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Soil salinization has become a global resource and ecological issue, and sunflower planting has had a good improvement effect on saline-alkali land. The study explores the collaborative management measures of subsurface drainage and bio-organic fertilization with high-yield, high-quality, and environmentally friendly sunflowers through experiments. We designed three subsurface pipe spacings (10, 15, and 20 m) and six methods of combined application of organic fertilizer (organic fertilizer nitrogen 100%, organic fertilizer nitrogen 75% + inorganic fertilizer nitrogen 25%, organic fertilizer nitrogen and inorganic fertilizer nitrogen each 50%, organic fertilizer nitrogen 25% + inorganic fertilizer nitrogen 75%, 100% inorganic fertilizer nitrogen, and no fertilizer treatment). Nine evaluation indexes were selected for the four aspects of yield increase, quality improvement, soil improvement, and emission reduction, and an index system was constructed. In the evaluation model, the TOPSIS entropy weight method was calculated to compare and select the most suitable growth method of subsurface drainage and bio-organic fertilizer application for sunflower growth in saline-alkali land. The results showed that the best treatment was 75% organic fertilizer nitrogen +  25% inorganic fertilizer nitrogen, and the best spacing for the subsurface drainage was 10 m. Under this treatment, the relative application progress reached 0.574, and the yield, oleic acid content, soil organic matter content, soil salt reduction efficiency, and N 2 O emissions were 2.93 t/ha, 21.73%, 2.21%, 37.62%, and 9.86 kg/ha, respectively.

Withaferin A (WA) is a pivotal withanolide that has conquered a conspicuous place in research, owning to its multidimensional biological properties. It is an abundant constituent in Withania somnifera Dunal. (Ashwagandha, WS) that is one of the prehistoric pivotal remedies in Ayurveda. This article reviews the literature about the pharmacological profile of WA with special emphasis on its anticancer aspect. We reviewed research publications concerning WA through four databases and provided a descriptive analysis of literature without statistical or qualitative analysis. WA has been found as an effective remedy with multifaceted mechanisms and a broad spectrum of pharmacological profiles. It has anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiherpetic, antifibrotic, antiplatelet, profibrinolytic, immunosuppressive, antipigmentation, antileishmanial, and healing potentials. Evidence for wide pharmacological actions of WA has been established by both in vivo and in vitro studies. Further, the scientific literature accentuates the role of WA harboring a variable therapeutic spectrum for integrative cancer chemoprevention and cure. WA is a modern drug from traditional medicine that is necessary to be advanced to clinical trials for advocating its utility as a commercial drug.

Different industrial and agricultural practices release a variety of dyes and pesticides in soil and water. Degradation of these pollutants is very important to avoid health and environmental issues. In this study, the photocatalysis technique has been optimized and adopted to degrade organic and inorganic pollutants. First of all, biochar with distinctive physicochemical properties, like high specific surface, highly carbonaceous property, and the electron-conductive nature was prepared in a vacuum furnace from maize straw. These properties depicted the effective absorbance ability of prepared biochar. Using a solvent-free ball-milling method, ZnO loaded maize biochar nanocomposite (MB-ZnO) was synthesized from this biochar and used as a photocatalyst to degrade aqueous pollutants, under different light sources. The adsorption and photocatalytic activity of MB-ZnO was assessed against Safranin O (Saf) and Mancozeb (MC) within a closed system using different light conditions including dark, UV and visible light. To understand the mechanism of Saf and MC removal from aqueous solution, reaction kinetics was calculated according to the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. MB-ZnOcomposite exhibited variable photocatalytic performances to degrade Saf under visible light (83.5%), UV radiations (81.0%) and dark conditions (78%) in 60min. Similarly, maximum MC degradation by MB-ZnO nanocomposite was exhibited in visible light (56.5%), followed by UV radiations (27.5 %) and dark conditions (25.2%). The findings of this study concluded that MB-ZnO nanocomposite can be used as an excellent catalyst to remove aqueous pollutants, under both light and dark conditions.Graphical abstract

