Heavy metal stress is a leading environmental issue reducing crop growth and productivity, particularly in arid and semi-arid agro-ecological zones. Cadmium (Cd), a non-redox heavy metal, can indirectly increase the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), inducing cell death. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different concentrations of Cd (0, 5, 25, 50, 100 µM) on physiological and biochemical parameters in two sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) cultivars: JS-2002 and Chakwal Sorghum. The results showed that various concentrations of Cd significantly increased the Cd uptake in both cultivars; however, the uptake was higher in JS-2002 compared to Chakwal Sorghum in leaf, stem and root. Regardless of the cultivars, there was a higher accumulation of the Cd in roots than in shoots. The Cd stress significantly reduced the growth and increased the electrolyte leakage (EL), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) concentration and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in both cultivars, but the Chakwal Sorghum showed more pronounced oxidative damage than the JS-2002, as reflected by higher H₂O₂, MDA and EL. Moreover, Cd stress, particularly 50 µM and 100 µM, decreased the activity of different antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT). However, the JS-2002 exhibited higher SOD, POD and CAT activities than the Chakwal Sorghum under different Cd-levels. These findings revealed that JS-2002 had a stronger Cd enrichment capacity and also exhibited a better tolerance to Cd stress due to its efficient antioxidant defense system than Chakwal Sorghum. The present study provides the available information about Cd enrichment and tolerance in S. bicolor, which is used as an important agricultural crop for livestock feed in arid and semi-arid regions.

Oilseeds yield response to sulphur (S) has been well investigated but the dynamics of total biomass accumulation (TBA) and partitioning by sesame plants in response to S are not well understood. This study was initiated to investigate the effects of S on sesame, in which four sesame varieties V_1, SG-27; V_2, SG-30; V_3, SG-36; V_4, SG-51 and four S treatments T₁, 20; T₂, 30; T₃, 40; T₄, 50 kg ha⁻¹ were used. Results revealed that the leaf area index and photosynthetic rate of sesame varieties were significantly higher under T₃ with V₃. Similarly, S fertilization considerably increased the TBA and maximum TBA was reached at late-flowering with V₃ in T₃. Relative to T₁, plants in T₃ had 33 and 23% higher capsule and seed biomass, respectively. Furthermore, total S accumulation and distribution in different plant organs changed with growth stage, at pre-flowering and mid-flowering stage maximum S was found in the stem, whereas at late-flowering and full-maturity stage highest S was recorded in reproductive parts. These results implied that S fertilizers should be applied to agricultural fields to improve oilseed production and by selecting the appropriate and area-specific genotype we can increase sesame seed yield under rainfed conditions.

A major portion of phosphatic fertilizer comes from the limiting natural resource, rock phosphate, which demands a timely alternative. Struvite, a crystalline mineral of low solubility, is a worthwhile alternative. Evaluation of the local wastewater streams for their ability to precipitate struvite and its capability as phosphatic fertilizer under an alkaline soil environment was studied. Two stirring speeds, a pH range of 8.0–11.0, and a constant molar ratio were used to optimize local wastewater streams for struvite precipitation. Struvite was used in five different combinations to assess the release of phosphorus (P), including control (no P source), single superphosphate, struvite, struvite + sulfur, and rock phosphate with or without inoculation of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB). For struvite precipitation, low stirring speeds are ideal because the precipitates readily sink to the bottom once they form. Furthermore, the amalgamation of SOB with sulfur significantly improved P use efficiency under alkaline soils through increased phosphorus sources solubility and enabled optimum wheat production due to its low solubility in an alkaline soil condition. Due to its capacity to recycle phosphorus from wastewater, struvite is poised to emerge as a sustainable fertilizer and had an opportunity to capture a share of this expanding market.

Grapes (Vitis Vinifera L.), are one of the most valuable fruit in Pakistan, mostly cultivated for edible purpose. In October 2016, unusual fruit rot symptoms were observed 3-5 days after harvest on grapes in fruit packing houses from Attock district (33°46'07.9"N 72°21'43.0"E) of Punjab province. To find out the incidence of symptoms, a total 10 boxes of grapes from 5 different locations of Attock district was selected arbitrarily. Out of 120 inspected bunches 28 bunches displayed typical symptoms of disease. During observation, white to dark brown discoloration, soft and fluffy in texture, was observed on individual berries and rapidly expanded to the whole bunch. A total of 400 symptomatic berries were surface sterilized with 1% sodium hypochlorite and rinsed three times with sterile distilled water and let them to dry on filter paper for 45 second. Excised segments (4 mm3) of sterilized tissues (One segment from each berry) were transferred to potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated at 25 ± 2°C. After...