Consecutive drought events spanning adjacent soybean growth stages compound physiological stress and intensify yield penalties. The experimental design involved applying varying drought intensities to two adjacent growth stages, achieved by employing pairwise combinations of the stages seedling (S1), branching (S2), flowering-podding (S3), and seed filling (S4), to assess their impact on soybean morphology and physiology. The results demonstrated that drought stress significantly reduced all parameters in treated groups compared to the normal irrigation group, with losses increasing with severity. Under drought stress, soybean exhibited maximal reductions in plant height (PH, 25.70%) and tap root length (TRL, 24.45%) at S1-S2, while the S2-S3 stage saw greatest decreases in primary branch number (PBN, 75.00%), root dry weight (RDW, 44.16%), and stem dry weight (SDW, 33.89%). The most severe impacts occurred at S3-S4, with grain yield (GY, 67.19%), total pod number (TPN, 49.82%), total seed number (TSN, 58.94%), and pod wall weight (PWW, 64.82%) showing maximal reductions, accompanied by the highest empty pod rate (EPR, 18.68%). Notably, GY showed strong positive correlations with RDW and pod traits (TPN, TSN, PWW), but negative correlation with EPR (p≤0.001). 63.2% of the total variance in soybean drought response traits was collectively captured by these parameters within the first principal component (PC1). Thus, targeted irrigation during the S3-S4 stage is essential for mitigating drought-induced yield losses in soybean

Salinity stress inhibits plant growth by interfering with water balance and nutrient uptake. It also decreased cell division and slowed the overall development processes of plants. Quercetin (QC), indole acetic acid (IAA), and zinc ferrite nanoparticles (ZnFNP) can be effective techniques to overcome this critical issue. QC positively impacts plants by enhancing nutrient uptake, promoting root-microbe interactions, and mitigating oxidative stress, thereby contributing to improved growth, enhanced nutrient assimilation, and increased stress resilience. IAA, a physiologically active auxin from PGPR microorganisms, enhances plant growth by efficiently carrying essential nutrients, enhancing nutrient absorption and enzymatic activities, and promoting sustainable crop productivity. ZnFNP enhances plant growth by efficiently transporting essential nutrients, facilitating enhanced nutrient absorption, enzymatic activity, and metabolic processes, while also possessing antioxidant properties, thereby promoting sustainable crop productivity. That’s why the current experiment was conducted to explore the impact of QC and IAA with and without ZnFNP on pea plants under salinity stress. A total of four treatments, including control, QC, IAA, and QC+IAA, were applied in four replications, following a completely randomized design. Results showed that QC+IAA with ZnFNP caused a significant increase in pea root length (14.74%), root dry weight (32.41%), shoot length (35.48%), and shoot dry weight (36.31%) over the control. The improvement in pea leaves chlorophyll a (34.96%), chlorophyll b (35.23%), total chlorophyll (35.02%), net CO2 assimilation rate (50.54%), transpiration rate (48.91%), and stomatal conductance (34.54%) compared to the control showed the positive potential of QC+IAA with ZnFNP. In conclusion, QC+IAA with ZnFNP is the recommended amendment for mitigating salinity stress in pea plants.

Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides (Lindl.) Lem.) is an economically important commercial species for to its ornamental and ecological benefits. Therefore, responses to variations in air temperature are significant for its sustainability and shifts in phenophases, which can have long-term effects on its distribution, functions, and ecosystem services. An integrative approach to phenological patterns using the BBCH scale and biometric traits in the study, along with the analysis of trends and correlations, is a key step in obtaining valuable information for the management and conservation of Star Jasmine. The findings of intensive research in Serbia over three consecutive years stand out due to crucial information about the morphological features of leaves, inflorescences, flowers, and the species' acclimatization. The obtained results confirm the temporally consistent phenological patterns of leafing, but a 57-day earlier onset and a 26-day longer full flowering phenophase, influenced by high air temperatures in the globally hottest year, 2024. Additionally, it was observed that Star Jasmine tolerates frosts down to -15.5°C and multiple consecutive frost days, under conditions of a temperate continental climate at altitudes up to 200m. The results are important for complementing the list of suitable plants for nature-based landscape design, attractive to birds, bees, butterflies, and other organisms displaced due to rapid urban development and play a vital role in ecosystem services, as they help regulate harmful insect populations and support pollination. Our study confirms that seasonal changes in Star Jasmine are influenced by fluctuating air temperatures, a trend that must be continued in the coming years to highlight the impact of climate change on urban landscape phenology and species sustainability.

