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Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are a vital pest that causes significant yield losses and economic damage to potato plants. The use of chemical pesticides to control these nematodes has led to environmental concerns and the development of resistance in the nematode populations. Endophytic fungi offer an eco-friendly alternative to control these pests and produce secondary metabolites that have nematicidal activity against RKNs. The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of Aspergillus flavus (ON146363), an entophyte fungus isolated from Trigonella foenum-graecum seeds, against Meloidogyne incognita in filtered culture broth using GC-MS analysis. Among them, various nematicidal secondary metabolites were produced: Gadoleic acid, Oleic acid di-ethanolamide, Oleic acid, and Palmitic acid. In addition, biochemical compounds such as Gallic acid, Catechin, Protocatechuic acid, Esculatin, Vanillic acid, Pyrocatechol, Coumarine, Cinnamic acid, 4, 3-indol butyl acetic acid and Naphthyl acetic acid by HPLC. The fungus was identified through morphological and molecular analysis, including ITS 1-4 regions of ribosomal DNA. In vitro experiments showed that culture filtrate of A. flavus had a variable effect on reducing the number of egg hatchings and larval mortality, with higher concentrations showing greater efficacy than Abamectin. The fungus inhibited the development and multiplication of M. incognita in potato plants, reducing the number of galls and eggs by 90% and 89%, respectively. A. flavus increased the activity of defense-related enzymes Chitinas, Catalyse, and Peroxidase after 15, 45, and 60 days. Leaching of the concentrated culture significantly reduced the second juveniles' stage to 97% /250 g soil and decreased the penetration of nematodes into the roots. A. flavus cultural filtrates via soil spraying improved seedling growth and reduced nematode propagation, resulting in systemic resistance to nematode infection. Therefore, A. flavus can be an effective biological control agent for root-knot nematodes in potato plants. This approach provides a sustainable solution for farmers and minimizes the environmental impact., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Between 2016 and 2018, the Agriculture Research Center's Sakha Agriculture Research Station conducted two rounds of pedigree selection on a segregating population of cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) using the F 2 , F 3 , and F 4 generations resulting from crossing Giza 94 and Suvin. In 2016, the top 5% of plants from the F 2 population were selected based on specific criteria. The superior families from the F 3 generation were then selected to produce the F 4 families in 2017, which were grown in the 2018 summer season in single plant progeny rows and bulk experiments with a randomized complete block design of three replications. Over time, most traits showed increased mean values in the population, with the F 2 generation having higher Genotypic Coefficient of Variance (GCV) and Phenotypic Coefficient of Variance (PCV) values compared to the succeeding generations for the studied traits. The magnitude of GCV and PCV in the F 3 and F 4 generations was similar, indicating that genotype had played a greater role than the environment. Moreover, the mean values of heritability in the broad sense increased from generation to generation. Selection criteria I2, I4, and I5 were effective in improving most of the yield and its component traits, while selection criterion I1 was efficient in improving earliness traits. Most of the yield and its component traits showed a positive and significant correlation with each other, highlighting their importance in cotton yield. This suggests that selecting to improveone or more of these traits would improve the others. Families number 9, 13, 19, 20, and 21 were the best genotypes for relevant yield characters, surpassing the better parent, check variety, and giving the best values for most characters. Therefore, the breeder could continue to use these families in further generations as breeding genotypes to develop varieties with high yields and its components., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: This ethnobotanical study in Dunyapur, District Lodhran, Pakistan, focuses on traditional medicinal knowledge, exploring 41 plants across 28 families. The research involves 496 informants from diverse backgrounds, including farmers, herbalists, housewives, teachers, and shopkeepers. The prevalence of herbs (68%) aligns with their accessibility and rapid regrowth, shaping the local medicinal landscape. The study investigates socio-demographic features, emphasizing the importance of considering the community's diverse perspectives., Methods: The research employs quantitative ethnobotanical data analysis, introducing various indices like PPV, FUV, FIV, RFC, UV, and RI. The analysis of plant growth habits underscores the dominance of herbs, and the method of preparation evaluation identifies decoction as the most common (23%). Leaves (27%) are the most utilized plant part, and Resedaceae stands out with the highest