Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Candidate Genes in Response to Sorghum Mosaic Virus and Salicylic Acid in Sugarcane.

Sorghum mosaic virus (SrMV) is one of the most prevalent viruses deteriorating sugarcane production. Salicylic acid (SA) plays an essential role in the defense mechanism of plants and its exogenous application has been observed to induce the resistance against biotic and abiotic stressors. In this study, we set out to investigate the mechanism by which sorghum mosaic virus (SrMV) infected sugarcane responds to SA treatment in two sugarcane cultivars, i.e., ROC22 and Xuezhe. Notably, significantly low viral populations were observed at different time points (except for 28 d in ROC22) in response to post-SA application in both cultivars as compared to control based on qPCR data. Furthermore, the lowest number of population size in Xuezhe (20 copies/µL) and ROC22 (95 copies/µL) was observed in response to 1 mM exogenous SA application. A total of 2999 DEGs were identified, of which 731 and 2268 DEGs were up- and down-regulated, respectively. Moreover, a total of 806 DEGs were annotated to GO enrichment categories: 348 biological processes, 280 molecular functions, and 178 cellular components. GO functional categorization revealed that DEGs were mainly enriched in metabolic processes, extracellular regions, and glucosyltransferase activity, while KEGG annotation revealed that DEGs were mainly concentrated in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and plant-pathogen interaction suggesting the involvement of these pathways in SA-induced disease resistance of sugarcane in response to SrMV infection. The RNA-seq dataset and qRT-PCR assay showed that the transcript levels of PR1a, PR1b, PR1c, NPR1a, NPR1b, PAL, ICS, and ABA were significantly up-regulated in response to SA treatment under SrMV infection, indicating their positive involvement in stress endorsement. Overall, this research characterized sugarcane transcriptome during SrMV infection and shed light on further interaction of plant-pathogen under exogenous application of SA treatment.

Nanotechnology for endorsing abiotic stresses: a review on the role of nanoparticles and nanocompositions.

Environmental stresses, including the salt and heavy metals contaminated sites, signify a threat to sustainable crop production. The existence of these stresses has increased in recent years due to human-induced climate change. In view of this, several remediation strategies including nanotechnology have been studied to find more effective approaches for sustaining the environment. Nanoparticles, due to unique physiochemical properties; i.e. high mobility, reactivity, high surface area, and particle morphology, have shown a promising solution to promote sustainable agriculture. Crop plants easily take up nanoparticles, which can penetrate into the cells to play essential roles in growth and metabolic events. In addition, different iron- and carbon-based nanocompositions enhance the removal of metals from the contaminated sites and water; these nanoparticles activate the functional groups that potentially target specific molecules of the metal pollutants to obtain efficient remediation. This review article emphasises the recent advancement in the application of nanotechnology for the remediation of contaminated soils with metal pollutants and mitigating different abiotic stresses. Different implementation barriers are also discussed. Furthermore, we reported the opportunities and research directions to promote sustainable development based on the application of nanotechnology.

Morpho-physiological growth performance and phytoremediation capabilities of selected xerophyte grass species toward Cr and Pb stress.

Being sessile organisms, plants cannot escape unwanted changes in the environment. The rapid human population explosion caused significant environmental problems. Heavy metals produced through various sources can cause severe damage to living organisms. The study was planned to evaluate four grass species' morpho-physiological growth characteristics and phytoremediation capabilities under chromium (Cr) and lead stress (Pb) in the arid climate. Typha angustifolia, Tragus roxburghii, Aeluropus logopoides, and Cenchrus ciliaris grass species were used for the study. One-year-old stubbles from the Cholistan desert were used for the experiment. Cr treatments in the form of K2Cr2O7 were applied at 0, 20, 40, and 80 mg L-1, whereas Pb was applied as PbCl2 at 0, 50, 200, and 500 mg L-1 as control, low, moderate and high-stress, respectively. After 6 weeks of heavy metals treatments, plants were harvested and analyzed for growth performance and phytoremediation capabilities. Results depicted that, regarding morphological attributes, T. angustifolia performed better, followed by C. ciliaris; no clear pattern was observed for T. roxburghii and A. logopoides. The CO2 assimilation rate (Co2d) and water use efficiency (WUE) increased as the heavy metal stress increased in all species under both metals. In contrast, total chlorophyll content was higher under low stress. Other physiological parameters, such as relative humidity (RHd), net photosynthetic rate (A), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (Gs), leaf internal CO2 concentration (Ci) and membrane stability index (MSI) gradually decreased as the Cr, and Pb stress levels increased among all the species. Moreover, Cr and Pb absorption contents of T. angustifolia were higher than the other three species at each stress level. Overall, T. angustifolia thrived against heavy metals stress and showed higher biomass, maximum photosynthetic measurements, WUE and higher metal absorption among all the selected species. Results concluded that although all the selected species behaved fine under stress conditions, T. angustifolia performance was better; thus, it can be used to remediate the soil near industrial estates.

