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The nutrient composition and biostimulant properties of seaweed were determined as solid biofertilizer for cultivating tomato seedlings in a greenhouse. Seaweeds (Sargassum wightii, Sargassum longifolium, Laminaria digitata, and Gelidiella acerosa) were collected from rocky areas and turned into a powder, and their nutrient compositions were analyzed. The brown seaweed showed indoleacetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA3), indole butyric acid (IBA), and abscisic acid (ABA). The amount of IAA ranged from 0.52 to 21.5 μg/mL. Compared with the other brown algae, the G. acerosa extract presented the maximum amount of GA3 (149 μg/mL). The amount of IBA ranged from 1.5 to 15.3 μg/mL, and the ABA level was high in S. wightii (2.5 μg/mL). All algae powders were subjected to biofertilizer preparation and their biostimulant properties were studied. The algal biostimulant improved flower cluster number, fruit number, shoot dry weight, and root dry weight in tomato plants in a greenhouse. Macroalgae fertilizer improved urease, phosphatase, invertase, and catalase activities (p

Lead toxicity and bacterial blight disease caused by Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. glycinea have destructive impacts on soybean growth and productivity. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria have been used as an eco-friendly approach for augmenting crop growth and stress resistance. The current study investigated the efficacy of Serratia liquefaciens ZM6 strain in enhancing soybean resistance to lead (Pb) stress and bacterial blight. Two pot experiments were performed. In the first pot experiment, soybean plants were inoculated with S. liquefaciens ZM6 and grown under variable Pb stress levels (0, 200 and 400 µM of Pb(NO3)2). In the second experiment, S. liquefaciens-inoculated soybean plants were infected with P. savastanoi pv. glycinea, and disease severity was assessed two weeks post infection. The results revealed that S. liquefaciens strain resisted Pb stress up to 400 µM Pb(NO3)2 and exhibited the highest levels of solubilized phosphate, solubilized zinc, siderophore, indole acetic acid, exopolysaccharide, trehalose and antioxidant enzymes at 400 µM Pb compared to the other treatments. Moreover, Pb stress (200 and 400 µM) significantly decreased the growth, yield, nutrient uptake, gas exchange, and contents of chlorophyll, soluble proteins, sugars, and phenolics of soybean plants. Pb stress also induced the levels of proline, glycine betaine, Pb, oxidative stress markers, antioxidant enzymes, ascorbate, glutathione and expression of stress-responsive genes (CAT, APX, POD, Fe-SOD, CHS7, CHI1A, PAL, IFS2, P5CS and WRKY54) in soybean plants. On the other hand, S. liquefaciens application markedly boosted the growth, yield and levels of nutrients, gas-exchange, chlorophyll, osmolytes, antioxidant enzymes and expression of stress-tolerant genes of Pb-stressed soybean plants. The bacterial inoculation significantly diminished oxidative stress indicators and Pb content in stressed plants. Inoculation of soybean plants with S. liquefaciens also caused significant reductions in blight disease symptoms in P. savastanoi pv. glycinea-infected plants, indicating the efficiency of this strain in controlling harmful blight disease. Overall, this study demonstrated S. liquefaciens ZM6 effectiveness in enhancing soybean resistance to Pb stress and bacterial blight.

Renewable lignocellulosic biomass is a favorable energy resource since its co-pyrolysis with hydrogen-rich plastics can produce high-yield and high-quality biofuel. In contrast to earlier co-pyrolysis research that concentrated on increasing product yield, this study comprehends the synergistic effects of two distinct feedstocks that were not considered earlier. This work focuses on co-pyrolyzing wheat straw (WS) with non-reusable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for the production of pyrolysis oil. WS and PET were blended in different ratios (100/0, 80/20, 60/40, 40/60, 20/80, and 0/100), and pyrolysis experiments were conducted in a fixed-bed reactor under different temperatures to assess their synergistic effect on oil yield. Synergy rates of up to 7.78 % were achieved on yield for the blends of plastic and biomass at a temperature of 500 °C. In comparison to individual biomass or plastics, co-pyrolyzing PET-biomass blends demonstrated good process interaction and promoted the yields of value-added products. The heating value of the pyrolysis oils was in the range of 16.45–28.64 MJ/kg, which depends on the amount of plastic present in the feedstock. The physical analysis of the oils shows that they can be used for heat production by direct combustion in boilers or furnaces. The correlation between WS and PET was validated with the aid of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The GC-MS result demonstrated the presence of different compounds such as O-H compounds, esters, carbonyl group elements, acids, hydrocarbons, aromatics, and nitrogenated compounds in the pyrolysis oil, which differed based on the proportions of PET in the feedstock. The increased hydrocarbon and reduced oxygen percentages in the pyrolysis oil were implicitly caused by enhanced hydrocarbon pool mechanisms, in which the breakdown of PET may be supplied as a hydrogen donor. Overall, waste lignocellulosic biomass and plastics can be used to produce biofuels, which helps reduce the amount of solid waste that ends up in landfills. This study also revealed that future research should be focused on the reaction mechanisms of WS and PET co-pyrolysis in order to examine the synergistic interactions.

