In the current industrial scenario, cobalt (Co) as a metal is of great importance but poses a major threat to the ecosystem because of its toxicity, but fewer studies have been conducted on its effects and alleviation strategies by using plant growth-promoting rhizo-bacteria (PGPR) and nanoparticles (NPs). Taking into consideration the positive effects of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) and Bacillus cereus in reducing Co toxicity in plants, the present study was conducted. A pot experiment was conducted to determine the effects of individual application of different levels (10 and 20 µL) of B. cereus and Ag-NPs (25 and 40 mg L^⁻1) on Co accumulation, morpho-physio-biochemical attributes of Sorghum bicolor L. exposed to severe Co stress [0 (without Co stress), 15 and 25 mg kg^-1 in soil]. The research outcomes indicated that elevated levels of Co stress in the soil significantly (P ≤ 0.05) decreased plant growth and biomass, photosynthetic pigments, and gas exchange attributes. However, Co stress also induced oxidative stress in the plants by increasing malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), which also induced increased compounds of various enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, organic acids, and also the gene expression and sugar content. Furthermore, a significant (P ≤ 0.05) increase in proline metabolism, was observed. Although, the application of B. cereus showed a significant (P ≤ 0.05) increase in plant growth and biomass, gas exchange characteristics, enzymatic and non-enzymatic compounds, and their gene expression and also decreased oxidative stress and also organic acid exudation pattern. The application of B. cereus and Ag-NPs decreased the proline metabolism in S. bicolor plants. Research findings, therefore, suggest that the application of B. cereus and Ag-NPs can ameliorate Co toxicity in S. bicolor, resulting in improved plant growth and composition under metal stress, as depicted by balanced antioxidant defense mechanism. These findings highlight the potential of nanotechnology and beneficial microbes as sustainable strategies for mitigating heavy metal toxicity and improving crop performance in contaminated soils, thereby contributing to environmentally resilient agricultural systems.

Despite its value as a culinary, medicinal, and essential oil crop, caraway struggles to grow and develop its biochemical quality in drought-prone sandy soils. To tackle this challenge, we conducted two field trials under drip irrigation, testing four rates of organic manure (0, 5, 10, and 15 ton/hectare (ha) and three foliar biostimulants: vitamin B₁ (50 and 100 mg L⁻¹), vitamin E (50 and 100 mg L⁻¹), and active yeast (100 and 150 mL L⁻¹). We used a randomized split-plot design with three replicates, assigning manure rates to main plots and biostimulants to subplots. We measured plant height, stem diameter, branch number, dry biomass, umbels per plant, 1000-seed weight, seed yield (per plant and per ha), essential oil content, chlorophyll a and b, carotenoids, and leaf N, P, and K. All treatments outperformed the unfertilized control. Applying 15 ton/ha of manure alone increased mean plant height by 185.3 cm, stem diameter by 2.93 mm, branch number by 14.5, and herbal weight by 91.97 g across both seasons—a gain of about 11–15%. Foliar application of vitamin B₁ at 100 mg L⁻¹ (without manure) achieved even larger gains: mean plant height improved by 176.5 cm, stem diameter by 2.6 mm, branches number by 15.1, and herbal biomass by 103.95 g (20–36% growth increases). It also boosted essential oil yield by 1.89 mL per plant (16–50%) and enhanced nutrient uptake. The most pronounced synergy emerged when combining 15 ton/ha of manure with 100 mg L⁻¹ vitamin B₁, raising seed yield to 1698.8 kg/ha (35%), plant height to 184.7 cm (52%), number of branches to 17.4 per plant (56%), umbels to 38.1 per plant (42%), 1000-seed weight to 16.9 g (48%), and essential oil yield to 2.3 mL per plant (115%), compared to the control. Chlorophyll a increased by 50%, chlorophyll b by 33%, carotenoids by 35%, and leaf N, P, and K by 43%, 90%, and 76%, respectively. Manure combined with vitamin E or yeast delivered moderate improvements. These findings demonstrate that integrating organic manure with targeted foliar biostimulants—especially vitamin B₁—under drip irrigation, is a sustainable strategy to maximize caraway yield, oil content, and nutritional quality on marginal sandy soils.

