Abiotic stress adversely affects plant growth and metabolism and as such reduces plant productivity. Recognized as a major contributor in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), it hinders the growth of plants through induction of oxidative stress. Biostimulants such as melatonin have a multifunctional role, acting as a defense strategy in minimizing the effects of oxidative stress. Melatonin plays important role in plant processes ranging from seed germination to senescence, besides performing the function of a biostimulant in improving the plant’s productivity. In addition to its important role in the signaling cascade, melatonin acts as an antioxidant that helps in scavenging ROS, generated as part of different stresses among plants. The current study was undertaken to elaborate the synthesis and regulation of melatonin in plants, besides emphasizing its function under various abiotic stress namely, salt, temperature, herbicides, heavy metals, and drought. Additionally, a special consideration was put on the crosstalk of melatonin with phytohormones to overcome plant abiotic stress.

Plant resources have been used by humans for their wellbeing for ages. Tribal communities live in far flung areas in close proximity with forests and have a rich cultural heritage and traditional knowledge of forest resources. The present study was carried out in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir to document the traditional knowledge of plant usage and local perception towards biodiversity conservation. A total of 86 informants were selected through non-probability sampling using a convenience sampling method based on easy access, availability and relevance of informants. During the present study, a total of 92 plant species belonging to 85 genera and 57 families were recorded. Fabaceae and Rosaceae were found to be dominant families. In terms of growth forms, herbaceous species were dominant, followed by trees. Leaves were the most common parts used, followed by fruits. These plant species are used for different purposes such as medicine, edibles, fodder and dye making. A number of plant species were found to be multipurpose in use. Most of the documented plant species are collected by local people from the wild. Local people perceived that the populations of many species, such as Dolomiaea costus, Dioscorea deltoidea and Dolomiaea macrocephala, have declined in recent decades. Climate change, urbanization, deforestation, pollution, overexploitation and species invasion are some of the major threats to biodiversity perceived by the local people. Therefore, the establishment of protected areas and cultivation of wild species are recommended to safeguard forest wealth of the area. Furthermore, mass awareness and cooperation-building programs are highly recommended so that locals can enthusiastically participate in conservation and management programs.

Climate change-driven abiotic and biotic stresses are emerging as a major threat to crop productivity and global food security. Consequently, there is a great need to develop effective and ecologically sustainable strategies to augment the growth, development, and yield of crop plants, especially under adverse environmental conditions. Nanoparticle-mediated precise modulation of soil-plant interactions has emerged as an eco-friendly, biocompatible, and stimulus-responsive strategy to increase crop production by ameliorating abiotic and biotic stresses. Selenium (Se), a trace element, has emerged as a promising mitigator of diverse stresses, including heavy metal toxicity, salinity, drought, pathogens, and pests. The use of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) has emerged as a potential strategy to enhance plant stress resilience, due to their increased biocompatibility, reduced toxicity, and greater stability, which provide advantages over inorganic forms of Se. SeNPs are readily absorbed by plants through root hairs and thereby improve plant growth, regulate physiological processes, stimulate antioxidants and redox balance, upregulate stress-responsive genes, and fortify stress tolerance mechanisms in plants. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of Se uptake pathways, its speciation, and incorporation into plant metabolic systems, as well as the diverse physiological and biochemical roles of Se and/or SeNPs in regulating plant defense mechanisms. A key focus is placed on SeNPs as a powerful tool for nano-enabled stress alleviation and biofortification in crop plants in modern agriculture. We further highlight how integrated multi-omics approaches are decoding the complex molecular networks underlying Se-mediated tolerance. However, the narrow optimal concentration window between benefit and phytotoxicity demands precise application. By bridging fundamental mechanisms with emerging nano-biotechnological applications, this review establishes the importance of Se and SeNPs as promising and sustainable, eco-friendly agents for developing climate-resilient crops, directly contributing to future food security.

The terrestrial ecosystem, particularly mountain regions, influences species distribution by providing diverse climatic conditions that vary with rising altitude. These climatic factors play a significant role in determining species phenology and niche width. However, the environmental factors influencing pollination dynamics of specific plant species across altitudes remain unexplored. Considering the gaps, we assess how the composition and abundance of pollinator fauna associated with the important medicinal plant Berberis lyciumRoyle (Berberidaceae) vary across five distinct altitudinal gradients (800–2200 m) in the Pir-Panjal mountain range in the northwestern part of the Indian Himalayan region. Pollinators, including bees, butterflies, wasps, and flies were monitored over two consecutive flowering seasons (2022–2023). A total of 39 insect species representing five orders and 17 families, were recorded visiting B. lycium during its flowering period across the altitudinal range. The linear regression model indicated that all four pollination indices exhibited a declining trend with increasing altitude when data were pooled together. However, only foraging speed (FS) and index of visiting rate (IVR) were showed significant declines. Among individual pollinator groups, only Lepidoptera displayed a significant relationship with altitude, while other groups exhibited asynchrony along the altitudinal gradient. Furthermore, reproductive output (fruit and seed production) declined significantly with increasing altitude. Our findings suggest that while altitude influences species distribution but also differentially shapes plant-pollinator interactions, pollinator foraging behaviour, and reproductive success. This study highlights the importance of monitoring plant-pollinator interactions in fragile Himalayan ecosystem, where environmental changes could have cascading effects on ecological stability.

Land use/land cover (LULC) change significantly influences a range of environmental and socio-economic issues, including climate change, deforestation, biodiversity loss, soil degradation, ecosystem services, and food security, at local, regional, and global levels. In the northwestern Himalayan region, particularly in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), LULC change has profound environmental and socio-economic implications. Understanding the temporal and spatial dimensions of LULC change is crucial for assessing the impact of human activities on the region’s environment. The present study aimed to analyze LULC change in Rajouri district of J&K, India over a 30-year period from 1990 to 2020 and to project future LULC dynamics for the next 30 years up to 2050. Landsat imagery with a supervised classification technique was used for classification and generation of LULC maps. Moreover, CA Markov model was used to predict the future LULC status of the area. The model validation exhibited strong performance, with Kappa statistics exceeding 0.90, indicating a high level of reliability in the projections. The results indicate considerable changes in different land use classes from 1990 to 2020. Over the 30-year period, dense forest showed the maximum reduction of about −20.69 Km², followed by open forest (−15.87 Km²) and grassland (−13.75 Km²). Wasteland showed the maximum increase of about +28.24 Km², followed by built-up (+17.90 Km²) and cropland (+12.50 Km²). The cumulative impact of deforestation from 1990 to 2020 amounts to approximately 43.17 Km², while afforestation efforts only managed to reclaim 6.61 Km² of land. The future prediction using the CA Markov model suggests further changes in LULC patterns, with built-up, cropland, and wasteland projected to increase exponentially by 2050, accompanied by sharp declines in forests. Therefore, policymakers should prioritize sustainable land management and forest conservation strategies to mitigate the potential negative impacts of LULC changes on the environment, ensuring balanced and sustainable development.