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Silver is a poisonous but precious heavy metal that has widespread application in various biomedical and environmental divisions. Wide-ranging usage of the metal has twisted severe environmental apprehensions. Henceforth there is a cumulative call for the progress of modest, low-cost and, the ecological method for remediation of silver. In the present study, Bacillus cereus was isolated from contaminated soil. Various experimental factors like the amount of AgNO 3 , inoculum size, temperature, time, and pH were improved by using central composite design (CCD) grounded on response surface methodology (RSM). Optimized values for AgNO 3 (1 mM) 10 ml, inoculum size ( Bacillus cereus ) 8.7 ml, temperature 48.5 °C, time 69 h, and pH 9 showed in the form of optimized ramps. The formed nanoparticles stayed characterized by UV–visible spectrophotometer, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Fourier transform infra-red spectrometry, particle size analyzer, and X-ray diffraction. The particle size ranges from 5 to 7.06 nm with spherical form. The antimicrobial effectiveness of synthesized nanoparticles was tested contrary to five multidrug resistant microbial strains, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus , Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Porteus mirabilis by disc diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum lethal concentrations were detected by the broth macro dilution method. 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) was used to check the free radical scavenging ability of biogenic silver nanoparticles. Similarly, anti-radical activity was checked by 2,2′-Azino-Bis-3-Ethylbenzothiazoline-6-Sulfonic Acid (ABTS) with varying time intervals. Catalytic potential of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles was also investigated.

Soil aggregate stability is a key indicator of soil health and is fundamental to soil processes such as water infiltration, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, erosion control, and ecosystem functionality. However, research concerning the impact of natural and anthropogenic factors on SAS across different climates, soil types, and management practices is lacking. This review synthesizes current understanding of physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms that govern the aggregate formation and stability and brings to light how the natural and anthropogenic drivers influence these processes. It highlights how clay mineralogy, root systems, microbial diversity, soil organic matter, and management practices shape the structure and turnover of aggregates essential for agricultural productivity. Key drivers of aggregate formation, categorized into natural (such as texture, clay mineral interaction, biota, and climate) and anthropogenic (such as tillage, land use changes, organic amendments) factors, have been critically evaluated. This review provides an insightful framework for soil management that may help enhance soil aggregation and promote sustainable agriculture and food security, especially under climate change.

Farmers are using municipal wastewater either treated or untreated for irrigation because of limited fresh water resources. Wastewater extensively used for irrigation purposes is enriched with many nutrients. The reuse of wastewater is imposing a negative impact on human health and the ecosystem. It is a need of the day to identify and assess issues of the reuse of wastewater. In the current experiment, impact of organic/inorganic amendments was studied to mitigate the toxic effects of pollutants present in wastewater. Soil was brought from the site having consistent use of wastewater and different treatments were applied as per plan. The experiment has 28 treatments with 04 replications. Nine different amendments were used at 3 varying levels. Incubation time of 30 days was given after the addition of all treatments. The results of the study showed the application of FYM @ 5.0% w/w soil reduced soil pH (7.44), EC (2.16 dS m −1 ), SAR (8.14), lead (8.48 mg kg −1 ), cadmium (1.14 mg kg −1 ), nickel (10.55 mg kg −1 ) and arsenic (2.03 mg kg −1 ) when compared with control and other treatments. Usage of compost and horse waste followed FYM. On the basis of this study, it is recommended that wastewater can be used for irrigation purpose after treating with FYM preferably and compost in general.

