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Abiotic stressors are the main barriers to successful crop production in this era. The balance of redox and metabolic activities in plants is negatively impacted by abiotic stresses, which ultimately limit the plants’ capacity to grow and develop. The phytohormones are tiny molecules that control how plants grow and develop, as well as how they react to alterations in their environment. Phytohormone, gibberellic acid (GA) has been proven in a number of recent research to increase plants’ ability to withstand abiotic stress. By regulating numerous physio-biochemical and molecular processes, GA plays a crucial part in reducing the perturbations caused by abiotic stresses in plants. Recent findings have shown that GA controls the activity of antioxidant enzymes, stress-responsive genes, photosynthetic machinery, and reduced oxidative damage. Besides, GA has been involved in cross-talk with other phytohormones to regulate abiotic stress in plants. This review summarises the current research on the application of GA and discusses how GA might support crop growth and production in adverse conditions. The interaction of GA with other phytohormones, potential mechanisms for reducing abiotic stress in plants, the disadvantages of employing GA, and its promise for the future are also covered in this review.

Red and green lettuce baby greens provide additional health benefits because they are high in nutrients, pigments, and antioxidants. This study examines red coral lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L. var. cripsa ) and green lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia ) baby greens grown for 20 days in a soil-vermicompost-compost (50:30:20) mixture to determine how different LED light spectra affect their growth, pigment accumulation, and antioxidant qualities. Plant height, biomass, and other growth parameters were evaluated manually, while pigments, phenolics, and flavonoids were analyzed using spectrophotometric techniques. In terms of growth, green lettuce fared better than red lettuce, with a biomass of 5.90 ± 0.35 g/ 100 plant and a plant height of 6.86 ± 0.23 cm, particularly during exposure to red + blue light. Red + blue as well as red light caused a considerable decrease in chlorophyll concentration; under red light, green lettuce's chlorophyll content dropped by up to 59.61%. Both species' phenolic (100%) and flavonoid (100%) contents were increased by white light, but red light produced the lowest levels. Blue light maintained the highest levels of carotenoid concentration while all other treatments saw a decline. With white light maximizing antioxidant content and red + blue light encouraging growth, principal component analysis (PCA) analysis demonstrated the substantial impact of light treatments on pigment and biochemical composition. Overall, the study concludes that treatments with LED light have a significant impact on red and green lettuce baby greens’ development, pigment buildup, and antioxidant qualities.

By interfering with germination, seedling development, physiological processes, and the buildup of toxins in plant tissues, lead (Pb) contamination significantly hinders tomato growth. This study explores the effectiveness of zinc (Zn) seed priming and foliar application in mitigating Pb-induced stress and enhancing physiological performance in tomato plants. A lab experiment was conducted to assess tomato seed germination and seedling growth under Pb stress with Zn priming and foliar application. Pb stress significantly impaired the germination properties of tomato seeds. With improvements in germination percentage, germination index, germination energy, and seed vigor index, Zn application markedly enhanced germination properties. Moreover, Pb stress severely impaired plant growth, water content, photosynthetic pigments, and ionic contents (Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ ) while increasing water loss, electrolyte leakage, and Pb content. Foliar application of Zn improved seedling growth, as shown by increases in root fresh weight, root dry weight, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, plant height, root number, and root volume under Pb stress conditions. In addition, relative water content, excised leaf water loss, and electrolyte leakage were improved, while relative water loss was reduced by Zn application. Furthermore, Zn application restored photosynthetic pigment levels under Pb stress. Additionally, Zn application restored Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ in leaves, while reducing Pb buildup in roots and leaves under Pb stress. Hierarchical clustering and PCA revealed significant interactions among seedling growth traits, plant water status, pigment levels, and ionic contents under Pb stress and Zn application. Correlation analysis also revealed a strong negative association between lead content and growth or photosynthetic parameters, while water retention and pigment levels were positively correlated. These results demonstrate the great potential of applying Zn to reduce Pb toxicity and enhance tomato plants’ physiological and biochemical resilience.

Contamination of heavy metals in agricultural soils, particularly with lead (Pb), poses a severe hazard to ecosystems, crop production, and food safety. Although citric acid has been proposed as a potential detoxifying agent, its dose-dependent effects on Pb-stressed tomato plants under controlled conditions are not well understood. A hydroponic experiment was conducted at Khulna Agricultural University, Bangladesh, from January to March 2023 to assess the impact of CA application on tomato seedlings under Pb stress. However, Pb stress significantly impaired plant growth, water content, photosynthetic pigments, and ionic contents (Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ ) while increasing water loss, electrolyte leakage, and Pb 2+ content compared to the control condition. In this study, the CA treatment, particularly HM2 + CA2 treatment, showed the most significant improvements compared to HM2 stress only. Results showed that HM2 + CA2 significantly boosted seedling growth compared to HM2 stress only by increasing root and shoot biomass, plant height, root number, and root volume. It also significantly improved relative water content, total chlorophyll, beta-carotene, carotenoids, and Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ accumulation in roots and leaves. Additionally, HM2 + CA2 significantly reduced water loss, electrolyte leakage, and Pb 2+ content in roots and leaves compared to HM2 stress only, demonstrating its strong protective effects under heavy metal stress. Hierarchical clustering, PCA, and correlation analyses showed clear separation between Pb-only and CA-treated plants, with the latter displaying improved growth, pigment levels, nutrient status, and water balance, especially under the higher CA dose. These results highlight citric acid’s strong capacity to mitigate Pb stress. However, the study’s hydroponic setup and elevated Pb levels represent limitations that necessitate validation under field conditions, and while higher CA concentrations (CA2) were effective, excessive CA use may pose risks of phytotoxicity or nutrient imbalance, highlighting the need for dose optimization. Overall, the findings support organic acids as promising tools for managing heavy metal contamination.

