Adel Mohamed Ghoneim

Excessive application and continuous use of glyphosate herbicide negatively affect plant growth. In addition to damaging soil health in agricultural systems, it disrupts protein synthesis, nutrient cycle, chlorophyll decrease, and photosynthesis, leading to slow growth and decreased plant mass. TWBC can significantly enhance plant growth by improving soil structure, encouraging water retention, and enhancing microbial activity as a slow-release nutrient. Zeolite is a natural mineral that retains essential nutrients, prevents soil leaching, and enhances soil structure, aeration, and water-holding capacity, thereby promoting plant growth. Its buffering capacity changes soil pH, ensuring optimal nutrient acquisition. This study examines the combined effect of TWBC with ZL as a supplement to enhance maize growth under glyphosate stress. Treatments included control, 0.15%, 0.30%, 0.60%, and 1.20% TWBC, applied with 0% and 5% ZL using a completely randomized design in three replications. The combination of 0.60% TWBC with 5% ZL led to an increase in maize plant height (44.91%), root length (49.69%), shoot fresh weight (44.21%), shoot dry weight (58.47%), root fresh weight (52.55%), and root dry weight (62.50%) compared to the control. Additionally, a significant increase in leaf N (23.50%), P (29.09%), and K (17.24%) was observed, while a decrease in glyphosate concentration (88.89%) under glyphosate stress validated the effect of 0.60% TWBC with 5% ZL treatment. In conclusion, the findings suggest that a 0.60% TWBC with 5% ZL is the most effective amendment for enhancing plant growth and mitigating glyphosate stress in maize plants.

This study investigated the impact of Agrobacterium fabrum (A. fabrum) and glycine betaine (GB) on mango seedling performance under saline and non-saline conditions using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Salinity stress was imposed based on electrical conductivity (EC), with two levels: 2.77 dS m ^− 1 (non-saline) and 6.56 dS m ^− 1 (saline). Application of A. fabrum in combination with 0.4% GB significantly improved seedling growth and physiology under salt stress. Agronomic traits, including scion and rootstock height, diameter, and biomass (fresh and dry weights), were markedly enhanced, with increases ranged from 18.34 to 79.47%. Physiological parameters such as chlorophyll content, relative water content, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate were also improved by about 20.04–88.06%. Mechanistically, these improvements suggest that A. fabrum likely enhanced nutrient uptake and root vigor, while GB functioned as an osmoprotectant, stabilizing cellular structures and maintaining water balance. Their synergistic action effectively mitigated salt-induced oxidative and osmotic stress, thereby promoting overall mango seedling resilience.

Maize crop is a vital source of nutrients, but its productivity and nutritional quality are threatened by climate change–induced stresses. Among different micronutrients, zinc (Zn) has prime importance due to its role in improving growth, enzyme activation, protein synthesis, and chlorophyll production. On the other hand, iron (Fe) is essential for electron transport, respiration, energy production, and metabolic functions. Furthermore, the role of boron (B) in cell wall formation, membrane integrity, pollen germination, seed and fruit development is also vital. Previous studies have largely focused on individual micronutrient management, overlooking their synergistic roles. However, synergistic contribution of zinc, iron, and boron toward maize biofortification and yield improvement still needs investigation. This study uniquely addresses this gap by evaluating sole and consortia applications of these micronutrients to enhance yield and micronutrients (Zn, Fe, and B) in maize. A total of eight treatments, i.e., control, Fe, Zn, B, Fe + Zn, Fe + B, Zn + B, and Fe + Zn + B, were applied in soil while bed preparation for sowing of maize (Azam variety) in three replications, following a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Results demonstrate that Fe + Zn + B caused an increase in maize plant height (33.12%), 1000-grain weight (37.05%), biological yield (21.23%), grain yield (47.35%) while decrease in POD (38.77%), SOD (48.37%), CAT (48.78%), and APx (50.00%) compared to the control. Furthermore, improvement in Fe, Zn, and B concentration in leaves and grains verified the efficacious functioning of Fe + Zn + B more than the control. In conclusion, Fe + Zn + B is suggested as an effective amendment for mitigating nutritional deficiency in maize.

This study evaluated the combined application of biochar (BC) and Spirulina platensis (SP) as a sustainable strategy to improve soil quality and salinity tolerance in mint (Mentha longifolia L.) cultivated in sandy soils. A pot experiment was conducted using saline irrigation water (5 dS m⁻¹) with four treatments: control, BC alone, SP alone, and BC + SP applied at 1% (w/w), arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Salt stress reduced plant height and biomass yield by 16% and 27%, respectively, and increased sodium (Na⁺) in shoots by 74%, causing ionic imbalance and decreased soil microbial biomass carbon by 19%. The combined BC + SP treatment significantly improved soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) by 100%, reduced soil Na⁺ by 41%, and enhanced K⁺/Na⁺ and Ca²⁺/Na⁺ ratios by 138% and 133%, respectively. Under salinity, BC + SP increased nutrient concentrations in mint shoots, including N (120%), P (106%), K (88%), Ca (67%), Fe (70%), Mn (50%), Zn (44%), and Cu (70%), and improved leaf chlorophyll content. These results demonstrate that BC and SP synergistically mitigate salinity stress by improving soil properties, nutrient uptake, and ionic balance, making BC + SP a promising sustainable amendment for saline sandy soils.

Heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils is a growing environmental concern, particularly due to the increasing accumulation of cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr) from industrial discharge, wastewater irrigation, and excessive fertilizer use. These toxic metals severely impact crop productivity by disrupting nutrient uptake, damaging root structures, and inducing oxidative stress, which collectively inhibit plant growth and development. Maize (Zea mays L.), a globally important cereal crop, is highly susceptible to heavy metal toxicity, making it essential to develop cost-effective and sustainable mitigation strategies. Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) biochar has emerged as an effective and sustainable method due to its ability to absorb heavy metals. Spent mushroom substrate biochar improves compost quality, soil fertility, and health. Its high porosity and surface area immobilize toxic metals, reducing nutrient losses and oxidative stress in plants. Pyrolysis temperature affects its surface area, nutrient composition, and adsorption abilities. This study aims to address this gap by evaluating the effectiveness of SMS biochar at varying application rates in mitigating Cd and Cr toxicity in maize. By assessing key physiological and agronomic parameters, this research provides novel insights into the potential of SMS biochar as a sustainable soil amendment for heavy metal-contaminated soils. Five treatments, i.e., 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200B were applied under Cd and Cr toxicity in 3 replications following the completely randomized design (CRD). Results exhibited that 200B caused an increase in maize plant height (26.1%), root dry weight (99.7%), grain yield (98.2%), and chlorophyll contents (50%) over control under Cd and Cr stress. In conclusion, 200B can mitigate Cd and Cr stress in maize plants. More investigations are suggested to declare 200B as a promising amendment for mitigation of Cd and Cr stress in other crops.

The availability and quality of irrigation water in Egypt have become major challenges for the agricultural sector. Thus, increasing water productivity and improving irrigation efficiency are critical goals. A field experiment was conducted under Upper Egypt conditions at the El-Mattana Agricultural Research Station, Luxor governorate, Egypt, to evaluate the effects of different irrigation methods traditional furrow irrigation (Ti), surge furrow irrigation (Si), and alternate furrow irrigation (Ai), on water productivity, growth, and yield of wheat in clay loam soil. The wheat cultivar MISR2 (Triticum aestivum L.) was cultivated during the 20/21 and 21/22 growing seasons, using irrigation scheduled after 50% depletion of the soil available water. The results indicated that the treatment of Si produced the greatest plant height (115.0 and 117.7 cm) and grain yield (7.99 and 8.16 t ha⁻¹) for both seasons, respectively. In contrast, the treatment of Ai resulted in the lowest values for these traits (106.4 and 107.2 cm in plant height and 6.94 and 6.24 t ha⁻¹ in grain yield, respectively). The total annual rainfall during the two growing seasons were recorded as 0 mm. The highest amount of irrigation water applied (6522, 6427.2 m3 ha-1) was recorded with the treatment of Ti; while the lowest amount (5493.6, 5175.1 m3 ha-1) was recorded with Ai treatments in 20/21, and 21/22 growing seasons, respectively. The highest irrigation water productivity (1.75 kg m-3 and 1.35 kg m-3 in the first season and 1.44 kg m-3 and 1.20 kg m-3 in the second season under the treatment of Ai and Si, respectively. The treatment of Ai was most effective for saving water, by 15.8% and 19.48% over the two seasons. These results suggesting that an extra irrigation water amount may be saved without any significant loss in yield of wheat when applying Si irrigation method. This research contributes to developing evidence-based irrigation management strategies for improving wheat production in arid regions.

The injudicious application of synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizer has adversely affected soil quality and the overall ecosystem. In this scenario, a two-year field experiments were carried out at the Agriculture Research Station (ARS) Swabi to evaluate the role of various sources of nitrogen (120 kg N ha-1) together with gibberellic acid (GA applied at the rate of100 mg L-1 as foliar spray) for achieving quality wheat production under different tillage systems (conventional and deep tillage system). The maximum thousand-grain weight (53.2 g), grain yield (3915 kg ha-1), biological yield (11668 kg ha-1), and harvest index (32.3%), were observed in plots where N was applied 50% each as farmyard and poultry manure along with gibberellic acid (FYM+PM+GR). Similarly, plots treated with FYM+PM+GR resulted highest grain and straw N content, and grain protein which were 61.1, 51.9 and 39.8% higher than control, respectively. Deep tillage system was found better than conventional tillage with respect to all tested traits. The integrated application of organic manures along with gibberellic acid improved wheat yield and quality under deep tillage system (once in five years) and should be adopted by farmers for obtaining quality yield of wheat.

