Investigating chemical pre-treatment methods: Valorization of wheat straw to enhance polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production with novel isolate Bacillus paranthracis RSKS-3.

Wheat is a crucial food crop worldwide, generating straw upon post-harvest. The straw is often burned to enhance soil fertility, leading to massive air pollution. In this study, wheat straw was investigated for the production of Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) using the novel isolate Bacillus paranthracis RSKS-3. The wheat straw was pulverized and valorized with different acids (2 % and 4 % H2SO4, acetic acid, and hydrochloric acid) and alkalis (2 % and 4 % NaOH, calcium carbonate, and potassium hydroxide). The validation of carbohydrates was done using the Molisch test by analyzing purple-ring production and the DNS test which concluded 4 % H2SO4 as an effective treatment with a maximal sugar yield of 5.04 mg/mL at P < 0.05. The bioconversion efficiency of the extract to PHA resulted in 0.87 g/L by Bacillus paranthracis RSKS-3, later characterized by Ultraviolet (UV)-spectroscopy and FT-IR assessment. The findings of the research offer a potential strategy to mitigate airborne pollutants that result from smouldering wheat straw, thereby contributing significant improvements to sustainable development.

Osmolyte-producing microbial biostimulants regulate the growth of Arachis hypogaea L. under drought stress.

Globally, drought stress poses a significant threat to crop productivity. Improving the drought tolerance of crops with microbial biostimulants is a sustainable strategy to meet a growing population's demands. This research aimed to elucidate microbial biostimulants' (Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria) role in alleviating drought stress in oil-seed crops. In total, 15 bacterial isolates were selected for drought tolerance and screened for plant growth-promoting (PGP) attributes like phosphate solubilization and production of indole-3-acetic acid, siderophore, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, and exopolysaccharide. This research describes two PGPR strains: Acinetobacter calcoaceticus AC06 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens BA01. The present study demonstrated that these strains (AC06 and BA01) produced abundant osmolytes under osmotic stress, including proline (2.21 and 1.75 µg ml- 1), salicylic acid (18.59 and 14.21 µg ml- 1), trehalose (28.35 and 22.74 µg mg- 1 FW) and glycine betaine (11.35 and 7.74 mg g- 1) respectively. AC06 and BA01 strains were further evaluated for their multifunctional performance by inoculating in Arachis hypogaea L. (Groundnut) under mild and severe drought regimes (60 and 40% Field Capacity). Inoculation with microbial biostimulants displayed distinct osmotic-adjustment abilities of the groundnut, such as growth parameters, plant biomass, photosynthetic pigments, relative water content, proline, and soluble sugar in respective to control during drought. On the other hand, plant sensitivity indexes such as electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were decreased as well as cooperatively conferred plant drought tolerance by induced alterations in stress indicators such as catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Thus, Acinetobacter sp. AC06 and Bacillus sp. BA01 can be considered as osmolyte producing microbial biostimulants to simultaneously induce osmotic tolerance and metabolic changes in groundnuts under drought stress.

A novel front in sustainable microbial management: computational analysis of curcumin and mangiferin's synergistic action against Bacillus anthracis.

Background: Microorganisms are crucial in our ecosystem, offering diverse functions and adaptability. The UNGA Science Summit has underscored the importance of understanding microbes in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Bacillus anthracis poses significant challenges among various microorganisms due to its harmful effects on both soil and public health. Our study employed computational techniques to investigate the inhibitory effects of curcumin and mangiferin on Bacillus anthracis, with the aim of presenting a novel bio-based approach to microbial management. Methods: Employing high-throughput screening, we identified potential binding sites on B. anthracis. Molecular docking revealed that curcumin and mangiferin, when synergistically combined, exhibited strong binding affinities at different sites on the bacterium. Our findings demonstrated a significant drop in binding free energy, indicating a stronger interaction when these compounds were used together. Findings: Results of Molecular docking indicated binding energies of -8.45 kcal/mol for mangiferin, -7.68 kcal/mol for curcumin, and a notably higher binding energy of -19.47 kcal/mol for the combination of mangiferin and curcumin with CapD protein. Molecular dynamics simulations further validated these interactions, demonstrating increased stability and structural changes in the bacterium. Conclusion: This study highlights the effectiveness of natural compounds like curcumin and mangiferin in microbial management, especially against challenging pathogens like B. anthracis. It emphasizes the potential of sustainable, nature-based solutions and calls for further empirical research to expand upon these findings.

