The perishability of green chilies poses a significant challenge for their post-harvest management, particularly in developing countries like Pakistan, where conventional storage practices fail to prevent quality deterioration. Therefore, establishing an eco-friendly and non-chemical protocol to prolong the storage period of green chilies at ambient temperatures while retaining their nutritional quality has become a major challenge for scientists. To address this issue, a trial was conducted to investigate the individual and mutual effect of hot water treatment (HWT; 45°C for 15 minutes) and ultraviolet light (UV-C; 13.5 kJ m−2) on the storability and biochemical characteristics of freshly harvested chilies cv. Golden Hot in comparison with the untreated control. The chilies were kept under ambient conditions after treatment for 21 days (23±0.8°C). The study was set up using a completely randomised design with factorial settings for two factors, including treatment and storage period. Results revealed that the application of HWT+UV-C resulted in a significant decrease in weight loss (11%), juice pH (5.9%), electrolyte leakage (39.7%), total soluble solids (29.5%), ripening index (38%), and accumulation of reactive oxygen species such as O−2 (45.8%) and H2O2 (54.7%) in comparison with the control, tailed by the individual application of HWT and UV-C. Moreover, the mutual use of HWT and UV-C efficiently enhanced the antioxidants of stored chilies such as total phenolics (30.5%), ascorbic acid (27.8%), and enzyme activities of SOD (25.9%), CAT (126.6%), POD (149.2%) and APX (40.4%) in comparison with the control. In addition, the green chilies subjected to the mutual application of HWT and UV-C exhibited greater chlorophyll content (69%) with lower total carotenoids (30%) and wrinkling (43%), resulting in an increased percentage of marketable fruits (34.7%) in comparison with the control. Hence, the pre-storage treatment of chilies with both HWT and UV-C exhibited an environmentally safe and non-chemical approach to extend the storability and biochemical quality of fresh green chilies at ambient temperature.

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is an economically important dioecious plant relying on viable pollen for ideal fertilisation. This investigation analyses the influence of pollen viability, germination, and storage on enhanced pollination efficiency. Genetic diversity, environmental factors, and storage techniques influence pollen viability. Storage conditions significantly affect pollen viability; pollen stored at -30°C maintains higher viability than at 4°C or 28°C. The viability and nuclear integrity of stored pollen have been further proved through the acetocarmine test. Drone-assisted pollination has shown potential as an effective method, enabling large-scale and precise pollen application, though further research is needed to confirm its efficiency in date palm cultivation. Biotechnological methods, like genetic engineering and transcriptomic analyses, have enhanced pollen viability, stress resistance, and overall quality. Additionally, the advancement in pollen storage techniques has prolonged viability, boosting fertilisation potential. The breeding strategies focusing on genetic diversity and marker-assisted selection have optimised pollination efficiency and improved crop resilience. The metaxenic effects of diverse pollen sources were also examined, revealing significant impacts on fruit size and quality, with notable variations depending on the pollen source. The analysis emphasises the importance of modern pollination techniques and their integration with conventional pollen management to improve the fruit yield and quality of date palm.