Peaches are well-liked amongst the stone fruits in Pakistan. The peach industry faces significant losses, from harvesting to marketing. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of foliar sprays of salicylic acid (SA) on the fruit quality of peaches (cv. ‘Flordaking’) at the harvest and postharvest life or stages. Different concentrations of SA (control, 1, 2 and 3 mM) were sprayed on the plants at three growth stages of fruit, i.e., the cell division, cell enlargement and pit-hardening stages. In general, all the SA treatments improved the fruit quality at harvest and maintained higher levels of flesh firmness, titratable acidity and ascorbic acid during storage. However, fruit weight loss, soluble solid contents, membrane leakage, chilling injury, color development, disease and decay incidence and the climacteric peak of ethylene were lowered by SA treatment after six weeks of low-temperature storage. SA at a 3-mM concentration was proven to be the most effective in maintaining the quality for a longer period of time during low-temperature storage. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the application of SA at fruit development stages can improve the harvest quality and storability of ‘Flordaking’ peaches.

Transplanting time and genotype contribute to improving crop yield and quality of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.). A field experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of foliar applied of triacontanol (TRIA) and eggplant genotypes 25919, Nirala, 28389 and Pak-10927,transplanted on 1 March,15 March, and 1 April on exposure to high air temperature conditions. The experiment was performed according to Randomized Complete Block Design and the data was analyzed by using Tuckey,s test . The TRIA was applied at 10µM at flowering stage; distilled water was used as the control. Rate of photosynthesis and transpiration, stomatal conductance, water use efficiency, and effects on antioxidative enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase) were evaluated. The 10µM TRIA increased photosynthesis rate and water use efficiency and yield was improved in all genotypes transplanted at the different dates. Foliar application of 10µM TRIA increased antioxidative enzyme activities (SOD, POD & CAT) and improved physiological as well as biochemical attributes of eggplant genotypes exposed to high heat conditions. Highest activity of dismutase enzyme 5.41mg/1g FW was recorded in Nirala genotype in second transplantation. Whereas, lowest was noted in PAK-10927 (2.30mg/g FW). Maximum fruit yield was found in accession 25919 (1.725kg per plant) at 1^st transplantation with Triacontanol, whereas accession PAK-10927 gave the lowest yield (0.285 kg per plant) at control treatment on 3^rd transplantation. Genotype, transplanting date and application of TRIA improved growth, yield and quality attributes under of heat stress in eggplant.

Sustainable potato cultivation in hot, high‐light regions such as Southern Punjab, Pakistan, requires identifying genotypes with efficient photosynthetic systems. High temperatures and irradiance often reduce productivity by triggering oxidative stress and limiting photosynthesis. This study evaluated growth, photosynthesis, yield, and biochemical responses in 15 advanced potato genotypes under such conditions. Genotype BD1310‐1 showed greater performance with the highest plant height (51.5 cm), leaf area index (1.47), crop growth rate (0.43 g m ⁻² day ⁻¹ ), quantum yield of Photosystem II (Φ _II ; 0.75), and tuber yield (21.5 t ha ⁻¹ ), along with the lowest oxidative stress indicators. BD1319‐2 had the highest number of stems plant ⁻¹ (5.3), BD1311‐4 showed maximum photosynthetically active radiation absorption (430 μmol m ⁻² s ⁻¹ ), and BD1335‐4 had the highest linear electron flow (209 μmol electrons m ⁻² s ⁻¹ ). Principal component analysis grouped traits into positively and negatively correlated clusters. Traits such as LAI, Φ _II , crop growth rate, and tuber yield were positively associated with photosynthetic efficiency, whereas oxidative stress markers were negatively correlated. The findings suggest that oxidative markers reflect stress, not yield potential. In conclusion, BD1310‐1, BD1319‐2, BD1311‐4, and BD1335‐4 demonstrated potential as climate‐resilient cultivars suitable for high‐temperature (> 40°C) and high‐irradiance (> 2000 μmol m ⁻² s ⁻¹ ) environments.

Aeroponic cloning is a great strategy to maintain desired genotypes by generating a whole new plant from cuttings. While this propagation technique has been demonstrated for tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), no protocol has been developed for peppers (Capsicum spp.). The ability to clonally propagate different Capsicum holds promise for domestic and industrial growing operations since elite cultivars with desirable traits (e.g., high capsaicin levels, nutrient content, and striped fruit) can be perpetuated without the need of planning a nursery. We tested six Capsicum species for their feasibility of aeroponic cloning by stem cuttings. All domestic species were successfully regenerated under aeroponic conditions but not for Capsicum eximium, a wild species. Of the species analyzed, Capsicum annuum peppers had the fastest node formation (11.6 +/− 0.89 days, P ≤ 0.01) and obtained a larger volume of roots (P ≤ 0.01) after node formation as compared to C. baccatum, C. frutescens, and C. pubescens. This study presents a cost-effective strategy to clonally propagate peppers for personal, industrial, and conservation purposes.

This study was aimed to investigate Carbofuran (CF)-induced pathological changes in cattle egret. Two hundred cattle egrets were reared and equally divided into four groups and given different CF concentrations (0.03 mg/L, 0.02 mg/L, 0.01 mg/L and 0 mg/L (control group)). Hematology, serum biochemistry, histopathology, and immunological markers were studied. Our results confirm that CF induces anemic conditions, leukocytosis, elevated liver enzymatic activity, and alterations in renal biomarkers. Moreover, specific microscopic lesions such as multifocal necrosis, pyknotic nuclei, hemorrhages, congestion, and inflammatory cell proliferation were observed in the liver, kidney, spleen, and thymus. These findings suggest that CF can induce harmful effects, so the application of this pesticide in the field must be strictly monitored to mitigate the possibility of exposure to non-target species.

A two‐year field trial was carried out to identify the most effective concentration of colchicine (Colch) for seed priming in spinach ( Spinacia oleracea L., cv. Desi Palak) with the aim of improving crop performance and resilience under changing environmental conditions. The study revealed that seed treatment with 0.07% Colch significantly enhanced morphological, anatomical, fluorescence, and biochemical characteristics of spinach, whereas higher concentrations negatively affected growth. In comparison to the untreated control, the 0.07% Colch treatment resulted in notable increases in germination rate (20.3%), plant height (62.2%), number of leaves plant ⁻¹ (51.4%), leaf area (63.6%), crop growth rate (54.3%), and leaf yield (25.9%). Positive effects were also observed on stomatal size (44.4%), stomatal index (23.1%), leaf thickness (81.5%), quantum yield of photosystem II (46.4%), chlorophyll content (49.7%), linear electron flow (74.4%), and the enzymatic activities of catalase (23.4%), superoxide dismutase (33%), and peroxidase (14.3%), along with antioxidant capacity measured in terms of 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl‐radical scavenging activity (28.3%). Moreover, the chromosomal count was doubled in plants treated with 0.07% Colch compared to the control, and polyploidy was cytogenetically verified, confirming its effectiveness in inducing genome duplication. Conversely, reductions were recorded in stomatal density (42.8%), nonphotochemical quenching (threefold), nonregulatory energy dissipation (twofold), hydrogen peroxide (31.5%), and superoxide anion levels (25.5%). Thus, the above findings demonstrate that 0.07% Colch seed priming can induce beneficial changes in the morphology, anatomy, physiology, and biochemical profile of spinach, providing practical implications for breeding strategies and sustainable crop development.