Nitrogen use efficiency in cotton: Challenges and opportunities against environmental constraints.

Nitrogen is a vital nutrient for agricultural, and a defieciency of it causes stagnate cotton growth and yield penalty. Farmers rely heavily on N over-application to boost cotton output, which can result in decreased lint yield, quality, and N use efficiency (NUE). Therefore, improving NUE in cotton is most crucial for reducing environmental nitrate pollution and increasing farm profitability. Well-defined management practices, such as the type of sources, N-rate, application time, application method, crop growth stages, and genotypes, have a notable impact on NUE. Different N formulations, such as slow and controlled released fertilizers, have been shown to improve N uptake and, NUE. Increasing N rates are said to boost cotton yield, although high rates may potentially impair the yield depending on the soil and environmental conditions. This study comprehensively reviews various factors including agronomic and environmental constraints that influence N uptake, transport, accumulation, and ultimately NUE in cotton. Furthermore, we explore several agronomic and molecular approaches to enhance efficiency for better N uptake and utilization in cotton. Finally, this objective of this review to highlight a comprehensive view on enhancement of NUE in cotton and could be useful for understanding the physiological, biochemical and molecular mechanism of N in cotton.

Soil Nitrogen Transformation Process Influenced by Litterfall Manipulation in Two Subtropical Forest Types.

Nitrogen (N) is often recognized as the primary limiting nutrient element for the growth and production of forests worldwide. Litterfall represents a significant pathway for returning nutrients from aboveground parts of trees to the soils and plays an essential role in N availability in different forest ecosystems. This study explores the N transformation processes under litterfall manipulation treatments in a Masson pine pure forest (MPPF), and Masson pine and Camphor tree mixed forest (MCMF) stands in subtropical southern China. The litterfall manipulation included litterfall addition (LA), litterfall removal (LR), and litterfall control (LC) treatments. The project aimed to examine how litterfall inputs affect the soil N process in different forest types in the study region. Results showed that soil ammonium N (NH4 +-N) and nitrate N (NO3 --N) content increased under LA treatment and decreased under LR treatment compared to LC treatment. LA treatment significantly increased soil total inorganic N (TIN) content by 41.86 and 22.19% in MPPF and MCMF, respectively. In contrast, LR treatment decreased the TIN content by 10 and 24% in MPPF and MCMF compared to LC treatment. Overall, the soil net ammonification, nitrification, and N mineralization rates were higher in MCMF than in MPPF; however, values in both forests were not significantly different. LA treatment significantly increased annual net ammonification, nitrification, and mineralization in both forest types (p < 0.05) compared to LC treatment. LR treatment significantly decreased the values (p < 0.05), except for ammonification, where LR treatment did not differ substantially compared to LC treatment. Our results suggested that changes in litterfall inputs would significantly alter soil N dynamics in studied forests of sub-tropical region. Moreover, mixed forest stands have higher nutrient returns due to mixed litter and higher decomposition compared to pure forest stands.

Variation in biochemical, physiological and ecophysiological traits among the teak (Tectona grandis Linn. f) seed sources of India.