Synergistic enhancement of maize crop yield and nutrient assimilation via zinc oxide nanoparticles and phosphorus fertilization.

BACKGROUND: Low recovery of conventional fertilizers remains a significant bottleneck for maize production globally. In particular, with phosphate fertilization, zinc (Zn) is prone to precipitation in soil, reducing recovery of both phosphorus (P) and Zn by maize. RESULTS: The present study was designed to investigate the synergistic effect of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) and P on maize crop growth, yield, and nutrient uptake under ZnO seed coating and foliar application in a randomized complete block design. However, plants were subjected to two ZnO NPs levels (0.5 and 12 kg ha-1) amended with two P levels (45 and 90 kg ha-1). ZnO NPs, especially in the form of foliar application, with a P dose of 90 Kg ha-1 significantly (P < 0.05) improved maize crop growth, yield, and nutrient uptake compared with control. In comparison with the control group, plants grown in these conditions absorbed higher levels of Zn and P. Zn uptake rose to 16.34 g ha-1, 137.88 g ha-1, and 166.89 g ha-1 in roots, grains, and stover respectively, and P uptake increased to 0.80 mg kg-1, 10.066 mg kg-1, and 12.17 mg kg-1 respectively. Additionally, seed emergence rate, plant height, and cob length increased by up to 2%, 1177 cm2, and 3.3 cm respectively compared with control. Furthermore, Zn use efficiency was increased up to 38.55% in ZnO NPs foliar application. CONCLUSIONS: Application of ZnO NPs at 0.5 kg ha-1 in the form of foliar application with 90 kg ha-1 P dose produced a more pronounced increment in the parameters studied than ZnO NPs seed coating did. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Exploring microbial diversity responses in agricultural fields: a comparative analysis under pesticide stress and non-stress conditions.

Exposure to pesticides changes the microbial community structure in contaminated agricultural fields. To analyze the changes in the native microbial composition qRT-PCR, a metagenomic study was conducted. The qRT-PCR results exhibited that the uncontaminated soil has a higher copy number of 16S rDNA relative to the soil contaminated with pesticide. Metagenome analysis interprets that uncontaminated soil is enriched with proteobacteria in comparison with pesticide-contaminated soil. However, the presence of Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroides was found to be dominant in the pesticide-spiked soil. Additionally, the presence of new phyla such as Chloroflexi, Planctomycetes, and Verrucomicrobia was noted in the pesticide-spiked soil, while Acidobacteria and Crenarchaeota were observed to be extinct. These findings highlight that exposure to pesticides on soil significantly impacts the biological composition of the soil. The abundance of microbial composition under pesticide stress could be of better use for the treatment of biodegradation and bioremediation of pesticides in contaminated environments.

Plant mediated fabrication of silver nanoparticles, process optimization, and impact on tomato plant.