Objectives: In this study, extracts from eight Pleurotus mushroom species were examined for their antioxidant properties. Methods: The pure cultures of eight Pleurotus were grown, harvested, air-dried, pulverized, and for various biological activities. Results: The methanolic extract of Pleurotus florida showed the highest concentrations of total phenolics, total tannins, and flavonoids. It also displayed the greatest antioxidant activity in the FRAP, ABTS, metal chelating, superoxide anion radicals, hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide and DPPH assay. In the hydroxyl radical scavenging assay, Pleurotus florida and Pleurotus flabellatus showed notable effects in methanolic and acetone extracts, respectively. Moreover, Pleurotus florida demonstrated a strong antioxidant effect on β-carotene in methanolic extracts. The study also explored the potential of mushrooms as natural anti-diabetic treatments by targeting a key enzyme in biopharmaceuticals. Pleurotus florida's methanolic extract at a concentration of 1000 µg/ml exhibited significant α-amylase inhibition (99.02%), surpassing acarbose's efficiency at the same concentration (96.54%). Conclusion: Overall, the bioactive components from Pleurotus florida showed effective antioxidant and antidiabetic effects under in vitro conditions.

Bacterial brown stripe disease caused by Acidovorax oryzae is a major threat to crop yields, and the current reliance on pesticides for control is unsustainable due to environmental pollution and resistance. To address this, bacterial-based ligands have been explored as a potential treatment solution. In this study, we developed a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network for A. oryzae by utilizing shared differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and the STRING database. Using a maximal clique centrality (MCC) approach through CytoHubba and Network Analyzer, we identified hub genes within the PPI network. We then analyzed the genomic data of the top 10 proteins, and further narrowed them down to 2 proteins by utilizing betweenness, closeness, degree, and eigenvector studies. Finally, we used molecular docking to screen 100 compounds against the final two proteins (guaA and metG), and Enfumafungin was selected as a potential treatment for bacterial resistance caused by A. oryzae based on their binding affinity and interaction energy. Our approach demonstrates the potential of utilizing bioinformatics and molecular docking to identify novel drug candidates for precision treatment of bacterial brown stripe disease caused by A. oryzae, paving the way for more targeted and sustainable control strategies. The efficacy of Enfumafungin in inhibiting the growth of A. oryzae strain RS-1 was investigated through both computational and wet lab methods. The models of the protein were built using the Swiss model, and their accuracy was confirmed via a Ramachandran plot. Additionally, Enfumafungin demonstrated potent inhibitory action against the bacterial strain, with an MIC of 100 µg/mL, reducing OD600 values by up to 91%. The effectiveness of Enfumafungin was further evidenced through agar well diffusion assays, which exhibited the highest zone of inhibition at 1.42 cm when the concentration of Enfumafungin was at 100 µg/mL. Moreover, Enfumafungin was also able to effectively reduce the biofilm of A. oryzae RS-1 in a concentration-dependent manner. The swarming motility of A. oryzae RS-1 was also found to be significantly inhibited by Enfumafungin. Further validation through TEM observation revealed that bacterial cells exposed to Enfumafungin displayed mostly red fluorescence, indicating destruction of the bacterial cell membrane.