Water limitation significantly impacts ornamental plant production, particularly in arid regions. Tagetes erecta L. is well known for its decorative value and therapeutic importance as well as its sensitivity to low water availability. This study explores the application of chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) sprays at different levels (50, 200, and 500 ppm) in enhancing plant resilience to drought stress while maintaining their optimal physiological performance. The plants were watered on two different schedules (every two days and every six days). Drought conditions (every six days) resulted in decreased plant growth, chlorophyll composition, carbohydrate levels, and increased proline accumulation, and oxidative stress. The application of COS, particularly at moderate concentrations (50–200 ppm), improved plant performance. The treated plants showed enhanced growth, increased nutrient levels (carbohydrates, k and Ca), and retained photosynthetic pigments. Concurrently, COS reinforced the antioxidant defense system of the plant, enhancing the activity of crucial enzymes (SOD, CAT, and APX) and diminishing oxidative damage (H2O2). Drought alone stimulated phenolic compound accumulation and antioxidant activity. The COS application resulted in stronger antimicrobial properties of plant extracts against several pathogenic microorganisms. Overall, the results indicate that COS provides benefits beyond protecting stressed plants. This process enables them to adapt more efficiently and enhances their biochemical and medicinal properties. The dual benefit of COS shows that it could be a long-term strategic application for growing T. erecta in arid areas

Crop health and yield are both affected severely by abiotic strains globally. One of the most tolerant crops to abiotic stresses, barley (Hordeum vulgare) is grown in every continent. The current study finds gene orthologs responsible for salt-stress tolerance in barley. It seems possible to identify orthologs in other plants using the available information. For this purpose, 89 genes were selected from the scientific literature that had been peer-reviewed. To find the genes associated with abiotic stress, the Arabidopsis thaliana genome-wide gene expression database was examined. A total of 519 A. thaliana genes associated with salt-stress were shown using the STRING database and co-expression analysis. Fourteen clusters connected to 138 genes were discovered through cluster analysis. TAIR database was used to obtain the amino acid sequences of the Arabidopsis gene. Comparative analyses between the non-redundant Hordeum vulgare protein sequence and the Arabidopsis network-associated protein sequence identified 14 transcription factors and 9 A. thaliana domains with unclear functions. In comparison, barley had five domains with unknown functions and 9 transcription factors. The enrichment tool helped us to recognize six molecular functions that were crucial to the salt-stress response of plants. The orthologs data may be used to increase productivity and reduce the loss of barley yield on account of abiotic stresses

Medicinal plants represent vital therapeutics and sources for the synthesis of drugs due to their bioactive phytochemicals, especially polyphenols. Such plants have antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, which make them beneficial against a variety of diseases. Recently, in the 21st century, traditional herbal remedies particularly from the developing world have attracted global interest. The application in nutraceuticals and cosmetics has increased the further demand for medicinal plants in developed countries, which demands international research collaboration focused on the identification of potent therapeutic species. Such plants may prove to be valuable alternative foods and assist in the discovery of new drugs of commercial importance. Moreover, they can act as a potential source of germplasm for the socio-economic uplift of local communities and the nation as a whole. Based on this, it is suggested that although the present work offered some baseline data, comprehensive phytochemical profiling and functional properties research is recommended. The current research has been considered with the aim to examine the phytochemical content, its HPLC profiles, and phytoremediation potential of three resistant medicinal plants, Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad, Capparis decidua (Forssk.) Edgew., and Calotropis procera (Aiton.) W.T. Aiton, which were collected from four ecologically different districts of Punjab: Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahimyar Khan, and Lodhran