Nanotechnology is one of the fastest-growing markets, but developing eco-friendly products, their maximum production, stability, and higher yield is a challenge. In this study, silver nanoparticles were synthesized using an easily available resource, leaves extract of the Neem (Azadirachta indica) plant, as a reducing and capping agent, determined their effect on germination and growth of tomato plants. The maximum production of silver nanoparticles was noted at 70 °C after 3 h of reaction time while treating the 10 ml leaf extract of Neem plant with 10 ml of 1 mM silver nitrate. The impact of the extract preparation method and solvent type on the plant mediated fabrication of silver nanoparticles was also investigated. The UV-spectrophotometric analysis confirmed the synthesis of silver nanoparticles and showed an absorption spectrum within Δ420-440 nm range. The size of the fabricated silver nanoparticles was 22-30 nm. The functional groups such as ethylene, amide, carbonyl, methoxy, alcohol, and phenol attached to stabilize the nanoparticles were observed using the FTIR technique. SEM, EDX, and XRD analyses were performed to study the physiochemical characteristics of synthesized nanoparticles. Silver nanoparticles increased the germination rate of tomato seeds up to 70% while decreasing the mean germination time compared to the control. Silver nanoparticles applied at varying concentrations significantly increased the shoot length (25 to 80%), root length (10 to 60%), and fresh biomass (10 to 80%) biomass of the tomato plant. The production of total chlorophyll, carotenoid, flavonoids, soluble sugar, and protein was significantly increased in tomato plants treated with 5 and 10 ppm silver nanoparticles compared to the control. Green synthesized silver nanoparticles are cost-effective and nontoxic and can be applied in agriculture, biomedical, and other fields.

Two Novel Plant-Growth-Promoting Lelliottia amnigena Isolates from Euphorbia prostrata Aiton Enhance the Overall Productivity of Wheat and Tomato.

Euphorbiaceae is a highly diverse family of plants ranging from trees to ground-dwelling minute plants. Many of these have multi-faceted attributes like ornamental, medicinal, industrial, and food-relevant values. In addition, they have been regarded as keystone resources for investigating plant-specific resilience mechanisms that grant them the dexterity to withstand harsh climates. In the present study, we isolated two co-culturable bacterial endophytes, EP1-AS and EP1-BM, from the stem internodal segments of the prostate spurge, Euphorbia prostrata, a plant member of the succulent family Euphorbiaceae. We characterized them using morphological, biochemical, and molecular techniques which revealed them as novel strains of Enterobacteriaceae, Lelliotia amnigena. Both the isolates significantly were qualified during the assaying of their plant growth promotion potentials. BM formed fast-growing swarms while AS showed growth as rounded colonies over nutrient agar. We validated the PGP effects of AS and BM isolates through in vitro and ex vitro seed-priming treatments with wheat and tomato, both of which resulted in significantly enhanced seed germination and morphometric and physiological plant growth profiles. In extended field trials, both AS and BM could remarkably also exhibit productive yields in wheat grain and tomato fruit harvests. This is probably the first-ever study in the context of PGPB endophytes in Euphorbia prostrata. We discuss our results in the context of promising agribiotechnology translations of the endophyte community associated with the otherwise neglected ground-dwelling spurges of Euphorbiaceae.

Comparison of the microalgae Phormidium tenue and Chlorella vulgaris as biosorbents of Cd and Zn from aqueous environments.

Heavy metals are accumulating into sediments and enriching in aquatic food chains. The efficiency of two microalgae, Phormidium tenue and Chlorella vulgaris, to remove zinc and cadmium from aqueous solutions was studied. The microalgae were incubated in different heavy metal concentrations for 18 days. Morphological and anatomical changes in microalgae were investigated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a transmission electron microscope (TEM). Both algae removed both Zn2+ and Cd2+in vitro. C. vulgaris removed Zn2+ almost totally (99%) and Cd2+ slightly less (87%). The concentration factors were 2210 and 1117, respectively. SEM and TEM figures showed some alterations in the form and cellular components of both algae. C. vulgaris appeared to be more tolerant to both Cd and Zn than P. tenue. C. vulgaris is a promising microalgal species used to remove heavy metals from aqueous environments.

Prokaryotic diversity and community structure in the rhizosphere of Lantana weed (Lantana camara L.).

