Phosphate (P) and zinc (Zn) are essential plant nutrients required for nodulation, nitrogen-fixation, plant growth and yield. Mostly applied P and Zn nutrients in the soil are converted into unavailable form. A small number of soil microbes have the ability to transform unsolvable forms of P and Zn to an available form. P-Zn-solubilizing rhizobacteria are potential alternates for P and Zn supplement. In the present study, the effect of two P-Zn-solubilizing bacterial strains (Bacillus sp. strain AZ17 and Pseudomonas sp. strain AZ5) was evaluated on the growth of chickpea plant. Both strains were purified from the rhizospheric soil of chickpea plant grown-up in sandy soil and rain-fed area (Thal desert). In vitro, both strains solubilize P and Zn as well both strain produce IAA and organic acids. In the field experiments, conducted in the rain-fed area, the positive influence of inoculation with both bacterial isolates AZ5 and AZ17 on chickpea growth was observed. The application of inoculum (strains AZ5 and AZ17) resulted in up to 17.47% and 17.34% increase in grain yield of both types of chickpea grown in fertilized and non-fertilized soil, respectively over non-inoculated control. Strain AZ5 was the most effective inoculum, increasing up to 17.47%, 16.04%, 26.32%, 22.53%, 26.12% and 22.59% in grain yield, straw weight, nodules number, dry weight of nodules, Zn uptake and P uptake respectively, over control. These results indicated that Pseudomonas sp. strain AZ5 and Bacillus sp. strain AZ17 can serve as effective microbial inocula for chickpea, particularly in the rain-fed area.

Glycine betaine (GB) is an important organic compound mediating plant responses to environmental stresses. However, despite ample research on this biomolecule, the potential of GB in mitigating the effects of waterlogging in plants has not been established. Therefore, we studied the influence of GB on growth and physiology of tomato plants under waterlogged conditions. Waterlogging reduced plant growth, degraded chlorophyll, and increased concentration of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide that deteriorated membrane integrity. Waterlogging increased catalase and peroxidase activities. Waterlogging increased the concentration of Na and reduced concentrations of K. Reductions in root Ca were also recorded. GB enhanced growth, concentration of chlorophyll and activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase that in turn protected the plants from oxidative damage. GB decreased Na while increasing leaf and root K and stem and fruit Ca under waterlogging. Waterlogging reduced fruit quality. There was decrease in protein, fat, and total dissolved solids and an increase in fruit moisture, P, and Na in plants under waterlogging. GB enhanced fruit quality largely by improving fruit protein, ash, fat, TDS, and Ca, while it decreased fruit Na. The results of this study suggest the use of GB for commercial production of tomato where waterlogging is likely.

Cancer invasion involves a series of fundamental heterogeneous steps, with each step being distinct in its type regarding its dependence on various oncogenic pathways. Over the past few years, researchers have been focusing on targeted therapies to treat malignancies relying not only on a single oncogenic pathway, but on multiple pathways. Scientists have recently identified potential targets in the human genome considered earlier as non-functional but the discovery of their potential role in gene regulation has put new insights to cancer diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutics. Non coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been identified as the key gene expression regulators. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs) reveal diverse gene expression profiles in benign and metastatic tumours. Improved clinical research may lead to better knowledge of their biogenesis and mechanism and eventually be used as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic agents. Small non coding RNAs or micro RNA (miRNA) are capable of reprogramming multiple oncogenic cascades and, thus, can be used as target agents. This review is aimed to give a perspective of non coding transcription in cancer metastasis with an eye on rising clinical relevance of non coding RNAs and their mechanism of action focusing on potential therapeutics for cancer pathogenesis.