Termites have become a global concern, and their effective management has remained a challenge since time immemorial. Certain microbial and botanical agents have been used for their management, but their efficacy has been compromised, particularly in field conditions. Hence, the current study was designed to check the efficacy of low doses of different pesticides, such as chlorpyrifos, fipronil, bifenthrin, and chlorantraniliprole, against mortality and behavioral responses of Odontotermes obesus at two different temperatures (16 ± 1 and 26 ± 1°C). The discrete behavioral symptoms included intoxication, ataxia, moribundity, and death. Laboratory-maintained termite workers were exposed to different concentrations of pesticides through a filter paper bioassay. All tested pesticides and their concentrations differed significantly regarding their lethal time (LT50) values compared to the mortality of termite workers. Moreover, the LT50 values of pesticides gradually decreased with increased pesticidal concentrations. Temperature also had a significant effect on the efficacy of tested pesticides as all pesticides showed better results at higher temperatures. At both tested temperatures, chlorantraniliprole (5 ppm) proved to be the most effective pesticide against termite workers. Similarly, the behavioral symptoms also varied depending on pesticides and their administered concentrations and existed for a relatively longer time span at lower temperatures. In most cases, the order of responses was moribundity, followed by intoxication and ataxia. Moribundity and intoxication were the most frequently observed symptoms for chlorpyriphos and bifenthrin-treated termite workers. In the case of fipronil, intoxication was the most pronounced symptom. Similarly, the maximum value of ataxia was recorded in the case of chlorantraniliprole. However, moribund symptoms lasted longer in all tested concentrations of chlorantraniliprole, followed by ataxia and intoxication. The overall order of toxicity was chlorantraniliprole > bifenthrin > fipronil > chlorpyrifos. These pesticides, at their low doses, did not exhibit any repellent action and were not detected by the foraging termite workers. Moreover, their slow action mechanism makes them a suitable candidate for infecting whole colonies away from treated surfaces. Therefore, these pesticides can be successfully incorporated into different integrated termite management programs to keep the plantation free from threatening underground pests.

Under the changing climate due to global warming, various abiotic stresses including drought (D) and salinity (S) are expected to further trigger their devastating effects on the already vulnerable crop production systems. This experiment was designed to unravel and quantify the potential role of exogenous application of salicylic acid (SA) in mitigating both D and S stresses and their combination (D+S), with three replications using CRD (Completely Randomized Design). The obtained results of the current study demonstrated significant effects of all three types of stresses (D, S, and D+S) on various parameters in Brassica napus plants. Quantifying these parameters provides a more informative and precise understanding of the findings. Current results revealed that all three stress types (D, S, and D+S) resulted in a reduction in leaf area (13.65 to 21.87%), chlorophyll levels (30 to 50%), gaseous exchange rate (30 to 54%) and the concentration of mineral ions compared to non-stressed plants. However, application of SA helped in mitigating these stresses by ameliorating the negative effects of these stresses. Moreover, Malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, an indicator of lipid per-oxidation and oxidative stress, the levels of antioxidants, proline content, an osmolyte associated with stress tolerance, and sugar content in the leaves were elevated in response to all stress conditions. In addition, the ultra-structures within the leaves were negatively affected by the stresses, while an application of SA considerably minimized the deterioration of these structures thus providing protection to the brassica plants against the stresses. In a nutshell, the findings of this study suggest that SA application in S, D and S+ D stresses provides evasion to the plants by improving different physiological and growth indices. The application of Salicylic Acid (SA) mitigated the negative effects of the stresses on all the above parameters, reducing MDA contents (47%), antioxidants (11 to 20%), proline (28%), sugar contents (20.50%), and minimizing the deterioration of ultra-structures. The findings emphasize the potential mitigatory role of SA in mitigating D and S stresses and highlight the need for further research to understand the underlying mechanisms in detail and explore its practical application in farming practices.

