This study aimed to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by pomegranate and orange
peel extracts using a low concentration of AgNO3 solution to controlearly blight of tomato caused by
Alternaria solani. The pathogen was isolated from infected tomato plants growing in different areas of
Saudi Arabia. The isolates of this pathogen were morphologically and molecularly identified. Extracts
from peels of pomegranate and orange fruits effectively developed a simple, quick, eco-friendly and
economical method through a synthesis of AgNPs as antifungal agents against A. solani. Phenolic
content in the pomegranate peel extract was greater than orange peel extract. Phenolic compounds
showed a variation of both peel extracts as identified and quantified by High-Performance Liquid
Chromatography. The phenolic composition displayed variability as the pomegranate peel extract
exhibited an exorbitant amount of Quercitrin (23.62 mg/g DW), while orange peel extract recorded
a high amount of Chlorogenic acid (5.92 mg/g DW). Biosynthesized AgNPs were characterized
using UV- visible spectroscopy which recorded an average wavelength of 437 nm and 450 nm for
pomegranate and orange peels, respectively. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy exhibited
32x73.24, 2223.71, 2047.29 and 1972.46 cm?1, and 3260.70, 1634.62, 1376.62 and 1243.76 cm?1 for
pomegranate and orange peels, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy showed spherical
shape of nanoparticles. Zetasizer analysis presented negative charge values; ?16.9 and ?19.5 mV
with average particle sizes 8 and 14 nm fin case of pomegranate and orange peels, respectively.
In vitro, antifungal assay was done to estimate the possibility of biosynthesized AgNPs and crude
extracts of fruit peels to reduce the mycelial growth of A. solani. AgNPs displayed more fungal
mycelial inhibition than crude extracts of two peels and AgNO3. We recommend the use of AgNPs
synthesized from fruit peels for controlling fungal plant pathogens and may be applied broadly and
safely in place by using the chemical fungicides, which display high toxicity for humans.

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effects of different fungal species
on the metal uptake from paper sludge by Hemarthria compressa L. Paper sludge (PS) in various
concentrations (0, 30 and 60%) were used with four treatments of two fungal species (F0 = Control,
F1 = Aspergillus niger, F2 = Trichoderma pseudokoningii, F3 = A. niger + T. pseudokoningii). Paper sludge
as rooting medium steadily influenced growth and physio-biochemical attributes of H. compressa in
F0. Results revealed discrete variations in growth attributes with different PS concentrations and
each fungal treatment. The maximum damages in ionic homeostasis (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+) due to
PS toxicity were evident in parallel with declined chlorophyll concentration. The highest growth,
total chlorophyll and biomass of the plants were observed when PS was treated with combined
fungal strains (F3). Translocation factor decreased with F3 that is indicative of changes in Cd, Pb, and
Cu movement to shoot from root. The plants with combined fungal treatment also showed greater
catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POD) activity. Ions, such as Ca, Mg,
and Na, also increased gradually with combined fungal treatment. The correlation matrix displayed
a close association among diverse fungal and PS levels with multiple plant attributes. PCA-Biplot
confirmed the outcome of correlational analyses among different characters of H. compressa. The
combined fungal mediate the extraction of heavy metals from the paper sludge by H. compressa
recommends the high accumulation of heavy metal (HM) and possible reutilization of metal free
sludge as a fertilizer, for application in cultivated fields. Furthermore, the effects of fungal species on
HM attenuation in PS are linear and can be used in different habitats. Advancement in such research
work will also be helpful in understanding the mechanisms and enhancing the ability of other native
microbes to remediate metals.

For dealing with uncertainties researchers introduced the concept of soft sets.
In this paper, a new class of soft sets called soft delta pre ideal open sets in soft ideal topological
space related to the notion of soft pre ideal regular pre ideal open sets is introduced.
Also, some new soft separation axioms based on the soft delta pre ideal open sets are
investigated.

Cotton is a cash crop and its raw material is extremely important for use in textile industry. Pakistan comes in top exporter of cotton. Cotton crop is under different stresses during its production out of which pest pressure is most important to deal with. Rural Education & Economic Development Society (REEDS) Pakistan is working for production of better of cotton along with promotion of less pesticide use thus mitigating the environmental pollution. REEDS has established field study for use of neem extract as botanical spray against sucking pests and diseases. This experiment was done on farmer fields of Vehari and Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab and Dadu, Sindh. Botanical spray was used against sucking pests to delay the application of first pesticide for maximum number days. Which would ultimately reduce the number of pesticides applied along with less residual effects on humans and environment. The pest scouting data of trial plot clearly show the decrease in pest population after application of neem extract up to 79 days after sowing in comparison to control plot. Similarly, number of total pesticides used in trail plots were less in comparison to control plots.