An experiment was conducted to investigate the optimal use of high-salt water for alfalfa fodder growth and quality in Aridisol. The experiment included five treatments and was performed using a completely randomized design (CRD) as factorial design with three replications. We used a leaching fraction technique (LF), which is a mitigating technique (MT). The five treatments were T1 = MT1 as normal irrigation (control), T2 = MT2 as a leaching fraction (LF) of 15% with the same quality of water, T3 = MT3 as a LF of 30% with the same quality of water, T4 = MT4 as a LF of 15% with good-quality water (as percentage of total water), in the form of 2–3 irrigations every 3 months, and T5 = MT5 as a LF of 30% with good-quality water (as percentage of total water), in the form of 2–3 irrigations every 3 months. The duration of the experiment was three years and normal soil (non-saline, non-sodic) was used in the current study. Results showed that saline water irrigation negatively affected the growth traits, but the application of the LF technique with same-quality or good-quality water mitigated such negative effects. The fodder quality traits such as crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF) and ashes were also affected in a negative way with the use of saline irrigation water. This negative impact was more intensified in the third year as the concentration of salts increased in saline water during the three years of the current investigation. A LF with canal water at 15 or 30% reduced the negative effects of salt stress and improved fodder biomass production and quality traits. For examples, using a LF with canal water at 30% increased the biomass production to 33.30 g and 15.87 g when plants were irrigated with W1 and W5, respectively. In addition, it improved quality traits such as crude protein content (5.54% and 3.73%) and crude fiber content (14.55% and 12.75%) when plants were irrigated with W1 and W5, respectively. It was concluded that the LF technique can be recommended for practice in the case of saline water irrigation for the optimized growth and quality of alfalfa fodder.

Wastewater is considered a good reservoir of mineral elements that can be used for agriculture, aquaculture, and some other activities after adopting suitable measures. The gap between supply and demand for water is increasing exponentially because of the abrupt boost to the world’s population. This poses a threat to human life as it has reached alarming levels in some parts of the globe. Normally, wastewater consists of liquid waste produced by commercial or industrial sources for daily use, consumption, and production. It is time to refocus our attention on a kind of circulating water system by reusing municipal wastewater for agricultural purposes, particularly irrigation. The recycled or treated water would be used as an alternative to fresh water. In the current study, the impact of various organic amendments was studied to mitigate the toxic effects of pollutants present in wastewater by cultivating maize as a test crop. The present study comprised five treatments replicated four times with a randomized complete block design under field conditions. In this experiment, the treatments included T 1 (treatment 1) = control (wastewater-polluted soil without the application of any amendment), T 2 = farmyard manure (FYM) at 2.5 tons ha -1 (hectare -1 ), T 3 = FYM at 5.0 tons ha -1 , T 4 = compost at 2.5 tons ha -1 , and T 5 = compost at 5.0 tons ha -1 . The application of FYM at 5.0 tons ha -1 (T 3 ) was recorded as being the most effective as the maximum improvement was observed in soil characteristics such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), and organic matter, and for T 3 , these were 7.33, 2.22 dS m -1 , 8.16, and 0.94%, respectively. T 3 remained most superior in reducing the concentration of heavy metals in the soil; for example, lead, cadmium, nickel, and arsenic for T 3 were 8.64, 1.34, 10.44, and 2.25 mg kg -1 (milligrams per kg), respectively. Maximum fresh biomass (fodder yield) of 9.98 tons ha -1 was harvested when FYM was applied at 5.0 tons ha -1 to the soil compared to 6.2 tons ha -1 in the control plot. The highest contents of nitrogen (1.20%), phosphorus (0.41%), and potassium (3.97%) were observed in maize plants for T 3 . In maize plants (T 3 ), the concentration of lead, cadmium, nickel, and arsenic was reduced to levels of 1.92, 0.23, 2.28, and 1.25 mg kg -1 , respectively. Therefore, it can be concluded from the findings of the experiment that the application of FYM significantly reduced heavy metal concentrations and improved soil health, along with maize crop growth and productivity.