Verticillium dahliae is a soilborne fungal pathogen that causes vascular wilt diseases in a wide range of economically important crops, including eggplant. Trichoderma spp. are effective biological control agents that suppress a wide range of plant pathogens through a variety of mechanisms, including mycoparasitism. However, the molecular mechanisms of mycoparasitism of Trichoderma spp. in the degradation of microsclerotia of V. dahliae are not yet fully understood. In this study, the ability of 15 isolates of Trichoderma to degrade microsclerotia of V. dahliae was evaluated using a dual culture method. After 15 days, isolate HZA14 showed the greatest potential for microsclerotial degradation. The culture filtrate of isolate HZA14 also significantly inhibited the mycelial growth and conidia germination of V. dahliae at different dilutions. Moreover, this study showed that T. virens produced siderophores and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). In disease control tests, T. virens HZA14 reduced disease severity in eggplant seedlings by up to 2.77%, resulting in a control efficacy of 96.59% at 30 days after inoculation. Additionally, inoculation with an HZA14 isolate increased stem and root length and fresh and dry weight, demonstrating plant growth promotion efficacy. To further investigate the mycoparasitism mechanism of T. virens HZA14, transcriptomics sequencing and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) were used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of T. virens HZA14 at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 days of the interaction with microsclerotia of V. dahliae. In contrast to the control group, the mycoparasitic process of T. virens HZA14 exhibited differential gene expression, with 1197, 1758, 1936, and 1914 genes being up-regulated and 1191, 1963, 2050, and 2114 genes being down-regulated, respectively. Among these genes, enzymes associated with the degradation of microsclerotia, such as endochitinase A1, endochitinase 3, endo-1,3-beta-glucanase, alpha-N-acetylglucosaminidase, laccase-1, and peroxidase were predicted based on bioinformatics analysis. The RT-qPCR results confirmed the RNA-sequencing data, showing that the expression trend of the genes was consistent. These results provide important information for understanding molecular mechanisms of microsclerotial degradation and integrated management of Verticillium wilt in eggplant and other crops.

Background: Wounds remain the most important cause of postoperative mortality and morbidity and generate considerable additional social and healthcare costs. Most wounds are caused by various coliforms, Enterococcus fecalis, Proteus sp., and multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Wound is one of the leading cause of infections in the under developed and developing countries than developed nations. Methods: A total of 43 samples associated with bacteremia and wound infection were collected. Biochemical characterization and culture characteristics of the drug resistant isolates were studied using MacConkey agar, blood agar and mannitol-salt agar. Antibiotic susceptibility analysis of the isolated strains was performed by disc diffusion method using various antibiotics. Prevalence of dug resistance among bacteria isolated from the wound was studied. The ability of Beta lactamase antibiotic producing bacterial strains were analyzed. Results: A total of 168 bacterial strains were isolated showed high resistant towards ampicillin (89%), ciprofloxacin (90.8), cefepine (90.5), piperacillin (91.8), oxacillin (92.5), and imipenem (96.5). The isolated bacterial strains showed monobacterial as well as polybacterial growth on the surface of the wound. The isolated bacterial strains revealed 89% sensitivity against norfloxacin and 94.9 sensitivity against vancomycin. About 26% of bacterial strains degraded quinolones, whereas only 14% clinical isolates showed their ability to degrade aminoglycosides. A total of 27% bacteria degraded tetracycline and 51% of isolates degraded carbapenems compounds. Interestingly, E. faecalis was resistant against antibiotics such as, Oxacillin, Nalidic acid, Ofloxacin, Erythromycin, Norfloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, Ampicillin, Tetracycline, Cefepine, Amikacin, Cefurooxime, Vancomycin, Piperacillin, Imipenem and Gentamycin. Moreover, Proteus species was resistant against certain numbers of antibiotics namely, Ampicillin, Piperacillin, Oxacillin, Nalidic acid, Tetracycline, Erythromycin, Cefurooxime, Nitrofurantoin, Vancomycin and Imipenem. Conclusions: The isolated bacterial strains were resistant against various drugs including vancomycin. Staphylococci, and E. faecalisis strains showed resistance against various classes of antibiotics.

