCR analysis with five RAPD-PCR primers showed high levels of genetic similarity among the isolates from the same geographical locations. There was partially relationship between the genetic similarity and AGs or level of virulence or geographic origin based on RAPD dendrogram. These results demonstrate that RAPD technique is a useful tool in determining the genetic characterization among isolates of R. solani.