Reducing toxic effects of pesticide residues in agricultural soils through organic amendments is an eco-friendly technique. Cypermethrin (CYP) and Chlorpyrifos (CPP) are widely used pesticides in peach growing orchards in Swat valley of Pakistan. The aim of the current study was to investigate the degradation behavior of CYP and CPP in soil by the application of different combination of organic/inorganic amendments. A total of 36 soil samples were used in the current incubation study which was collected from 4 peach orchards in district Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan. Different amendments including urea, farm yard manure (FYM) and saprofil were applied alone and in various combinations. The initial concentrations of CYP and CPP in the tested soil was range from 0.94 to 4.8 mg kg⁻¹ and 0.024 to 4.12 to mg kg⁻¹. Soil samples were taken at 5, 15, 30 and 45 days after exposure to different treatments. The extraction of pesticides from soils was done through quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction method. Soils amended with urea, FYM and saprofil individually and in combinations significantly reduced the concentrations of CYP and CPP. However, the concentration of CYP (24.6) and CPP (27.0) in soil showed higher reduction through the application of FYM. While the concentrations of CYP and CPP were declined with the 5, 15, 30 and 45 days intervals, however, reduction at day 30 and 45 was faster for CYP (16.7 to 8.46) than CPP (20.2 to 12.3). At day 5 and 15, the CYP (42.5 to 30.7) was slightly lower than CPP (42.9 to 32.7).The highest half-life value (t ½) of CYP was in control treatment (32 days) and the shortest was soil amended with FYM (18.6 days). While the longest half-life value (t ½) of CPP was maximum in control treatment (42 days) and the minimum was in FYM (22 days). Based on our findings, it was concluded that soil application of FYM is recommended for the degradation of CYP and CPP.

Salinity is a worldwide problem limiting the plant growth and risking food security. This study was conducted to examine exogenous application of silicon (Si), gibberellic acid (GA₃) upon the ion transport, growth, yield, and antioxidant enzymes activities of pea plant in saline conditions. Two pea varieties Meteor-FSD and Samrina Zard were pre-treated with GA₃ (10^-4 M) for 12 h. Plants were allowed to grow with or without silicon in washed silica sand. Ten days old seedlings were shifted in pots with 10 kg soil. Twenty-five days old plants were exposed to 0 and 5 dS m⁻¹ sodium stress. Results showed that exogenous application of GA₃ + Si was the best treatment for increasing plant biomass and yield in the presence and absence of NaCl. Furthermore, application of Si or GA₃ enhanced chlorophyll content in the leaves, thereby increasing the net assimilation rate of pea varieties under NaCl stress by increasing the antioxidant enzyme activity. Treatment of Si alone or in combination with GA₃ significantly reduced Na⁺ movement in both pea varieties. Results showed that Si has more prominent role than GA₃ alone to build-up high plant biomass, yield, soluble protein content and reduction of Na⁺ transport. Samrina Zard variety showed higher yield, shoot and root dry weight as compared to Meteor-FSD variety in presence and absence of salt. It was concluded that Si can be used as a nutrient for pea under saline or non-saline conditions. Moreover, application of GA₃ has a potential role for increasing salinity tolerance, mostly in sensitive pea varieties.

Protection of agricultural crops from pests and diseases is very important to fulfill the needs of growing population. For this purpose, different types of chemicals are used which leads to the accumulation of toxic organic and inorganic compounds in agricultural cycle particularly in economically important fruits and vegetables. Pesticide residue analysis is fundamentally important to ensure the safety of foods, plant and animal origin, and to preserve the environment. It is therefore crucial to monitor fruits and vegetables for pesticide residues using available advanced analytical techniques. The current study was assigned to investigate pesticide residues in peach fruit. We selected six peach cultivars (Early Grand, Florida King, NJC (05), Elberta (06), Maria Delezia, and Indian blood) from four different locations of district Swat. The sampled fruit varieties were then analysed for pesticide residues using gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Results showed that Early Grand variety had pesticide residues with highest concentration of Cypermethrin (16.7±1.38 μg kg-1) followed by Pyridaben (7.425±0.11μg kg-1). In Florida King, the highest c oncentration of Endosulfan (32.78±0.9 μg kg-1) is detected followed by Metachlore (17.36±0.44 μg kg-1). In variety NJC and Elberta, Pyredaben, Propachlor, Carbofuran, Cypermethrine, Endosulfan, and Cyhalothrine compound were found. In both varieties, Endosulfan was in the highest concentration (21.27±1.20 μg kg-1and 67.94±4.61 μg kg-1respectively). As these two varieties had close harvesting time, both varieties showed a similar pattern of pesticide residues. In variety Maria, Difenaconazole was found in the highest concentration (187.51μg kg-1) while the Indian blood variety difenaconazole was noted with the highest concentration (88.60±8.9 μg kg-1). The Chloropyrifos was not detected in any variety and the possible reason may be, it is applied at flowering stage before fruit initiation. Although all cultivars at different locations had pesticide residues, however it cannot be considered a serious public health problem because compounds and their residual levels were below critical concentration as defined by European Union regulations. Furthermore, judicious use of pesticides in fruit and vegetable would certainly ensure their minimal exposure in products.

