The chloroplast has a central position in oxygenic photosynthesis and primary metabolism. In addition to these functions, the chloroplast has recently emerged as a pivotal regulator of plant responses to abiotic and biotic stress conditions. Chloroplasts have their own independent genomes and gene-expression machinery and synthesize phytohormones and a diverse range of secondary metabolites, a significant portion of which contribute the plant response to adverse conditions. Furthermore, chloroplasts communicate with the nucleus through retrograde signaling, for instance, reactive oxygen signaling. All of the above facilitate the chloroplast’s exquisite flexibility in responding to environmental stresses. In this review, we summarize recent findings on the involvement of chloroplasts in plant regulatory responses to various abiotic and biotic stresses including heat, chilling, salinity, drought, high light environmental stress conditions, and pathogen invasions. This review will enrich the better understanding of interactions between chloroplast and environmental stresses, and will lay the foundation for genetically enhancing plant-stress acclimatization.

In the recent past, the production of wastewater from domestic and industrial sources steadily increased through population growth, urbanization, the Industrial Revolution, and economic development. In the world, 80% of wastewater consists of several harmful substances and hazardous chemicals that cause many deadly effects on human beings as well as ecosystems. So, the elimination of this toxic substance before discarding it into landfills is utilized as an alternative source of water which is an emerging need. Using treated wastewater for agricultural purposes is an excellent approach to rendering wastewater beneficial. As the quantity of wastewater grows, it becomes necessity to redistribute the water in a beneficial way. The rapidly increasing world population will undoubtedly increase the food demand, which directly requires more water for irrigation purposes. The rapidly increasing world population rate will undoubtedly demand an increased food production rate, which directly impacts agricultural water usage. In order to achieve sustainability in terms of agricultural water usage, alternative water resources should be explored. In this review, we tried to focus on summarizing all the leading studies in the field of wastewater utilization, the most prominent treatment methods, and a benchmarking of their technical efficiency in agriculture with special emphasis on agriculture in the marginal lands, with special emphasis on the United Arab Emirates.

Greenhouse and aquaponic productions of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) are well established, but the comparison between these two methods is not studied in detail. A study was conducted to evaluate the performance of basil in both aquaponic and soil systems under greenhouse conditions. The plants were raised in aquaponic beds with ornamental fish and a set of plants was raised in soil pots under a greenhouse setup. The studied parameters were morphological, biochemical and antioxidant levels. In order to analyze the stress effects of an aquaponic system on plant defense mechanism, two different antioxidant enzymes (catalase and peroxidase) were analyzed. Water quality parameters were monitored during the entire study period. Based on the results, there was a significant increase in growth parameters in the aquaponic system when compared to the conventional greenhouse cultivation of basil plants. The photosynthetic parameters showed a decline in the aquaponic system, but the biochemical parameters showed an enhancement in the aquaponic system of growing basil plants. The antioxidants exhibited a significant increase in the aquaponic system, which suggests a water stress effect on the plants induced by the aquaponic growing system. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that the aquaponic system is the best suitable method for basil production in the UAE condition.

The target of rapamycin (TOR) protein kinase is an atypical Ser/Thr protein kinase and evolutionally conserved among yeasts, plants, and mammals. TOR has been established as a central hub for integrating nutrient, energy, hormone, and environmental signals in all the eukaryotes. Despite the conserved functions across eukaryotes, recent research has shed light on the multifaceted roles of TOR signaling in plant-specific functional and mechanistic features. One of the most specific features is the involvement of TOR in plant photosynthesis. The recent development of tools for the functional analysis of plant TOR has helped to uncover the involvement of TOR signaling in several steps preceding photoautotrophy and maintenance of photosynthesis. Here, we present recent novel findings relating to TOR signaling and its roles in regulating plant photosynthesis, including carbon nutrient sense, light absorptions, and leaf and chloroplast development. We also provide some gaps in our understanding of TOR function in photosynthesis that need to be addressed in the future.

Anise (Pimpinella anisum L.) seeds have various nutritional and therapeutic benefits and are thus considered a valuable addition to animal and human health. Hence, in this study, we aimed to induce the nutritive and biological value of anise seeds. To this end, the potential biofortification effect of the endophytic Actinomycetota sp. JW0824 strain, isolated during the fall of 2023 from the medicinal plant Achyranthes aspera, exhibiting natural distribution in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia, was investigated in four varieties of anise seeds from Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, and Morocco. Results revealed significant increments (p < 0.05) in the seed dry weight percentage (DW%) and oil yields. In line with increased biomass accumulation, the metabolism of the primary and secondary metabolites was increased. There were differential increases in proteins, sugars, flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols, vitamins (e.g., β-carotene, ascorbic acid), and essential oil components (e.g., phenylpropanoids and monoterpenes), along with their precursor phenylalanine. Consistently, the activity of L-phenylalanine aminolyase (PAL) was increased in the Egyptian and Tunisian varieties at 83.88% and 77.19%, respectively, while 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase (DAHPS) activity increased in all varieties, with a significant 179.31% rise in the Egyptian variety. These findings highlight the beneficial effects of Actinomycetota sp. JW0824 as a bioinoculant for anise seeds, suggesting its potential application in agricultural practices to improve seed yield and quality. Further field trials are recommended to assess the commercial viability of this endophyte for enhancing anise seed production and potentially benefiting other plant species.

Seed priming is a cost-effective and efficient pre-sowing technique that promotes seed germination and plant growth under abiotic stress. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different priming treatments on breaking the dormancy of ghaf (Prosopis cineraria L. Druce) seeds. Furthermore, the effects of storage conditions and seed coating on seed germination were examined. Treatments with hot water, KNO₃, KCl, polyethylene glycol (PEG), H₂SO₄, gibberellin (GA₃), cytokinin benzyl adenine (BA), and H₂SO₄ + BA were investigated. Among all the tested treatments, seeds responded the best to the H₂SO₄ 50% 2 min + BA (200 ppm) priming treatment in terms of germination uniformity and effectiveness. This treatment initiated germination 5 days after sowing and increased the germination percentage from 11.32% in the untreated seed to 83% and 100% in the primed ones after 5 and 20 days, respectively. The germination percentage and primary root length were shown to be more responsive to this combined treatment, followed by the H₂SO₄ 50% 2 min+ BA 100 ppm. This treatment achieved the best result of 100% germination when the seeds were covered in a seed ball. Additionally, the treated seeds could be stored at room temperature or 4 °C for more than 10 days with no negative effect on the germination. Based on these findings, this treatment could be recommended to farmers and plant producers to boost the mass production of ghaf trees.