Sunflower is the most important source of edible oil and fourth-largest oilseed crop in the world. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of using two organic fertilizers from various sources (compost coupled with biofertilizer (CCB), filter mud cake (FMC)) and comparing them to conventional inorganic fertilizers in their effect on the quality of sunflower seeds, sunflower oil, and soil properties. The data showed that the highest value of dry weight, plant height, disk dry weight in addition to chlorophyll content, and phenolic secondary metabolites in oil was measured after the application of inorganic fertilizer, while the use of organic fertilizer contributed to a substantial increase in the production yield of sunflower seeds, oil, and a high stalk yield compared with inorganic treatment. Oils produced from organic fertilizer (CCB and FMC) gave higher blue color values than inorganic ones and the most transparent oil was inorganic while the organic treatments produced darkest oils. The results for chemical composition of sunflower seeds showed nonsignificant differences for protein and ash among all treatments while a significant difference with regard to oil content was recorded, in which the FMC recorded the highest oil content followed by compost (CCB), and finally came the inorganic treatment. Organic fertilizers are a valuable source of organic material and nutrients essential for plants and can be safely used for soil, crops, and the environment.

The interaction between cytokinin, auxin and GA controlled in vitro shoot multiplication in paulownia was influenced by a medium water potential (Ψ) modulation, where it was modulated using different textures or strengths of MS medium, media of different types (MS, WPM, SH and B5) or NaCl incorporation. The interaction between 2 mg/L BAP and 0.1 mg/L NAA expressed the highest shoot number on each media type, but it was better with media of lower water potential (MS and WPM), and MS medium was the best. Ψ of full-strength semisolid MS medium expressed the highest shoot multiplication. The opposite was detected when Ψ of MS medium was changed using half- or double-strength MS. Ψ of full-strength MS medium in semisolid form resulted in a valuable interaction between 2 mg/L BAP, 0.1 mg/L NAA and 0.1 mg/L GA, leading to efficient shoot formation, and it was associated with an increase in internode length and decrease in stem diameter, which facilitated obtaining synseeds with a high ability to convert. High genetic variation was recorded under long-term culture (14 subcultures). Polymorphism using the ISSR technique was higher than that of RAPD. A further increase in polymorphism was detected when NaCl was used, where five salt-tolerant lines were selected. Some salt-tolerant-selected lines showed one or more amplification products of a specific molecular weight that did not appear in the control. For example, with OPA-07 and OPG-02 RAPD primers, all the salt-tolerant-selected lines showed the appearance of amplification fragments (610 bp and 300 bp, respectively) that were not detected in control.

The use of contaminated water to irrigate crop plants poses a risk to human health from the bioaccumulation potential of microcystins (MCs) in the edible tissues of vegetable plants. The main objective of this study is to determine the concentration of total microcystins (MC-LR and MC-RR) in leafy green plants (Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia and Eruca sativa) that have previously been irrigated with polluted water. Integrated water samples were collected by cleaned plastic bottles at a depth of about 30 cm from one of the sources of water used to irrigate agricultural lands for crop plants. At the same time, samples from plants were also collected because this water from the lake farm is used for the irrigation of surrounding vegetable plants such as Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia and Eruca sativa. The dominant species of cyanobacteria in water samples are Microcystis aeruginosa (Kützing) and Oscillatoria limnetica Lemmermann, which were detected with an average cell count 2,300,000 and 450,000 cells/mL, respectively. These two dominant species in water produced two MCs variants (MC-LR, -RR) that were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Dissolve and particulate MCs were detected in the irrigation waters by HPLC with concentrations of 45.04–600 μg/L. MCs in the water samples exceeded the WHO safety limit (1 μg/L) of MC in drinking water. In addition, the total concentration of Microcystin in Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia and Eruca sativa were 1044 and 1089 ng/g tissues, respectively. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of microcystins by a person (60 kg) consuming 300 g of fresh plants exceeded the total daily intake guidelines (0.04 μg kg⁻¹ body weight) for human food consumption. According to the findings of this study, irrigation water and plants used for human consumption should be tested for the presence of MCs regularly through critical and regularly monitored programs to prevent the accumulation and transfer of such toxins through the food web.

Long-term use of inorganic fertilizers can increase soil acidity, be harmful to the environment, and leaving bad effects on human health. Organic fertilizer application is one of the safer alternatives with numerous benefits, such as supplying nutrients for plant growth. Sunflower is one of the most important grown oilseed crops in the world. Sunflower plants need a supply of essential nutrients for their optimal growth. As a result, the aim of this research is to explore the effect and mechanism of two organic fertilizers from different sources (sugarcane bagasse ash (SBA), compost coupled with biofertilizer (CCB)) and NPK inorganic fertilizer as a control on enzyme activity, physiological traits, and the uptake of mineral contents and heavy metals in sunflower plant (Helianthus annuus L.). Fresh or dry mass (FM, DM), osmolytes and secondary metabolites, photosynthesis pigments, and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant molecules were all determined. Both sugarcane bagasse ash and compost coupled with biofertilizer resulted in a high value of fresh and dry mass, plant height, and chlorophyll content. The results revealed that the use of sugarcane bagasse ash (SBA) and compost coupled with biofertilizer increased osmolyte contents (soluble proteins and soluble sugars), antioxidants system enzyme/molecule (catalase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and TGS) and secondary metabolites. However, the highest value of proline, total free amino acids, and phenolic compounds in sunflower plants was determined after NPK fertilizer application. On the contrary, it lowered Na, Na/K ratio, and Cd content. Data showed that organic fertilizers enhanced the accumulation of Cl, PO₄, and SO₄ content in sunflower plants. Generally, CCB and SBA treatments increased Cu, Zn, and Pb accumulation in sunflower plants. Using organic fertilizers with chemical NPK fertilizer can improve the chemical, physical, and biological soil properties.

Sustainable ecological agriculture is achieved by regulating the benefits of trees. The application of leguminous trees as alley cropping protects and increases soil fertility, improves the quality of water by intercepting pesticides, changes the local climate, improves biodiversity, and thus improves productivity. In order to evaluate the impact of alley cropping upon the growth and productivity attributes of fennel, an experiment was carried out during two seasons. The experiment included eight treatments. Fennel seeds were cultivated between Sesbania alleys and treated with N and endophytic fungi according to the eight treatments. After harvesting the fennel, different parameters were determined and biochemical analyses were conducted. All of the alley cropping treatments showed remarkable superiority in all measures of fennel growth and productivity compared to the sole crop treatment. Among the different alley cropping treatments, applying Sesbania at 4 m spacing with N fertilizer and EF increased most of the studied parameters in terms of the least number of days from planting until harvesting of fennel, herb dry weight, number of umbels, fruit yield, essential oil, N, P, and K content, and pigments. In contrast, the highest plant height was recorded with fennel–Sesbania at 2 m spacing + N fertilizer + EF. Applying fennel–Sesbania at 6 m spacing + N fertilizer + EF treatment resulted in higher stem diameter and increased the number of main branches compared to the other treatments.