The effectiveness of all antibiotics in the β-lactam group to cure bacterial infections has been impaired by the introduction of the New Delhi Metallo-β-lactamase (NDM-1) enzyme. Attempts have been made to discover a potent chemical as an inhibitor to this enzyme in order to restore the efficacy of antibiotics. However, it has been a challenging task to develop broad-spectrum inhibitors of metallo-β-lactamases. Lack of sequence homology across metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs), the rapidly evolving active site of the enzyme, and structural similarities between human enzymes and metallo-β-lactamases, are the primary causes for the difficulty in the development of these inhibitors. Therefore, it is imperative to concentrate on the discovery of an effective NDM-1 inhibitor. This study used various in silico approaches, including molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations, to investigate the potential of phytochemicals to inhibit the NDM-1 enzyme. For this purpose, a library of about 59,000 phytochemicals was created from the literature and other databases, including FoodB, IMPPAT, and Phenol-Explorer. A physiochemical and pharmacokinetics analysis was performed to determine possible toxicity and mutagenicity of the ligands. Following the virtual screening, phytochemicals were assessed for their binding with NDM-1using docking scores, RMSD values, and other critical parameters. The docking score was determined by selecting the best conformation of the protein–ligand complex. Three phytochemicals, i.e., butein (polyphenol), monodemethylcurcumin (polyphenol), and rosmarinic acid (polyphenol) were identified as result of pharmacokinetics and molecular docking studies. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to determine structural stabilities of the protein–ligand complexes. Monodemethylcurcumin, butein, and rosmarinic acid were identified as potential inhibitors of NDM-1 based on their low RMSD, RMSF, hydrogen bond count, average Coulomb–Schrödinger interaction energy, and Lennard–Jones–Schrödinger interaction energy. The present investigation suggested that these phytochemicals might be promising candidates for future NDM-1 medication development to respond to antibiotic resistance.

Plant-based synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) has emerged as a potential alternative to traditional chemical synthesis methods. In this context, the aim of the present study was to synthesize Ag-NPs from Cassia fistula (L.) leaf extract and to evaluate their nano-pesticidal potential against major phyto-pathogens of tomato. From the data, it was found that particle size of spherical C. fistula leaf synthesized (Ag@CfL-NPs) varied from 10 to 20 nm, with the average diameter of 16 nm. Ag@CfL-NPs were validated and characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy (surface resonance peak λmax = 430 nm), energy dispersive spectrophotometer (EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD), and electron microscopy; scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The FTIR spectra verified the participation of various living molecules (aromatic/aliphatic moieties and proteins) in synthesized Ag@CfL-NPs. The anti-phytopathogenic potential of Ag@CfL-NPs was assessed under in vitro conditions. Increasing doses of Ag@CfL-NPs exhibited an inhibitory effect against bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae and 400 μg Ag@CfL-NPs ml–1 caused a reduction in cellular viability, altered bacterial morphology, and caused cellular death Furthermore, Ag@CfL-NPs reduced exopolysaccharides (EPS) production and biofilm formation by P. syringae Additionally, Ag@CfL-NPs showed pronounced antifungal activity against major fungal pathogens. At 400 μg Ag@CfL-NPs ml–1, sensitivity of tested fungi followed the order: Fusarium oxysporum (76%) > R. solani (65%) > Sarocladium (39%). Furthermore, 400 μg Ag@CfL-NPs ml–1 inhibited the egg-hatching and increased larval mortality of Meloidogyne incognita by 82 and 65%, respectively, over control. Moreover, pot studies were performed to assess the efficacy of Ag@CfL-NPs to phyto-pathogens using tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) as a model crop. The applied phyto-pathogens suppressed the biological, physiological, and oxidative-stress responsiveness of tomatoes. However, 100 mg Ag@CfL-NPs kg–1 improved overall performance and dramatically increased the root length, dry biomass, total chlorophyll, carotenoid, peroxidase (POD), and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity over pathogens-challenged tomatoes. This study is anticipated to serve as an essential indication for synthesis of efficient nano-control agents, which would aid in the management of fatal phyto-pathogens causing significant losses to agricultural productivity. Overall, our findings imply that Ag@CfL-NPs as nano-pesticides might be used in green agriculture to manage the diseases and promote plant health in a sustainable way.

Some endophyte bacteria can improve plant growth and suppress plant diseases. However, little is known about the potential of endophytes bacteria to promote wheat growth and suppress the Fusarium seedling blight pathogen Fusarium graminearum. This study was conducted to isolate and identify endophytic bacteria and evaluate their efficacy for the plant growth promotion and disease suppression of Fusarium seedling blight (FSB) in wheat. The Pseudomonas poae strain CO showed strong antifungal activity in vitro and under greenhouse conditions against F. graminearum strain PH-1. The cell-free supernatants (CFSs) of P. poae strain CO were able to inhibit the mycelium growth, the number of colonies forming, spore germination, germ tube length, and the mycotoxin production of FSB with an inhibition rate of 87.00, 62.25, 51.33, 69.29, and 71.08%, respectively, with the highest concentration of CFSs. The results indicated that P. poae exhibited multifarious antifungal properties, such as the production of hydrolytic enzymes, siderophores, and lipopeptides. In addition, compared to untreated seeds, wheat plants treated with the strain showed significant growth rates, where root and shoot length increased by about 33% and the weight of fresh roots, fresh shoots, dry roots, and dry shoots by 50%. In addition, the strain produced high levels of indole-3-acetic acid, phosphate solubilization, and nitrogen fixation. Finally, the strain demonstrated strong antagonistic properties as well as a variety of plant growth-promoting properties. Thus, this result suggest that this strain could be used as an alternate to synthetic chemicals, which can serve as an effective method of protecting wheat from fungal infection.