Large amount of wastes are burnt or left to decompose on site or at landfills where they cause air pollution and nutrient leaching to groundwater. Waste management strategies that return these food wastes to agricultural soils recover the carbon and nutrients that would otherwise have been lost, enrich soils and improve crop productivity. The incorporation of liming materials can neutralize the protons released, hence reducing soil acidity and its adverse impacts to the soil environment, food security, and human health. Biochar derived from organic residues is becoming a source of carbon input to soil and provides multifunctional values. Biochar can be alkaline in nature, with the level of alkalinity dependent upon the feedstock and processing conditions. This study conducted a characterization of biochar derived from the pyrolysis process of eggplant and Acacia nilotica bark at temperatures of 300 °C and 600 °C. An analysis was conducted on the biochar kinds to determine their pH, phosphorus (P), as well as other elemental composition. The proximate analysis was conducted by the ASTM standard 1762-84, while the surface morphological features were measured using a scanning electron microscope. The biochar derived from Acacia nilotica bark exhibited a greater yield and higher level of fixed carbon while possessing a lower content of ash and volatile components compared to biochar derived from eggplant. The eggplant biochar exhibits a higher liming ability at 600 °C compared to the acacia nilotica bark-derived biochar. The calcium carbonate equivalent, pH, potassium (K), and phosphorus (P) levels in eggplant biochars increased as the pyrolysis temperature increased. The results suggest that biochar derived from eggplant could be a beneficial resource for storing carbon in the soil, as well as for addressing soil acidity and enhancing nutrients availability, particularly potassium and phosphorus in acidic soils.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a notable health care load that imposes a serious impact on the quality of life of patients. The small amount of reported data and multiple spectra of pathophysiological mechanisms of T2DM make it a challenging task and serious economic burden in health care management. Abrus precatorius L. is a slender, perennial, deciduous, and woody twining plant used in various regions of Asia to treat a variety of ailments, including diabetes mellitus. Various in vitro studies revealed the therapeutic significance of A. precatorius against diabetes. However, the exact molecular mechanism remains unclarified. In the present study, a network pharmacology technique was employed to uncover the active ingredients, their potential targets, and signaling pathways in A. precatorius for the treatment of T2DM. In the framework of this study, we explored the active ingredient–target–pathway network and figured out that abrectorin, abrusin, abrisapogenol J, sophoradiol, cholanoic acid, precatorine, and cycloartenol decisively contributed to the development of T2DM by affecting AKT1, MAPK3, TNFalpha, and MAPK1 genes. Later, molecular docking was employed to validate the successful activity of the active compounds against potential targets. Lastly, we conclude that four highly active constituents, namely, abrusin, abrisapogenol J, precatorine, and cycloartenol, help in improving the body’s sensitivity to insulin and regulate the expression of AKT1, MAPK3, TNFalpha, and MAPK1, which may act as potential therapeutic targets of T2DM. Integrated network pharmacology and docking analysis revealed that A. precatorius exerted a promising preventive effect on T2DM by acting on diabetes-associated signaling pathways. This provides a basis to understand the mechanism of the anti-diabetes activity of A. precatorius.

