Soil contamination with heavy metals is a persistent challenge in the arid regions of Kazakhstan. This study evaluates the phytoremediation potential of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), a drought-tolerant crop with a well-developed root system, using a combination of in vitro and analytical approaches. In vitro culture of somatic cells revealed clear genotype-dependent differences in callus induction and morphogenesis, with Hybrid-2 and SAB-3 exhibiting the highest regenerative capacity and thus the greatest suitability for further biotechnological improvement and stress-tolerance selection. Analysis of metal distribution, based on atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), demonstrated that S. bicolor predominantly retained Pb, Cd, and Co in the root system. Cobalt accumulated to 12.7 ± 1.32 mg/kg under 1 MAC and 16.87 ± 2.78 mg/kg under 2 MAC, accounting for more than half of the metal absorbed by plants. Cadmium showed a similar root-dominant pattern, whereas lead exhibited the lowest mobility and remained almost entirely sequestered in roots, with translocation factors consistently below unity (TF < 1). Overall, these findings confirm the suitability of sweet sorghum as an environmentally sustainable species for the phytostabilization of Pb-, Cd-, and Co-contaminated soils in arid environments and highlight the value of genotype pre-selection under stress conditions for optimizing phytoremediation performance.

Synthesis of 3-chloro-N,N-diethyl-N-(2-(mesitylamino)-2-oxoethyl)propan-1-aminium iodide (1) was performed by via N-alkylation in conventional conditions and using microwave irradiation and ultrasound activation. The synthesized ionic compound was characterized using IR, 1H and 13C NMR, growth-stimulating activity had been tested for ten varieties and hybrids of sweet sorghum seeds.

The aim of this study was to synthesize novel ionic compound – 1-propargyl-1-(2-methyl-3-oxo-3-(p-tolyl)propyl)-piperidin-1-ium bromide – via the N-alkylation (in conventional conditions and using ultrasound activation), and investigate its influence on the plant growth-stimulating activity using of sweet sorghum seeds. The synthesized compound was fully characterized by infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Regardless of the type of synthesis’ methods, the isolated yield of the produced ionic compound is showed 79-81%, however, the reaction rate was significantly increased by using ultrasonic activation. For the assessment of the growth-stimulating activity of the synthesized ionic compound, parameters such as root length, shoot length, seed energy germination rate, and germination capacity were determined on 10 genotypes of sweet sorghum seeds. The results of samples with low concentration (0.001% vol. solution) were demonstrated the higher intensity for tested genotypes than control samples, especially for process of gemmogenesis and intensity of rhizogenesis. The results of this study can be used as basis for the further development of plant growth stimulants based on ionic compounds.

The review summarizes practical experiences in using mutation breeding for crop improvement in South-Eastern Europe (SEE) and Central Asia (CA), demonstrating that mutation breeding can be a field-validated, effective approach for developing climate-resilient crops. Drawing on coordinated research conducted within national breeding programs and international initiatives supported by FAO/IAEA, applied methodologies, trait-evaluation strategies, and concrete breeding outputs in cereals, legumes, and industrial crops are presented. The use of gamma irradiation, fast neutrons, and chemical mutagens has successfully generated stable mutant lines stable mutant lines with enhanced traits, such as increased thousand-grain weight in wheat, altered oil quality in sunflower, and improved drought tolerance in common bean and sesame. The integration of classical pedigree selection with modern breeding tools such as high-throughput phenotyping, molecular and biochemical markers, and doubled-haploid technology has enabled earlier and more efficient identification of superior genotypes in mutation breeding programs. The review underscores the practical relevance of mutation breeding in contemporary pipelines to maintain yield stability and quality under adverse environmental conditions.

Turkmen populations remain underrepresented in genome-wide reference datasets, limiting comparative analyses of genetic diversity in Central Asia. This study provides an initial regional genome-wide characterization of self-identified Turkmen students who were studying in Kazakhstan at the time of sample collection and who reported the Dashoguz Region, Turkmenistan, as their place of birth in the questionnaire. Approximately 650,000 markers were genotyped in 25 participants, of whom 23 unrelated individuals were retained after genotype quality control and relatedness filtering. Population structure was evaluated with 600 present-day Eurasian reference individuals using principal component analysis, ADMIXTURE v1.3.0, and pairwise Weir–Cockerham F_ST estimates based on 17,471 linkage-disequilibrium-pruned autosomal SNPs. Runs of homozygosity, Y-chromosome haplogroups, and mitochondrial DNA haplogroups were also examined. The analyzed cohort was positioned within the Central Asian genetic landscape and showed the lowest pairwise differentiation from Uzbek, Tajik, and AADR Turkmen reference groups. Runs-of-homozygosity analysis showed mostly low-to-moderate individual burdens, although one individual had elevated long-segment homozygosity; sensitivity analyses indicated that the main autosomal results were not driven by this individual. Paternal and maternal haplogroup assignments revealed diverse uniparental lineages. These data provide a regional genome-wide resource for future comparative studies of Central Asian genetic diversity and have been deposited in the European Variation Archive.

This research presents a synthesis, growth-regulating activity of ionic carboxylic acid derivatives containing trimecaine moiety. The novel ionic substances were synthesized by N-alkylation of trimecaine with iodine-containing carboxylic acids under ultrasound-assisted and microwave irradiation, with results compared to traditional thermal methods. Alternative synthesis methods have shown higher yields in a shorter time than traditional synthesis methods. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for their effects on germination energy and capacity across various varieties and hybrids of sweet sorghum seeds. Notably, promising results were observed in seeds stored for extended periods, where germination activity typically declines. The synthesized ionic compounds outperformed the control in terms of germination energy and capacity across various sorghum seed varieties and hybrids. Furthermore, diluted ionic compound solutions (10-3 wt. %) were more effective in promoting seed growth than more concentrated solutions (10-2 wt. %) and water. Additionally, certain ionic compounds provided better stimulation for specific sorghum seed types compared to the commercially available trimecaine hydrochloride.