Seed priming with silicon (Si) is an efficient and easy method to regulate plant tolerance against different abiotic stresses. A pot experiment was conducted to examine the Si-mediated changes in oxidative defense and some vital physio-biochemical parameters of maize under a limited water supply. For this purpose, two maize varieties (Pearl and Malka) with different Si priming treatments (0, 4 mM, 6 mM) were grown under a control and 60% field capacity for three weeks. At 60% field capacity, significant reductions in plant growth attributes and chlorophyll contents were recorded compared with the control. The negative effects of drought stress were more severe for Malka compared with Pearl. Drought stress increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) contents, altered the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT)), and triggered the accumulation of soluble sugars, glycine betaine, proline, and phenolics contents. Nevertheless, seed priming with silicon at 4 or 6 mM was effective in alleviating the detrimental effects of drought stress in both cultivars. Si priming particularly at 6 mM significantly enhanced the shoot and root lengths as well as their biomass and improved the levels of photosynthetic pigments. Moreover, Si treatments enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, and CAT) while it reduced the MDA and H₂O₂ contents in both cultivars under stress conditions. In crux, the present investigation suggests that Si priming mitigates the harmful effects of drought stress and contributes to the recovery of maize growth.

The present work reports the assessment of the effectiveness of a foliar-spray of salicylic acid (SA) on growth attributes, biochemical characteristics, antioxidant activities and osmolytes accumulation in wheat grown under control (100% field capacity) and water stressed (60% field capacity) conditions. The total available water (TAW), calculated for a rooting depth of 1.65 m was 8.45 inches and readily available water (RAW), considering a depletion factor of 0.55, was 4.65 inches. The water contents corresponding to 100 and 60% field capacity were 5.70 and 1.66 inches, respectively. For this purpose, seeds of two wheat cultivars (Fsd-2008 and S-24) were grown in pots subjected to water stress. Water stress at 60% field capacity markedly reduced the growth attributes, photosynthetic pigments, total soluble proteins (TSP) and total phenolic contents (TPC) compared with control. However, cv. Fsd-2008 was recorded as strongly drought-tolerant and performed better compared to cv. S-24, which was moderately drought tolerant. However, water stress enhanced the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and membrane electrolyte leakage (EL) and modulated the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT), as well as accumulation of ascorbic acid (AsA), proline (Pro) and glycine betaine (GB) contents. Foliar-spray with salicylic acid (SA; 0, 3 mM and 6 mM) effectively mitigated the adverse effects of water stress on both cultivars. SA application at 6 mM enhanced the shoot and root length, as well as their fresh and dry weights, and improved photosynthetic pigments. SA foliage application further enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, and CAT) and nonenzymatic antioxidants such as ascorbic acid and phenolics contents. However, foliar-spray of SA reduced MDA, H2O2 and membrane permeability in both cultivars under stress conditions. The results of the present study suggest that foliar-spray of salicylic acid was effective in increasing the tolerance of wheat plants under drought stress in terms of growth attributes, antioxidant defense mechanisms, accumulation of osmolytes, and by reducing membrane lipid peroxidation.

Mycorrhizae are symbiotic associations between fungi and plants and are primarily responsible for nutrient transfer and survival of both partners. The present study was conducted to explore the diversity of mycorrhizal fungi in the rhizospheric soil of perennial grass species (Saccharum spontaneum, Saccharum bengalense, Setaria verticillata, Cymbopogon jwarancusa, and Typha angustata) around the district Layyah. In the subsequent experiment, the rhizospheric soils were used as inoculants, and their impact on mycorrhizal colonization in the plant and soil, and growth and physiological attributes, of Cenchrus ciliaris were investigated. The maximum hyphal, vesicles, arbuscules, dark septate endophytic and ectomycorrhizal colonization, and spore percentage were observed in the case of R-S₅, i.e., rhizospheric soil, collected from Saccharum bengalense. However, the maximum (0.9310) Simpson’s index of diversity was observed in the case of R-S₄, i.e., rhizospheric soil collected from Setaria verticillata. Different mycorrhizal fungal morphotypes scattered over three genera, i.e., Acaulospora, Glomus, and Scutellospora, were recorded both from rhizosphere and trap cultures. The application of spores from rhizospheric soil collected from S. bengalense (R-S₅) caused the maximum increase in plant height (19.5%), number of leaves plant⁻¹ (17.6%), leaf area (108.0%), and chlorophyll contents (29.4%) of Cenchrus ciliaris, compared to other treatments. In conclusion, the inoculation of mycorrhizal fungi significantly improves the mycorrhizal characteristics of Cenchrus ciliaris and its rhizospheric soil and ultimately enhances the growth and physiological parameters of Cenchrus ciliaris.

