An analytical methodology was developed for the first time in this work enabling the simultaneous enantiomeric separation of the fungicide fenpropidin and its acid metabolite by Capillary Electrophoresis. A dual cyclodextrin system consisting of 4 % (w/v) captisol with 10 mM methyl-beta-cyclodextrin was employed in a 100 mM sodium acetate buffer at pH 4.0. Optimal experimental conditions (temperature 25 degrees C, separation voltage -25 kV, and hydrodynamic injection of 50 mbar x 10 s) allowed the simultaneous separation of the four enantiomers in <10.7 min with resolutions of 3.1 (fenpropidin) and 3.2 (its acid metabolite). Analytical characteristics of the method were evaluated and found adequate for the quantification of both chiral compounds with a linearity range from 0.75 to 70 mg L-1, good accuracy (trueness included 100 % recovery, precision with RSD<6 %), and limits of detection and quantification of 0.25 and 0.75 mg L-1, respectively, for the four enantiomers. No significant differences were found between the concentrations determined and labelled of fenpropidin in a commercial agrochemical formulation. The stability over time (0-42 days) of fenpropidin enantiomers using the commercial agrochemical formulation was evaluated in two sugar beet soils, revealing to be stable at any time in one sample, while in the other a decrease of 45 % was observed after 42 days. Individual and combined toxicity of fenpropidin and its metabolite was determined for the first time for marine organism Vibrio fischeri, demonstrating higher damage caused by parent compound. Synergistics and antagonists' interactions were observed at low and high effects levels of contaminants.

Apolygus lucorum is one of the most important piercing-sucking insect pests of tea plant. In this study, we assessed the impact of intercropping young tea plants with garden pea Pisum sativum on the populations of A. lucorum and natural enemies, tea plant growth and metabolites, and soil nutrient status of tea plantation. Intercropping with flowering P. sativum var. arvense reduced the population density of A. lucorum, particularly between June 1, 2020, and June 15, 2021, with a peak reduction of 90.87%. The percentage of A. lucorum-damaged tea leaves in the tea-pea intercropping was also reduced, with the maximum reduction of 8.96% observed on June 15, 2021, in the intercropping group compared to the control. The tea-P. arvense intercrop had a minor impact on the populations of natural enemies, such as coccinellids, parasitoids, and syrphids in the tea plantations. The tea-pea intercropping increased the contents of soluble sugar, tea polyphenols, caffeine, and anthocyanins, and decreased the contents of free amino acids and catechins of the tea plant leaves, and finally improved the quality of tea. Effective phosphorus and quick acting potassium decreased significantly in the plots intercropped. Our research indicated that tea-pea intercropping has the potential to manipulate the population of A. lucorum and tea leaf damage, and improve tea quality, while also enhancing soil fertility in tea plantations. The findings from this study offer important insights into the use of intercropping as a sustainable agricultural practice.

Fusarium graminearum poses a major threat to barley production worldwide. While seed priming is a promising strategy to enhance plant defense, the use of unconventional priming agents remains underexplored. This study investigates the protective effects of pre-infection camel urine seed priming on barley seedlings challenged with Fusarium graminearum, focusing on growth, disease resistance, oxidative stress, and defense-related responses. Barley grains were primed with camel urine and grown in both Fusarium-infested and uninfested soils. Fusarium infection initially triggered a sharp increase in oxidative stress markers reflecting an early oxidative burst commonly associated with defense signaling. However, in hydro-primed seedlings, this response persisted, leading to sustained oxidative damage and growth suppression. In contrast, camel urine priming modulated the oxidative burst effectively, initially permitting H2O2 accumulation for defense activation, followed by a rapid decline, resulting in an 84.53 % reduction in disease severity and maintenance of seedling growth under infection. This was accompanied by enhanced antioxidant defenses, as indicated by significantly increased activities of antioxidant enzymes, and a 145 % increase in total antioxidant capacity compared to control. Camel urine priming also showed a reduction in shikimic acid levels under infection, suggesting increased metabolic flux toward the phenylpropanoid pathway. Thus, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids were significantly elevated. Antifungal enzymes, beta-glucanase and chitinase, also remained high in camel urine-primed seedlings, in contrast to their sharp decline in hydro-primed controls. These findings highlight camel urine priming as a promising, sustainable approach for managing Fusarium in barley.

