Agricultural production is severely limited by an iron deficiency. Alkaline soils increase iron deficiency in rice crops, consequently leading to nutrient deficiencies in humans. Adding iron to rice enhances both its elemental composition and the nutritional value it offers humans through the food chain. The purpose of the current pot experiment was to investigate the impact of Fe treatment in alkaline (pH 7.5) and acidic (pH 5.5) soils to introduce iron-rich rice. Iron was applied to the plants in the soil in the form of an aqueous solution of FeSO₄ with five different concentrations (100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 mM). The results obtained from the current study demonstrated a significant increase in Fe content in Oryza sativa with the application of iron in both alkaline and acidic pH soils. Specifically, Basmati-515, one of the rice cultivars tested, exhibited a notable 13% increase in iron total accumulation per plant and an 11% increase in root-to-shoot ratio in acidic soil. In contrast to Basmati-198, which demonstrated maximum response in alkaline soil, Basmati-515 exhibited notable increases in all parameters, including a 31% increase in dry weight, 16% increase in total chlorophyll content, an 11% increase in CAT (catalase) activity, 7% increase in APX (ascorbate peroxidase) activity, 26% increase in POD (peroxidase) activity, and a remarkable 92% increase in SOD (superoxide dismutase) in acidic soil. In alkaline soil, Basmati-198 exhibited respective decreases of 40% and 39% in MDA and H₂O₂ content, whereas Basmati-515 demonstrated a more significant decrease of 50% and 67% in MDA and H₂O₂ in acidic soil. These results emphasize the potential for targeted soil management strategies to improve iron nutrition and address iron deficiency in agricultural systems. By considering soil conditions, it is possible to enhance iron content and promote its availability in alkaline and acidic soils, ultimately contributing to improved crop nutrition and human health.

Rice ranks second among cereals in dietary uses around the world. Rice is deficient in iron (Fe), and these are important micronutrients for infants, men, and women. Fortification of rice with iron would help to minimize nutrient deficiency disorders among humans. The current study aims to introduce nutrient-rich rice. The effects of iron on germination, growth, photosynthetic pigment, antioxidant activity, and reduction of oxidative stress were investigated in four Oryza sativa L. cultivars. O. sativa of four different cultivars (Basmati-515, PK-386, KSK-133, and Basmati-198) were grown under five treatments (100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 mM) of iron sulphate (FeSO₄) in soil of pH 7.5, along with control, by using six replicates. The result revealed that Fe treatment significantly affected seed germination percentage, plant growth parameters, biomass, photosynthetic pigments (chl a, chl b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoids), antioxidant enzymatic and non-enzymatic activity, and reduced oxidative stress. The findings also showed that Fe application reduced the oxidative stress including malondialdehyde content and hydrogen peroxide, by increasing the antioxidant enzymatic activity, i.e., catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH), and non-enzymatic antioxidant compounds (proline, amino acid, total soluble protein, phenolics, flavonoids, reducing-non-reducing sugar, and carbohydrates) in all cultivars of O. sativa. Furthermore, FeSO₄ induced a significant increase in proline, free amino acid, and total carbohydrates in the leaves of all O. sativa cultivars, but Basmati-198 showed the significantly highest content by 169, 88, and 110%, respectively, at concentration of 500 mM. The present research work showed that soil application of FeSO₄ improved the seed germination, plant growth, and antioxidants enzymatic and non-enzymatic activity, denatured the ROS (reactive oxygen species) in alkaline soil. In order to understand the underlying mechanisms, long-term field investigations should be carried out at the molecular level to examine patterns of iron uptake and plant growth.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of salicylic acid (SA) on wheat subjected to cadmium (Cd) stress. The experiments were conducted during the winter season of 2022‐2023 (November to February) at the University of the Punjab in Lahore, Pakistan. The study involved four wheat varieties: Akbar‐2019, Galaxy‐2013, Ujala‐16, and Chakwal‐86. The study utilized a factorial design with three replicates, examining three Cd levels (0.1 mM, 0.2 mM, and 0.3 mM) and two SA levels (0.5 mM and 0.9 mM). SA was applied as a seed priming agent, while cadmium sulfate (CdSO₄) solution induced Cd toxicity. Various growth parameters, including plant height, total plant length, leaf length, leaf breadth, and leaf area, were measured alongside physiological and biochemical parameters such as total chlorophyll content, carotenoid content, oxidative stress indicators (MDA and H₂O₂), and antioxidants (total soluble protein, CAT, and APX)—to assess the effects of SA under Cd stress. The results indicated that the application of 0.5 mM SA resulted in the highest vegetative growth and maximum physiological and biochemical parameters, while 0.3 mM Cd significantly reduced growth. The performance of the treatments was observed in the following order: 0.5 mM SA > 0.3 mM Cd. Ujala‐16 showed intermediate growth and yield, while Chakwal‐86 had the lowest growth rate and yield. The study demonstrated that SA mitigates Cd stress effects, with 0.9 mM SA and 0.1 mM Cd yielding the highest growth, second only to 0.5‐ and 0.9‐mM SA treatments. These findings underscore the potential of SA to enhance wheat growth and yield in Cd‐contaminated soils. In conclusion, SA is suggested as a beneficial treatment for improving productivity and economic returns in Cd‐stressed areas. Future recommendations include conducting long‐term studies to evaluate cumulative treatment effects and investigating how salicylic acid mitigates cadmium stress through biochemical pathways and gene expression, enhancing agricultural practices.

Antibiotics are disseminated by grazing animals or their feces throughout agricultural areas. These antibiotics, as environmental pollutants, have a negative impact on plant growth and physiology. Sulfonamides are frequently used to protect livestock production, but they also have a considerable negative impact on plant growth and rhizospheric bacteria. Plants are sensitive to their surroundings, and they employ their internal biological systems to deal with the threats to their growth and development. Soil microbes, which are the most common inhabitants, have amazing metabolic capacities that enable them to overcome abiotic constraints. The effects of sulfonamide stress on wheat cultivar Chakwal-50 were studied in terms of morphological and biochemical processes, as well as stress mitigation by microorganisms isolated from wheat rhizospheric soil. This research looked at the effects of four new derived sulfonamides (SAs): 2-phenylsulfonyl hydrazine carbothioamide (TSBS-1), N,2-bis phenylhydrazine carbothioamide (TSBS-2), aminocarbonyl benzene sulfonamide (UBS-1), and N, N'-carboxyl dibenzene sulfonamide (UBS-2). Five rhizospheric bacterial strains were used: AC (Actinobacteria sp.), RS-3a (Bacillus sp.), RS-7a (Bacillus subtilis), RS-4a (Enterobacter sp.), and RS-5a (Enterobacter sp.). T. aestivum seeds were sterilized before being cultivated in soil polluted with various sulfonamide derivatives and inoculated with various bacterial strains under natural environmental conditions. To analyze the effect of sulfonamides on several aspects of plant growth, data from each antibiotic and bacterial strain was used to determine shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, root and shoot length, number of leaves, and photosynthetic activity on the 15th day of germination. According to the results, Inoculation of Bacillus spp. (RS-3a) produced a maximum shoot fresh weight (FW) and shoot length by 8.14 g and 15.19 cm, respectively. Actinobacteria sp. (AC) had the highest chlorophyll value of 37 μg/g FW, while Bacillus spp. (RS-3a) increased carotenoid values with the average value of 550 μg/g FW by reducing sulfonamide stress. Following this preliminary screening, some bacterial strains were found to be promising plant growth promoting rhizobacteria for improving plant growth in a way that was both safe and effective.