Shahzad Saleem

This study assessed genetic diversity and population structure among 23 citrus genotypes comprising 14 grapefruit ( Citrus paradisi ), seven pummelo ( Citrus maxima ) and two sweet orange ( Citrus sinensis ) genotypes using inter‐primer binding site (iPBS) markers. Twenty primers produced 425 amplified bands, of which 396 were polymorphic (93.18% overall). Primer‐specific polymorphism ranged from 86% to 100% and polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged from 0.21 to 0.35, indicating moderate marker informativeness. Species‐group diversity estimates were highest for C. paradisi (97.44% polymorphic loci), followed by C. maxima (84.62%); estimates for C. sinensis were substantially lower (25.65%) but should be interpreted cautiously because only two genotypes were sampled. The first two principal coordinates explained 32.06% of the molecular variation and showed partial, overlapping species‐associated structuring. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) attributed 92% of the variation to differences within species groups and 8% to differences among groups (PhiPT = 0.080, p = 0.020). Bayesian analysis supported three major genetic components at K = 3; some genotypes were strongly assigned to one component, whereas others had mixed membership. These results provide a preliminary molecular baseline for citrus germplasm characterisation in Punjab and require confirmation through larger, balanced sampling and codominant or sequence‐based markers.

Bactrocera zonata or peach fruit fly, is a quarantined pest and is a major threat to horticultural crops especially in Pakistan and South Asian region. Influence of gut microbiota in determining the biological and behavioral features of B. zonata concerning digestion, immunity, mating, and foraging. Bacterial species which are Enterobacter, Lactobacillus, and Acetobacter are involved in the various aspects of nutritional acquisition, immunology, and fertility through producing volatile metabolites that impacts on sexual activity. It also plays a part in the ecological adaptations of gut microbiota; they put forward new approaches to integrated pest management (IPM). This Integrated pest management deals with microbiome change, pheromones disruption and the use of microbiome boosted baits, which supports the environmental objectives of agriculture. Digital surveillance and monitoring systems can be used to enhance the real-time adoption. IPM strategies such as microbiota manipulation and pheromone intervention present ecological innovative pest control solutions to chemical insecticides. These methods involve using protein based chemicals, microorganisms and mechanical attractants such as methyl eugenol and protein hydrolysate lures. Modern technologies provide higher accuracy and efficacy of these methods: digital video surveillance, and the use of automated equipment in monitoring contribute to suppression of B. zonata. This review predisposes indications of microbiome-targeted approaches towards changing the ‘paradigm of pest control’ in the context of IPM, reducing pesticide reliance, perusing conservation of beneficial insects and indeed nurturing sustainable agriculture. This biological control aims for field testing, gut microbiota manipulation, and targeted microbial management for location dependent pest management solutions for optimization of pest control and to tackle current and emerging issues in agriculture.

The research paper titled "Sustainable Agriculture: Aquaponics-Integrated Greenhouse Cultivation of Cantaloupe with Drip Irrigation System" presents an innovative approach to sustainable agriculture by integrating aquaponics with greenhouse cultivati...

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The research article titled "Biological Components in Cucumbers (Cucumis Sativus L.): Implications for Pickle Manufacturing and Health Benefits in Fresh and Processed Varieties" presents a comprehensive exploration into the biological components of c...

An evaluation of the expression and predictive significance of the MDM2 gene in brain lower-grade glioma (LGG) cancer was carried out using onco-informatics pipelines. Several transcriptome servers were used to measure the differential expression of the targeted MDM2 gene and search mutations and copy number variations. GENT2, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis, Onco-Lnc, and PrognoScan were used to figure out the survival rate of LGG cancer patients. The protein–protein interaction networks between MDM2 gene and its co-expressed genes were constructed by Gene-MANIA tool. Identified bioactive phytochemicals were evaluated through molecular docking using Schrödinger Suite Software, with the MDM2 (PDB ID: 1RV1) target. Protein–ligand interactions were observed with key residues of the macromolecular target. A molecular dynamics simulation of the novel bioactive compounds with the targeted protein was performed. Phytochemicals targeting MDM2 protein, such as Taxifolin and (-)-Epicatechin, have been shown with more highly stable results as compared to the control drug, and hence, concluded that phytochemicals with bioactive potential might be alternative therapeutic options for the management of LGG patients. Our once informatics-based designed pipeline has indicated that the MDM2 gene may have been a predictive biomarker for LGG cancer and selected phytochemicals possessed outstanding interaction results within the macromolecular target’s active site after utilizing in silico approaches. In vitro and in vivo experiments are recommended to confirm these outcomes.

