RESUMEN

This work successfully demonstrates a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach for synthesizing Semal-ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) using the aqueous leaf extract of Bombax ceiba L. These NPs exhibit an absorption peak at approximately 390 nm in the UV-visible spectrum and an energy gap (Eg) of 3.11 eV. Detailed analyses of the morphology and particle size using various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques, XRD, FE-SEM with EDS, and HR-TEM reveal crystallographic peaks attributable to the hexagonal phase, with an average crystal size of 17 nm. The Semal-ZnO NPs also exhibit a notable photocatalytic efficiency for degrading methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) under sunlight in different water samples collected from diverse natural sources, indicating that they are promising photocatalysts for environmental remediation. The photocatalytic efficiency of the biofabricated Semal-ZnO NPs is impressive, exhibiting a photodegradation rate of up to 99% for MB and 79% for MO in different water samples under exposure to sunlight. The novel phytofabricated Semal-ZnO NPs are thus a beacon of hope for the environment, with their desirable photocatalytic efficiency, pseudo-first-order kinetics, and ability to break down noxious dye pollutants in various aquatic environments.

RESUMEN

The significant horticultural crop, cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) is vulnerable to the excessive salt concentration in the soil, which contributes to its scaled-down growth and productivity, among other indices. The current study examines the efficacy of hydropriming, halopriming, and osmopriming on the physio-biochemical attributes and tolerance to salinity (100 mM NaCl) in cauliflower under controlled conditions. The results showed that the salinity (100 mM NaCl) has significant deleterious impacts on cauliflower seed germination, seedling growth, and photosynthetic attributes, and provoked the production of reactive oxygen species. In contrast, different priming approaches proved beneficial in mitigating the negative effects of salinity and boosted the germination, vigor indices, seedling growth, and physio-biochemical attributes like photosynthetic pigments, protein, and proline content while suppressing oxidative damage and MDA content in cauliflower seedlings in treatment- and dose-dependent manner. PCA revealed 61% (PC1) and 15% (PC2) of the total variance with substantial positive relationships and high loading conditions on all germination attributes on PC1 with greater PC1 scores for PEG treatments showing the increased germination indices in PEG-treated seeds among all the priming treatments tested. All 13 distinct priming treatments tried clustered into three groups as per Ward's approach of systematic categorization, clustering the third group showing relatively poor germination performances. Most germination traits exhibited statistically significant associations at the p < 0.01 level. Overall, the results established the usefulness of the different priming approaches facilitating better germination, survival, and resistance against salinity in the cauliflower to be used further before sowing in the salt-affected agro-ecosystems.

RESUMEN

Nitrogen occurs as inert and inaccessible dinitrogen gaseous form (N2 ) in the atmosphere. Biological nitrogen fixation is a chief process that makes this dinitrogen (N2 ) accessible and bioavailable in the form of ammonium (NH4 + ) ions. The key organisms to fix nitrogen are certain prokaryotes, called diazotrophs either in the free-living form or establishing significant mutual relationships with a variety of plants. On such examples is ~95-100 MY old incomparable symbiosis between dicotyledonous trees and a unique actinobacterial diazotroph in diverse ecosystems. In this association, the root of the certain dicotyledonous tree (~25 genera and 225 species) belonging to three different taxonomic orders, Fagales, Cucurbitales, and Rosales (FaCuRo) known as actinorhizal trees can host a diazotroph, Frankia of order Frankiales. Frankia is gram-positive, branched, filamentous, sporulating, and free-living soil actinobacterium. It resides in the specialized, multilobed, and coralloid organs (lateral roots but without caps), the root nodules of actinorhizal tress. This review aims to provide systematic information on the distribution and the phylogenetic diversity of hosts from FaCuRo and their micro-endosymbionts (Frankia spp.), colonization mechanisms, and signaling pathways. We also aim to provide details on developmental and physiological imperatives for gene regulation and functional genomics of symbiosis, phenomenal restoration ecology, influences of contemporary global climatic changes, and anthropogenic impacts on plant-Frankia interactions for the functioning of ecosystems and the biosphere.

Asunto(s)

Frankia , Simbiosis , Cambio Climático , Ecosistema , Fagales/microbiología , Frankia/genética , Nitrógeno/metabolismo , Fijación del Nitrógeno , Filogenia , Simbiosis/genética

RESUMEN

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic pharmacognostical characters of Costus speciosus (aerial parts) along with their physico-chemical parameters and fluorosence analysis.Method:microscopy, powder microscopy, leaf constant, fluorescence analysis and preliminary phytochemical investigation.Results:The findings of macroscopy revealed that leaves elliptic to oblong or oblong-lancoelate, The pharmacognostical characters were determined in terms of macroscopy, thick, spirally arranged, with stem clasping sheaths up to 4 cm, flowers large, white, cone-like terminal spikes, with bright red bracts. Transverse section of leaflet showed the presence of cuticularised epidermis with polygonal cells on adaxial surface and bluntly angled cells on abaxial surface of lamina, mesophyll cells differentiated in to single layered palisade cells on each surface and 2-3 layered spongy parenchyma, unicellular and uniseriate multicellular covering trichomes, paracytic stomata and vascular bundles surrounded by sclerenchymatous multicellular sheath. Preliminary phytochemical screening exhibited the presence of various phytochemical groups like alkaloids, glycosides, steroids, phenolic constituents. Further, the leaf constants, powder microscopy and fluorescence characteristics indicated outstanding results from this investigationConclusions:Various pharmacognostical and physico-chemical parameters have pivotal roles in identification, authentication and establishment of quality parameters of the species.