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal that neutrally occurs in soil. It is carcinogenic in humans and caused a significant decline in the plant’s growth when up has taken beyond the threshold limit. The fertilizers, manure, sewage sludge, and aerial deposition are the main source of cadmium contamination in soil. Furthermore, poor soil organic matter is also one of the allied factors which facilitate the development of Cd toxicity in soil. The decomposition resistance nature of biochar makes it an effective amendment for cadmium remediation. Through crop production, Cd enters the food system. Individual studies on biochar and compost are found in the literature but the combined effect of biochar and compost are rarely documented especially in maize crops. The current pot study was conducted in Pesticide Quality Control Laboratory, Multan, Pakistan. However, the current study was novel and conducted by using compost mixed biochar (CB) against Cd toxicity in maize. Four application rates of CB i.e., 0, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00% (1.00CB) were applied under 3 levels of Cd i.e., 0 (0Cd), 2.5 (2.5Cd) and 5 mg Cd kg−1 soil (5.0Cd). Overall, results indicated that 1.00%CB remained significantly best at higher 5.0Cd for improvement in soil organic matter, plant height, root length, number of leaves, leaves fresh and dry weight, plant fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll a, b, total and carotenoids. A significant decrease in soil pHs, leaves anthocyanin and lycopene also validated the efficacious functioning of 1.00%CB over control in 2.5 and 5.0Cd. In conclusion, the use of 1.00%CB is a better approach to decrease Cd harmful effects to improve gas exchange attributes, growth and chlorophyll contents in maize. Long-term research is required on co-composted biochar toward mitigation of cadmium toxicity under different geographical locations.

The use of nitrogen fertilizers to enhance crop growth tends to increase every year. In addition, as eco-friendly agriculture is emphasized, organic fertilizers are preferred over inorganic fertilizers. However, since most of organic fertilizers in South Korea use imported ingredients, an alternative ingredients is needed. Biochar is an eco-friendly way to recycle various biomass and has a high pH and carbon contents. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of individual and co-application of organic and inorganic fertilizers on ammonia (NH3) volatilization and soil quality. Organic fertilizers used in this study were divided into conventional organic fertilizers (CF1 and CF2) and biochar-based organic fertilizers (BF). As a result of the experiment, NH3 volatilization and soil quality were significantly affected by the inorganic fertilizers. Also, NH3 volatilization effected by inorganic fertilizer was rapidly increased between 4 and 7 days. When different organic fertilizers were treated, NH3 emissions by BF was highest at 17.49 and 28.97 kg ha−1 compared to CF1 and CF2, but no statistically significant different was observed. A similar trend was appeared when organic and inorganic fertilizers was co-applied. Therefore, biochar-based organic fertilizers are similar to conventional organic fertilizers in terms of soil quality and NH3 volatilization, but it is expected to contribute to the formation of a stable fertilizer market by reducing the percentage of imported ingredients.

Antibacterial activities of Boerhaavia diffusa leaves (BDL) mediated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were studied. UV–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), transmission electron microscopic (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) studies of the synthesized nanoparticles were analyzed too. As the concentration of Boerhaavia diffusa leaf (BDL) extract increases, a full width half maximum value decreased and blue shift observed from 427 to 420 nm in the UV–vis spectrum. The XRD confirmed the nanoparticles' high crystallinity and the average nanoparticle size calculated was 14 nm. TEM result reveals that the AgNPs are spherical in shape and the particle sizes range from 6.33 nm to 24.9 nm. The average size of AgNPs was determined to be 13.27 nm which is close to the particle size determined by XRD. EDS shows a prominent peak at 3 kev, indicating that elemental silver is a major component in the reaction medium. The produced nanoparticles were well dispersed and almost spherical in shape. The silver nanoparticles produced at higher concentration of BDL extract against Gram negative pathogen Salmonella typhi, showed higher zone of inhibition (23 mm) compared to Staphylococcus aureus (21 mm). This biosynthetic method for generating silver nanoparticles prepared in the present work has discrete compensations over chemical reduction synthesis procedures, including great biosafety, ecofriendliness and nontoxicity to the environment.

