Research on nanoparticles (NPs) is gaining great attention in modulating abiotic stress tolerance and improving crop productivity. Therefore, this investigation was carried out to evaluate the effects of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) on growth and biochemical characteristics in two maize hybrids (YH-5427 and FH-1046) grown under normal conditions or subjected to saline stress. A pot-culture experiment was carried out in the Botanical Research Area of “the University of Lahore”, Lahore, Pakistan, in a completely randomized design. At two phenological stages, both maize hybrids were irrigated with the same amount of distilled water or NaCl solution (EC = 5 dS m⁻¹) and subjected or not to foliar treatment with a suspension of CuO-NPs. The salt stress significantly reduced the photosynthetic parameters (photosynthetic rate, transpiration, stomatal conductance), while the sodium content in the shoot and root increased. The foliar spray with CuO-NPs improved the growth and photosynthetic attributes, along with the N, P, K, Ca, and Mg content in the roots and shoots. However, the maize hybrid YH-5427 responded better than the other hybrid to the saline stress when sprayed with CuO-NPs. Overall, the findings of the current investigation demonstrated that CuO-NPs can help to reduce the adverse effects of salinity stress on maize plants by improving growth and physio-biochemical attributes.

Nano-biochar is a source of blackish carbonaceous material, a prerequisite for sustainable crop productivity. By using a variety of feedstock materials, nanobiochar synthesis can be employed via pyrolysis. Therefore, a project was initiated to explore the morpho-physio-biochemical alteration at the vegetative stage of wheat crops after the foliar application of nanobiochar suspension (NBS). This investigation was conducted at the Botanical Research Area of the University of Lahore in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) arrangement, with four treatments (0, 1, 3, and 5% NBS) by maintaining three replications for each treatment using the wheat variety “Zincol”. Nano biochar suspension in above mentioned concentrations were foliarly applied at the end of tillering/beginning of leaf sheath elongation of wheat seedlings to assess the morphological changes (root length, shoot length, number of leaves, fresh biomass/plant, dry biomass/plant), physio-biochemical alterations (total free amino acids, total sugars, chlorophyll content, protein, phenols, flavonoids), and nutrient uptake (Na, K, Ca, Mg, N, P contents. Our findings indicate that the foliar application of 3% NBS yielded the most favorable results across all measured attributes. Furthermore, Treatment-4 (5% NBS) specifically improved certain traits, including leaf area, total soluble proteins, and leaf calcium content. Finally, all NBS resulted in a decrease in carotenoid and sodium content in wheat seedlings.

Soil salinity drastically hinders cotton productivity (Gossypium hirsutum), and fiber quality. The current study evaluated morpho-physiological and biochemical responses of fifty cotton genotypes under different salinity levels (control, 12 dS/m, and 17 dS/m) at the seedling stage. The experiment was performed in a factorial complete randomized design with three replications. Significant genotype × treatment interactions were observed for most traits, including shoot length (SL), root length (RL), fresh and dry shoot weight (FSW, DSW), fresh and dry root weight (FRW, DRW), total soluble protein (TSP), proline content, and antioxidant enzymes. Severe salinity stress reduces shoot length (SL) and root length (RL) along with notable decreases in biomass and altered biochemical responses, including increased antioxidant activities and proline content, indicating stress adaptation. Moreover, PCA and Pearson’s correlation analyses unveiled strong positive and negative correlations among studied attributes while MGIDI analyses assist in determining the salt-resilient cotton genotypes under applied treatments. The best-performing genotypes under control conditions were G₂, G₈, and G₁₂, while G₇, G₄₃, and G₃₀ showed resilience under severe salinity stress. MGIDI effectively identified genotypes with outstanding salinity tolerance, such as G₂, G₄₃, G₄₀, and G₂₆, across all stress levels. This research assists in determining the salinity stress-tolerant cotton genotypes using morpho-physiological and biochemical parameters and MGIDI is used as a precise method for identifying salt-resilient cotton accessions.