The continuous increase in the heavy metals concentration in the soil due to anthropogenic activities has become a global issue. The chromium, especially hexavalent chromium, is highly toxic for living organisms due to high mobility, solubility, and carcinogenic properties. Considering the beneficial role of nanoparticles and bacteria in alleviating the metal stress in plants, a study was carried out to evaluate the role of cerium dioxide (CeO 2 ) nanoparticles (NPs) and Staphylococcus aureus in alleviating the chromium toxicity in sunflower plants. Sunflower plants grown in chromium (Cr) contaminated soil (0, 25, and 50 mg kg −1 ) were treated with CeO 2 nanoparticles (0, 25, and 50 mg L −1 ) and S. aureus . The application of Cerium Dioxide Nanoparticles (CeO 2 NPs) significantly improved plant growth and biomass production, reduced oxidative stress, and enhanced the enzymatic activities in the sunflower plant grown under chromium stress. The application of S. aureus further enhanced the beneficial role of nanoparticles in alleviating metal-induced toxicity. The maximum improvement was noted in plants treated with both nanoparticles and S. aureus . The augmented application of CeO 2 NPs (50 mg l −1 ) at Cr 50 mg kg −1 increased the chl a contents from 1.2 to 2.0, chl b contents 0.5 to 0.8 and mg g −1 FW, and decreased the leakage of the electrolyte from 121 to 104%. The findings proved that the application of CeO 2 nanoparticles and S. aureus could significantly ameliorate the metal-induced stress in sunflower plants. The findings from this study can provide new horizons for research in the application of nanoparticles in phytoremediation and bioremediation.

Plants are sessile and mostly exposed to various environmental stresses which hamper plant growth, development, and significantly decline its production. Drought stress is considered to be one of the most significant limiting factors for crop plants, notably in arid and semi-arid parts the world. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the potential impact of different concentrations (10, 100, and 200 µg/mL) of kinetin capped zinc oxide nanoparticles (Kn-ZnONPs) on Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek under varying levels (5%, 10%, 15%) of PEG-induced drought stress. ZnONPs were synthesized by a co-precipitation method using Zinc acetate as a precursor at pH-12, incinerated to 500 °C, and kinetin was used as a surface functionalizing agent. The resulting Kn-ZnONPs were characterized by various contemporary analytical techniques, including SEM, SEM-EDS, XRD, DLS, and Zeta potential and IR spectroscopy. Crystalline Kn-ZnONPs, with a zeta potential of 27.8 mV and a size of 67.78 nm, of hexagonal wurtzite structure and vibrational stretches associated with N-H, C-O, C-N, etc., were confirmed. PEG-induced drought stress significantly reduced the growth of V. radiata by declining the chlorophyll and carotenoid contents. Moreover, a significant decrease in the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), soluble sugar contents, proline, protein contents, phenol, and tannin were observed compared to the control. However, the exogenous application of Kn-ZnONPs ameliorated all photosynthetic parameters by up-regulating the antioxidant defense system through the promotion of SOD, POD, CAT, and lipid peroxidation levels. The biochemical parameters, such as proteins, soluble sugars, and proline, were observed to be maximum in plants treated with 200 µg/mL Kn-ZnONPs under 5% drought stress. The application of Kn-ZnONPs also enhanced the total phenol contents, flavonoid, and tannin contents. In conclusion, the findings of this study demonstrate that the exogenous application of Kn-ZnONPs provides beneficial effects to V. radiata by attenuating the damaging effects of drought stress through the up-regulation of the antioxidant defense system and osmolytes. These results suggest that Kn-ZnONPs have potential as a novel approach to improve crop productivity under drought stress conditions.