Objectives: The present study was aimed to synthesize Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) from ethanol extract of Allium sativum to evaluate the in-vitro cytotoxicity effect on human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549). Methods: Spetroscopic analysis were performed to determine the formation, stability, nature and the functional groups of the Ag NPs. Microscopic analysis were performed to ascertain the morphology and size of the particles. In-vitro MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide) assay was performed to determine the cytotoxic potential of the Ag NPs on A549 lung cancer cell lines. Results: The UV–Visble spectrum confirmed the formation of the particles. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrum revealed the presence of carbonyl, carboxyl, primary and secondary amine groups. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) established the crystalline nature and FCC structure of Ag NPs. Morphological analysis performed using Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED) pattern showed spherical and rod shaped bio synthesized Ag NPs with variable size ranging from 20 nm to 40 nm. The synthesized Ag NPs showed a significant cytotoxic potential against A549 human lung cancer cells at an IC50 of 22 μg/ml. Conclusion: The present study revealed a cost-effective, simple and effective method to synthesize Ag NPs using garlic extract and the cytotoxic activity on human adenocarcinoma cells (A549) demonstrated their future application as potential anti-cancer agent.

Background: Search for options that can overcome microorganism’s resistance to traditional drugs, has shifted the focus towards plant-based molecules and extracts. Latest developments in plant-based nanomaterials have further expanded the role of plant extracts since nano particle - plant extract combinations are shown to possess enhanced biological activity and reduced toxicity to human cells. In the present study, facile, one-pot synthesis of nearly monodispersed gold nanoparticles was developed using Clerodin enriched Clerodendrum infortunatum ethanolic leaf extract under ambient conditions. The synthesized gold nanoparticles were evaluated for broad spectrum anti-microbial activity as well as compatibility with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Methods: Clerodin enriched fraction from C. infortunatum leaves ethanol extract was used to synthesize gold nanoparticle from chloroauric acid. Synthesized gold nanoparticles were characterized and tested for broad spectrum anti-microbial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using the standard broth dilution method. Cytotoxicity of the gold nanoparticles was evaluated against human monocyte leukemic cells (THP-I) and healthy peripheral blood mononuclear cells. MTT and FACS based Annexin V/FITC-PI assays were used to study its cytotoxic effect. Results: TEM analysis showed an average diameter of 33 ± 5 nm for the synthesized nanoparticles. EDX validated the presence of elemental Au (98.8%) and confirmed its nano form. Antimicrobial assay of gold nanoparticles showed significant inhibitory effect in all the tested pathogens. Additionally, MTT and Annexin-V/ PI assay demonstrated the cytotoxic activity of the nanoparticles against THP-I cells. Interestingly, nanoparticles did not show cytotoxicity against healthy human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Conclusion: Gold nanoparticles generated in an eco-friendly process using Clerodin enriched fractions showed promising broad spectrum antibacterial activity. Simultaneously, they proved themselves to be benign against healthy human cells indicating potential therapeutic applications. Added benefit for the nanoparticles was, they had anti-proliferative effects against human leukemic monocyte cancer (THP-I) cells.

Objective: Abutilon indicum is a medicinal plant belonging to the Malvaceae family. The current study has been developed to detect Abutilon indicum bio-activity to produce an adequate drug design for cancer. Methods: The objective of this work is to perform molecular docking and dynamics as well as inhibitors and cancer cell line studies of Abutilon indicum would be essentially effective to use current strong medicines from oncology therapies. Results: By Docking best finding binding energy −12.02 kcal/mol (ARG310, ASP323, SER291, THR358, GLU293) amino acid has been found to be immersed in the formation of the hydrogen interaction. This finding also indicates that a range of compounds are ADMET positive drug molecules in cancer studies. Network pharmacology showed that the signal rule ERG, PTEN, NKX31, AR, ETV4, STAT3, PTPN11, CBL, KRAS, EREG, STAT3, GRB2, HRAS, and SHC1, and the axis of DRD2. Molecular simulation trajectories show that RMS deviation profiles were relatively stable during the simulation and it indicated the orientations were created by the docking studies. In cell lines MCF-7, the active compound R-N-1′-methoxycarbonyl-2′-phenylethyl-4-hydroxy benzamide has anticancer inhibitory 76.56% at 100 μg/mL. The ASP323 interaction of EGFR inhibitors interaction molecules were derived that can be successfully used to explain the cancer activities. Conclusion: The results of pharmacodynamic and toxicity for natural organic derived compound and its active results epidermal growth factor receptor for identifying novel drugs for the treatment confirms compound moderate to a good cancer drug.