Wheat cultivars displaying water stress tolerance traits are highly desirable for water scarce regions of Pakistan. To achieve this aim, a 2-years field research experiment was undertaken to assess the outcome of water stress on physiological and agronomic traits at different growth stages in selected wheat cultivars. The experiment comprised evaluation of five wheat cultivars viz., Atta Habibb-2010, Siran-2008, Pirsabak-2008, Hashim-2008 and Pirsabak-2005 under water stress by skipped irrigation at each of the following growth stages: crown root initiation (CRI), tillering stage, pre-anthesis and milk stages, compared with well-watered treatment. Data of tillers number, 1000 grain weight, grain yield, drought susceptibility index and drought tolerance efficiency were evaluated. The two years data revealed significant impact of water stress on growth, physiological and yield traits of wheat, and preanthesis stage was found as most sensitive to water deficiency. For water stress at CRI, Pirsabak-2005 produced higher yield than the rest of the cultivars. Hashim-2008 followed by Pirsabak-2008 produced higher grain yield than rest under water stress at pre-anthesis stage; whereas water deficit at this stage adversely affected the performance of cv. Atta Habib, Hashim-2008 and Pirsabak-2008. Pirsabak-2005, Hashim-2008 and Pirsabak-2008 may be utilized as breeding material for development of local water stress tolerant wheat varieties.

Climate change poses a significant threat to agricultural sustainability, particularly in vulnerable mountainous regions such as Upper Dir, Pakistan. This study, titled "Analysis of Variation in Climatic Parameters and Their Impact on Sustainable Agriculture in Dir, Pakistan: Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies," aims to assess past climatic trends (2002–2023) and project future scenarios using the high-emission Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP 8.5) model. The core objective is to evaluate the quantitative variation in key agro-climatic factors—temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind speed, and aridity and their cumulative impact on crop productivity, soil moisture, and water availability. Meteorological data were collected from the Pakistan Meteorological Department and analyzed using Mann–Kendall trend analysis, return period analysis, and regression forecasting to determine both historical patterns and future trajectories. The results show a 2 °C rise in annual mean temperature from 1980 to 2023, accompanied by a 2% decline in rainfall and a 6% reduction in soil moisture, contributing to increasing aridity and hydrological stress. Wind speed exhibited minor seasonal fluctuations, while humidity increased, particularly during monsoon periods. Future climate projections under the high-emission RCP 8.5 scenario indicate an alarming and continuous rise in temperature throughout the twenty-first century. During the period from 2011 to 2040, the region is expected to experience moderate warming, with temperatures increasing by approximately 1.5 °C to 3.5 °C, and a median rise of around 2.5 °C. In the subsequent period of 2041 to 2070, this warming trend is projected to accelerate significantly, with temperature increases ranging from 4 to 7 °C, and a median rise of 5.5 °C. By the end of the century, from 2071 to 2100, the region could face extreme warming, with temperatures rising between 5 and 12 °C, and a projected median increase of 8.5 °C. These drastic increases are expected to intensify evapotranspiration, reduce soil moisture, disrupt crop cycles, and severely impact agricultural productivity and water availability in Upper Dir, Pakistan. To mitigate these effects, Author introduced climate-resilient species such as Tamarillo (tomato), Olive, Avocado, and Dragon Fruit, and distributed over 30,000 Tamarillo plants and other fruits plants across the region. Additionally, adaptive strategies including tunnel farming, agroforestry, construction of small dams, and efficient irrigation systems were promoted to enhance resilience. The findings emphasize the urgent need for policy-driven climate-smart agriculture, afforestation, and integrated water management strategies to sustain agricultural productivity and rural economies in the face of escalating climate risks.