Search

Pollen morphological traits are mostly used in resolving taxonomic problems at various taxonomic ranks to define species boundaries for long in the systematics and evolution. This study aims to provide new and useful information regarding the extent of pollen morphological diversity among the Asteraceae taxa and thus to contribute a better understanding of the taxonomy of studied species. These species belonged to three subfamilies Asteroideae having eight tribes (Senecioneae, He liantheae, Milleriae, Eupatorieae, Coreopsideae, Inulaceae, Plucheeae, Tageteae, followed by Cichorioideae (Cichorieae) and the Vemonioideae (Vernonieae). Both light and scanning electron microscopy were used to investigate the ultrastructure of the exine. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to show the relationship among the Asteraceae taxa. The results showed two main types the echinolophate and echinate pollen. The echinate and echinolophate features were found to have a significant taxonomic value at the family level that delimits the Asteraceae from rest of the families. Besides, the ehinolophate feature was found to be the diagnostic trait of the tribe Vernonieae (Elephantopus tomentosus), Cichorieae (Youngia japonica) and echinate mixed with other morphological features in the inter-spinal area i.e. perforate, verrucate, scabrate, micro-reticulate and psilate were found in rest of the tribes. Aperture traits were found useful to differentiate between tribes. The maximum spines length was found in Bidens pilosa (5.43 [micro]m) while maximum pollen size was observed in Elephantopus tomentosus (28.43*21.93 [micro]m) followed by Tagetes erecta (28.36 * 19.51 [micro]m). Furthermore, the size, spines length, density, arrangement and number of the spines at the apocolpium region were found useful taxonomically important to discriminate the species. The overlapped features showed interspecies relationships because to be in the same families while the interspecies variation in pollen traits validate their existence as distinct species. The PCA analysis showed that the spine length, polar axis, equatorial diameter, colpus length and width, P/E ratio and inter-spinal area were found useful pollen morphological traits. In conclusion, our results showed that pollen morphology has a significant taxonomic potential to identify and define species boundaries at the tribe and generic levels. Hence, the pollen features can be used as an additional tool for regrouping taxa within the family Asteraceae by using both light and scanning electron microscopic techniques. Keywords Asteraceae taxa * Pollen morphology * Taxonomic potential * LM & SEM * Statistical analysis, Introduction The family Asteraceae is the second largest flowering plant family after the Orchidaceae (Salamah et al., 2019; Umber et al., 2021), and the most cosmopolitan in distribution and widespread [...]

Increasing soil and water salinity threatens global agriculture, particularly affecting rice. This study investigated the residual effects of microbial biochar and nitrogen fertilizer in mitigating salt stress in paddy soil and regulating the biochemical characteristics of rice plants. Two rice varieties, Shuang Liang You 138 (SLY138), a salt-tolerant, and Jing Liang You 534 (JLY534), a salt-sensitive, were grown under 0.4 ds/m EC (S0) and 6.84 ds/m EC (S1) in a glass house under controlled conditions. Three types of biochar—rice straw biochar (BC), fungal biochar (BF), and bacterial biochar (BB)—were applied alongside two nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates (60 kg ha−1 and 120 kg ha−1) in a previous study. The required salinity levels were maintained in respective pots through the application of saline irrigation water. Results showed that residual effects of microbial biochars (BF and BB) had higher salt mitigation efficiency than sole BC. The combination of BB and N fertilizer (BB + N120) significantly decreased soil pH by 23.45% and Na+ levels by 46.85%, creating a more conducive environment for rice growth by enhancing beneficial microbial abundance and decreasing pathogenic fungi in saline soil. Microbial biochars (BF and BB) positively improved soil properties (physicochemical) and biochemical and physiological properties of plants, ultimately rice growth. SLY138 significantly had a less severe response to salt stress compared to JLY534. The mitigation effects of BB + N120 kg ha−1 were particularly favorable for SLY138. In summary, the combined residual effect of BF and BB with N120 kg ha−1, especially bacterial biochar (BB), played a positive role in alleviating salt stress on rice growth, suggesting its potential utility for enhancing rice yield in paddy fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel is a known hepatotoxic, haemotoxic, pulmonary toxic, nephrotoxic, reproductive toxic, carcinogenic, phytotoxic and neurotoxic agent. The adverse ecological impacts from unnecessary heavy metals include contamination of water and soil which pose serious threats to human health. This study was conducted to screen plants for the phytoremediation of nickel from sixty-one sites of the Lower Dir. Nickel-metal was analyzed in the soil, roots and shoots of plants. The total concentration of nickel in soil, roots and shoots was found to be in the range of 1.03-18.98, 12.63-540.73 and 12.00-295.86 mg kg–1 dry weight basis (DW) respectively. The highest nickel contents were present in the roots of Xanthium strumarium (540.73) and shoots of Bryophyllum daigremontianum (295.86). None of the plant species were identified as hyper accumulators for nickel but based on BCF, TF and BAC values most of the species showed feasibility for its phytoextraction and phytostabilization. Xanthium strumarium, Filago hurdwarica, Ranunculus arvensis, Medicago lupulina, Cannabis sativa, Geranium rotundifolium and Cerastium glomeratum are suggested for the phytostabilization of nickel whereas Bryophyllum daigremontianum, Rosularia adenotricha, Iris germanica, Asplenium dalhousiae and Isatis tinctoria for the phytoextraction of soil contaminated with nickel.