Lantana weed (Lantana camara L.) is among the most noxious weeds in the world. Keeping in mind its invasive behavior and great ecological tolerance, it becomes imperative to analyze the structure and function of associated microbiome. In this perspective, Illumina-based metagenome sequencing was performed to gain a better understanding of prokaryotic diversity and community structure in the rhizosphere soil of L. camara L. The organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents in the rhizosphere soil were 0.91% (± 0.21%); 280 Kg ha-1 (± 4.02 Kg ha-1), 54.5 Kg ha-1 (± 3.12 Kg ha-1), and 189 Kg ha-1 (± 6.11 Kg ha-1), respectively. The metagenome analysis revealed the existence of 41 bacterial and 2 archaeal phyla, with only 12 showing ≥1% abundances. Pseudomonadota was the dominant phylum with 31.3% abundance, followed by Actinomycetota (20.9%). Further, 54 different genera were identified with the highest abundance of Devosia (2.8%). The PICRUSt analysis predicted various functional traits in the soil metagenome, with general cellular functions dominating, followed by stress tolerance. Moreover, 10% of the functions were associated with nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, and potassium mobilization. In conclusion, the present study revealed the existence of diverse prokaryotic communities in the rhizosphere of the L. camara L. which was primarily associated with stress response and plant growth promotion. To the best of our knowledge, this study documents for the first time the L. camara L. microbiome. Furthermore, the identified genera can be explored for agricultural needs in future.

Cold-tolerant phosphate-solubilizing Pseudomonas strains promote wheat growth and yield by improving soil phosphorous (P) nutrition status.

It is well-known that phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) promote crop growth and yield. The information regarding characterization of PSB isolated from agroforestry systems and their impact on wheat crops under field conditions is rarely known. In the present study, we aim to develop psychrotroph-based P biofertilizers, and for that, four PSB strains (Pseudomonas sp. L3, Pseudomonas sp. P2, Streptomyces sp. T3, and Streptococcus sp. T4) previously isolated from three different agroforestry zones and already screened for wheat growth under pot trial conditions were evaluated on wheat crop under field conditions. Two field experiments were employed; set 1 includes PSB + recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) and set 2 includes PSB - RDF. In both field experiments, the response of the PSB-treated wheat crop was significantly higher compared to the uninoculated control. In field set 1, an increase of 22% in grain yield (GY), 16% in biological yield (BY), and 10% in grain per spike (GPS) was observed in consortia (CNS, L3 + P2) treatment, followed by L3 and P2 treatments. Inoculation of PSB mitigates soil P deficiency as it positively influences soil alkaline phosphatase (AP) and soil acid phosphatase (AcP) activity which positively correlated with grain NPK %. The highest grain NPK % was reported in CNS-treated wheat with RDF (N-0.26%, P-0.18%, and K-1.66%) and without RDF (N-0.27, P-0.26, and K-1.46%), respectively. All parameters, including soil enzyme activities, plant agronomic data, and yield data were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA), resulting in the selection of two PSB strains. The conditions for optimal P solubilization, in L3 (temperature-18.46, pH-5.2, and glucose concentration-0.8%) and P2 (temperature-17°C, pH-5.0, and glucose concentration-0.89%), were obtained through response surface methodology (RSM) modeling. The P solubilizing potential of selected strains at <20°C makes them a suitable candidate for the development of psychrotroph-based P biofertilizers. Low-temperature P solubilization of the PSB strains from agroforestry systems makes them potential biofertilizers for winter crops.

Interactive effects of Pseudomonas putida and salicylic acid for mitigating drought tolerance in canola (Brassica napus L.).