Reuse poultry manure (PM) and vinasse (V) is a promising technology for the sustainability of various agricultural systems without environmental impact, but its effects on soil fertility index (SFI), hydraulic conductivity (Ks), porosity (TP), available water (AW), and spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) growth in calcareous soils are poorly understood. Therefore, we studied the residual effect of combining PM either individually or mixed with V at different rates in pots. This study found that adding PM alone or in conjunction with V at various application rates resulted in an important improvement in SFI, Ks, TP, AW, and spinach yield. Vinasse contributed to an increase in more than 20% of the organic matter when adding it as 4.2 g V and 6.3 g PM kg⁻¹ soil, and gave the best results in the organic matter fresh weight of spinach plant, SFI, and AW by 43.8%, 26.33%, 41.24%, and 63.63% compared to control. Spinach leaf uptake of NPK rose considerably when the soil was treated with PM alone or in combination with V. The SFI, cation exchange capacity (CEC), available N (AN), available P (AP), Ks, and AW were shown to be positively associated with spinach fresh weight utilizing principal component analysis, but soil electrical conductivity (EC), exchange sodium percentage (ESP), pH, and bulk density (BD) were found to be negatively correlated. Additionally, it was estimated by the K-Nearest Neighbors technique that under certain soil conditions, including AP 14.89 mg kg⁻¹, AN 38.25 mg kg⁻¹, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) 2.47 mg kg⁻¹, CEC 11.66 cmol kg⁻¹, exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) 11.65%, and SFI 26.55%, spinach fresh weight increases to 13.8 t ha⁻¹. These findings show how adding PM and V can improve soil quality and enhance nutrient uptake, all of which can contribute to a higher productivity of spinach and sustainability in calcareous soils.

The resilience of tomato plants under different cultivation environments, particularly saline and non-saline conditions, was investigated by applying various treatments, including 0.5% Ascorbic Acid (AsA) and 1% Sulphur-treated Biochar (BS). The study evaluated parameters such as fruit length, diameter, yield per plant and pot, Total Soluble Solids (TSS) content, chlorophyll content, electrolyte leakage, enzyme activities (Superoxide Dismutase - SOD, Peroxidase - POD, Catalase - CAT), and nutrient content (Nitrogen - N%, Phosphorus - P%, Potassium - K%). Under saline conditions, significant enhancements were observed in fruit characteristics and yield metrics with the application of AsA and BS individually, with the combined treatment yielding the most substantial improvements. Notably, AsA and BS treatments exhibited varying effects on TSS levels, chlorophyll content, electrolyte leakage, and enzyme activities, with the combination treatment consistently demonstrating superior outcomes. Additionally, nutrient content analysis revealed notable increases, particularly under non-saline conditions, with the combined treatment showcasing the most significant enhancements. Overall, the study underscores the potential of AsA and BS treatments in promoting tomato resilience, offering insights into their synergistic effects on multiple physiological and biochemical parameters crucial for plant growth and productivity.

The salinity and alkalinity of soils are two fundamental factors that limit plant growth and productivity. For that reason, a field study conducted at Sakha Agric. Res. Station in Egypt during the 2022–2023 winter season aimed to assess the impact of gypsum (G), compost (C), and zinc foliar application in two images, traditional (Z₁ as ZnSO₄) and nanoform (Z₂ as N-ZnO), on alleviating the saline–sodic conditions of the soil and its impact on wheat productivity. The results showed that the combination of gypsum, compost, and N-ZnO foliar spray (G + C + Z₂) decreased the soil electrical conductivity (EC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) by 14.81%, 40.60%, and 35.10%, respectively. Additionally, compared to the control, the G + C + Z₂ treatment showed improved nutrient content and uptake as well as superior wheat biomass parameters, such as the highest grain yield (7.07 Mg ha⁻¹), plant height (98.0 cm), 1000-grain weight (57.03 g), and straw yield (9.93 Mg ha⁻¹). Interestingly, foliar application of N-ZnO was more effective than ZnSO₄ in promoting wheat productivity. Principal component analysis highlighted a negative correlation between increased grain yield and the soil EC and SAR, whereas the soil organic matter (OM), infiltration rate (IR), and plant nutrient content were found to be positively correlated. Furthermore, employing the k-nearest neighbors technique, it was predicted that the wheat grain yield would rise to 7.25 t ha⁻¹ under certain soil parameters, such as EC (5.54 dS m⁻¹), ESP (10.02%), OM (1.41%), bulk density (1.30 g cm⁻³), infiltration rate (1.15 cm h⁻¹), and SAR (7.80%). These results demonstrate how adding compost and gypsum to foliar N-ZnO can improve the soil quality, increase the wheat yield, and improve the nutrient uptake, all of which can support sustainable agriculture.