The expansion of white mustard ( Sinapis alba L.) cultivation onto low-fertility sandy soils necessitates to enhance oil productivity and establishing environmentally friendly soil relations as part of a sustainable development strategy. Combining organic soil amendments with natural biostimulants could offer an integrated solution by improving both the root zone environment and plant physiological performance. A two-year field study (2023/2024-2024/2025) employed a split-plot design to investigate the effects of plant compost (0, 5, 10, 15 tons per hectare) as a main plot and foliar biostimulants (seaweed extract at 2, 4 ml L ⁻¹ ; moringa leaf extract at 15, 30 %; active yeast at 6, 12 ml L ⁻¹ ) as sub-plots on white mustard grown under drip irrigation. All compost and biostimulant treatments significantly improved growth, yield, and biochemical parameters relative to the control. Compost rate at 15 t ha ⁻¹ yielded the highest values for vegetative growth (e.g., plant height, leaf area), yield components (pod number, seed yield), and fixed oil production. Among biostimulants, seaweed extract at 4 ml L ⁻¹ was most effective. A significant interaction was observed, with the combination of 15 t ha ⁻¹ compost and 4 ml L ⁻¹ seaweed extract producing the most pronounced results, increasing seed yield per hectare and oil yield by approximately 305 % and 875 %, respectively, compared to the untreated control. This treatment also maximized photosynthetic pigments and NPK content in plant tissue. The integrated application of 15 t ha ⁻¹ plant compost and 4 ml L ⁻¹ seaweed extract is a highly effective, sustainable cultivation strategy for maximizing growth, seed yield, and oil content of white mustard in sandy soils.

Plant species exhibiting allelopathic effects on weeds represent a promising approach for the development of environmentally sustainable bioherbicides. An invasive weed is a non-native species that, through its establishment or spread, has become harmful to native plants. Crop weed invasion reduced the potential for yield by releasing a particular chemical into the soil and competing for natural resources. The current study aimed to estimate the effect of different concentrations (0.0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10%) of the aqueous leaf extract of the therapeutic plant chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) impact the pea (Pisum sativum L.) seedlings growth parameters, physiological and biochemical characteristics, mineral absorption, and antioxidant enzyme functions. The results showed the allelopathic effect of Chamomile leaves on seed germination and their diminishing effect on the prolines, total free amino acids, and growth parameters. Further, it also caused a surge in the expression of antioxidant enzymes, proteins, carbohydrates, K+, and Ca2+. Furthermore, there is a rise in lipid peroxidation and H2O2 levels at elevated extract concentrations. The strongest inhibiting or stimulating behaviors were observed at 8 and 10% concentrations of the extract. These results offer perspectives on the pea plant's reaction to the allelopathic influence of the herb Chamomile, thus categorizing Chamomile extract as an allelopathic variety.

Sugar beet is a key crop for the sugar industry, increasingly reliant on eco-friendly inputs to meet rising global demand. Plant growth-promoting rhizobact

Toxic metal contamination of soil remains a critical global challenge due to the persistence, bioaccumulation, and irreversible toxicity of these metals. Cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni) are the most common toxic metals that threaten food security, ecosystem stability, and human health. While conventional physicochemical remediation technologies provide rapid pollutant removal, they are constrained by high economic costs, secondary pollution risks, and long-term soil degradation. Biological approaches, particularly phytoremediation and microbial mitigation, offer environmentally compatible alternatives; however, their field-scale performance is often limited by low biomass production, restricted metal bioavailability, microbial instability, and heterogeneous soil conditions. This review critically synthesizes recent advances that move beyond standalone biological strategies toward integrated, multi-scale remediation frameworks. We evaluate the mechanistic basis and performance of nano-assisted phytoremediation, biochar-mediated stabilization, omics-guided plant–microbe optimization, and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein systems (CRISPR/Cas) for enhancing metal transport, chelator biosynthesis, antioxidant defense, and microbial detoxification pathways. Emerging evidence indicates that nano-enabled amendments and biochar composites can reduce bioavailable Cd fractions by up to 75%, while omics-driven microbial consortia and targeted genome editing improve tolerance and accumulation efficiency in key crops such as rice and sorghum. Importantly, we assess translational barriers including nanoparticle ecotoxicity, off-target genome effects, regulatory constraints, biomass disposal, and life-cycle sustainability that currently limit large-scale deployment. By integrating mechanistic insights with field validation data, risk assessment considerations, and technology readiness evaluation, this review proposes a conceptual roadmap for scalable, eco-efficient soil restoration. The convergence of nanotechnology, systems biology, microbiome engineering, and precision genome editing represents a transformative pathway for next-generation remediation strategies capable of restoring contaminated soil while safeguarding environmental and public health.