This study addresses the gap by evaluating traditionally used 10 medicinal plants from the Skardu region. The objectives were to quantify key phytochemical components, assess antioxidant, antimicrobial, enzyme inhibitory, and cytotoxic potentials. Moreover, identified species with promising pharmacological relevance. Phytochemical content, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity, enzyme inhibition, and cytotoxic activity of methanolic extracts of the selected plants were investigate. Artemisia siversiana had the highest Total Phenolic Content (53.8 ± 0.19 µg GAE/mg extract) and free radical scavenging activity 85.7 ± 0.33 with 33.2 IC50 (µg/ml).While, Capparis spinosa had the maximum Total Flavonoid Content (41.6 ± 0.41 µg QE/mg extract), and Total Antioxidant Capacity (211.2 ± 0.42 µg AAE/mg extract). The Total Reducing Power was recorded highest in Thymus leniaris L. 217.7 ± 0.15 μg AAE/mg extract. The antibacterial tests was done against five resistant and two non-resistant bacterial strains respectively. Artemisia siversiana and Thymus leniaris L. have noteworthy anti-Pseudomonas aeruginosa inhibitory activity. Thymus leniaris L. exerted a significant 12 mm antifungal zone of inhibition followed by Artemisia brevifolium and Delphinium brunonianum (10 mm each). Acantholimon lycopodioides having highest antidiabetic capacity with an inhibition of alpha- amylase by 76.7% with an IC50 of 9.8 µg/ml. Whereas, Peganum harmala was reported with most cytotoxic potential (LD50 = 29.4 µg/ml). Furthermore, highest anti-hemolytic activity was exhibited by Aconitum heterophyllum (74.3 ± 0.57 µg/ml). These findings highlight the high phytochemical richness and multifunctional bioactivities of these plant extracts, supporting their potential as antidiabetic, anticancer, and antimicrobial drug application

The metabolism of food crops irrigated with untreated wastewater leads to heavy metal exposure in edible plant components, and even at extremely low doses, the consumption of toxic elements can pose serious health threats to humans. This problem is alarmingly striking in Pakistan, where wastewater irrigation for agriculture has become extensive in urban and peri-urban areas due to water scarcity. The present study integrates investigations on two commonly consumed root vegetables, carrot (Daucus carota L.) and turnip (Brassica rapa L.), cultivated in Sargodha and Sillanwali during 2023–2024 using sewage water, canal water, and tube well water. The study aimed to examine the levels of copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and chromium (Cr) in soil, water, crops, and human blood samples, and to evaluate the potential health risks associated with their consumption. Physico-chemical analysis of soil and water samples was carried out, and heavy metal contamination was assessed using contamination factor (CF), enrichment factor (EF), bioconcentration factor (BCF), estimated daily intake (EDI), and hazard quotient (HQ). The uptake of metals from soil into the edible parts of carrot and turnip was also evaluated. Results showed that metal concentrations were highest at sewage water sites (SW1) and lowest at tube well sites (TW2). Comparative assessment revealed species-specific uptake patterns, with carrot showing relatively higher accumulation of Fe and Mn, while turnip exhibited comparatively higher Zn and Pb concentrations. However, all index values and HQ remained below 1, indicating that metal concentrations were within permissible limits. This study adds weight to existing evidence suggesting that open cultivation under untreated wastewater should be discouraged and highlights the urgent need for wastewater treatment and continuous monitoring to ensure food safety

This study aims to investigate the diversity of agro-morphological, physio-chemical, cooking and textural characteristics in twenty-one rice varieties/ advanced lines with four international reference material named PI 388273, PI 389864, PI 636803 and PI 317519, cultivated at the Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), Faisalabad, Pakistan. The findings demonstrated significant variation (p≤05) among the various quantitative and qualitative traits. The results showed highly significant agronomic diversity among the genotypes. The amylose content was ranged between 1.2-30.5% among the genotypes. The highest amylose were recorded in reference material PI.317519 (30.5%) followed by EF52xELD.B (33/4) (29.8%), Noor Basmati (25.3%) and Kisan Basmati (24.2%) which is desirable for diabetic patients due to their low value of glycemic index. Cultivar PS-2 grains were extra-long, slender, scented with high alkali digestion value (6) and high gelatinization temperature and had the highest kernel length 4.5-6.5 mm before and after cooking. DM 1-30-20 grains were short-bold, scented with low alkali digestion value (2) and low gelatinization temperature with 2 chalkiness grade along with very low amylose (5%) content and had the lowest kernel length 1.03-1.23 mm. In cooking analysis all rice genotypes showed water uptake ratio range 4.6-7.3 which indicative of good value of cooking. Principal component analysis exhibited that 94 % variation among quality and yield related traits was contributed by first two PCs.  Cultivar CP-1 was observed quite distinct as compared to rest of the genotypes. This finding provides that genotypes which have been ranked high in respective grain quality and nutritive attributes can be employed in future rice cross breeding program to enhance the improvement of the traits of interest

