Prostate cancer is a heterogeneous disease, the second deadliest malignancy in men and the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men. Traditional plants have been applied to handle various diseases and to develop new drugs. Medicinal plants are potential sources of natural bioactive compounds that include alkaloids, phenolic compounds, terpenes, and steroids. Many of these naturally-occurring bioactive constituents possess promising chemopreventive properties. In this sense, the aim of the present review is to provide a detailed overview of the role of plant-derived phytochemicals in prostate cancers, including the contribution of plant extracts and its corresponding isolated compounds.

In many poorer parts of the world, biofortification is a strategy that increases the concentration of target nutrients in staple food crops, mainly by genetic manipulation, to alleviate prevalent nutrient deficiencies. We reviewed the (i) prevalence of vitamin A, iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies; (ii) availability of vitamin A, iron and Zn biofortified crops, and their acceptability in South Africa. The incidence of vitamin A and iron deficiency among children below five years old is 43.6% and 11%, respectively, while the risk of Zn deficiency is 45.3% among children aged 1 to 9 years. Despite several strategies being implemented to address the problem, including supplementation and commercial fortification, the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies is still high. Biofortification has resulted in the large-scale availability of βcarotene-rich orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP), while provitamin A biofortified maize and Zn and/or iron biofortified common beans are at development stages. Agronomic biofortification is being investigated to enhance yields and concentrations of target nutrients in crops grown in agriculturally marginal environments. The consumer acceptability of OFSP and provitamin A biofortified maize were higher among children compared to adults. Accelerating the development of other biofortified staple crops to increase their availability, especially to the target population groups, is essential. Nutrition education should be integrated with community health programmes to improve the consumption of the biofortified crops, coupled with further research to develop suitable recipes/formulations for biofortified foods.

The African continent harbours many native species with nutraceutical and pharmaceutical potential. This study reviewed underutilised crops in South Africa to determine their potential as food and herbal medicinal crops. Over 5,000 species have been identified and earmarked for their medical attributes in formal and informal setups. Researchers, plant breeders and policymakers have mostly ignored the development potential of these crops. Consequently, their value chains are poorly developed. In South Africa, there is a wide range of neglected and underutilised crops, which were historically popular and used by communities; however, over the years, they have lost their status within farming systems and been relegated to the status of neglected and underutilised. Recently, driven by the need to transition to more sustainable and resilient food systems, there has been renewed interest in their potential as food and herbal medicinal crops to establish new value chains that include vulnerable groups. They are now gaining global attention, and their conservation and sustainable utilisation are now being prioritized. The review confirmed that several of these crops possess nutraceutical and pharmaceutical properties, highlighting their potential for development as food and herbal medicines. However, current production levels are too low to meet the requirements for industrial development; research and development should focus on all aspects of their value chain, from crop improvement to utilisation. A transdisciplinary approach involving a wide range of actors is needed to develop the identified neglected and underutilised crops’ potential as food and herbal medicinal crops and support the development of new and inclusive value chains.

The low soil fertility status of South African marginal soils threatens sustainable production of biofuel feedstock in smallholder farmers. It is therefore imperative to development sustainable and optimal management practices that improve soil fertility. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of tillage, rotation and crop residue management on nutrient availability in a bioenergy sweet sorghum-based cropping system in marginal soils. Two tillage levels, no-till (NT) and conventional tillage (CT); two crop rotations, sweet sorghum–grazing vetch–sweet sorghum (SVS) and sweet sorghum–fallow–sweet sorghum (SFS); and three crop residue retention levels, 0%, 15% and 30%, were tested. No-till enhanced total nitrogen, total organic nitrogen (TON), magnesium (Mg) and sodium (Na) by 3.19% to 45% compared to CT. SVS rotation increased ammonium (NH₄⁺-N) and nitrate (NO₃⁻-N) by 3.42% to 5.98% compared to SFS. A 30% crop residue retention increased NH₄⁺-N, NO₃⁻-N, available phosphorus (Available P), cation exchange capacity (CEC), calcium (Ca), Mg and potassium (K) by 3.58% to 31.94% compared to crop residue removal. In the short term, a 30% crop residue retention was the main treatment that enhanced soil fertility. The application of NT−30% was a better practice to enhance soil fertility. However, research on inclusion of crop diversity/intercropping can add more value to the NT–30% practice in enhancing soil fertility.

Bacterial endophytes reside within the tissues of living plant species without causing any harm or disease to their hosts. These endophytes can be isolated, identified, characterized, and used as biofertilizers. Moreover, bacterial endophytes increase the plants’ resistance against diseases, pests, and parasites, and are a promising source of pharmaceutically important bioactives. For instance, the production of antibiotics, auxins, biosurfactants, cytokinin’s, ethylene, enzymes, gibberellins, nitric oxide organic acids, osmolytes, and siderophores is accredited to the existence of various bacterial strains. Thus, this manuscript intends to review the sustainable applications of endophytic bacteria to promote the growth, development, and chemical integrity of medicinal and herbal plants, as well as their role in plant physiology. The study of the importance of bacterial endophytes in the suppression of diseases in medicinal and herbal plants is crucial and a promising area of future investigation.