An experiment was conducted to investigate the potential of Piriformospora indica and plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) to ameliorate salinity stress in HD 2967 wheat cultivar. Plants were treated with four different levels of salinity viz. 0, 50, 100 and 200 mM NaCl (electrical conductivity value 0.01, 5.84, 11.50 and 21.4 mS cm⁻¹, respectively) under greenhouse conditions, using a completely randomized design experiment. Plants inoculated with PGPB and P. indica showed decrease in lipid peroxidation, relative membrane permeability and lipoxygenase enzyme (LOX) activity as compared to uninoculated plants. The result of this study showed that PGPB and P. indica inoculated HD 2967 wheat plants accumulated higher content of proline, α-tocopherol and carotenoid as compared to uninoculated plants. The HD 2967 wheat plants either inoculated with PGPB or P. indica showed significantly higher activities of antioxidant enzymes viz. superoxide dismutase, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase than that of the uninoculated plants. Moreover, PGPB inoculated plants showed greater activity of antioxidant enzymes than the plants inoculated with P. indica. Salinity stress tolerance was more pronounced in the PGPB inoculated than P. indica inoculated plants. This study revealed the potentiality of PGPB and P. indica as bio-ameliorator under salinity stress, and suggests that this plant microbial association could be a promising biotechnological tool to combat the deleterious effects of salinity stress.

Artificial light pollution, an escalating environmental issue, significantly disrupts natural nighttime light conditions. This research investigates the impact of artificial light at night (ALAN) on Solanum melongena L., focusing on photosynthesis, biochemical profiles, and ultrastructural changes. The study aims to elucidate how continuous light exposure at night affects plant physiology and metabolic processes. Plants were grown under two light conditions: natural sunlight followed by complete darkness (S1 plants, control) and ALAN in addition to natural sunlight (S2 plants), with key parameters measured, including growth metrics, photosynthetic rates, biochemical profiles, and ultrastructural changes assessed via microscopy. Results indicated that ALAN exposure led to increased shoot and root lengths, higher biomass, and larger leaf area compared to controls. Photosynthetic rates and stomatal conductance were found to be enhanced under ALAN, but internal CO₂ concentrations and transpiration rates showed significant alterations. Biochemically, ALAN-treated plants exhibited higher chlorophyll content, increased antioxidant enzyme activities, and elevated flavonoid and protein levels. Ultrastructural analysis revealed significant changes in chloroplast integrity, nuclear function, and mitochondrial activity under ALAN conditions. The study concludes that ALAN significantly affects the physiological, biochemical, and ultrastructural dynamics of S. melongena, highlighting the need for strategies to mitigate light pollution and preserve plant health and ecosystem balance.