Drought stress substantially restricts cotton growth, decreasing cotton production potential worldwide. This study evaluated cotton genotypes at the flowering stage to identify drought-resilient genotypes under moderate and severe drought conditions using physio-morphic and biochemical markers. Five genotypes were examined in a completely randomized design with three replicates across three treatments. Growth and biochemical traits were measured after 14 days of drought stress. The Multi-trait Genotype–Ideotype Distance Index (MGIDI) identified the most drought-tolerant genotypes. Severe drought had a pronounced negative effect on growth and biochemical traits, followed by moderate drought. Among the genotypes, FH-912 exhibited the strongest resilience, with significant increases in proline, peroxidase, catalase, and total chlorophyll. In contrast, chlorophyll a and transpiration rates were largely unaffected. Genotypes VH-351, VH-281, and GH-99 showed moderate drought tolerance, while FH-556 was highly sensitive to water stress. Statistical analyses, including ANOVA, PCA, and heatmaps, confirmed FH-912’s superior performance under drought stress. The drought-resilient genotype, FH-912, holds promise for breeding drought-tolerant cotton varieties to sustain cotton productivity in water-limited environments, especially in drought-prone regions.

To investigate the toxic effects of lead (Pb) on key metabolic activities essential for proper germination and seedling growth of maize seeds, experiments were carried out with different levels of Pb (0 to 120 mg of Pb L⁻¹ as PbCl₂) applied through growth medium to two maize hybrids H-3310S and H-6724. The research findings indicated that growth and metabolic activities were adversely affected by increased Pb contamination in growth medium; however, a slow increase in these parameters was recorded with increasing time from 0 to 120 h. Protease activity decreased with an increase in the level of Pb contamination but increased with time; consequently, a reduction in seed proteins and an increase in total free amino acids were observed with time. Similarly, α-amylase activity decreased with an increase in Pb concentration in growth medium while it increased with increasing time from 0 to 120 h; consequently, reducing and non-reducing sugars increased with time but decreased with exposure to lead. The roots of both maize hybrids had higher Pb contents than those of the shoot, which decreased the uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. All these nutrients are essential for optimal plant growth; therefore, the reduction in growth and biomass of maize seedlings could be due to Pb toxicity that altered metabolic processes, as sugar and amino acids are necessary for the synthesis of metabolic compounds, rapid cell division, and proper functioning of enzymes in the growing embryo, but all were dramatically reduced due to suppression of protease and α-amylase by toxicity of Pb. In general, hybrid H-3310S performed better in Pb-contaminated growth medium than H-6724.

Improving fruit quality and reducing pre-harvest fruit drop are critical goals for Citrus reticulata production in Pakistan, where climatic and nutritional challenges affect yield and juice quality. This study evaluated the combined effects of plant growth regulators (salicylic acid and indole acetic acid) and nutrients (potassium and zinc) on fruit drop and juice volume in Citrus reticulata L. Field trials were conducted at three locations in Punjab, Pakistan (Layyah, Faisalabad, and Sargodha) using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with five replications per treatment. Nutrients (K and Zn at 100 mg/L each) and growth regulators (SA at 100 mg/L and IAA at 5 mg/L) were applied individually or in combination at three growth stages. Statistical analyses, including PCA, ANOVA, and GGE biplot, were used to identify the most effective treatments for improving fruit juice quality and reducing fruit drop. The combined foliar application of SA + K + Zn was the most effective across all parameters, except fruit drop, juice citric acid contents, and juice pH, which were negatively affected. The highest juice potassium content was observed with K application. The PCA and GGE biplot analysis indicated that the Sargodha orchard performed best, with the SA + K treatment being the most effective there, while SA + K + Zn showed the best results at Layyah and Faisalabad for reducing fruit drop, enhancing juice volume, and improving fruit quality. However, individual fruit, juice, and juice nutrient contents traits analyses revealed that the most significant improvements in fruit and juice quality were observed at the Sargodha site instead of Layyah and Faisalabad. The treatment SA + K + Zn proved to be the most stable and consistent in enhancing citrus fruit and juice quality across all three selected locations. The findings suggest that adopting the SA + K + Zn treatment could be a practical approach for citrus farmers aiming to enhance crop yield and fruit quality, thereby supporting agricultural productivity and export potential in Pakistan.