Teak being an iconic timber species the studies on its physiological and biochemical traits are very limited in India and worldwide. As a result, the current study aimed to assess biochemical parameters such as chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, carotenoids, chlorophyll ab ratio, proline content, and peroxidase activity, along with physiological parameters such as Chlorophyll stability index, relative water content, and leaf area, as well as ecophysiological traits such as net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), transpiration rate (Tr), Leaf temperature, intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE), instantaneous water use efficiency and intrinsic carboxylation efficiency of thirty teak seed sources collected from different states of India. FCRITK 19, FCRITK 21, FCRITK 25, FCRITK 29, and FCRITK 05 were reported to have a greater photosynthetic rate (> 17 µmol m-2 s-1) coupled with a relative water content of more than 50% and a chlorophyll stability index of more than 60%, which could be used in a future genetic improvement programme. Correlation analysis indicated that water use efficiency was found to be strongly but negatively correlated with transpiration rate (-0.601) and stomatal conductance (-0.910). The proline content had a substantial positive correlation with the chlorophyll stability index (0.890), signifying that they are associated with abiotic stress conditions. Cluster analysis was attempted to discriminate the sources based on biochemical, physiological and ecophysiological traits. Eleven sources (FCRITK 25, FCRITK 27, FCRITK 29, FCRITK 14, FCRITK 30, FCRITK 16, FCRITK 05, FCRITK 13, FCRITK 02, FCRITK 17 and FCRITK 15) exhibited superior performance compared to rest of the sources.

Sulfur Enhancement for the Improvement of Castor Bean Growth and Yield, and Sustainable Biodiesel Production.

Due to limited conventional energy sources, there is a need to find substitute non-conventional sources of energy to meet the societal demands on a sustainable basis. Crude oil and edible oil remain major import items in Pakistan, the deficit of which can be compensated by using biomass, preferably inedible oilseeds. Therefore, the current study evaluated the role of sulfur (S) fertilization for improving yield (seed and oil) and biodiesel value of castor bean, a potential inedible crop with minimum input requirements. For this purpose, a combined approach of field experimentation and laboratory analysis was conducted to explore the potential of two castor bean cultivars (DS-30 and NIAB Gold) against four S supply rates, namely, 0, 20, 40, and 60 kg S ha-1, in terms of growth, phenology, and yield parameters. Subsequently, the obtained seed samples were analyzed for biodiesel-related parameters in the Bio-analytical Chemistry lab, Punjab Bio-energy Institute, Faisalabad. The incremental S rates increased the seed yield for both cultivars, and the highest yield was recorded at 60 kg S ha-1 for NIAB Gold. For NIAB Gold, the oil content increased by 7% with S fertilization at 60 kg ha-1, and for DS-30, the oil content increased by 6% at 60 kg ha-1. As with incremental S fertilization, the oil yield increased on a hectare basis, and the quantity of biodiesel produced also increased. Importantly, the tested quality parameters of biodiesel, except biodiesel viscosity, were in the ASTM standard range. Overall, it has been concluded that castor bean is a promising and sustainable option for producing biodiesel as it is non-competitive to food crops and requires little input.

Transcriptome Analysis of Sugarcane Response to Sugarcane Yellow Leaf Virus Infection Transmitted by the Vector Melanaphis sacchari.

Sugarcane yellow leaf disease severely affects sugarcane production. As a viral disease, the pathogen sugarcane yellow leaf virus can only be transmitted by aphid vectors rather than mechanical means. To understand the sugarcane responses to ScYLV infection, the corresponding transcriptomic profile of ScYLV-infected and ScYLV-free plants were analyzed with RNA-Seq technology. In this study, Melanaphis sacchari was used as the vector to transmit ScYLV to the susceptible sugarcane cultivar CP72-1210 and transcriptome was sequenced as well as differentially expressed genes between disease-infected and non-infected sugarcane plants were investigated. A total of 1,22,593 genes were assembled, of which 1,630 genes were differentially expressed. Among DEGs, 1,622 were upregulated and eight were downregulated that were further annotated with GO, KEGG, KOG, PFAM, SwissProt, and Nr databases. The expression levels of DEGs in the three KEGG pathways, namely endocytosis, PEX protein synthesis, and endoplasmic reticulum stress response to viral protein synthesis were observed. Interestingly, it was found that the yellow leaf virus could induce the formation of autophagosomes by LC3, promoted by ER stress, and may be related to the replication of viral RNA. We tested 63 DEGs in this research. The qRT-PCR results showed that two were downregulated and 45 were upregulated in response to the ScYLV infection. This study will not only offer an overall comprehension of sugarcane responses to ScYLV infection at the gene expression level but also increase the chances to block the transmission of ScYLV for use in further molecular biology techniques and will aid in increasing the resistance of plants against ScYLV.