This research was designed to analyze the interactive effects of Pseudomonas putida and salicylic acid on the growth of canola in stress and non-stress conditions. Salicylic acid is a phenolic derivative, that has a direct involvement in various plant stages like growth, and inflorescence. While Pseudomonas putida is a drought-tolerant strain having plant growth-promoting characteristics like phosphate solubilization, indole acetic acid, and catalase production. Combined application of Pseudomonas putida and salicylic acid has the ability to develop stress tolerance in plants and also improve growth of plants. They have significant (p < 0.05) effects on germination and morphological, physiological, and biochemical parameters. The plants that received the co-application of Pseudomonas putida and salicylic acid gave more significant results than their alone application. They showed enhanced germination percentage, germination index, promptness index and, seedling vigor index by 19%, 18%, 34% and, 27%, respectively. There was a substantial increase of 25%, 27%, and 39% in shoot length, root length, and leaf area, respectively. The synergistic effect of both treatments has caused a 14% and 12% increase in the Canola plants' relative water content and membrane stability index respectively. A substantial increase of 18% in proline content was observed by the inoculation of Pseudomonas putida, whereas proline content was increased by 28% by the exogenous application of salicylic acid. The content of flavonoids (39%) and phenol (40%) was significantly increased by the co-application. The increase in superoxide dismutase (46%), ascorbate peroxidase (43%), and glutathione (19%) were also significant. The present research demonstrated that the combined application of Pseudomonas putida and salicylic acid induces drought tolerance in canola and significantly improves its growth.

Enriching drought resistance in Solanum lycopersicum using Abscisic acid as drought enhancer derived from Lygodium japonicum: A new-fangled computational approach.

Introduction: Drought is the largest abiotic factor impacting agriculture. Plants are challenged by both natural and artificial stressors because they are immobile. To produce drought-resistant plants, we need to know how plants react to drought. A largescale proteome study of leaf and root tissue found drought-responsive proteins. Tomato as a vegetable is grown worldwide. Agricultural biotechnology focuses on creating drought-resistant cultivars. This is important because tomato drought is so widespread. Breeders have worked to improve tomato quality, production, and stress resistance. Conventional breeding approaches have only increased drought tolerance because of drought's complexity. Many studies have examined how tomatoes handle drought. With genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and modern sequencing technologies, it's easier to find drought-responsive genes. Method: Biotechnology and in silico studies has helped demonstrate the function of drought-sensitive genes and generate drought-resistant plant types. The latest tomato genome editing technology is another. WRKY genes are plant transcription factors. They help plants grow and respond to both natural and artificial stimuli. To make plants that can handle stress, we need to know how WRKY-proteins, which are transcription factors, work with other proteins and ligands in plant cells by molecular docking and modeling study. Result: Abscisic acid, a plant hormone generated in stressed roots, was used here to make plants drought-resistant. Abscisic acid binds WRKY with binding affinity -7.4kcal/mol and inhibitory concentration (Ki) 0.12 microM. Discussion: This study aims to modulate the transcription factor so plants can handle drought and stress better. Therefore, polyphenols found to make Solanum lycopersicum more drought-tolerant.

An exopolysaccharide-producing novel Agrobacterium pusense strain JAS1 isolated from snake plant enhances plant growth and soil water retention.

A peculiar bacterial growth was very often noticed in leaf-initiated tissue cultures of Sansevieria trifasciata, a succulent belonging to the Asparagaceae family. The isolate left trails of some highly viscous material on the walls of the suspension vessels or developed a thick overlay on semisolid media without adversities in plant growth. FTIR identified this substance to be an extracellular polysaccharide. Various morphological, biochemical tests, and molecular analyses using 16S rRNA, atpD, and recA genes characterized this isolate JAS1 as a novel strain of Agrobacterium pusense. Its mucoidal growth over Murashige and Skoog media yielded enormous exopolysaccharide (7252 mg l-1), while in nutrient agar it only developed fast-growing swarms. As a qualifying plant growth-promoting bacteria, it produces significant indole-3-acetic acid (86.95 mg l-1), gibberellic acid (172.98 mg l-1), ammonia (42.66 µmol ml-1). Besides, it produces siderophores, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase, fixes nitrogen, forms biofilms, and productively solubilizes soil inorganic phosphates, and zinc. Under various treatments with JAS1, wheat and chickpea resulted in significantly enhanced shoot and root growth parameters. PGP effects of JAS1 positively enhanced plants' physiological growth parameters reflecting significant increments in overall chlorophyll, carotenoids, proline, phenols, flavonoids, and sugar contents. In addition, the isolated strain maintained both plant and soil health under an intermittent soil drying regime, probably by both its PGP and EPS production attributes, respectively.

