In the current study, we used high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to investigate and analyze the methanolic extract of Salvia rosmarinus leaves. HPLC analysis showed that the extract revealed a diverse array of polyphenolic compounds, including apigenin, catechin, chlorogenic acid, cinnamic acid, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, daidzein, ellagic acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, hesperetin, kaempferol, methyl gallate, naringenin, pyrocatechol, quercetin, rutin, syringic acid, and vanillin. Furthermore, three fungal isolates from symptomatic strawberry plants were obtained and identified as Botrytis cinerea (OR116486), Fusarium oxysporum (OR116505), and Rhizoctonia solani (OR116525). The extract’s antifungal activity was evaluated at concentrations of 0, 50, 150, 200, and 300 µg/mL. At 200 µg/mL, the extract showed growth inhibition percentages of 74.56, 58.19, and 56.67% for R. solani, F. oxysporum, and B. cinerea, respectively, while at 300 µg/mL, all the tested fungi were completely suppressed. The GC–MS analysis revealed that the major compounds of the methanolic extract identified based on their retention times and relative peak areas (%) included β-caryophyllene (12.06%), germacrene d (13.55%), caryophyllene oxide (3.13%), methyl palmitate (5.26%), hexadecanoic acid (4.9%), and methyl stearate (6.02%). These results show rosemary extract’s potential as a source of natural antifungal agents against plant photogenic fungi. As a result, it provides a safer alternative to the current protective approaches for plant disease management.

The increasing impacts of climate change, global warming, and water scarcity are intensifying drought risk and compromising global food security. To mitigate these challenges, green-synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) derived from plant extracts have recently emerged as an innovative tool for enhancing crop resilience to abiotic stresses such as drought. Moringa enables eco-friendly nanoparticle production with diverse uses. Although Moringa enhances plant traits and its NPs have antimicrobial properties, limited research exists on their ability to improve plant tolerance to abiotic stress. Here, we investigated the potential of copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles synthesized from Moringa plant extracts to alleviate drought stress in tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum). The Moringa-based CuO NPs were characterized via UV‒Vis spectrophotometry, Zeta potential, FTIR, SEM, and TEM. Foliar applications of the NPs at various concentrations (3, 6, and 9 mg/L) were tested on tomato seedlings under normal and drought-induced conditions (10% PEG), alongside two controls: non-stressed control (water treatment) and drought stress control (PEG treatment). Physiological assessments showed that 6 mg/L Moringa-based CuO NPs were most effective under drought stress, significantly reducing leaf yellowing and increasing shoot length by 11%, root length by 21%, total dry biomass by 34% increase, and total chlorophyll content by 32% increase at (p < 0.05) compared to the drought stress control. Furthermore, at the molecular level, gene expression analysis revealed the upregulation of PAL, CHS, and HQT, which are genes critical to the stress response and secondary metabolism in tomato plants. Notably, the combination of CuO NPs with PEG amplified gene expression, indicating a synergistic effect on improving drought tolerance. These findings highlight the potential of the use of Moringa-synthesized CuO nanoparticles as a sustainable, eco-friendly strategy to mitigate drought stress in economic crops such as tomatoes. This new green approach offers a promising solution for bolstering food security in the face of climate change and water scarcity challenges.

Methanolic extract from Salsola imbricata was investigated for its phytochemical content, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties against phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of saponin, tannins, and alkaloids with 1.25%, 18.8 mg catechin/g of extract, and 9.12%, respectively. Total flavonoid content was 20.8 mg quercetin equivalent/g while total phenolic content was 202 mg gallic acid equivalent/g. Antioxidant activity using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay resulted in an IC₅₀ value of 48.61 µg/mL, while the phosphomolybdenum method yielded a value of 215.43 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/g of extract. The highest phenolic acids detected in the extract were gallic acid (712.97 µg/g), syringic acid (742.7 µg/g), and caffeic acid (474.70 µg/g) according to high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. Palmitic acid (28.38%) dominated the fatty acids identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, while stigmasterol (8.34%) was the most abundant steroid. At a concentration of 3 mg/mL, the extract showed strong antibacterial activity against Pectobacterium carotovorum (10.50 mm), Ralstonia solanacearum (9.93 mm), and Pectobacterium atrosepticum (8.37 mm). Additionally, the extract significantly suppressed fungal growth of Rhizoctonia solani (38.22%) and Fusarium oxysporum (33.56%) but showed lower activity toward Botrytis cinerea (13.33%) at 5 mg/mL. In conclusion, S. imbricata extract exhibited promising antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, making it a potential candidate for further exploration in agricultural applications.

Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici , threatens global tomato production, with losses reaching 80%. Although chemical fungicides are effective, their prolonged use risks resistant strains, reduces soil biodiversity, and causes environmental damage, highlighting the urgent need for ecofriendly alternatives. This study investigated the viability of Salvia officinalis (sage) methanolic extract as a biocontrol agent against Fusarium wilt (FW), employing a comprehensive approach that incorporates in vitro, in vivo, and molecular docking techniques. Four distinct isolates of F. oxysporum were identified through molecular techniques, and their virulence was assessed by examining the presence of tomatinase genes. The antifungal properties of S. officinalis extract were found to be compelling, with a total phenolic content of 64.15 mg GAE/g and a remarkable antioxidant activity of 97.04%. In laboratory tests, S. officinalis exhibited potent antifungal activity, inhibiting mycelial growth by between 52.00% and 88.67% at a concentration of 20 mg/ml. Additionally, in vivo experiments demonstrated a significant reduction in disease severity in treated tomato plants. Molecular docking analyses revealed strong binding affinities between key phytochemicals in the extract and target receptors such as tomatinase, highlighting the potential of the extract as a sustainable and effective alternative to chemical fungicides for managing FW in tomato crops.

Tomato wilt disease is one of the most destructive fungal diseases infecting tomato plants in Egypt. The disease is caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL), a notorious pathogen that colonises xylem vessels of its host causing wilt besides other disease-associated symptoms. In total, eighteen different isolates of FOL were recovered from specimens collected from characteristic symptom-expressing tomato plants growing in five different governorates of Egypt, namely, Alexandria, El-Beheira, Kafr El-Sheikh, Giza and Assiut. Of these isolates, 13 were obtained from the root, 4 from the rhizosphere and one from the stem. Isolates were identified based on their cultural and microscopic morphological features. The pathogenicity of the eighteen isolates was tested against four different commercial tomato varieties (030, Dussehra, 86, and 111) in Egypt. Two isolates (FOL4013 and FOL4014) from Giza showed high virulence, while three isolates (FOL3010, FOL3011 and FOL3112) from Kafr El-Sheikh exhibited low virulence. The isolates from El-Beheira and Assiut showed intermediate virulence grades across the spectrum. The radial growth rate of the mycelium and conidia sporulation were assessed for all isolates. Radial growth rate ranged from 0.6 to 0.9 cm/24h with conidia sporulation rate ranging from 1.2 to 2 spore per 10 cm3 (x106) of the suspension. The variation in rates among different strains was statistically significant at P≥0.05. Five of the studied isolates were molecularly characterised using PCR amplification of the ITS region followed by DNA sequencing to identify their genetic relationship and the corresponding phylogenetic tree was graphically presented.

Massylaea vermiculata is a significant pest in agriculture, prompting the search for safer, non-chemical methods of control. The present study assessed the lethal and sublethal effects of Eucalyptus essential oil (EEO) and the major components α-pinene and 1,8-cineole on adult M. vermiculata. The most potent compound, α-pinene (LD50: 279.58 µg/g), followed by Eucalyptus EO (LD50: 468.7 µg/g) and 1,8-cineole (LD50: 834.60 µg/g), was assessed topically for acute toxicity. Physiological damage after exposure for 72 hours to sublethal doses (0.2 LD50) was assessed via an integrated multi-biomarker approach. Neurotoxicity was further confirmed by the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), with 1,8-cineole resulting in the greatest inhibition. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) were found to increase, mainly due to the oxidative stress induced by α-pinene. Genotoxicity was reflected in decreased DNA content and an increase in micronuclei and binuclei in hemocytes (particularly with α-pinene). Moreover, genomic template stability (GTS) analysis using RAPD-PCR revealed that α-pinene induced the most severe DNA damage, followed by Eucalyptus essential oil, whereas 1,8-cineole exhibited the least genotoxic effect. These findings demonstrate that EEO and its components exert their molluscicidal effect through multiple modes of action, including neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, and genotoxicity. The best formulation and strategy for field application of compounds from Eucalyptus constitute potential candidates for ecofriendly molluscicides that need to be further explored.