Muhammad Iftikhar

Cadmium (Cd) toxicity severely impairs plant growth, physiology, and biochemical processes. This study investigated the effectiveness of nanoparticle‐based supplements (NCs‐I and NCs‐II) in alleviating Cd‐induced stress in eggplant ( Solanum melongena L.). Cadmium stress significantly reduced root length (41.11%), shoot length (26.97%), shoot fresh weight (35.02%), shoot dry weight (18.08%), chlorophyll a (62.38%), chlorophyll b (81.60%), carotenoids (43.17%), photosynthetic rate (32.44%), stomatal conductance (60.00%), transpiration rate (37.35%), and selenium accumulation in shoots (58.59%) and roots (66.67%). In contrast, Cd stress increased malondialdehyde (MDA) by 36.32%, hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂ ) by 77.27%, relative membrane permeability by 58.97%, electrolyte leakage by 47.06%, and proline accumulation by 76.52%, indicating severe oxidative damage. Application of NCs‐I and NCs‐II markedly mitigated Cd toxicity. Compared with Cd treatment alone, Cd + NCs‐II enhanced root length, shoot length, shoot fresh weight, and shoot dry weight by 116.83%, 59.49%, 71.86%, and 47.87%, respectively. Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoid contents increased by 187.34%, 247.83%, and 193.52%, while relative water content improved by 43.89%. Photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate increased by 62.30%, 185.00%, and 223.08%, respectively. Antioxidant defense was strengthened through increases in CAT (29.41%), POD (31.32%), and APX (71.64%) activities. Furthermore, Cd + NCs‐II enhanced shoot and root selenium accumulation by 235.66% and 377.81%, respectively, while restoring ionic balance through substantial increases in K ⁺ , Ca ²⁺ , and Mg ²⁺ contents. NCs‐I alone produced the highest improvements in several physiological traits, including chlorophyll content, photosynthetic efficiency, antioxidant enzyme activity, and water status.

The trace elements present in wastewater are increasing concerns around the world as they are persistent, toxic at low levels, and accumulate in living organisms. The rapid industrialization, urbanization, and climatic factors have heightened the risks of trace element pollution in surface water, groundwater, and drinking water sources. This chapter provides a thorough overview of the global literature on trace element pollution in water between the years 2015 and 2025. The chapter begins by analyzing the situation in the global research arena, including publication patterns, geographical distribution, and major thematic trends. Developments in techniques of analysis and speciation are discussed, highlighting improved detection limits, the determination of bioavailability, and the identification of sources. Transport mechanisms, along with the sources and environmental fate of trace elements in aquatic systems, are also examined. Ecological and human health risk assessment procedures, as well as bioaccumulation mechanisms, are primarily addressed. Existing remediation and mitigation technologies, such as traditional treatment methods, adsorption-based technology, membrane technology, and nature-based solutions, are evaluated in terms of efficiency and sustainability. New associations between trace elements and other contaminants (such as microplastics and organic pollutants) are also explored. Finally, future research requirements are identified, including multi-contaminant frameworks, climate-reactive research, advanced monitoring devices, and closer interconnections between scientific studies and policy. This chapter is integrative as it supports the sustainable management of water quality.

Alkaline stress severely impairs the growth and yield of Zea mays L. by disrupting physiological and biochemical functions. This study evaluated green-synthesized ZnO and MgO nanoparticles (NPs), prepared using neem and licorice extracts, for mitigating alkaline stress. NPs were nanosized, crystalline, and functionalized by phytochemicals, confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. A pot experiment using NPs (25–200 ppm) under control and alkaline stress assessed morphological, physiological, biochemical, and ionic responses. Alkaline stress reduced root fresh and dry weight to 2.60 and 0.66 g (−59.6%, −31.0%), shoot fresh and dry weight to 2.60 and 0.38 g (−59.6%, −70.0%), and chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids to 1.31, 0.67, and 2.40 mg g−1 (−62.4%, −54.7%, −62.8%), whereas it increased malondialdehyde (MDA) (244.6%), H₂O₂ (457.7%), and relative membrane permeability (RMP) (55.9%). The combined ZnO (50 ppm) and MgO (50 ppm) treatment improved chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids to 3.48, 1.48, and 6.45 mg g−1 (165.4%, 120.3%, 168.5%), and total soluble protein (392.8%), total protein (301.0%), proline (105.5%), glutathione (35.6%), and ascorbic acid (44.2%). Antioxidant enzymes increased, with superoxide dismutase at 29.52 U mg−1 (452.8%), peroxidase at 24.44 U mg−1 (862%), and ascorbate peroxidase at 51.62 U mg−1 (560%), whereas MDA, H2O2, and RMP (−78.1%) were reduced. High NP concentrations (ZnO 100 ppm + MgO 100 ppm) were toxic. Moderate ZnO and MgO NP doses enhanced resilience, yield stability, and sustainable agriculture.