Excessive microalgal blooms can be caused by waste disposal into natural water bodies resulting in the destruction of aquatic life. However,, microalgae are also known to efficiently remediate pollutants. After the treatment of wastewater, microalgae absorb specific nutrients and can enhance the production of bioproducts. Growing microalgae as an alternative to wastewater treatment and bioproduct production has received considerable attention due to its rapid growth rate, efficient waste removal, tolerance to stress conditions and ability to accumulate valuable products. In addition, these microorganisms have a high photosynthetic rate of CO2 fixation, oxygen production and need no arable land for their cultivation. Nevertheless, in spite of these theoretical advantages, the issues surrounding the re-use of naturally existing microalgal strains need further exploration in respect to their isolation, identification and lab growth under stress conditions. The true potential of microalgae regarding wastewater treatment and energy has yet to be fully developed. The current cultivation system does not seem to be economically feasible as most of the strains used are commercially purchased. Indigenous microalgae could be the possible answer. Ammonia, one of the major constituents of most wastewaters, contributing to odor, taste, toxicity, and eutrophication is of utmost concern. The present review focuses on the growth of microalgae under high stress of ammonia in wastewater media. It also aims to present a clear-cut methodology for the isolation of microalgae from its indigenous habitat, its growth strategy under different trophic modes of nutrition, nutrient uptake, lipid, and fatty acid production. In addition, some solutions to the problem of how to make microalgae cost-effective and more sustainable are discussed in detail.

The Papilionoideae is one taxonomically complex subfamily with high economic and medicinal potential. The pollen micro-morphology and taxonomic relevance of this subfamily are still poorly known in the island. Therefore, this study aims to provide new palynological information to correctly identify and define species boundaries within the subfamily. The species were collected from different geographical regions of Hainan Island. Both light and scanning electron microscopic techniques were used to observe pollen traits. Additionally, principal component analysis was performed to elucidate the variation among the taxa. A significant variation was found in exine sculpturing i.e. most of the taxa have reticulate type pollen while Desmodium triflorum has a psilate exine pattern. Variations were found on the surface of the reticula that can help to delimit the species from one another. Pollen type was observed as tricolporate and rarely tricolpate. Similarly, the colpus surface membrane morphology may also vary significantly from species to species i.e. scabrate, verrucate, gemmate, rugulate patterns. Besides, the mergo having various sculpturing found in Canavalia rosea, Desmodium triflorum, D. microphyllum Glycine max, Macroptilium atropurpureum, Erythrina crista-galli and Zornia gibbosa should be considered as a potential taxonomic trait for the subfamily. The maximum P/E ratio was found in Zornia gibbosa (2.24). Similarly, the maximum pollen size was found in Alysicarpus vaginalis (34.64 × 33.99 µm). Our study explored the pollen morphological traits and can be helpful to correctly identify the species and define species boundaries within Papilionoideae at various taxonomic levels. This study strengthens and supports the taxonomic position of the subfamily and will provide bases for further phylogenetic and molecular studies of Papilionoideae. Various taxa of the subfamily Papilionoideae were collected from different geographical regions of Hainan Island, South China. Both light and scanning electron microscopic techniques were used to analyze the ultra-sculpturing of the pollen. Most of the taxa have reticulate exine patterns but variations were found in supra-tectal elements and colpus surface membrane morphology. These variations in pollen traits have significant taxonomic potential and will strengthen the taxonomy of Papilionoideae. This study can help to correctly identify and define species boundaries at various taxonomic levels of the Papilionoideae and will solve the taxonomic problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent era, population control is a global issue as well as national community health concern. Plants are being used as a source of medicines by human beings since ancient times. This study highlights the collection, identification and diversity of medicinal plants concerning their traditional knowledge to get better access to the herbal male contraception. Local informants and traditional health practitioners were consulted for information about the local names, distribution, part used and mode of utilization of the medicinal plant. To select plants with high medicinal uses, different quantitative measurements i.e., Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), Disease Consensus Index (DCI) and descriptive methods of Jaccard Index (JI) was performed. A total of 100 plant species (used for infertility by the local communities) belonging to 50 families and 91 genera were collected. Jaccard Index results showed that 28 plant species were reported for the first time used as male contraceptives in Pakistan. The frequency of citation (FC) value ranged from 35 to 56. Plants with high Relative frequency of citation (RFC) and Disease Consensus index (DCI) values showed a high consensus for the antifertility among informants and THPs. Our study is focused on the diversity and priority of medicinal plants as male contraceptives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]