Recent Advances in Agronomic and Physio-Molecular Approaches for Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Crop Plants.

The efficiency with which plants use nutrients to create biomass and/or grain is determined by the interaction of environmental and plant intrinsic factors. The major macronutrients, especially nitrogen (N), limit plant growth and development (1.5-2% of dry biomass) and have a direct impact on global food supply, fertilizer demand, and concern with environmental health. In the present time, the global consumption of N fertilizer is nearly 120 MT (million tons), and the N efficiency ranges from 25 to 50% of applied N. The dynamic range of ideal internal N concentrations is extremely large, necessitating stringent management to ensure that its requirements are met across various categories of developmental and environmental situations. Furthermore, approximately 60 percent of arable land is mineral deficient and/or mineral toxic around the world. The use of chemical fertilizers adds to the cost of production for the farmers and also increases environmental pollution. Therefore, the present study focused on the advancement in fertilizer approaches, comprising the use of biochar, zeolite, and customized nano and bio-fertilizers which had shown to be effective in improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) with lower soil degradation. Consequently, adopting precision farming, crop modeling, and the use of remote sensing technologies such as chlorophyll meters, leaf color charts, etc. assist in reducing the application of N fertilizer. This study also discussed the role of crucial plant attributes such as root structure architecture in improving the uptake and transport of N efficiency. The crosstalk of N with other soil nutrients plays a crucial role in nutrient homeostasis, which is also discussed thoroughly in this analysis. At the end, this review highlights the more efficient and accurate molecular strategies and techniques such as N transporters, transgenes, and omics, which are opening up intriguing possibilities for the detailed investigation of the molecular components that contribute to nitrogen utilization efficiency, thus expanding our knowledge of plant nutrition for future global food security.

Exogenous salicylic acid-induced drought stress tolerance in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown under hydroponic culture.

Wheat is an important cereal crop, which is adversely affected by water deficit stress. The effect of induced stress can be reduced by the application of salicylic acid (SA). With the objective to combat drought stress in wheat, an experiment was conducted in greenhouse under hydroponic conditions. The treatments consisted of (a) no drought (DD0 = 0 MPa), mild drought (DD1 = -0.40 MPa) and severe drought (DD2 = -0.60 MPa) by applying PEG-8000, (b) two contrasting wheat varieties Barani-17 (drought tolerant) and Anaj-17 (drought-sensitive), and (c) foliar treatments of salicylic acid (0, 50 mM, 75 mM, and 100 mM). Evaluation of wheat plants regarding biochemical, physiological, and morphological attributes were rendered after harvesting of plants. Statistically, maximum shoot and root fresh and dry weights (18.77, 11.15 and 1.99, 1.81 g, respectively) were recorded in cultivar Barani-17 under no drought condition with the application of SA (100 mM). While, minimum shoot and root fresh and dry weights (6.65, 3.14 and 0.73, 0.61 g, respectively) were recorded in cultivar Anaj-2017 under mild drought stress without SA application. The maximum shoot length (68.0 cm) was observed in cultivar Barani-2017 under no drought condition with the application of SA (100 mM). While, maximum root length (59.67 cm) was recorded in cultivar Anaj-17 under moderate drought stress without application of SA. Further, minimum shoot length (28.67 cm) was recorded in Anaj-17 under moderate drought stress without SA application. Minimum root length (38.67 cm) was recorded in cultivar Barani-17 under no drought condition without SA application. Furthermore, maximum physio-biochemical traits, including membrane stability index (MSI), chlorophyl content, photosynthetic rates, stomatal conductance, antioxidant enzymatic activities and relative water content (RWC) were found highest in cultivar Barani-17 under no drought stress and SA application at 100 mM. However, minimum values of these traits were recorded in cultivar Anaj-17 under severe drought stress without SA application. Our results also demonstrated that under severe drought, application of SA at 100 mM significantly increased leaf nitrogen (N), phosphrus (P) and potassium (K) contents and cultivar Barani-17 demonstrated significantly higher values than Anaj-17. The obtained results also indicated that the cultivation of wheat under drought stress conditions noticeably declines the morphological, physiological, and biochemical attributes of the plants. However, the exogenous application of SA had a positive impact on wheat crop for enhancing its productivity.

