Agronomic biofortification is the purposeful utilization of mineral fertilizers to increase the concentration of desired minerals in edible plant parts for enhancing their dietary intake. It is becoming crucial to enhance the dietary intake of K for addressing hidden hunger and related health issues such as cardiac diseases and hypertension. This study was designed to enhance the potassium concentration in edible parts of spinach through its foliar application under saline environment. The salinity levels of electrical conductivity (EC) = 4, 6, and 8 dS m⁻¹ were applied using sodium chloride (NaCl) along with control. The levels of K for foliar sprays were 5 and 10 mM, along with control. The present experiment was performed under two factorial arrangements in a completely randomized design (CRD). After 60 days of sowing, the crop was harvested. Data regarding growth, ionic, physiological, and biochemical parameters, i.e., shoot dry weight, relative water content, electrolyte leakage, total chlorophyll content, tissue sodium (Na) and K concentration, activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) were recorded and those were found to be significantly (p ≤ 0.05) affected by foliar application of K on spinach under saline conditions. The highest growth, physiological and biochemical responses of spinach were observed in response to foliar-applied K at 10 mM. It is concluded that agronomic bio-fortification by foliar use of K can be a useful strategy to increase tissue K intakes and minimize Na toxicity in the vegetables studied under saline conditions.

Salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses that is deteriorating soil fertility and reducing essential nutrients acquisition by plants around the world. Among staple food, wheat can be a primary source of micronutrients like Fe and Zn. The saline/saline-sodic and calcareous soils are deficient in Fe and Zn. In these regards, the aim of present study was to screen out wheat genotypes which can efficiently utilize Fe and Zn in saline conditions. Therefore, ten wheat genotypes (i.e., Ujala-2016, Punjab-2011, Galaxy-2013, Faisalabad-2008, Anaj-2017, SARC-I, SARC-VIII, Lasani-2008, Sehar-2006 and Inqalab-91) were exposed to varying rates of Zn (0.2, 0.4 µM) and Fe (25, 50 µM) under saline and normal conditions in a solution culture experiment. Salinity was developed by using NaCl salt, while the sources of Zn and Fe were ZnSO₄.7H₂O and FeSO₄.7H₂O, respectively. The data of various wheat growth and ionic parameters including root/shoot dry weight, chlorophyll contents, Zn, Fe, K and Na concentration in root and shoot of wheat genotypes were recorded using standard procedures. The results showed that Fe and Zn application significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased wheat plant growth under salt stress. Among tested genotypes, Faisalabad-2008 and Galaxy-2013 performed better under saline conditions with maximum biomass production, Zn, Fe and K absorption. Thus, these both genotypes were found to be good source for future wheat breeding programs or can be grown by farmers owing to efficient Fe and Zn utilization as a gateway toward the production of Fe and Zn biofortified wheat under saline conditions.

The hydrology of arid to semi-arid regions is substantially different from that in humid regions due to scarce hydrological data distributions with dry climates and strong evapo-transpirative conditions. In the perspective of global water shortage, food security for all of the living beings has become a matter of great concern. Efficient use of water resources both in urban and rural environments and application of non-conventional water resources for irrigation are becoming increasingly important. In order to sustain crop production, the re-use of treated wastewater for irrigation of crops could be a good option. A pot experiment was set up to evaluate effects of different doses of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer on lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni) phyto-availability by two cultivars of rice irrigated with city effluent. Experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design (CRD) each with three replications. The results showed effective immobilization of Pb with applied phosphatic fertilizer. Among all of the tested treatments, the most effective treatment to reduce phyto-availability of Pb was T₄ (248 kg P ha⁻¹) due to antagonistic interaction. While Ni showed inconsistent behavior with both synergistic and antagonistic interaction (biphasic) to applied phosphorus (P) rates. Data regarding various growth parameters such as plant height, number of tillers, shoot and root dry weights, straw and grain yields, and physiological attributes such as total chlorophyll contents, photosynthetic and transpiration rates showed significant (p ≤ 0.05) responses to P application. An increasing trend was revealed in determined parameters with increased P application rates, with the exception of decreased plant height. The conclusion of the present remedial approach indicated that addition of P can significantly reduce the risks of rice grown under city effluent irrigation containing high Pb and Ni contents.

Global warming and less uncertain rainfall have resulted in climate change and water deficit stress conditions which had a deleterious impact on the agroecosystem. Silicon (Si) exists as a beneficial component in soil and has a significant role in overcoming water scarcity problems. Si can maintain crop yield and growth even in stress conditions like salinity and water deficit stress. Salicylic acid supports the crop to withstand the harmful effects of salinity and drought stress. This growth regulator together with silicon works to alleviate the water deficit stress condition. A foliar spray of SA is beneficial for plants. A pot experiment was conducted in the greenhouse of the Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences to evaluate the effect of Si (Control, 100 and 200 mg kg-1) and SA (Control and 1 mM) on quinoa under water deficit conditions. Treatments included: T1 = Control, T2 = Si at 100 mg kg-1, T3 = Si at 200 mg kg-1, T4 = 1 mM SA foliar, T5 = Si at 100 mg kg-1 + 1 mM SA foliar, T6 = Si at 200 mg kg-1 + 1 mM SA foliar, T7 = Water deficit, T8 = Water deficit + Si at 100 mg kg-1, T9 = Water deficit + Si at 200 mg kg-1, T10 = Water deficit + 1 mM SA foliar, T11 = Water deficit + Si at 100 mg kg-1 + 1 mM SA foliar, T12 = Water deficit + Si at 200 mg kg-1 + 1 mM SA foliar. Two water levels, control (100% FC) and deficit water stress (60% FC) were used. In the first four weeks after germination, all pots were equally irrigated and after this, water deficit stress started. A completely Randomized Design (CRD) was used to establish the experiment with three replications under a factorial arrangement. The crop was harvested at the maturity stage. It was found that water shortage followed a substantial decline in the growth and yield of quinoa. However, Si and SA improved the fresh and dry weight of the shoot, plant height, SPAD value, RWC, MSI, and productivity of quinoa under normal and water stress conditions. Therefore, it is concluded that SA and Si applications proved effective in improving crop growth in deficit water conditions by increasing the deficit water stress tolerance of quinoa plants.