Lentil is an important food legume throughout the world and Pakistan stands at 18^th position with 8,610 tons production from 17,457 hectares. It is rich in protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, and minerals that can potentially meet food security and malnutrition issues, particularly in South Asia. Two hundred and twenty lentil genotypes representing Pakistan (178), Syria (14), and the USA (22) including 6 from unknown origins were studied for yield, yield contributing traits, and cooking time (CT). Genotype 6122 (Pakistan) performed the best during both years with seed yield per plant (SY) 68±1.7 g, biological yield per plant (BY) 264±2.8 g, pod size (PS) 0.61±0.01 cm, number of seeds per pod (NSP) 2, cooking time (CT) 11 minutes, with no hard seed (HS). The genotypes 6122 (Pakistan) and 6042 (Syria) produced the highest BY, hence these have the potential to be an efficient source of fodder, particularly during extreme winter months. The genotypes 5698 (Pakistan) and 6015 (USA) were late in maturity during 2018–19 while 24783 and 5561 matured early in 2019. A minimum CT of 10 minutes was taken by the genotypes 6074 and 5745 of Pakistani origin. The lowest CT saves energy, time, and resources, keeps flavor, texture, and improves protein digestibility, hence the genotypes with minimum CT are recommended for developing better lentil cultivars. Pearson correlation matrix revealed significant association among several traits, especially SY with BY, PS, and NSP which suggests their use for the future crop improvement program. The PCA revealed a considerable reduction in components for the selection of suitable genotypes with desired traits that could be utilized for future lentil breeding. Structural Equational Model (SEM) for SY based on covariance studies indicated the perfect relationship among variables. Further, hierarchical cluster analysis establishes four clusters for 2017–18, whereas seven clusters for 2018–19. Cluster 4 of 2017–18 and cluster 5 of 2018–19 exhibited the genotypes with the best performance for most of the traits (SY, BY, PS, NSP, CT, and HS). Based on heritability; HSW, SY, BY, NSP were highly heritable, hence these traits are expected for selecting genotypes with genes of interest and for future lentil cultivars. In conclusion, 10 genotypes (5664, 5687, 6084, 6062, 6122, 6058, 6087, 5689, 6042 and 6074) have been suggested to evaluate under multi-location environments for selection of the best one/s or could be utilized in hybridization in future lentil breeding programs.

In the present study, the antibacterial activity of Cornus macrophylla was examined. Organic solvent extracts of leaves were prepared using methanol, n-hexane, chloroform, and ethyl acetate. Antibacterial activity was examined by using a 100 mg/mL extract concentration. Penicillin was kept as a positive control while dimethyl sulfoxide was taken as a negative control. Methanolic extract exhibited a 21.5, 36.3, 25.3, and 23.7 mm inhibition zone diameter (IZD); n-hexane showed a 33, 40, 32.8, and 28.7 mm IZD; chloroform showed a 18.8, 29, 22.3, and 21.6 mm IZD; and ethyl acetate showed a 23.5, 30.2, 30, and 22.3 mm IZD against Erwinia carotovora, Pseudomonas syringae, Ralstonia solanacearum, and Xanthomonas axonopodis, respectively. The n-hexane extract revealed high antibacterial activity against all bacterial species as compared with methanolic, chloroform, and ethyl acetate extract. Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of n-hexane extract depicted the presence of 55 compounds. Out of these compounds, one compound, identified as α-amyrin (Mol. wt = 426), exhibited the maximum peak area (32.64%), followed by A’-Neogammacer-22(29)-en-3-ol, acetate, (3.beta.,21.beta.)- (Mol. wt = 468) and β-amyrin (Mol. wt = 426) having peak areas of 25.97 and 6.77%, respectively. It was concluded that the antibacterial activity observed during the present investigation may be due to these compounds.

Background: Biodiversity data is crucial for sustainable development and making decisions regarding natural resources and its conservation. The study goal was to use quantitative ecological approaches to determine the species richness and diversity of wild flora and the ultimate impact of environmental factors on vegetation dynamics. Methods: Quadrats having sizes of 1×1 for herbs, 5×5 for shrubs, and 10×10 m² for trees were used. Various phytosociological characteristics were investigated in association with a wide variety of environmental variables. Soil analysis based on texture, moisture, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter (OM), available potassium (K), and phosphorus (P) were examined. The existing state of vegetation along the River Chenab was assessed using SWOT analysis and a future conservation strategy was devised. Results: One hundred twenty different plant speies were divided into 51 families including 92 dicots, 17 monocots, 6 pteridophytes and 1 bryophyte species. Herbs accounted for 89 followed by shrubs (16 species) and trees (15 species). Correlation analysis revealed a highly positive correlation between relative density and relative frequency (0.956**). Shannon and Simpson’s diversity indices elaborated that site 3 and 7 with clay loamy soil had non-significant alpha diversity and varies from site to site. Diversity analysis showed that site 10 was most diverse (22.25) in terms of species richness. The principal coordinate analysis expressed that different environmental variables including OM, soil pH, P, K, and EC affect vegetation significantly, therefore, loamy soil showed presence and dispersal of more vegetation as compared to loam, sandy and sandy loam soils. Further, 170 ppm of available potassium had significant affect on plant diversity and distribution. Conclusion: Asteraceae family was found dominant as dicot while poaceae among monocot. Adhatoda vasica was one of the unique species and found in Head Maralla site. For evenness, site 3 had maximum value 0.971. Most of the soil represented loamy soil texture where site 2 and 4 possess high soil moisture content. SWOT analysis revealed strengths as people prefered plants for medicine, food and economic purposes. In weakness, agricultural practices, soil erosion and flooding affected the vegetation. In opportunities, Forest and Irrigation Departments were planting plants for the restoration of ecosystem. Threats include anthropogenic activities overgrazing, urbanization and road infrastructure at Head Maralla, habitat fragmentation at Head Khanki, and extensive fish farming at Head Qadirabad. Future conservation efforts should be concentrated on SWOT analysis outcome in terms of stopping illegal consumption of natural resources, restoration of plant biodiversity through reforestation, designating protected areas and multiplying rare species locally.

Background: Antifungal activity of slender amaranth (Amaranthus viridis L.) is well documented but such studies are scarce in Pakistan, especially against plant pathogens. It was hypothesized that A. viridis has antifungal activity against fungal phyto-pathogens also. Objective: Identification of antifungal constituents from leaf extracts of A. viridis. Methods: Different organic solvent extracts of A. viridis leaves were evaluated against 5 plant pathogenic fungal species viz. Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Drechslera australiensis, Fusarium oxysporum and Macrophomina phaseolina. Antifungal activity of A. viridis was determined by serial dilution method. Six levels (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 mg mL-1) of treatments of each n-hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate were employed against all fungal species in a Completely Randomised Design (CRD). Results: Generally, all organic solvent extracts reduced the fungal biomass significantly with the increase in extract concentration but ethyl acetate leaf fraction exhibited pronounced activity and reduced the fungal growth up to 44% in A. alternata, 39% in A. flavus, 48% in D. australiensis, 48% in F. oxysporum and 45% in M. phaseolina. Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) analysis of ethyl acetate leaf fraction revealed 09 compounds. Out of these 9 compounds, one compound identified as 1,2- Benzenedicarboxylic acid, mono (2-ethylhexyl) ester) showed 58.5% peak value. Conclusions: It was concluded that 1,2- Benzenedicarboxylic acid, mono (2-ethylhexyl) ester) being in the highest concentration in the ethyl acetate leaf fraction of A. viridis may be responsible for antifungal activity. This compound can serve as structural analog to develop ecofriendly fungicides.