Antiviral Activities of Eucalyptus Essential Oils: Their Effectiveness as Therapeutic Targets against Human Viruses.

Given the limited therapeutic management of infectious diseases caused by viruses, such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2, the medicinal use of essential oils obtained from Eucalyptus trees has emerged as an antiviral alternative, either as a complement to the treatment of symptoms caused by infection or to exert effects on possible pharmacological targets of viruses. This review gathers and discusses the main findings on the emerging role and effectiveness of Eucalyptus essential oil as an antiviral agent. Studies have shown that Eucalyptus essential oil and its major monoterpenes have enormous potential for preventing and treating infectious diseases caused by viruses. The main molecular mechanisms involved in the antiviral activity are direct inactivation, that is, by the direct binding of monoterpenes with free viruses, particularly with viral proteins involved in the entry and penetration of the host cell, thus avoiding viral infection. Furthermore, this review addresses the coadministration of essential oil and available vaccines to increase protection against different viruses, in addition to the use of essential oil as a complementary treatment of symptoms caused by viruses, where Eucalyptus essential oil exerts anti-inflammatory, mucolytic, and spasmolytic effects in the attenuation of inflammatory responses caused by viruses, in particular respiratory diseases.

Synthesis of Nickel Spinel Ferrites Nanoparticles Coated with Thermally Reduced Graphene Oxide for EMI Shielding in the Microwave, UV, and NIR Regions.

The co-precipitation and in situ modified Hummers' method was used to synthesize Nickel Spinal Ferrites (NiFe) nanoparticles and NiFe coated with Thermally Reduced Graphene Oxide (TRGO) (NiFe-TRGO) nanoparticles, respectively. By using polyvinyl chloride (PVC), tetrahydrofuran (THF), and NiFe-TRGO, the nanocomposite film was synthesized using the solution casting technique with a thickness of 0.12-0.13 mm. Improved electromagnetic interference shielding efficiency was obtained in the 0.1-20 GHz frequency range. The initial assessment was done through XRD for the confirmation of the successful fabrication of nanoparticles and DC conductivity. The microstructure was analyzed with scanning electron microscopy. The EMI shielding was observed by incorporating a filler amount varying from 5 wt.% to 40 wt.% in three different frequency regions: microwave region (0.1 to 20 GHz), near-infrared (NIR) (700-2500 nm), and ultraviolet (UV) (200-400 nm). A maximum attenuation of 65 dB was observed with a 40% concentration of NiFe-TRGO in nanocomposite film.

Fabrication and Characterization of Sulfonated Graphene Oxide (SGO) Doped PVDF Nanocomposite Membranes with Improved Anti-Biofouling Performance.

Emergence of membrane technology for effective performance is qualified due to its low energy consumption, no use of chemicals, high removal capacity and easy accessibility of membrane material. The hydrophobic nature of polymeric membranes limits their applications due to biofouling (assemblage of microorganisms on surface of membrane). Polymeric nanocomposite membranes emerge to alleviate this issue. The current research work was concerned with the fabrication of sulfonated graphene oxide doped polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane and investigation of its anti-biofouling and anti-bacterial behavior. The membrane was fabricated through phase inversion method, and its structure and morphology were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-rays diffraction (XRD) and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques. Performance of the membrane was evaluated via pure water flux; anti-biofouling behavior was determined through Bovine Serum albumin (BSA) rejection. Our results revealed that the highest water flux was shown by M7 membrane about 308.7 Lm-2h-1/bar having (0.5%) concentration of SGO with improved BSA rejection. Furthermore, these fabricated membranes showed high antibacterial activity, more hydrophilicity and mechanical strength as compared to pristine PVDF membranes. It was concluded that SGO addition within PVDF polymer matrix enhanced the properties and performance of membranes. Therefore, SGO was found to be a promising material for the fabrication of nanocomposite membranes.