Pathogenesis-related protein 1 (PR-1) is a critical component of plant defense mechanisms, exhibiting significant antifungal activity. This study focused on the PR-1 protein from Zea mays and five other plant species (Triticum aestivum, Hordeum vulgare, Oryza sativa, Avena sativa, and Secale cereale) to explore their physicochemical, structural, and functional characteristics. The PR-1 gene from Z. mays was isolated and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21-DE3 cells, enabling structural characterization. Recombinant expression in E. coli enabled structural characterization and functional studies of the PR-1 protein, laying a foundation for future experiments. Sequence analysis revealed high similarity (65–90%) among PR-1 proteins across species, although physicochemical properties varied based on plant origin. Structural analysis showed a conserved beta-barrel structure surrounded by alpha-helices in all PR-1 proteins. In addition to in silico and structural characterization, antifungal bioassays were performed using the purified recombinant PR-1 protein against Fusarium oxysporum, a major fungal phytopathogen. These assays demonstrated notable antifungal activity, supporting the predicted defense role of PR-1 and laying experimental groundwork for its potential use in developing fungi-resistant transgenic crops.

Heavy metals cause significant harm to both flora and fauna. Hence, it is mandatory to efficaciously eliminate them from drinking water preceding their release into the ecosystem. Herein, we first prepared Na-polyacrylate (PA) powder from sim-sim balls and graphene oxide (GO) using sugar cane bagasse as an adsorptive material. The prepared adsorbents were mixed with poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) to fabricate novel adsorptive composite polymer membranes, pure PVC, PVC/GO, and PVC/PA-GO shortly named as PPGO-CPMs using the solution casting method. The as-synthesized membranes were used for the removal of Hg (II) and Pb (II) from contaminated water through the adsorption technique. Among the prepared PPGO membranes, PVC/PA-GO showed a maximum adsorption capacity of 18.04 ± 0.3 mg/g and 17.73 ± 0.4 mg/g for Pb (II) and Hg (II) respectively. PVC/PA-GO also showed greater removal efficiency for Pb²⁺ (72.87 ± 0.4%) and Hg²⁺ (71.62 ± 0.5%) among the other CPMs. Additionally, the effects of changes in initial metal concentration, interaction time, solution pH, and temperature on the removal performance were investigated. Maximum removal efficiencies for all the membranes were observed at 40 ppm initial metal concentration, a reaction time of 300 min, a pH value of 6, and 338 K temperature. The adsorption mechanism was studied through the linear form of Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models. By comparing R², it was found that the Freundlich model best explained the adsorption process. For understanding reaction kinetics, pseudo-first-order and second-order kinetics were studied. The adsorption data was best aligned with pseudo-first-order kinetics. Adsorption on the surface of PVC was exothermic while it was endothermic on the surface of PVC/GO and PVC/PA-GO membranes. Functional groups present in PPGO-CPMs were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Thermo gravimetric analysis/differential scanning calorimeter (TGA/DSC) tool reported high thermal stability, and the X-ray diffraction technique described the amorphous nature of the prepared composites. Porosity, water uptake, and ion adsorption capacity of the composite membranes were also studied to understand the hydrophilic nature of the CPMs. These resulting composites can help to treat water as a pH-stable composite membrane at pH 6.