Poor soil organic matter is one of the major causes of the deterioration of soil health. Most soils fertility is also decreased when enough organic carbon is not present in the soil. Maize is most susceptible to this poor soil fertility status. A significant amount of maize growth and yield is lost when it is cultivated in low organic matter and poor fertility soil. To overcome this issue organic amendments can play an imperative role. Biochar and vermicompost are organic amendments that can not only improve organic residues but also increase soil nutrient concentration. The current experiment was conducted to explore the sole and combined application of both organic amendments with recommended NPK fertilizer. Four treatments were tested i.e., control, biochar (BC1), vermicompost (VC1) and VC1+BC1 with and without nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in the experiment. Results showed that VC1+BC1+NPK performed significantly best for improvement in maize plant height (6.25 and 3.00%), 1000 grains weight (30.48 and 29.40%), biological yield (18.86 and 43.12%) and grains yield (30.58 and 39.59%) compared to BC0+VC0+NPK and control respectively. A significant improvement in soil N, P and K also validated the efficacious role of VC1+BC1+NPK over BC0+VC0+NPK and control. Treatment VC1+BC1+NPK is recommended for the achievement of better maize growth and yield in poor organic matter soils. More investigations are suggested in variable climatic conditions to declare VC1+BC1+NPK as the best amendment compared to control for enhancing soil N, P and K status as well as maize productivity.

Plant-derived antioxidants are a large group of natural products with the capacity to reduce radical-scavenging. Due to their potent therapeutic and preventive actions, these compounds receive a lot of attention from scientists, particularly pharmacologists. The pharmacological activities of the Azima tetracantha Lam. (AT) plant, belonging to the Salvadoraceae family, reported here justifies its traditional use in treating several diseases or disorders. This study aims to look at the propensity of certain plant compounds found in natural AT plant extracts that might play a critical role as a secondary metabolite in cervical cancer treatment. There is a shortage of information on the plant’s phytochemical and biological characteristics. Methanol (MeOH) solvent extracts of the dried AT plant were screened phytochemically. Its aqueous extract was tested for antioxidant, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and anticancerous properties. Absorption Distribution Metabolism and Excretion (ADME/T), Docking, and HPLC were also performed. In clinical treatment, the plant shown no adverse effects. The antioxidant activity was evaluated and showed the highest concentration at 150 µg/mL (63.50%). MeOH leaf extract of AT exhibited the highest and best inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus (15.3 mm/1000) and displayed a high antiseptic potential. At a 200 µg/mL concentration, MeOH leaves-extract inhibited red blood cells (RBC) hemolysis by 66.56 ± 0.40, compared with 62.33 ± 0.40 from the standard. Albumin’s ability to suppress protein denaturation ranged from 16.75 ± 0.65 to 62.35 ± 0.20 inhibitions in this test, providing even more support for its favorable anti-inflammatory properties. The ADME/T studies were considered for a potential cancer drug molecule, and one of our compounds from MeOH extract fills the ADME and toxicity parameters. The forms of compound 4 showed a strong hydrogen-bonding interaction with the vital amino acids (ASN923, THR410, LEU840TRY927, PHE921, and GLY922). A total of 90% of cell inhibition was observed when HeLa cell lines were treated with 300 µg/mL of compound 4 (7-acetyl-3a1-methyl- 4,14-dioxo-1,2,3a,3a1,4,5,5a,6,8a,9b,10,11,11a-tetradecahydro-2,5a epoxy5,6a (methanooxymethano)phenaleno[1′,9′:5,6,7]indeno[1,7a-b]oxiren-2-yl acetate). The polyphenol compounds demonstrated significant advances in anticancer drug properties, and it could lead to activation of cancer cell apoptosis.