River Tea Tree Oil: Composition, Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities, and Potential Applications in Agriculture.

Melaleuca is one of the genera of the Myrtaceae family enriched in tea tree oil (TTO). Tea tree oils of Melaleuca bracteata and Melaleuca alternifolia are of prime importance and have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Terpinen-4-ol and 1-8 cineole are major constituents of M. alternifolia oil. The percentages of the compounds in the oils can slightly vary according to the region of plant harvest, the distillation technique, or the part of the plant used for oil extraction. TTO has a bactericidal effect against various bacterial species such as Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis, E. coli, Pseudomonas putida, and S. aureus. Several reports proved that this essential oil is also effective against fungal strains of Fusarium, Aspergillus, and Candida species. It also has antioxidant properties such as radical scavenging activity and reducing power. The antioxidant properties of TTO at a concentration of 30 mM were observed to be greater than those of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), commonly used as a synthetic antioxidant. TTO is also an effective organic fungicide, herbicide, and insecticide for use in the agriculture sector. Postharvest application of the oil has been found efficient on sweet basil, citrus, and strawberry. It is concluded that tea tree oil has the potential to be used in the food, agriculture, and pharmaceutical industries as a natural antimicrobial and preservative agent. This review provides comprehensive information regarding the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of tea tree oil and its potential applications in agriculture.

Fabrication and Characterization of Sulfonated Graphene Oxide-Doped Polymeric Membranes with Improved Anti-Biofouling Behavior.

In this study, cellulose acetate (CA) was blended with sulfonated graphene oxide (SGO) nanomaterials to endow a nanocomposite membrane for wastewater treatment with improved hydrophilicity and anti-biofouling behavior. The phase inversion method was employed for membrane fabrication using tetrahydrofuran (THF) as the solvent. The characteristics of CA-SGO-doped membranes were investigated through thermal analysis, contact angle, SEM, FTIR, and anti-biofouling property. Results indicated that anti-biofouling property and hydrophilicity of CA-SGO nanocomposite membranes were enhanced with addition of hydrophilic SGO nanomaterials in comparison to pristine CA membrane. FTIR analysis confirmed the successful decoration of SGO groups on CA membrane surface while revealing its morphological properties through SEM analysis. Thermal analysis performed using DSC confirmed the increase in thermal stability of CA-SGO membranes with addition of SGO content than pure CA membrane.

Investigating the Antibacterial Activity of Polymeric Membranes Fabricated with Aminated Graphene Oxide.

A novel, functionalized graphene oxide-based cellulose acetate membrane was fabricated using the phase inversion method to improve the membrane characteristics and performance. We studied the effect of aminated graphene oxide (NH2-GO) composite on the CA membrane characteristics and performance in terms of membrane chemistry, hydrophilicity, thermal and mechanical stability, permeation flux, and antibacterial activity. The results of contact angle and water flux indicate the improved hydrophilic behavior of composite membranes in comparison to that of the pure CA membrane. The AGO-3 membrane showed the highest water flux of about 153 Lm-2h-1. The addition of hydrophilic AGO additive in CA membranes enhanced the antibacterial activity of AGO-CA membranes, and the thermal stability of the resulting membrane also improved since it increases the Tg value in comparison to that of a pristine CA membrane. The aminated graphene oxide (NH2-GO) was, therefore, found to be a promising additive for the fabrication of composite membranes with potent applications in wastewater treatment.

Development of Hydrogels with the Incorporation of Raphanus sativus L. Seed Extract in Sodium Alginate for Wound-Healing Application.