FUV (0.38). FIV highlights the ecological and cultural significance of Poaceae, Boraginaceae, Fabaceae, and Solanaceae., Results: The RFC values range from 0.016 to 0.032, with Cucumis melo having the highest value (0.032), indicating its frequent citation and cultural significance. The study reveals specific plants like Melia azedarach, Peganum harmala and Salvadora oleoides with high PR values for skin issues, reflecting their widespread acceptance and effectiveness. Oligomeris linifolia emerges with the highest UV (0.38), emphasizing its greater significance in local traditional practices. Leptadenia pyrotechnica records the highest RI (9.85), underlining its exceptional importance in the community's traditional pharmacopeia., Conclusion: The findings offer a holistic understanding of ethnobotanical knowledge in Dunyapur, emphasizing the role of local contexts and ecological factors in shaping traditional plant uses. The study contributes valuable insights into the diverse practices within the community, laying the foundation for sustainable integration of traditional knowledge into broader healthcare frameworks., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Up to date, a well-defined microRNAs (miRNAs) profile involved in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) pathogenesis remains indecisive. Thus, employing miRNAs for HCC diagnosis is demanded for early therapeutic interventions. We aimed to evaluate the usage of miRNAs set related to the SuperPath: miRNAs involved in DNA damage response pathway as effective biomarkers for HCV-related HCC diagnosis., Results: The study enrolled 97 patients with HCV-related HCC, 84 with hepatitis C virus (HCV), 97 with liver cirrhosis (LC), and 84 healthy individuals. Serum miRNA-23a, miRNA-203, miRNA-100-5p, and miRNA-16 were quantified using qRT-PCR experiments, AFP and routine LFTs were estimated via standard techniques. Pathway enrichment analysis along with the construction of miRNAs regulatory network were performed. With respect to healthy individuals, miRNA-203, miRNA-100-5p, and miRNA-16 were significantly downregulated in HCC, HCV, and LC groups, while miRNA-23a showed significant upregulation (p < 0.001). miRNAs exhibited significant correlations with AFP, ALT, AST, and albumin. Also, elevated levels of miRNA-23a were recognized in patients with multiple focal lesions and/or lesion size > 5 cm. Additionally, the diagnostic performance of miRNA-23a expression level at a selected cut-off value of 3.99 overtakes AFP, while expressions of miR-203, miRNA-100-5p, and miRNA-16 represent poor diagnostic outcomes., Conclusions: Keeping in mind the individual variability and high level of heterogeneity in HCC, our data revealed the diagnostic value of miRNA-23a expression in HCV-related HCC patients. Further extra in silico HCC-specific microRNAs sets are demanded in diagnosis., (© 2023. Academy of Scientific Research and Technology.)

Plant tissue culture technique employed for the identification and isolation of bioactive phytocompounds has numerous industrial applications. It provides potential benefits for different industries which include food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics. Various agronomic crops i.e., cereals, fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants and forest trees are currently being used for in vitro propagation. Plant tissue culture coupled with biotechnological approaches leads towards sustainable agricultural development providing solutions to major food security issues. Plants are the rich source of phytochemicals with medicinal properties rendering them useful for the industrial production of pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. Furthermore, there are numerous plant compounds with application in the cosmetics industry. In addition to having moisturizing, anti-ageing, anti-wrinkle effects; plant-derived compounds also possess pharmacological properties such as antiviral, antimicrobial, antifungal, anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-allergy characteristics. The in vitro propagation of industrially significant flora is gaining attention because of its several advantages over conventional plant propagation methods. One of the major advantages of this technique is the quick availability of food throughout the year, irrespective of the growing season, thus opening new opportunities to the producers and farmers. The sterile or endangered flora can also be conserved by plant micro propagation methods. Hence, plant tissue culture is an extremely efficient and cost-effective technique for biosynthetic studies and bio-production, biotransformation, or bioconversion of plant-derived compounds. However, there are certain limitations of in-vitro plant regeneration system including difficulties with continuous operation, product removal, and aseptic conditions. For sustainable industrial applications of in-vitro regenerated plants on a large scale, these constraints need to be addressed in future studies., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Hasnain, Naqvi, Ayesha, Khalid, Ellahi, Iqbal, Hassan, Abbas, Adamski, Markowska, Baazeem, Mustafa, Moustafa, Hasan and Abdelhamid.)