Salinity stress is one of the primary abiotic stresses limiting crop growth and yield. Plants respond to salinity stress with several morphophysiological, molecular, and biochemical mechanisms, however, these mechanisms need to be improved further to cope with salt stress effectively. In this regard, the use of plant growth-promoting (PGP) and halotolerant bacteria is thought to be very efficient for enhancing growth and salinity tolerance in plants. The current study aims to assess Bacillus safensis PM22 for its ability to promote plant growth and resistance to salt. The PM22 produced substantial amounts of exopolysaccharides, indole-3-acetic acid, siderophore, and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase (ACC-deaminase) under saline conditions. Additionally, inoculation of the halotolerant bacteria PM22 reduced the severity of salinity stress in plants and increased root and shoot length at various salt concentrations (0, 180, 240, and 300 mM). Furthermore, PM22-inoculated plants showed markedly enhanced photosynthetic pigment, carotenoid, leaf relative water content, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) activity, salt tolerance index, total soluble sugar, total protein, and ascorbic acid contents compared to non-inoculated control maize plants. PM22 substantially increased antioxidant (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) activities in maize plants, including ascorbate peroxidase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, total flavonoid, and phenol levels. Maize plants inoculated with PM22 also exhibited a significant reduction in electrolyte leakage, hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, glycine betaine, and proline contents compared to non-inoculated control plants. These physiological appearances were further validated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), which revealed the upregulation of expression in genes responsible for stress tolerance. In the current investigation, Bacillus safensis PM22 showed plant growth-promoting and salt tolerance attributes and can be utilized as a bio-inoculant to improve yield in salt stress affected areas.

This research presents a new species in the genus Conocybe collected from the tropical semi-arid District Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Morphological features, and DNA barcoding marker (ITS-region) were used for the systematic placement of Conocybe karakensis. The present species is characterized by having a medium-sized fruiting body, semi-ovate, orange-colored pileus, free, spaced, and regular lamellae with a central, light brown stipe, thick-walled, oblong basidiospores and clavate shaped, tetra-sterigamtic basidia. Molecularly, initial Blast analysis and the phylogenetic analyses showed that Pakistani collection is closely related to Conocybe velutipes. In the phylogenetic tree, ITS sequences of Pakistani collection clustered in a separate clade sister to Conocybe velutipes. This study provides full description, illustrations, and phylogenetic analyses to distinguish this novel taxon from its closest relatives.

Agaricus is a large genus of mushrooms with having great number of edible species. Subgenus Minores sect. Minores contain the richest species diversity. A new species Agaricus totalaiiensis described based on morpho-anatomy and molecular data analyses. It is characterized by small to medium-sized basidiomata that are initially parabolic to convex, becoming planate to concave at maturity, dull red or purplish-red to reddish brown at the center with a pale margin, become too red at the center become reddish brown to light radish brown margin at maturity, and large ellipsoid basidiospores. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on ITS sequences confirmed its identity as a new taxon nested within the subgenus Minores sect. Minores.