Phytopathogenic fungi are serious threats in the agriculture sector especially in fruit and vegetable production. The use of plant essential oil as antifungal agents has been in practice from many years. Plant essential oils (PEOs) of Cuminum cyminum, Trachyspermum ammi, Azadirachta indica, Syzygium aromaticum, Moringa oleifera, Mentha spicata, Eucalyptus grandis, Allium sativum, and Citrus sinensis were tested against Fusarium oxysporum. Three phase trials consist of lab testing (MIC and MFC), field testing (seed treatment and foliar spray), and computer‐aided fungicide design (CAFD). Two concentrations (25 and 50 μl/ml) have been used to asses MIC while MFC was assessed at four concentrations (25, 50, 75, and 100 μl/ml). C. sinensis showed the largest inhibition zone (47.5 and 46.3 m²) for both concentrations. The lowest disease incidence and disease severity were recorded in treatments with C. sinensis PEO. Citrus sinensis that qualified in laboratory and field trials was selected for CAFD. The chemical compounds of C. sinensis PEO were docked with polyketide synthase beta‐ketoacyl synthase domain of F. oxysporum by AutoDock Vina. The best docked complex was formed by nootkatone with ‐6.0 kcal/mol binding affinity. Pharmacophore of the top seven C. sinensis PEO compounds was used for merged pharmacophore generation. The best pharmacophore model with 0.8492 score was screened against the CMNP database. Top hit compounds from screening were selected and docked with polyketide synthase beta‐ketoacyl synthase domain. Four compounds with the highest binding affinity and hydrogen bonding were selected for confirmation of lead molecule by doing MD simulation. The polyketide synthase‐CMNPD24498 showed the highest stability throughout 80 ns run of MD simulation. CMNPD24498 (FW054‐1) from Verrucosispora was selected as the lead compound against F. oxysporum.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a very common metabolic disorder/disease. The deterioration of β-cells by autoimmune system is the hallmark of this disease. Thioredoxin-Interacting Protein (TXNIP) is responsible for β-cells degradation by T-cells in the pancreas. This protein had been declared a good drug target for controlling DM. Lots of side effects have been reported as a result of long-time consumption of conventional antidiabetic drugs. The development of new and effective drugs with the minimal side effects needs time. TXNIP was selected as a target for Computer-Aided Drug Design. The antidiabetic fungal metabolite compounds were selected from the literature. The compounds were screened for their drug-likeness properties by DruLiTo and DataWarior tools. Twenty-two drug-like fungal compounds were subjected to Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) analysis by using CheS-Mapper 2.0. The lowest (0.01) activity cliff was found for three compounds: Pinazaphilone A, Pinazaphilone B, and Chermesinone A. The highest value for apol (81.76) was shown by Asperphenamate, while Albonoursin and Sterenin L showed highest score (40.66) for bpol. The lowest value (0.46) for fractional molecular frame (FMF) was calculated for Pinazaphilone A and Pinazaphilone B. TPSA for Pinazaphilone A and Pinazaphilone B was 130.51 Ų. was observed for all the twenty-two compounds. Molecular docking of fungal compounds with TXNIP was done by AutoDock Vina. The binding energy for complexes ranged between −9.2 and −4.6 kcal/mol. Four complexes, TXNIP-Pinazaphilone A, TXNIP-Pinazaphilone B, TXNIP-Asperphenamate, and TXNIP-Sterenin L, were selected for MD simulation to find out the best lead molecule. Only one complex, TXNIP-Pinazaphilone B, showed a stable conformation throughout the 80 ns run of MD simulation. Pinazaphilone B derived from the Penicillium species fungi was selected as the lead molecule for development of antidiabetic drug having the least side effects.