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Nano-biochar is a source of blackish carbonaceous material, a prerequisite for sustainable crop productivity. By using a variety of feedstock materials, nanobiochar synthesis can be employed via pyrolysis. Therefore, a project was initiated to explore the morpho-physio-biochemical alteration at the vegetative stage of wheat crops after the foliar application of nanobiochar suspension (NBS). This investigation was conducted at the Botanical Research Area of the University of Lahore in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) arrangement, with four treatments (0, 1, 3, and 5% NBS) by maintaining three replications for each treatment using the wheat variety "Zincol". Nano biochar suspension in above mentioned concentrations were foliarly applied at the end of tillering/beginning of leaf sheath elongation of wheat seedlings to assess the morphological changes (root length, shoot length, number of leaves, fresh biomass/plant, dry biomass/plant), physio-biochemical alterations (total free amino acids, total sugars, chlorophyll content, protein, phenols, flavonoids), and nutrient uptake (Na, K, Ca, Mg, N, P contents. Our findings indicate that the foliar application of 3% NBS yielded the most favorable results across all measured attributes. Furthermore, Treatment-4 (5% NBS) specifically improved certain traits, including leaf area, total soluble proteins, and leaf calcium content. Finally, all NBS resulted in a decrease in carotenoid and sodium content in wheat seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on nanoparticles (NPs) is gaining great attention in modulating abiotic stress tolerance and improving crop productivity. Therefore, this investigation was carried out to evaluate the effects of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) on growth and biochemical characteristics in two maize hybrids (YH-5427 and FH-1046) grown under normal conditions or subjected to saline stress. A pot-culture experiment was carried out in the Botanical Research Area of "the University of Lahore", Lahore, Pakistan, in a completely randomized design. At two phenological stages, both maize hybrids were irrigated with the same amount of distilled water or NaCl solution (EC = 5 dS m−1) and subjected or not to foliar treatment with a suspension of CuO-NPs. The salt stress significantly reduced the photosynthetic parameters (photosynthetic rate, transpiration, stomatal conductance), while the sodium content in the shoot and root increased. The foliar spray with CuO-NPs improved the growth and photosynthetic attributes, along with the N, P, K, Ca, and Mg content in the roots and shoots. However, the maize hybrid YH-5427 responded better than the other hybrid to the saline stress when sprayed with CuO-NPs. Overall, the findings of the current investigation demonstrated that CuO-NPs can help to reduce the adverse effects of salinity stress on maize plants by improving growth and physio-biochemical attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni) are serious soil pollutants that adversely affect plant growth and development and need to be removed through phytoremediation. The present study aimed to assess the morphological indices of Albizia lebbeck (L.) (Benth.) in relation to anatomical modifications for survival under both Pb and Ni stress. The seedlings of A. lebbeck were established and then subjected to four different concentrations, viz. 0 mM, 25 mM, 50 mM and 75 mM, of Pb and Ni for 14 days in two phases. Morphological traits such as shoot length (70.93%), fresh weight (79.27%), dry weight (83.9%), number of root hairs (65.7%), number of leaves per plant (67.4%) and number of leaflets per plant greatly reduced under Pb or Ni stress. Surprisingly, root length increased rather than decreased with the increase in Pb or Ni concentrations, along with an increase in leaflet width, leaflet length and leaflet area. Moreover, root cortical cell area, metaxylem area and phloem area decreased at 75 mM of Pb and Ni while epidermal thickness and cell area increased. Stem epidermal thickness, cell area and phloem area significantly decreased with the consistent increase in metaxylem area and cortical region thickness under both Pb and Ni stress. Leaf anatomical traits such as midrib thickness, abaxial epidermal thickness and stomatal density and adaxial epidermal thickness and stomatal area significantly increased with increasing Pb or Ni stress. Correlation analysis revealed close relations among morphological and anatomical traits (such as root length with cortical region thickness) for better plant survival under Pb or Ni stress, and a PCA-biplot further verified these correlation analyses. Cluster analyses demonstrated the associations among the morphological and anatomical traits based on different stress levels. Furthermore, we found that the longer exposure (from phase 1 to phase 2) of heavy metals stress is more dangerous for plant survival and can ultimately lead to plant death. Moreover, our results also confirmed that Ni is more harmful or dangerous to plants than Pb at high and moderate concentrations. The anatomical modifications ensured the survival of A. lebbeck in extreme heavy metals stress and therefore unlocked its potential to be used as a natural source of phytoremediation. We also recommend that the genetic potential of A. lebbeck associated with its survival under heavy metal stress be investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]