A new clamp-less ectomycorrhizal species, Inocybe sineofibulae sp. nov., collected from the Lamleek Forest of Kumrat Valley, KP, Pakistan. Morpho-anatomical and molecular characterization classified it in Inocybe sect. Marginatae. This newly described species is characterized by small sized basidiomata (pileus 1.8–2.3 cm) having pale brown fibrillose pileus with cracked margins, orange adnexed lamellae and a longitudinally striate stipe (3.1–5.6 × 0.4 cm). Large amyloid basidiospores (11.2–11.5 × 7.2–7.6 μm), exceptionally large metuloid cystidia and absence of clamp connections. It resembles I. cryptica in its small basidiomata and smooth, ellipsoidal spores but differs by having larger amyloid spores, significantly larger cystidia and the absence of clamp connections, which are abundant in I. cryptica. Phylogenetic analysis (ITS) declares its genetic distinctness, showing ~90% ITS similarity to I. cryptica. This finding highlights the unexplored fungal diversity of the Hindukush regions of Pakistan and emphasizes the value of integrative taxonomy in resolving cryptic lineages.

Cuscuta is a parasitic plant that is increasingly becoming an ecological and management problem especially in urban and semi-arid areas. This paper examined the environmental factors and the host physiological reactions that resulted in Cuscuta campestris infestation in Conocarpus erectus in four ecologically different areas of Punjab, Pakistan (Faisalabad, Khanewal, Toba Tek Singh and Wah Cant). Incidence measurements in the field were correlated with laboratory analyses in order to measure growth, photosynthetic pigments, osmolytes, stress markers, and antioxidant enzymes between the infested and healthy hosts. Host-parasite-environmental interactions were deciphered using statistical modelling, such as multivariate analysis, principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple linear regressions (MLR). Findings showed that site-specific climatic conditions, especially humidity and temperatures, were highly affecting the Cuscuta infestation intensity, as well as the host physiological impairment. High infestation rates, oxidative stress and high antioxidant and phenolic defenses were observed in warm and moderately humid environments (Faisalabad, Khanewal) and low parasite success and milder host responses in mild or dry cooler sites (Wah Cant, Toba Tek Singh). PCA predicted 83.7 per cent of the total variance and set the difference between the stressed infested hosts that exhibited high activity of antioxidants and osmolytes and the healthy pigment rich individuals in cool and moist regions. The interactions of humidity the most important environments predicting Cuscuta spread and host mortality and the next important factor was temperature, whereas excessive rain and low temperatures decreased the potential infestation. These data support the idea that the Cuscuta-Conocarpus interactions are controlled by the synergistic climatic controls and host metabolic adaptations. The infestation severity depended on environmental gradients which also interfere with the distribution of host defense between the resistance to growth and resistance to stress

Invasive plant species establish in new habitats outside their natural ranges, often leading to ecological, economic, and public health impacts. Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. (ragweed), native to North America, is a major invasive species due to its competitive growth and highly allergenic pollen, which can induce hay fever and asthma. This study represents the first record of the species in Ordu province and aims to determine its distribution, habitat preferences, and population characteristics within Ordu, Türkiye. Field surveys were conducted during August–September 2021, the peak phenological period of the plant. Sampling took place at 1–2 km intervals along roadsides, rubble debris areas, riverbanks, non-agricultural lands, and hazelnut orchards. Plant density (plant/m²) and percent cover were measured using a 0.25 m² quadrat. The species was recorded for the first time in Ordu, forming populations at 20 locations: 16 on roadsides and four in rubble debris areas. A total of 27 plant species belonging to 12 families were identified in the surveyed habitats. A. artemisiifolia was the dominant species, with a mean cover of 24%. The most frequent co-occurring species were Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist, Sambucus ebulus L., Xanthium strumarium L. and Convolvulus arvensis L. Although ragweed was not detected in hazelnut orchards, the presence of all associated species as common weeds in these areas suggests a high future invasion risk. Overall, the findings indicate that ragweed is primarily concentrated in anthropogenic habitats, and its spread is likely facilitated by transportation and soil movement. Given its ecological competitiveness and strong allergenic impacts on human health, early detection, regular monitoring, and effective control strategies are essential to prevent further expansion