Heat stress (HS) is a serious environmental stress that negatively affects crop growth and productivity across the globe. The recent increase in atmospheric temperature caused by global warming has increased its intensity, which is a serious challenge that needs to be addressed. Plant growth and development involves a series of physiological, metabolic, and biochemical processes that are negatively affected by heat-induced oxidative stress, disorganization of cellular membranes and disturbed plant water relations, nutrient uptake, photosynthetic efficiency, and antioxidant activities. Plant tolerance to abiotic stresses can be substantially increased by the application of bio-stimulants, without posing a threat to the ecosystem. Melatonin (MT) is a multi-functional signaling molecule that has the potential to protect plants from the adverse impacts of HS. MT protects the cellular membranes, maintains the leaf water content, and improves the water use efficiency (WUE) and nutrient homeostasis; thereby, improving plant growth and development under HS. Moreover, MT also improves gene expression, crosstalk of hormones, and osmolytes, and reduces the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by triggering the antioxidant defense system, which provides better resistance to HS. High endogenous MT increases genes expression and antioxidant activities to confer HS tolerance. Thus, it is important to understand the detailed mechanisms of both exogenous and endogenous MT, to induce HS tolerance in plants. This review highlights the versatile functions of MT in various plant responses, to improve HS tolerance. Moreover, we also discussed the MT crosstalk with other hormones, antioxidant potential of MT, and success stories of engineering MT to improve HS tolerance in plants. Additionally, we also identified various research gaps that need to be filled in future research using this important signaling molecule. Thus, this review will help the readers to learn more about MT under changing climatic conditions and will provide knowledge to develop heat tolerance in crops. View Full-Text

Wheat leaf rust is one of the world’s most widespread rusts. The progress of the disease
was monitored using two treatments: chitosan nanoparticles and salicylic acid (SA), as well as
three application methods; spraying before or after the inoculation by 24 h, and spraying both
before and after the inoculation by 24 h. Urediniospore germination was significantly different
between the two treatments. Wheat plants tested for latent and incubation periods, pustule size and
receptivity and infection type showed significantly reduced leaf rust when compared to untreated
plants. Puccinia triticina urediniospores showed abnormalities, collapse, lysis, and shrinkage as a
result of chitosan nanoparticles treatment. The enzymes, peroxidase and catalase, were increased in
the activities. In both treatments, superoxide (O2
?) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), were apparent as
purple and brown discolorations. Chitosan nanoparticles and SA treatments resulted in much more
discoloration and quantitative measurements than untreated plants. In anatomical examinations,
chitosan nanoparticles enhanced thickness of blade (), thickness of mesophyll tissue, thickness of
the lower and upper epidermis and bundle length and width in the midrib compared to the control.
In the control treatment’s top epidermis, several sori and a large number of urediniospores were
found. Most anatomical characters of flag leaves in control plants were reduced by biotic stress with
P. triticina. Transcription levels of PR1-PR5 and PR10 genes were activated in chitosan nanoparticles
treated plants at 0, 1 and 2 days after inoculation. In light of the data, we suggest that the prospective
use of chitosan nanoparticles might be an eco-friendly strategy to improve growth and control of leaf
rust disease.

Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL) in tomatoes is globally recognized as one of the most significant tomato diseases, both in fields and in greenhouses. Macroalgae contain a diversity of bioactive complexes. This research was carried out to assess the value of the extracts from three macroalgae (Sargassum dentifolium belongs to Phaeophyta, Gracilaria compressa belongs to Rhodophyta, and Ulva lactuca belongs to Chlorophyta) against wilt disease in tomato plants. The fungal pathogen was isolated from diseased tomato plants growing in several parts of Saudi Arabia. Isolates of the pathogen were identified by morphological and molecular methods. Three organic solvents, in addition to water, were used for extraction to assess the effect of reducing FOL hyphal growth on potato dextrose agar (PDA). Radial reductions in pathogen hyphal growth were seen with all of the solvent and water extracts, but the three macroalgae methanol extracts that were tested showed the greatest reduction in pathogen hyphal growth. The total phenol content of the S. dentifolium extract was higher than that of the other two macroalgae. The phenolic compounds showed variability in all of the extracts that were identified and calculated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Phloroglucinol (7.34 mg/g dry weight), vanillic acid (7.28 mg/g dry weight), and gallic acid (6.89 mg/g dry weight) were the phenolic compounds with the highest concentrations in the S. dentifolium, G. compressa, and U. lactuca extracts, respectively. The mycelium of FOL treated with a crude macroalgae extract of tested at 100 µg/mL was examined with a scanning electron microscope. The results showed an obvious difference between the extract-treated and untreated hyphae. The extract-treated hyphae collapsed and bruised, as well as; empty and dead. In the greenhouse experiment, S. dentifolium powder was used to evaluate its effect on disease decline. It led to a decrease in disease severity of 40.8%. The highest total yield (560.8 g) was obtained from the plants treated with S. dentifolium powder. We recommend the use of macroalgae extracts to combat fungal phytopathogens. Because chemical fungicides are extremely toxic to humans and the environment, macroalgae extracts are a good alternative that can be widely and safely used in the field. View Full-Text