In densely populated developing countries, water is limited, thus reservoirs are used and turbidity of the water rises during raining seasons. Because of this, a wide variety of chemical coagulants are required that raises the expense of treatment. The present research emphasizes mainly on using a plant-derived component as a natural coagulant and making ensure its supply is environmentally friendly and sustainable. Natural coagulants like carbohydrates, proteins exhibit the coagulation activity due to presence of charged particle and the suspended charge particles. This work focuses on the isolation and identification of natural coagulant proteins from Iberis umbellata L. seeds in order to improve the efficacy of turbidity removal and a coagulant protein chitin binding protein (CBP) has been purified and identified. Ammonium sulphate solution at 70% saturation was used to precipitate CBP through dialysis, and spin column chromatography was performed to purify it. Purified CBP has a molecular weight of around 14 kDa, determined by SDS-PAGE. The results showed that at varying pH levels, the coagulation activity of the seed extracts of I. umbellata and Moringa oleifera (Mo) was tested against turbid pond water and clay solution. At pH 7, the greatest reduction in turbidity was attained. After 120 min, the coagulation activity findings showed that Mo seed extract had 89% coagulation activity against the clay solution and CBP from I. umbellata had 87%. In contrast to M. oleifera (Mo) seed extract, which showed 82% coagulation activity, CBP showed a maximum of 83% coagulation activity against pond water. As a possible agent for water treatment, the active coagulant CBP protein would be useful in developing less expensive ways to scale up the coagulant protein from the seeds I. umbellata.

Plants face various biotic and abiotic stresses, necessitating the activation of defense mechanisms, including pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins. Osmotin-like proteins (OLPs), belonging to the PR-5 family, play a crucial role in plant defense by enhancing resistance to pathogens and environmental stresses. However, the functional characterization of OLPs remains limited. This study aimed to clone and express the OLP gene from the medicinal plant Solanum nigrum in Escherichia coli to facilitate further functional and structural analyses. The genomic DNA of S. nigrum was isolated from in vitro-cultured plants, and the OLP gene was amplified using primers designed via Primer3 software based on NCBI sequences. Gradient PCR optimization determined the optimal annealing temperature between 58.3 °C and 60 °C. The amplified gene was cloned into the pTZ57R/T vector and transformed into E. coli. Sequencing confirmed a 98% homology with reported OLP sequences. For expression analysis, the gene was subcloned into the expression vector pET15b and transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3). Induction with 1 mM IPTG at 37 °C for 3 h resulted in the production of a 26 kDa protein, confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Protein Dot Blot analysis using anti-histidine antibodies. The successful cloning and expression of OLP provide a foundation for investigating its role in plant-pathogen interactions and its potential applications in agriculture and medicine. This study contributes to understanding PR proteins and offers insights into their potential for enhancing stress tolerance in crops.

Citrus is the leading fruit of Pakistan and famous worldwide especially kinnow cultivar because of its pleasant taste and remarkable quality. The yield of citrus per hectare in Pakistan is almost half of potential due to non-adoption of recommended horticultural practices by citrus growers. Adopting a decision regarding the improvement of practices is usually influenced by various factors including farmers' socio-economic attributes. In order to determine the relationship between socio-economic aspects and the awareness and adoption of recommended citrus production practices the present study was carried out in Sargodha district from central Punjab, Pakistan. The Study was based upon cross sectional survey research design due to availability of sampling frame, probability (random sampling) was applied for sample selection. Through random sampling, 120 citrus growers were selected as sample. Structured questionnaire administered through interview was used as a research instrument. Analysis of the data collected from the targeted citrus growers revealed a highly significant influence of education on awareness and adoption. Moreover, significant association was found between citrus cultivation area and awareness and adoption of improved practices. Age also showed significant association with awareness and adoption. Moreover, dominancy of middle aged farmers and illiteracyin the study area strongly point the need of provision of formal and non-formal education and training program for farmers. Young generation needs to be focused and reorientation of youth clubs may help in better way to gain the utmost outcome.