Isolation of single nuclei from multinucleate spores and hyphae of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomeromycota) is technically challenging but provides important information about genetic diversity and genome organization. This study aimed to isolate single nuclei from hyphae and spores of Glomus irregulare isolate DAOM 181602, amplify marker genes and get an idea about presence of homokaryons and heterokaryons in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi grown on Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM) slides in bicompartmental Petri plates produced hyphae which showed reduced autofluorescence, enabling excellent visualization and successful catapulting of nuclei. Single nucleus was also successfully isolated from spores by gentle crushing and staining on LCM slides. Isolated nuclei were subjected to multiple-strand displacement amplification (MDA) followed by multiplex PCR targeting nine Glomus irregulare genes. The Binding protein (BiP) gene amplified successfully from approximately 50% of single nuclei, while most other genes showed inconsistent amplification. Cloning and sequencing of BiP from six single nuclei revealed 1-7 allelic variants per nucleus. Direct sequencing traces from additional nuclei confirmed that some nuclei contain single BiP sequences while others harbor multiple variants, providing insights into the genetic organization of this arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus

Watermelon sclerotiniose has become increasingly severe under conditions of expanded cultivation and continuous cropping. This study aimed to isolate the causal pathogen and evaluate a rhizosphere-derived bacterial antagonist for biological control. Strain LY24, isolated from diseased watermelon stems and vines, was identified as S. sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary, through morphological and molecular analyses. Strain LY24 exhibited optimal growth under the following conditions: mannitol as the carbon source, tryptone as the nitrogen source, supplementation of NaCl, pH 9, a temperature of 25°C, and complete darkness. Forty rhizosphere soil samples were collected from watermelon-growing areas in Changchun (including Jiutai District), yielding 300 bacterial isolates. These isolates were screened using a dual-culture (plate confrontation) assay. Strain XJ-04 exhibited strong antagonism against S. sclerotiorum, with a 5.21 mm inhibition zone and a 70.12% inhibition rate. Based on morphological and molecular evidence, combined with Gram staining and standard biochemical tests, strain XJ-04 was identified as B. marisflavi. The fermentation medium was optimized using an orthogonal design combined with response surface methodology. The optimal formulation (sucrose 21.08 g/L, fine bran 9.17 g/L, K₂HPO₄·3H₂O 9.77 g/L, pH 9) increased the inhibition rate to 77.78%, compared to 71.75% before optimization. The optimal fermentation conditions were 100 mL working volume, 30°C, and a 3-day incubation period. The fermentation broth demonstrated stable antifungal activity after treatments involving temperature, pH, storage time, and light conditions. These results indicated that B. marisflavi XJ-04 may be a promising biocontrol candidate for watermelon sclerotiniose

Teucrium stocksianum Boiss, a medicinally valuable herb, is well-reported for its anticancer, antimalarial, and analgesic properties, alongside its traditional use in treating sore throat and jaundice. Given these immense therapeutic values, it is crucial to understand how the therapeutic compounds extraction in T. stocksianum is affected by the different solvent types. Therefore, the current study investigates how different solvent systems of varying polarities influence the extraction efficiency, phytochemical content, and bioactivities of T. stocksianum extracts (leaves, roots, and stem). It was found that water and water-based organic solvent combinations gave the highest extraction yields; however, phytochemical contents and bioactivities were not directly proportional to extraction yields. The phenolic and flavonoid contents positively correlated with most solvents' miscibility indices except for water. Moreover, a blend of non-polar and polar solvents extracted higher amounts of flavonoid and phenolic contents than non-polar solvents alone. A direct correlation (r2) was seen between phenolic contents and antioxidant activities across three plant parts. The best IC50 value was recorded for methanolic leaf extract (27 µg/mL), methanol-chloroform stem extract (37 µg/mL), and methanol-acetone root extract (34 µg/mL). Protein kinase enzyme inhibitory activity was highest in n-hexane-ethyl acetate leaf extract (15.7 ± 2.3 mm inhibition against Streptomyces), while the brine shrimp bioassay revealed potential cytotoxicity with LC50 values of 5 µg/mL (chloroform root extract), 16 µg/mL (acetone stem extract), and 47 µg/mL (n-hexane leaf extract). Extracts prepared using medium-polarity solvents (methanol, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and acetone) demonstrated excellent antifungal and antibacterial properties. In conclusion, the T. stocksianum extract's antioxidant activities and reducing power directly correlate with the phenolic contents and overall biological and cytotoxic activities