Soil salinity, a critical environmental stressor, substantially impacts plant growth and productivity. It induces osmotic stress, disrupts ion homeostasis, and triggers the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can lead to oxidative damage within plant cells. To counteract these detrimental effects, plants have evolved sophisticated defense mechanisms, one of which involves the production of secondary metabolites (SMs). These SMs function as biostimulants that bolster antioxidative defenses and modulate signal transduction pathways, thus enhancing the plant's tolerance to salt stress. Recent evidence reveals SMs like sulforaphane (glucosinolate-derived) uniquely stabilize redox cofactors and reprogram stress-responsive miRNAs. Furthermore, they influence key signaling cascades, such as the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and various hormone-regulated pathways, which are instrumental in orchestrating adaptive responses to saline conditions. The regulation of SMs biosynthesis under salt stress is mediated by transcription factors like MYB, WRKY, and bHLH, which are essential for activating the genes involved in these metabolic pathways. Elucidating the intricate mechanisms by which SMs operate as biostimulants not only advances our understanding of plant stress responses but also paves the way for developing sustainable agricultural practices aimed at improving crop resilience in saline environments. This knowledge is instrumental for cultivating crops that can thrive under challenging soil conditions, ultimately contributing to global food security.

Heavy metals (HM) in agricultural soils are a significant threat to crop productivity, adversely affecting plant growth and development through various physiological and biochemical mechanisms. Among the HM, nickel (Ni) has been reported to be increasingly accumulated in the soil and is a serious threat to human health via the food chain. Poor seedlings growth and low-quality produce are major causes of Ni toxicity in plants. The current study aimed to assess the effect of activated pomegranate peel biochar (APPB) on morpho-physiological and biochemical processes of wheat grown in Ni-affected soil. Different treatments i.e. control, biochar, Ni, and biochar + Ni were designed under randomized complete block design with six replications of each treatment. The morphological, biochemical, and physiological responses were then evaluated. Present results revealed the growth decline in wheat seedlings subjected to Ni toxicity. Moreover, disturbances in photosynthetic pigments, metabolites, and thiol group were recorded in seedlings under excess of Ni content. The findings of this study demonstrate that the application of APPB supplementation significantly alleviated the negative effect of Ni on wheat seedlings and improved growth parameters by 171%, 83%, 330%, 78%, and 96% in shoot biomass, shoot length, root biomass, root length, and seedlings dry weight, respectively. Chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll contents boosted by 44%, 83%, and 55%. Carbohydrate content also increased by 82%, while total phenols and flavonoids were reduced by 24% and 22%, respectively. The stunted growth and irregular photosynthesis were recorded in wheat seedlings due to nickel toxicity. Hence, APPB proved to be an effectives soil amendment, that may be used for improved crop growth with enhanced and increasing tolerance to metal stress through the modulation of defense indices.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.), a primary food source for a substantial portion of the world's population, faces a serious threat from bacterial leaf blight caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), leading to considerable yield reductions. The excessive use of synthetic pesticides not only affects soil health but also disrupts the community of organisms living in the soil. While some pesticides degrade quickly, others persist, leading to long-term environmental damage. To address these challenges, the aqueous extract of Terminalia arjuna (T. arjuna), was investigated as a sustainable alternative for controlling Xoo. The extract was prepared using a Soxhlet apparatus, and its antibacterial activity was assessed via zone of inhibition assays and bacterial growth inhibition studies. The results revealed significant antibacterial activity, with inhibition zones of 9.1 +/- 0.76 mm at 25 mu g/ml, 14.16 +/- 1.04 mm at 50 mu g/ml, and 15.5 +/- 1.31 mm at 100 mu g/ml. Furthermore, the antibacterial mechanism of the T. arjuna extract was investigated using computational approaches. For this molecular docking of CbsA, LipA, T3SEs, PDF, and Ddl was conducted with the phytochemicals of T. arjuna. Further molecular dynamics simulation analysis shows that 3-Hydroxyspirost-8-en-11-one can inhibit Ddl and CbsA, while 9-Oximino-2,7-diethoxyfluorene and 2-Naphthalene methanol can interact with T3SEs and PDF, respectively resulting inhibition of growth of Xoo. These findings highlight T. arjuna's potential as an eco-friendly, natural pesticide to combat Xoo, offering a sustainable solution to reduce the reliance on synthetic pesticides and their detrimental environmental impact. Further field studies are needed to confirm these results.

Soil worms are among the most abundant and functionally diverse soil animals. However, they have been largely overlooked in studies on microplastic (MP) toxicity. MPs and plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) are ubiquitous in soil due to plant litter decomposition and heavy MP contamination, inevitably interacting and exerting combined toxicity on soil organisms. However, little research has been conducted on their joint effects. This study investigates the individual and combined toxic effects of polyethylene (PE) MPs and three PSMs (glycyrrhizic acid, tannic acid, and matrine) on the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. Physiological and biochemical responses were assessed using fluorescence microscopy, image analysis, and statistical methods. After 42 h of exposure to PE MPs and/or PSMs, worm growth and development were negatively impacted. Under experimental conditions, matrine and PE MPs synergistically inhibited worm growth, exacerbated neurological damage, and induced oxidative stress. In contrast, glycyrrhizic acid and tannic acid alleviated PE MP-induced growth inhibition, mitigated oxidative stress, and demonstrated antioxidant properties that counteracted oxidative damage. This study offers new insights into the combined effects of MPs and PSMs in soil ecosystems, contributing to ecological risk assessments and pollution management strategies.