Principal Component and Path Analysis for Trait Selection Based on the Assessment of Diverse Lentil Populations Developed by Gamma-Irradiated Physical Mutation.

Lentil is a notable legume crop valued for its high protein, vitamin, mineral, and amino acid (lysine and tryptophan) content. This crop has a narrow genetic base due to the formation of gene pool barriers during interspecific hybridization within and across species. Mutagenesis may be seen as a novel and alternative breeding technique for the production of new diversity. For the identification of new alleles, the creation of mutants followed by selection in subsequent generations would be necessary. Induction of mutation in lentil cv. Moitree by gamma rays therefore produced high variation for the majority of quantitative measures examined. Henceforth, principal component analysis (PCA) and path coefficient analysis were conducted to identify and exclude redundant mutant genotypes with similar traits as the success of breeding is dependent on understanding the relationship between morpho-agronomic traits and seed yield. As shown by the findings of this research, the total quantity of pods per mutant plant should be given considerable priority. The identified mutant genotypes, such as lines 24, 43, 28, 33, and 10, may be used as parents in future breeding or released directly following trials.

TiO2 nanoparticles derived from egg shell waste: Eco synthesis, characterization, biological and photocatalytic applications.

Biosynthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles has attracted much attention in recent years owing to the increasing impact for improving hygienic substances, cost effective approaches, environment friendly solvents and reusable resources. The present study has shown the eco synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles using the aqueous extract of egg shell waste. UV, XRD, FT-IR, and FE-SEM with EDX methods were implied for TiO2 nanoparticles. The agar well approach was used to investigate the antimicrobial properties of biosynthesized nanoparticles against pathogenic organisms. The cytotoxicity analysis was investigated by MTT assay method and photocatalytic activity was studied using methylene blue, methyl orange and Congo red dye. X-ray diffraction studies showed that the presence of tetragonal structure. The crystallite size of synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles is 27.3 nm. FE-SEM analysis indicates that the average grain size of the prepared sample was found to be in the range of 30-40 nm. Eco synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles displayed amazing antimicrobial efficacies against human pathogenic organisms and obtained excellent cytotoxicity investigation was performed against Osteosarcoma cell lines (MG-63). Further it was also found that the expression of impressive catalytic efficiency, 91.1 percent decreased in 60 min for methylene blue. From the results, we found that eco synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles has promising utility in multidisciplinary like antimicrobial, anticancer and photocatalytic applications.

Phytochemical Profiling, Antioxidant Activity, and In Silico Analyses of Sterculia villosa and Vernonia patula.

Our study aims to evaluate the chemical profiles and antioxidant activities of a methanolic extract of Sterculia villosa bark (MESV) and a methanolic extract of the Vernonia patula whole plant (MEVP). The chemical profiling of MESV and MEVP was performed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), which identified 52 and 33 chemical compounds, respectively. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay indicated that both MESV and MEVP displayed concentration-dependent scavenging activities, and half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for MEVP, MESV, and ascorbic acid were 305.30, 555.44, and 36.32 µg/mL, respectively. The total flavonoid content (TFC) and total phenolic content (TPC) of MESV were 81.44 ± 2.70 mg quercetin equivalents (QE)/g dry extract and 62.58 ± 1.93 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dry extract, whereas these values for MEVP were 291.31 ± 6.61 mg QE/g dry extract and 58.99 ± 3.16 mg GAE/g dry extract, respectively. Molecular docking studies were also evaluated, and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) and toxicological properties were assessed. Therefore, these two plants, S. villosa and V. patula, showed potential options for further advanced studies into oxidative stress.

Antifungal potential, chemical composition of Chlorella vulgaris and SEM analysis of morphological changes in Fusarium oxysporum.