Phosphorus (P) deficiency is the global prime constraint for crop growth including Pakistan. Therefore, the application of phosphatic fertilizers is compulsory. But P availability is low due to its fixation, which is a major constraint in achieving sustainability in crop production. A pot trial was performed to estimate the efficiency of organic manures for P release from rock phosphate by wheat. The fourteen treatments with six replicates were arranged according to completely randomized design (CRD). Treatments of the study were T1 = Recommended N, K with no P, T2 = Recommended NPK from mineral fertilizer, T3 = T1 + all P from PROM (Phosphorus rich organic manure), T4 = T1 + all P from FYM , T5 = T1 + all P from compost, T6 = T1 + all P from press mud, T7 = T1 + half P from mineral fertilizer + half P from PROM, T8 = T1 + half P from mineral fertilizer + half P from FYM, T9 = T1 + half P from mineral fertilizer + half P from compost, T10 = T1 + half P from mineral fertilizer + half P from press mud, T11 = T2 + all P from PROM, T12 = T2 + all P from FYM, T13 = T2 + all P from compost and T14 = T2 + all P from press mud. Pre and post-harvest soil analysis were performed. The growth and yield traits were recorded and data were analyzed using LSD at a 5% level of probability for significance differences. Results of the research intimated that highest height of plant (71.42 cm), shoot dry weight (10.74 g), length of spike (13.33 cm), tiller numbers in a plant (7.16), weight of dry root (0.335 g), root length (11.68 cm), weight of 1000 grains (37.88 g) and wheat biomass (48.63 g) were recorded with T11 (T2 + all P from PROM). Thus, P application improved the wheat growth and yield traits significantly (T1) and T11 was found more effective for achieving the optimum output.

Irrigation with saline water is a key issue affecting crop growth. Saline irrigation has drastic effects, limiting normal physiological activity and productive capacity of crops. The saline water irrigation leads to salt accumulation in the vicinity of roots which results in reduced yield along with soil deterioration. Organic matter application can prove helpful in keeping the salt level low in root rhizosphere. To check the efficacy of organic matter in mitigating the harmful impacts of salty water irrigation on soil characteristics, this trail was conducted. The irrigation water of 3 different types (canal water and saline water of electrical conductivity values 2 and 3 dS m-1) were used alone and with farmyard manure (FYM) at 5 and 10 Mg/ha. This trial comprised of 09 treatments which were; T = irrigation of canal water, T = irrigation of EC 2 dS m-1-1 water, T3 = irrigation of EC 3 dS m water, T4 = T1+ FYM at 5 Mg/ha, T5 = T2 + FYM at 5 Mg/ha, T6 = T3 + FYM at 5 Mg/ha, T7 = T1 + FYM at 10 Mg/ha, T8 = T2 + FYM at 10 Mg/ha and T9 = T3 + FYM at 10 Mg/ha. The design of research study was randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. The test crop was sorghum cultivar “Hegari”. Analysis of soil was carried out for various characteristics like pH, EC, SAR, organic matter, phosphorus, and potassium in soil before sowing and after harvesting sorghum. The best performance was observed in T7 (canal water + FYM at 10 Mg/ha) which improved soil properties by lowering pH, EC, and SAR and enhancing concentration of organic matter, phosphorus and po tassium.-1 However, T3 (water of EC 3 dS m ) increased soil electrical conductivity, pH, SAR, and lowered organic matter, phosphorus and potassium concentration. Data were statistically analyzed by statistix 8.1 ANOVA approach along with Tukey's test (HSD) at probability level of 5% for comparing treatments significance.

Decline in agriculture production due to salinity is one of the key problems in many areas around the globe including Pakistan. Around the globe approximately, 800-million-hectare area is salt affected and it is estimated that up to middle of 21st century, 50% of the arable land all over the world will be destroyed due to salinization problem. Use of canal water is the only strategy where saline and good quality waters are used in a cyclic manner for leaching down the salts that accumulated during irrigation with saline water. In this manner, salt accumulation does not rise beyond critical limit of the crop. The experiment consisted of 4 treatments replicated four times and randomized complete block design (RCBD) was used to make layout. Treatments were; T1 = canal water, T2 = water of EC 2.0 dS m-1, T3 = water of EC 3.0 dS m-1 and T4 = water of EC 4.0 dS m-1. Maize was sown as test crop. Pre and post-harvest soil analysis was carried out for different physical and chemical characteristics. Soil samples were collected from all the plots and analyzed for different chemical properties like EC, pH, SAR, Cl, CO3, HCO3, Ca, Na, Mg, N, P and K. Results of the experiment revealed that use of saline water irrigation impaired different chemical properties of the soil and also had negative impact on fertility status of the soil. All the collected data were subjected to statistical analysis.