Background Nitrogen (N) availability is crucial in regulating plants’ abiotic stress resistance, particularly at the seedling stage. Nevertheless, plant responses to N under salinity conditions may vary depending on the soil’s NH 4 + to NO 3 − ratio. Methods In this study, we investigated the effects of different NH 4 + :NO 3 − ratios (100/0, 0/100, 25/75, 50/50, and 75/25) on the growth and physio-biochemical responses of soybean seedlings grown under controlled and saline stress conditions (0-, 50-, and 100-mM L − 1 NaCl and Na 2 SO 4 , at a 1:1 molar ratio). Results We observed that shoot length, root length, and leaf-stem-root dry weight decreased significantly with increased saline stress levels compared to control. Moreover, there was a significant accumulation of Na + , Cl − , hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), and malondialdehyde (MDA) but impaired ascorbate-glutathione pools (AsA-GSH). They also displayed lower photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll-a and chlorophyll-b), K + ion, K + /Na + ratio, and weakened O 2 •− -H 2 O 2 -scavenging enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, glutathione reductase under both saline stress levels, while reduced ascorbate peroxidase, and dehydroascorbate reductase under 100-mM stress, demonstrating their sensitivity to a saline environment. Moreover, the concentrations of proline, glycine betaine, total phenolic, flavonoids, and abscisic acid increased under both stresses compared to the control. They also exhibited lower indole acetic acid, gibberellic acid, cytokinins, and zeatine riboside, which may account for their reduced biomass. However, NH 4 + :NO 3 − ratios caused a differential response to alleviate saline stress toxicity. Soybean seedlings supplemented with optimal ratios of NH 4 + :NO 3 − (T3 = 25:75 and T = 4 50:50) displayed lower Na + and Cl − and ABA but improved K + and K + /Na + , pigments, growth hormones, and biomass compared to higher NH 4 + :NO 3 − ratios. They also exhibited higher O 2 •− -H 2 O 2 -scavenging enzymes and optimized H 2 O 2 , MDA, and AsA-GSH pools status in favor of the higher biomass of seedlings. Conclusions In summary, the NH 4 +  and NO 3 − ratios followed the order of 50:50 > 25:75 > 0:100 > 75:25 > 100:0 for regulating the morpho-physio-biochemical responses in seedlings under SS conditions. Accordingly, we suggest that applying optimal ratios of NH 4 + and NO 3 − (25/75 and 50:50) can improve the resistance of soybean seedlings grown in saline conditions.

This study focuses on the valorization of glass waste in the field of geotechnics, particularly for the reinforcement of clay soils used in road construction. Glass waste, produced in large quantities, represents a potentially sustainable resource. The experimental work involves incorporating ground glass (particle size < 80 µm) into clay soils in order to evaluate its effects on their mechanical properties. The addition of 30% glass reduces the plasticity index from 28 to 15%, indicating a decrease in water sensitivity. The internal friction angle increases from 11° to 25°, highlighting a significant improvement in shear strength. CBR tests show an increase in bearing capacity, supporting the feasibility of its use in road embankments. XRD analyses reveal mineralogical changes due to the presence of glass, while infrared spectroscopy confirms the existence of amorphous phases. The optimum dry density increases, indicating better compaction. Moreover, oedometer tests show a reduction in swelling and settlement indices. In summary, the incorporation of glass improves the stability and durability of clay soils. This approach represents an ecological and economical solution while contributing to the sustainable management of glass waste.

Background Three Amino acid Loop Extension (TALE) belongs to the homeobox group of genes that are important constituents of plant systems. The TALE gene family is instrumental not only in growth and development but also plays an essential role in regulating plant response to environmental adversaries. Results In the present study, we isolated 21 CsTALE genes from the cucumber ( Cucumis sativus L.) genome database. Bioinformatics tools were put in place to understand the structural and functional components of the CsTALE gene family. The evolutionary analysis dissected them into seven subclades (KNOX-I, KNOX-II, and BELL-I to BELL-V). The c is - acting elements in the promoter region of CsTALE genes disclosed that they are key regulators of hormonal and stress-related processes. Additionally, the STRING database advocated the concerting role of CsTALE proteins with other key transcription factors potent in plant developmental biology. The CsmiR319 and CsmiR167a-3p targeting the CsTALE15 and CsTALE16 , respectively, further assert the importance of the CsTALE gene family posttranscriptional-related processes. Tissue-specific gene expression unfolded the fundamental involvement of CsTALE genes as they were expressed throughout the developmental stages. Under waterlogging stress, the CsTALE17 expressed significantly higher values in WL, WL-NAA, and WL-ETH but not in WL-MeJA-treated samples. Conclusions The present study reveals the evolution and functions of the CsTALE gene family in cucumber. Our work will provide a platform that will help future researchers address the issue of waterlogging stress in the Yangtze River Delta.