In pursuit of an environmentally benign fungicide alternative, the current study explored the antifungal activity of Chlorella vulgaris extracts against six plant pathogenic fungi (in vitro). The well diffusion agar method was used to investigate the growth inhibition of Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium sp., Fusarium solani, A. flavus, A. niger, and A. alternata using the three C. vulgaris extracts viz. methanol (CvME), acetone (CvAE), and diethyl ether (CvDE). Different concentrations of CvDE were also investigated against F. oxysporum. The morphological modifications in F. oxysporum treated with CvDE (5 mg/kg) were studied using SEM and the chemical composition of CvDE was also determined by GC-MS analysis. All extracts, with the exception of A. alternata, were found to be effective in inhibiting the growth of plant pathogenic fungi. The CvDE extract, followed by CvME and CvAE, was found to be efficient against tested fungi. The CvDE was most effective against F. oxysporum with a 73.3% growth inhibition. The effects of various CvDE concentrations on F. oxysporum were found to be dosage dependent. The SEM micrograph revealed that CvDE-treated F. oxysporum had substantially less conidia than the control. The CvDE treatment damaged the mycelial structure as well. Major chemical components detected in CvDE were Heptaldehyde (15.7%), Octadecenoic acid, methyl ester (12.6%), Hexadecanoic acid (12%), 3-Decyn-2-Ol (10.98%), (E)-3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadec-2-ene (9.76%), heptadecane-1,2,3,4,5-pentol (8.7%), Docosane, 4-methyl (7.28%).

Bacillus mojavensis, a Metal-Tolerant Plant Growth-Promoting Bacterium, Improves Growth, Photosynthetic Attributes, Gas Exchange Parameters, and Alkalo-Polyphenol Contents in Silver Nanoparticle (Ag-NP)-Treated Withania somnifera L. (Ashwagandha).

Discharge of nanoparticles (NPs) into aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems during manufacturing processes and from various commercial goods has become a significant ecotoxicological concern. After reaching soil systems, NPs cause deleterious effects on soil fertility, microbial activity, and crop productivity. Taking into consideration the medicinal importance of Withania somnifera (L.) (ashwagandha), the present study assessed the potential hazards of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) and the toxicity amelioration by a metal-tolerant plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR). Bacillus mojavensis BZ-13 (NCBI accession number MZ950923) recovered from metal-polluted rhizosphere soil, tolerated an exceptionally high level of Ag-NPs. The growth-regulating substances synthesized by B. mojavensis were increased with increasing concentrations (0-1000 µg mL-1) of Ag-NPs. Also, strain BZ-13 had the ability to form biofilm, produce alginate and exopolysaccharides (EPSs), as well maintain swimming and swarming motilities in the presence of Ag-NPs. Soil application of varying concentrations of Ag-NPs resulted in a dose-related reduction in growth and biochemical features of ashwagandha. In contrast, following soil inoculation, B. mojavensis relieved the Ag-NPs-induced phytotoxicity and improved plant productivity. Root, shoot length, dry biomass, and leaf area increased by 13, 17, 37, 25%, respectively, when B. mojavensis was applied with 25 mg/kg Ag-NPs when compared to noninoculated controls. Furthermore, the soil plant analysis development (SPAD) index, photosystem efficiency (Fv/Fm), PS II quantum yield (FPS II), photochemical quenching (qP), non-photochemical quenching (NpQ), and total chlorophyll and carotenoid content of BZ-13-inoculated plants in the presence of 25 mg Ag-NPs/kg increased by 33, 29, 41, 47, 35, 26, and 25%, respectively, when compared to noninoculated controls that were exposed to the same amounts of NPs. In addition, a significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in 48, 18, 21, and 19% in withaferin-A (alkaloids), flavonoids, phenols, and tannin content, respectively, was recorded when plants were detached from bacterized and Ag-NP-treated plants. Leaf gas exchange parameters were also modulated in the case of inoculated plants. Furthermore, bacterial inoculation significantly decreased proline, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzymes, and Ag-NP's absorption and build-up in phyto-organs. In conclusion, soil inoculation with B. mojavensis may possibly be used as an alternative to protect W. somnifera plants in soil contaminated with nanoparticles. Therefore, phytohormone and other biomolecule-synthesizing and NP-tolerant PGPR strains like B. mojavensis might serve as an agronomically significant and cost-effective remediation agent for augmenting the yield and productivity of medicinally important plants like ashwagandha raised in soil contaminated with nanoparticles in general and Ag-NPs in particular.