Mesembryanthemum forskahlii (Aizoaceae) is a medicinally important and ecologically adaptable species whose genetic and phytochemical diversity remains underexplored. In this study, two natural populations from Aljouf and Qassim (Saudi Arabia) were analyzed to assess genetic variation, genome size, phytochemical composition, and antimicrobial activity. Using 16 ISSR primers, 303 loci were scored, with 99.01% polymorphism, indicating high allelic richness; AMOVA revealed that 78% of genetic variation resided within populations, while Gst (0.1369) and Nm (3.15) indicated moderate differentiation and substantial gene flow. UPGMA and PCoA clustering confirmed partial overlap between populations, reflecting ongoing genetic exchange. Genome size estimation showed small but consistent differences (Aljouf: 0.845 pg; Qassim: 1.059 pg), both within the Aizoaceae range. GC–MS profiling revealed regional variation in secondary metabolites, with Aljouf extracts enriched in n-Hexadecanoic acid 9 14.96%) and Qassim extracts dominated by Lupeol (33.33%). Antibacterial assays demonstrated strong inhibition against Escherichia coli (70.28%) and Staphylococcus aureus (55.66%), with higher activity in Aljouf extracts, while antifungal effects were most pronounced against Alternaria alternata (95%), followed by Aspergillus terreus (71%) and Candida tropicalis (65%). These findings provide the first integrative evidence of high genetic diversity, conserved genome size, population-specific phytochemical variation, and potent antimicrobial activity in M. forskalii, highlighting its adaptive capacity, medicinal potential, and conservation value

Global food security and increasing water scarcity demand more efficient paddy irrigation scheduling, while the limited computational power and memory of edge devices pose challenges for accurate reference crop evapotranspiration (ET₀) prediction. To address this issue, we propose a lightweight GRU variant, termed Tiny-GRU, which integrates temporal attention, unstructured pruning, and post-training dynamic range quantization to enable efficient deployment under resource-constrained edge computing. Nine model configurations were benchmarked on a Raspberry Pi 5 and a resource-constrained Intel i5 platform, with performance evaluated in terms of predictive accuracy, inference latency, memory usage, and thermal stability. Results indicate that the optimized Tiny-GRU configurations achieve high forecasting accuracy (RMSE ≈ 0.02 mm·h⁻¹) while maintaining fast on-device inference (≈ 0.21 ms per sample on Raspberry Pi 5) and stable runtime behavior suitable for continuous edge operation. Statistical analysis confirmed that the observed performance differences among model configurations were significant (p < 0.001). Furthermore, a cross-platform visualization framework was developed to analyze trade-offs between predictive performance and resource consumption, thereby supporting decision-making for edge-oriented benchmarking in smart paddy irrigation. Overall, the proposed Tiny-GRU framework provides a practical and scalable solution for efficient ET₀ forecasting on resource-limited edge devices