Rust, induced by the fungus Uromyces appendiculatus, is one of the most serious bean diseases. The involved mechanisms in rust resistance were evaluated in 10 common bean genotypes during the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 growing seasons. The disease parameters such as final rust severity (FRS%), area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) and disease increase rate (r-value) were lower in the resistant genotypes than in highly susceptible genotypes. Biochemical compounds such as total phenols and the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase were increased in the resistant genotypes compared to susceptible genotypes. In the resistance genotypes, the levels of oxidative stress markers such as hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and superoxide (O₂^•−) increased dramatically after infection. The electrolyte leakage percentage (EL%), was found to be much greater in susceptible genotypes than resistant genotypes. The resistant gene SA14, which was found in genotypes Nebraska and Calypso at 800 bp, had an adequate level of resistance to bean rust with high grain yield potential. After infection, the transcriptions levels of 1,3-D-glucanases and phenylalanine ammonia lyase) were higher in the resistant genotypes than susceptible genotypes. In conclusion, the resistant genotypes successfully displayed desirable agronomic traits and promising expectations in breeding programs for improving management strategies of common bean rust disease. The resistance was mediated by antioxidant enzymes, phenolic compounds, and defense gene expressions, as well as the resistant gene SA14. View Full-Text

The tomatoes grown under greenhouse conditions require supplemental bee pollination for the better
fruit set. The present study was conducted to evaluate the optimized role of bumblebees (Bombus
terrestris L.) for tomato pollination under greenhouse conditions. The impact of increasing number of floral
visits (i.e. 1 to 5) on physical and biochemical properties of tomato was studied on tomato variety
‘Grande’ grown on an area of 500 m2. The self-pollination and hand vibration treatments were
maintained for the comparison. The foraging behavior in terms of colony traffic, stay time and visitation
rate was also studied. The maximum average outgoing bumblebees (7.38 individuals) were recorded at
10:00 while the maximum average incoming (6.75) were recorded at 2:00 pm. The three visits of bumblebees
on a single flower resulted in the maximum improvement in physical (higher fruit length, fruit
weight, fruit weight, number of seeds per fruit, weight of 100 seeds) and biochemical properties (vitamin
C, shelf life) as compared to hand vibration and self-pollination treatments. There was no improvement in
physical and biochemical properties in fourth or fifth visit. Bumble bee pollinated fruits had low TSS, pH
and postharvest weight loss than that of self-pollinated and hand vibrated treatments. Therefore, three
visits of bumblebees per flower are enough to get the optimum production of tomato under greenhouse
conditions.

The present study determines the endotoxin removal efficiency of drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs)
in Egypt, as examples of conventional treatment methods used in developing countries. The total endotoxin
in source water (Nile River) of these DWTPs ranged from 57 to 187 EU∙mL−1, depending on the location of
treatment plants. Coagulation/flocculation/sedimentation (C/F/S) after chlorine pre-oxidation removed
bound endotoxins by 76.1–85.5%, but caused cell lysis and increased free endotoxins by 28.2–33.3% of
those detected in raw waters. Rapid sand filtration had not significant effect on free endotoxins, but reduced
bound endotoxins by 23–33.3%. Final chlorine disinfection also reduced bound endotoxins to levels around
1 EU/mL, accompanied by an increase in free endotoxins (37–112 EU∙mL−1) in finished waters. Simultaneously,
final chlorine disinfection removed all heterotrophic bacteria, with low cyanobacterial cell numbers
(348–2 450 cells∙mL−1) detected in finished waters. Overall, conventional treatment processes at these DWTPs
could removal substantial amounts of bound endotoxins and bacterial cells, but increase free endotoxins
through cell lysis induced by pre-oxidation and final chlorine disinfection. The study suggests that conventional
processes at DWTPs should be optimized and upgraded to improve their performance in endotoxin removal
and ensure safe distribution of treated water to consumers.