Phytochemical Profiling, Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, Thrombolytic, Hemolytic Activity In Vitro and In Silico Potential of Portulacaria afra.

The use of complementary herbal medicines has recently increased in an attempt to find effective alternative therapies that reduce the adverse effects of chemical drugs. Portulacaria afra is a rich source of phytochemicals with high antioxidant activity, and thus may possess health benefits. This study used the latest developments in GC-MS coupling with molecular docking techniques to identify and quantify the phytoconstituents in P. afra tissue extracts. The results revealed that n-butanol P. afra (BUT-PA) dry extracts contained total phenolic and flavonoids contents of 21.69 ± 0.28 mgGAE/g and 196.58 ± 6.29 mgGAE/g, respectively. The significant potential of antioxidants was observed through CUPRIC, FRAP, and ABTS methods while the DPPH method showed a moderate antioxidants potential for P. afra. Enzymatic antioxidants, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase also showed a better response in the BUT-PA dry extracts. The thrombolytic activity of the BUT-PA extracts ranged from 0.4 ± 0.32 to 11.2 ± 0.05%. Similarly, hemolytic activity ranged from 5.76 ± 0.15 to 9.26 ± 0.15% using the standard (triton x) method. The BUTPA and CHPA showed moderate acetylcholinesterase and butrylcholinesterase inhibition, ranging from 40.78 ± 0.52 to 58.97 ± 0.33, compared to galantamine. The carrageenan induced hind-paw edema assay, while BUT-PA extracts showed anti-inflammatory properties in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, 20 compounds were identified in the BUTPA extracts by GC-MS. Molecular docking was performed to explore the synergistic effect of the GC-MS-identified compounds on COX-1 and COX-2 inhibition. A high binding affinity was observed for Stigmastan-3, 5-diene, Phthalic acid, 3. Alpha-Hydroxy-5, 16-androstenol. The computed binding energies of the compounds revealed that all the compounds have a synergistic effect, preventing inflammation. It was concluded that active phytochemicals were present in P. afra, with the potential for multiple pharmacological applications as a latent source of pharmaceutically important compounds. This should be further explored to isolate secondary metabolites that can be employed in the treatment of different diseases.

Biosurfactant producing multifarious Streptomyces puniceus RHPR9 of Coscinium fenestratum rhizosphere promotes plant growth in chilli.

The present study involves isolation of Streptomyces spp. from rhizosphere of Coscinium fenestratum Gaertn, an endangered medicinal plant from Western Ghats of Karnataka, India. Four potential isolates were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing as Streptomyces sp. RHPR3, Streptomyces puniceus RHPR9, Streptomyces sp. RHPR14 and Streptomyces mediolani RHPR25. An enrichment culture method was used for the isolation of Streptomyces spp. for biosurfactant activity. Among four potential Streptomyces spp., S. puniceus RHPR9 showed highest Emulsification index (EI) (78±0.2%) and Emulsification assay (EA) (223±0.2 EU mL-1). Thin layer chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and mass spectrometric analysis revealed that as glycolipid. Further confirmed by presence of fatty acids like hexanoic acid methyl ester, decanoic acid by Gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis. S. puniceus RHPR9 showed a significant IAA production (41µg mL-1), solubilized P (749.1 µg mL-1), growth promotion of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) was evaluated using paper towel method and greenhouse conditions. S. puniceus RHPR9 showed a significant increase in seed vigor index (2047) and increase in plant biomass (65%) when compared to uninoculated control. To our knowledge, this is the first report on epiphytic S. puniceus RHPR9 isolated from an endangered medicinal plant C. fenestratum Gaertn, for biosurfactant production and plant growth promotion activities.