Dragon fruit has significant economic value in many countries due to has excellent nutritional content, health advantages, and adaptability to different climates, making it an important crop in the global fruit industry. This study aimed to gather comprehensive nutritional data on three dragon fruit cultivars by analysing the levels of micronutrients, fibre, carbohydrates, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals in their pulps. Uniform dragon fruit samples underwent thorough analysis for proximate composition, mineral content, pigments, antioxidants, and vitamin C, with statistical methods used to assess significant differences among the parameters studied. The proximate composition analysis revealed significant differences among the three dragon fruit cultivars. Among the proximate components, protein (0.40 ± 0.02 g/100 g), moisture (91.33 ± 0.88%), crude fibre (0.32 ± 0.07 g/100 g), and ash (1.27 ± 0.09 g/100 g) were more abundant in Hylocereus costaricensis than in Hylocereus undatus and Hylocereus megalanthus . On the other hand, Hylocereus undatus had higher carbohydrate (17.02 ± 0.63 g/100 g) and energy (69.74 ± 2.44 kcal/100 g) contents. K (7.23 ± 0.35 mg/100 g), Ca (1.61 ± 0.13 mg/100 g), Fe (1.84 ± 0.05 mg/100 g), and Zn (0.37 ± 0.034 mg/100 g) are highly abundant in H. costaricensis . Additionally, Hylocereus costaricensis had the highest anthocyanin content (120.15 ± 3.29 mg/g FW) and total carotenoid content (72.51 ± 1.62 mg/g FW), along with the highest vitamin C content (8.92 ± 0.13 mg/g FW) and total soluble phenolic content (572.48 ± 20.77 mg/100 g). Its remarkable antioxidant activity was further highlighted by the lowest SC 50 value (13.50 ± 0.4 mg/mL) for its DPPH radical scavenging capacity. The total soluble sugar content was highest in Hylocereus megalanthus (8.72 ± 0.30 g/100 g FW). Hierarchical clustering analysis revealed distinct trait and genotype associations; among the studied cultivars, Hylocereus costaricensis demonstrated superior performance across multiple traits. Correlation analysis indicated significant positive correlations among several traits, while principal component analysis highlighted the contribution of each trait to overall variance, with PC1 explaining 73.95% of the total variance. This study highlights the nutritional variations among dragon fruit cultivars, with Hylocereus costaricensis showing superior performance, guiding dietary planning and functional food development.

Despite their overlooked status, weeds are increasingly recognized for their therapeutic value, aligning with historical reliance on plants for medicine and nutrition. This study investigates the medicinal potential of native weed species in Bangladesh, specifically pigments, antioxidants, and free radical scavenging abilities. Twenty different medicinal weed species were collected from the vicinity of Khulna Agricultural University and processed in the Crop Botany Department Laboratory. Pigment levels were determined using spectrophotometer analysis, and phenolics, flavonoids, and DPPH were quantified accordingly. Chlorophyll levels in leaves ranged from 216.70 ± 9.41 to 371.14 ± 28.67 µg g −1 FW, and in stems from 51.98 ± 3.21 to 315.89 ± 17.19 µg g −1 FW. Flavonoid content also varied widely, from 1,624.62 ± 102.03 to 410.00 ± 115.58 mg CE 100 g −1 FW in leaves, and from 653.08 ± 32.42 to 80.00 ± 18.86 mg CE 100 g −1 FW in stems. In case of phenolics content Euphorbia hirta L. displaying the highest total phenolic content in leaves (1,722.33 ± 417.89 mg GAE 100 g −1 FW) and Ruellia tuberosa L. in stems (977.70 ± 145.58 mg GAE 100 g −1 FW). The lowest DPPH 2.505 ± 1.028 mg mL −1 was found in Heliotropium indicum L. leaves. Hierarchical clustering links species with pigment, phenolic/flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity. PCA, involving 20 species and seven traits, explained 70.07% variability, with significant PC1 (14.82%) and PC2 (55.25%). Leaves were shown to be superior, and high-performing plants such as E. hirta and H. indicum stood out for their chemical composition and antioxidant activity. Thus, this research emphasizes the value of efficient selection while concentrating on the therapeutic potential of native weed species.

Heavy metal (HM) accumulation in soil poses a major hazard to both ecological health and plant growth progressions. Cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), zinc (Zn), and nickel (Ni) are examples of HMs that negatively impact the growth and development of plants, resulting in lower agricultural output and food safety concerns. Biochar (BC), a substance rich in carbon that is formed by pyrolyzing natural biomass, has demonstrated remarkable promise in reducing HM stress in polluted soils. Research has shown that BC effectively lowers plant uptake of metals, and enhances soil qualities, and encourages microbial activity. Besides, BC improves the fertility of soil, retention of water, and nutrient absorption, while it interacts with soil microbes to help mitigate the negative effects. However, a number of variables affect how effective BC is as a soil supplement, including the kind of BC used, the soil’s characteristics, and the metal’s qualities. This review delves into the mechanisms of BC’s interactions with HMs, its potential to mitigate stress caused by different metals, and the factors that influence its efficiency. Furthermore, it draws attention to the drawbacks and difficulties associated with using BC in heavy-metal-contaminated soils, offering suggestions for future studies focused on maximizing its utilization for long-term soil rehabilitation and sustainable agriculture.