In the current industrial scenario, cadmium (Cd) as a metal is of great importance but poses a major threat to the ecosystem. However, the role of micronutrient − amino chelates such as iron − lysine (Fe − lys) in reducing Cr toxicity in crop plants was recently introduced. In the current experiment, the exogenous applications of Fe − lys i.e., 0 and10 mg L − 1, were examined, using an in vivo approach that involved plant growth and biomass, photosynthetic pigments, oxidative stress indicators and antioxidant response, sugar and osmolytes under the soil contaminated with varying levels of Cd i.e., 0, 50 and 100 µM using two different varieties of canola i.e., Sarbaz and Pea − 09. Results revealed that the increasing levels of Cd in the soil decreased plant growth and growth-related attributes and photosynthetic apparatus and also the soluble protein and soluble sugar. In contrast, the addition of different levels of Cd in the soil significantly increased the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which induced oxidative damage in both varieties of canola i.e., Sarbaz and Pea − 09. However, canola plants increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and non-enzymatic compounds such as phenolic, flavonoid, proline, and anthocyanin, which scavenge the over-production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Cd toxicity can be overcome by the supplementation of Fe − lys, which significantly increased plant growth and biomass, improved photosynthetic machinery and sugar contents, and increased the activities of different antioxidative enzymes, even in the plants grown under different levels of Cd in the soil. Research findings, therefore, suggested that the Fe − lys application can ameliorate Cd toxicity in canola and result in improved plant growth and composition under metal stress.

The supply of nutrients and proximate matter is insufficient to fulfil the dietary needs of the quickly expanding human population. Green leafy vegetables can prove economical sources of minerals, vitamins and fibers to overcome nutritional deficiencies. Five leafy vegetables (Brassica juncea, Spinacia oleracea, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Chenopodium album and Lactuca sativa) were collected from a horticulture garden and vegetable market for the evaluation of their proximate matter and nutritional composition. Their contents of proximate (moisture, ash, fats, fibers, carbohydrates and protein), minerals (Ca²⁺, K⁺ and P⁺) and anti-nutrients were examined using standard protocols. The contents of fats (0.43 mg g⁻¹f.w.) in S. oleracea; fibers (0.8 mg g⁻¹f.w.) in S. olerace; carbohydrates (0.89 mg g⁻¹f.w.); in B. juncea, proteins (0.91 mg g⁻¹f.w.) in L. sativa; and vitamin A (1.18 mg g⁻¹f.w.) in C. album from the horticulture garden were high enough to meet the daily dietary requirements of adults. Tannins were higher in species collected from the market, which is toxic for human health. It is concluded that vegetables of horticulture garden grown in suitable environmental conditions possess better nutritional composition as compared to vegetables purchased from markets. However, a large-scale research is needed for the analysis of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, anti-nutrients and heavy metals in leafy vegetables. Further research on ethnomedicinal attributes of leafy vegetables is recommended.

The growth and productivity of plants are enhanced by the use of thiourea (TU) under stressful conditions. When TU is applied as a rooting medium, it improves plant growth characteristics and other physiological parameters in stressed environment. A pot experiment was conducted in the botanical garden of the Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan to examine the TU-mediated fluctuations in some crucial physio-biochemical parameters and the oxidative defense of potatoes under a restricted water supply. For this purpose, two potato cultivars (potato-SH-5 and potato-FD-73) were sown in pots containing 10 kg of soil. Water was regularly applied to the pots until germination. After 2 weeks of germination, drought stress with 65% field capacity was imposed, while the control was subjected to 100% field capacity. TU, as a rooting medium, was applied at the vegetative stage (0 (no application), 0.5, 0.75 mM). A substantial reduction in the total number of leaves, leaf area, tuber biomass (fresh and dry weight), photosynthetic pigments, membrane permeability, and leaf relative water content (RWC) was recorded in plants under drought stress conditions as compared to control plants. The damaging effects of water stress were more critical for cv. potato-FD-73 as compared to cv. potato-SH-5. In contrast, drought stress enhanced the malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) content while also increased antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT)) and triggered the accumulation of soluble proteins, soluble sugars, proline, and phenolic and anthocyanin contents. However, TU applied as rooting medium at 0.5 and 0.75 mM was effective in reducing the detrimental effects of water stress in both cultivars. Furthermore, increasing levels of TU enhanced chlorophyll pigments, dissolved proteins, complete dissolved sugars, and enzymatic capabilities of POD, SOD, and CAT, while reducing the MDA and H₂O₂ in both cultivars under stress conditions. In conclusion, TU improved the yield and chlorophyll pigments of potato plants by mitigating the adverse effects of drought stress through reduced EL, MDA, and H₂O₂ contents and improved activities of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants and osmoprotectants.