Under the national policy advocating "sustainable" and "low-carbon" agricultural development, microalgae fertilizer, as an ecological and environmentally friendly biological fertilizer, has gained increasing scholarly attention for its potential to improve soil quality and enhance crop growth. Nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria, autotrophic photosynthetic microorganisms capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen and carbon, play a vital role in global energy conversion and biogeochemical cycles. In this study, applying varying concentrations of Anabaena sp. to potted wheat and using the supernatant as a control group (CK) allowed researchers to examine the effects of these concentrations on the growth of wheat seedlings as well as the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil. Results indicated that wheat treated with different concentrations of Anabaena sp. grew better than the control group. When the concentration of Anabaena sp. fertilizer was 0.04 mg/cm2, the growth of wheat was the fastest, and the chlorophyll content, root length, and fresh weight were 50.8%, 18.1%, and 84.2% higher than those of the CK. Light energy utilization efficiency in wheat leaves significantly improved. At 0.023 mg/cm2, the soil organic matter (SOM) content, nutrient content (N, P, K), soil nitrate reductase (S-NR), soil urease (S-UE), soil acid phosphatase (S-ACP), and soil alkaline phosphatase (S-AKP) activities all reached the highest values. The pH and conductivity values were lower than those of the control group.

Desert truffles of the genus Terfezia are valued for their nutritional richness and traditional medicinal use, yet scientific characterization of species growing in the Egyptian desert remains limited. Terfezia boudieri, in particular, is widely consumed but underexplored in terms of its bioactive potential. To address this gap, the present study aimed to evaluate the nutritional composition, chemical constituents, and biological activities of T. boudieri. The objectives included assessing its antioxidant capacity, determining its antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria and fungi, and examining the structural effects of its extracts on selected microorganisms. Fresh truffle samples were analyzed for macronutrients, sugars, organic acids, phenolic acids, and fatty acids. Antioxidant activity was measured using scavenging assays, while antimicrobial effects of different extracts were evaluated by inhibition zone assays. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy were employed to observe ultrastructural alterations in the most affected microbes. The truffle showed notable nutritional value, with carbohydrates (15.3 g/100 g), proteins (9.03 g/100 g), ash (4.47 g/100 g), and fats (3.82 g/100 g) as major components. Arabinose (3.02 g/100 g), citric acid (5.04 g/100 g), and p-hydroxybenzoic acid (10.65 g/100 g) were the dominant sugar, organic acid, and phenolic acid, respectively. Palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids were the primary fatty acids (44.8%, 19.04%, and 11.37%). Methanolic extract exhibited the strongest antioxidant effect (IC₅₀ = 35.7 ± 0.3 µg/ml) and the highest antimicrobial activity against all tested bacteria and fungi. Microscopy revealed pronounced structural damage in Aspergillus flavus, Candida glabrata, Salmonella typhi, and Staphylococcus aureus following treatment. These findings highlight T. boudieri, particularly its methanolic extract, as a promising natural source of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents with potential therapeutic applications

In this study, the phytochemical composition and biological activities of Euphorbia dendroides L. extract collected from the western Mediterranean coast of Egypt were investigated. Spectroscopic and chromatographic analyses enabled the identification of major bioactive compounds. The ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract demonstrated the highest amounts of total phenolics (168.0 mg GAE/g) and flavonoids (71.6 mg QE/g) among all examined extracts. A total of 18 polyphenolic compounds were identified by HPLC, with chlorogenic acid as the predominant phenolic acid and naringenin as the principal flavonoid. The EtOAc extract showed the most potent antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ = 2.24 µg/mL), exceeding that of ascorbic acid. Cytotoxic assays indicated a dose-dependent inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, with the dichloromethane (DCM) fraction being the most effective (IC₅₀ = 31.42 ± 3.35 for Caco-2, 76.86 ± 1.49 for MCF7, and 76.11 ± 1.09 µg/mL for Panc-1). The EtOAc fraction also showed considerable cytotoxicity (IC₅₀ = 90.79 ± 2.13 for Caco-2, 79.86 ± 0.6 for MCF7, and 84.3 ± 1.49 µg/mL for Panc-1). Both fractions were effective in fighting cancer, with a selectivity index value (SI) greater than 2, indicating a possible application in targeted cancer treatments. The extracts demonstrated a strong ability to kill germs, particularly the DCM fraction, which created zones of no growth up to 29 mm against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, and a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 3.9 µg/mL against S. aureus. This paper presents the first study to explore the polyphenolic composition and the biological activities of E. dendroides extract from Egypt, supporting its potential application in herbal therapy medicine and the development of functional foods.