A major global concern for food security and human health is the indiscriminate discharge and consequent accumulation of heavy metals from various anthropogenic sources into the environment. Chromium (Cr) is one of the most common toxic effluents that pollute agricultural soil. Chromium intake affects plant metabolism, photosynthetic activity, growth, and productivity. In the present study, triacontanol (TRI) was exogenously supplied via seed priming and foliar spraying (10 ppm and 20 ppm) to alleviate Cr (60 mg/kg) stress in Raphanus sativus L. (radish). Chromium reduced shoot length by 65.21%, roots length by 66.28%, gas exchange attributes by 36.23%, mineral content by 52.55%, and phenol content by 11.11%, but the ascorbic acid content increased by 43.23%. Moreover, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) activity increased by 26.34%, which reduced the degree of oxidative damage caused by Cr. Additionally, elevated nutritional contents (Zn+2, Mg+2, K+, and Na+), total photosynthetic pigments (34.42%) and proline contents were correlated with relatively higher levels of ascorbic acid. Interestingly, exogenous TRI administration reduced the oxidative damage caused by Cr. In general, our findings demonstrated that seed priming and foliar supplementation with TRI improved R. sativus plant's tolerance to Cr by reducing its accumulation and restoring oxidative equilibrium.

An adequate provision of essential plant nutrients to cash crops such as potatoes not only ensures higher productivity and desired tuber quality but also promotes better development under unfavorable environments. The present trial was planned to investigate and understand the effects of various treatments of mineral fertilizers viz., nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) (NPK) in individual and combined forms on potato crops. Experimental treatments were comprised various combinations viz., control (no addition of any type of fertilizer); N = 150 kg ha-1; P = 75 kg ha-1; K = 225 kg ha-1; NP = N + P; NK = N + K; PK = P + K; NPK = N + P + K in soil. The results indicated that different combinations of NPK fertilizer in individual and combined forms not only influence the growth attributes such as stem diameter (83.96%) and tuber yields (180.09%) but also enhance photosynthetic attributes by improving the total chlorophyll (135.63%), carotenoids contents (143.75%), and potato quality by increasing tuber starch contents (78.75%), plant sucrose contents (52.86%) and sucrose enzyme activity (69.68%). A linear decrease in the lipid per oxidation attributes was observed where a combined application of NPK was applied. It was obvious that all the yield and quality attributes were enhanced by the combined application of NPK fertilization and then decreased gradually with the individual application of NPK fertilization. In contrast, though, the P and K application in combined form showed inferior response as compared to NP and NK fertilization. A clear and significant change in potato plants was observed under the various types of treatments especially related to the content and uptake of NPK in plants. Moreover, a highly significant relationship was observed between the balanced combination of NPK fertilization with tuber quality. This study underscores the importance of balanced fertilization practices in bolstering growth, yield, tuber quality, and antioxidative defense mechanisms and mitigating oxidative damage in potato crops.