Several plant-associated microbes have the capability of ameliorating the adverse effects of salinity stress in plants. Such microbes produce metabolites, including proline, glycine betaine, and secondary compounds, like melatonin, traumatic acid, and beta-estradiol, which have been found to have a role in reducing salinity-induced damage in plant cells. While the effects of these metabolites have been studied, their application-related aspects remain underexplored. In this study, we investigated the salinity-stress-alleviating potential of metabolites derived from the endophytic bacterium Bacillus safensis BTL5. The microbial metabolites were extracted using the hexane-chloroform fraction method and identified through LC-HRMS analysis. Four metabolites (traumatic acid, beta-estradiol, arbutin, and alpha-mangostin), along with a fifth compound, melatonin, were initially screened for their salinity alleviation potential. Subsequently, two metabolites, i.e., arbutin and beta-estradiol, were evaluated for their impact on growth parameters and enzymatic antioxidant activities under 200 mM salt stress. The results revealed that arbutin and beta-estradiol significantly improved plant growth, chlorophyll content, and enzymatic activities while reducing oxidative damage. The dose-dependent effects highlighted optimal concentrations for maximum efficacy from these compounds under elevated salinity. This study signifies the potential of microbial metabolites in enhancing crop resilience to salinity, highlighting their role in sustainable agriculture. The outcomes of this study provide a baseline for the applied use of such microbial metabolites under field conditions.

Heavy metal contamination of the environment is increasing alarmingly due to increased anthropogenic activities. Among the various heavy metals, cadmium is a highly toxic heavy metal requiring urgent removal from soil. Strobilanthes alternata, a herbaceous terrestrial plant, has been reported to be an excellent plant for Cd phytostabilization. The present study investigated the effect of 25 ppm of 6-Benzylaminopurine (6-BAP) foliar sprays on the modulation of the physiological responses and elemental constitution in S. alternata grown in 250 mg/kg CdCl2 treated soil. The administration of 6-BAP effectively relieved the toxic effects of Cd by enhancing the total soluble sugar and alkaloid content of leaves by 56 and 250%, respectively, the total soluble protein content of roots by 27%, the phenolic content of roots and leaves by 9 and 10% respectively, and flavonoid content of roots and leaves by 53 and 6% respectively, in Cd-stressed S. alternata. Moreover, the 6-BAP-induced elevation of the thiol content of roots indicated amplified sequestration of Cd, thereby inflicting less damage to the aboveground portions of Cd + 6-BAP-treated plants. This inference was confirmed by SEM-EDX analysis, which revealed high Cd weight percentages in the roots of Cd + 6-BAP-treated plants. The ionomics and CHNS analysis confirmed that 6-BAP ascribable alterations in the elemental content and distribution helped the plant tolerate the adverse effects of Cd in S. alternata. Thus, the 6-BAP treatment could be used as a suitable and ecologically acceptable amendment to reduce Cd-induced damage and enhance the Cd phytostabilization potential in S. alternata.

Kiwifruit soft rot is a disease caused by fungal pathogens such as Botryosphaeria dothidea, which considerably restricts the development of kiwifruit industry. To provide novel management strategies against kiwifruit soft rot disease, potential biocontrol actinomycete strains were isolated from kiwifruit rhizosphere soil. A total of 21 actinomycete strains were obtained and strain SC-3 exhibited the highest biocontrol activity against B. dothidea. Based on the morphological, biochemical and molecular characteristics strain SC-3 was identified as Streptomyces albidoflavus. The SC-3 and its aseptic filtrate (AF) exhibited excellent antifungal activities against 11 tested pathogenic fungi. AF displayed antifungal effects through suppressing mycelial growth, spore germination, and the pathogenicity of B. dothidea. Electron microscopy analysis revealed that AF could cause significant alterations on ultrastructure of B. dothidea. Moreover, AF severely damaged cell membrane integrity, resulting in the leakage of cellular components in B. dothidea. Metabolomic analyses of SC-3 AF revealed the presence of several important antifungal compounds in the AF such as antimycin, and candicidin. Correspondingly, the whole genome analyses of SC-3 identified gene clusters responsible for the biosynthesis of these compounds. Overall, SC-3 is a potential biological control agent against B. dothidea and other fungal phytopathogens.