Hydrogels prepared from polymers have been proposed for tissue regeneration and the treatment of bruise wounds. In this research work, we synthesized a Raphanus sativus L.-based wound-healing hydrogel with recognized antimicrobial activity for the healing of cutaneous lesions, drawing on its healing potential. A structural analysis was performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, confirming the interaction between sodium alginate and Raphanus sativus L. The surface morphology was studied by scanning electron microscopy. A swelling test showed that the T-1 hydrogel capability of absorption of the solution was superior compared to other synthesized samples. It was evident that the swelling tendency decreased as the Raphanus sativus L. seed extract concentration was reduced. In a thermogravimetric analysis, T-1 shows high thermal stability over other prepared hydrogel samples, enjoying a high content of seed extract compared with all samples. The prepared hydrogels were placed on the chick chorioallantoic membrane of fertilized chick eggs, and their healing capability was examined. All seed extracts containing hydrogels showed clear curative performance as compared to the control hydrogel, whereas their healing magnitude lessened as the extract ratio decreased. It was concluded from the results of the current study that the Raphanus sativus L. plant has wound-healing characteristics.

Ornamental Plant Efficiency for Heavy Metals Phytoextraction from Contaminated Soils Amended with Organic Materials.

Accumulation of heavy metals (HMs) by ornamental plants (OPs) from contaminated agriculture soils is a unique technique that can efficiently reduce the metal load in the food chain. Amaranthus tricolor L. has attractive characteristics acquiring a higher growth rate and large biomass when grown at heavy metal contaminated soils. Site-specific detailed information is not available on the use of A. tricolor plant in metal phytoremediation from the polluted sites. The study aimed to enhance the uptake of HMs (Pb, Zn, and Cu) via amending poultry litter extract (PLE), vinasse sugarcane (VSC), and humic acid (HA) as natural mobilized organic materials compared to ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), as a common mobilized chemical agent by A. tricolor plant. The studied soils collected from Helwan, El-Gabal El-Asfar (Cairo Governorate), Arab El-Madabeg (Assiut Governorate), Egypt, and study have been conducted under pot condition. Our results revealed all organic materials in all studied soils, except EDTA in EL-Gabal El-Asfar soil, significantly increased the dry weight of the A. tricolor plant compared to the control treatment. The uptake of Pb and Zn significantly (p > 0.05) increased due to applying all organic materials to the studied soils. HA application caused the highest uptake as shown in Pb concentration by more than 5 times in Helwan soil and EDTA by 65% in El-Gabal El-Asfar soil while VSC increased it by 110% in El-Madabeg soil. Also, an increase in Zn concentration due to EDTA application was 58, 42, and 56% for Helwan, El-Gabal El-Asfar, and El-Madabeg soil, respectively. In all studied soils, the application of organic materials increased the remediation factor (RF) than the control. El-Madabeg soil treated with vinasse sugarcane gave the highest RF values; 6.40, 3.26, and 4.02% for Pb, Zn, and Cu, respectively, than the control. Thus, we identified A. tricolor as a successful ornamental candidate that, along with organic mobilization amendments, most efficiently develop soil health, reduce metal toxicity, and recommend remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils. Additionally, long-term application of organic mobilization amendments and continued growth of A. tricolor under field conditions could be recommended for future directions to confirm the results.

Sustainable Development of Chitosan/Calotropis procera-Based Hydrogels to Stimulate Formation of Granulation Tissue and Angiogenesis in Wound Healing Applications.

The formation of new scaffolds to enhance healing magnitude is necessarily required in biomedical applications. Granulation tissue formation is a crucial stage of wound healing in which granulation tissue grows on the surface of a wound by the formation of connective tissue and blood vessels. In the present study, porous hydrogels were synthesized using chitosan incorporating latex of the Calotropis procera plant by using a freeze-thaw cycle to stimulate the formation of granulation tissue and angiogenesis in wound healing applications. Structural analysis through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed the interaction between chitosan and Calotropis procera. Latex extract containing hydrogel showed slightly higher absorption than the control during water absorption analysis. Thermogravimetric analysis showed high thermal stability of the 60:40 combination of chitosan (CS) and Calotropis procera as compared to all other treatments and controls. A fabricated scaffold application on a chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) showed that all hydrogels containing latex extract resulted in a significant formation of blood vessels and regeneration of cells. Overall, the formation of connective tissues and blood capillaries and healing magnitude decreased in ascending order of concentration of extract.