Sindh Agriculture University

Croton tiglium is a medicinally important species rich in bioactive phytochemicals, yet its potential for nanoparticle based pest and pathogen management remains unexplored. In this study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were functionalized using C. tiglium leaf extract, and their physicochemical properties, antibacterial activity, and insecticidal effects were evaluated. X-ray diffraction confirmed phase-pure hexagonal wurtzite ZnO with intense reflections, particularly at the (101) plane, while SEM revealed the morphology and nanoscale structure of the nanoparticles. FTIR spectra revealed functional groups associated with plant-derived biomolecules. The synthesized ZnO-NPs exhibited strong, dose-dependent antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecalis and Enterobacter cloacae. Growth curves and agar well-diffusion assays showed suppression of bacterial propagation. In Plagiodera versicolora, ZnO-NPs exposure caused progressive disorganization and necrosis of the midgut epithelium. Dose dependent reduction in beetle survival was observed. LC₅₀ values declined from 24 h to 192 h, with a similar decrease in LC₉₀ values. These findings demonstrate that C. tiglium mediated ZnO-NPs are effective insecticidal and antibacterial agents, which can be used as eco-friendly alternatives to conventional antibiotics and insecticides.

Long-term drip irrigation with reclaimed water (RW) can induce rhizosphere hypoxia, leading to soil structure degradation, reduced microbial activity, and lower crop productivity. To address this challenge, we conducted two-season pot experiments to evaluate the effects of micro and nanobubble oxygenation (MNBO) with RW on soil properties, microbial functions, and the growth of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis L.). Four treatments were employed: micro and nanobubble (MNB) coupling with reclaimed water (O-R), conventional drip irrigation with reclaimed water (N-R), MNB coupling with tap water (O-T), and conventional drip irrigation with tap water (N-T). Using advanced CT-3D imaging, wet-sieving, enzyme assays, ITS/16S sequencing, and structural equation modeling, we assessed soil physical, microbial, and plant parameters. MNBO increased soil porosity ( 38

Seed pelleting is an emerging precision-agriculture technology that transforms small or irregular seeds into uniform units to enhance mechanical sowing, placement accuracy, and early crop establishment. Pelleting performance depends on the interplay among binder–filler composition, pellet structure, and post-pelleting moisture conditions, which collectively influence durability, germination, and seedling vigor. Recent developments include biodegradable and bio-based materials, biochar and micronutrient additives, and biological agents that enhance stress tolerance and early growth. Advances in pelleting machinery and quality-control tools have improved uniformity and process automation, while nano-enabled and stimuli-responsive coatings introduce new opportunities for controlled release and climate-resilient applications. Integrating mechanistic insights on filler–binder interactions with digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) offers a pathway toward more consistent and scalable formulations. Despite these gains, adoption remains limited in smallholder systems due to cost, access, and material constraints. Seed pelleting represents a converging frontier of material science, engineering, and sustainable agriculture, with significant potential to improve input efficiency and contribute to resilient food systems.

CONTEXT: Water scarcity and erratic precipitation driven by climate change adversely affected peanut yields, water and nitrogen use efficiencies in the North China Plain. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the impact of irrigation practices and long-term precipitation deviation on peanut production systems using a modelling approach. METHODS: Flood-irrigated, drip and rainfed peanut production systems were evaluated in a two-year field experiment and modelling analysis. The irrigation amounts in flood and drip were 160-180 mm and 90-110 mm, respectively. The rainfed system was completely maintained under natural precipitation conditions. The WHCNS (Water-heat-carbon-nitrogen-simulator) model was calibrated using measured plant growth, yields, soil and weather data of the first year and validated using a data set of the second year. Model simulation robustness was investigated using Root mean square error, Mean absolute error, Index of agreement, Kling-Gupta coefficient and R-2. The validated model was applied to assess the impact of long-term 29-year seasonal precipitation deviation on each cultivation system. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that the flood-irrigated peanut production system consumed 70% (70 mm ha(-1)) more average irrigation water and led to 46% (8 kg ha(-1)) greater NO3- leaching, making it inefficient compared to the drip-irrigation method. The drip-irrigated peanut production system had significantly high yields, water and nitrogen use efficiencies at P < 0.05. The water use efficiencies were 2.81 and 2.72 kg m(-3) in drip and flood systems, respectively. The rainfed peanut declined an average yield by 51% (2891 kg ha(-1)) compared to drip-irrigation (5905 kg ha(-1)). Furthermore, the long-term precipitation scenario prediction reflected obvious water and nitrogen losses in flood-irrigated peanut at increasing precipitation rates. The rainfed peanut production had consistently low yields with 17-19% yield loss in dry seasons compared to normal and wet conditions. Thus, it is found to be most vulnerable to drought. Changing the flood and rainfed peanut cultivated area to the drip-irrigation method is recommended. SIGNIFICANCE: The WHCNS model was successfully applied to explore water and nitrogen dynamics and simulate peanut yields in flood, drip and rainfed conditions. Yield fluctuations were quantified in the normal, wet and dry seasons.

The global restriction of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) has accelerated the search for sustainable nutritional alternatives that support growth performance and intestinal health of poultry. Postbiotics and their bioactive metabolites derived from probiotic microorganisms have emerged as promising candidates due to their functional stability and immunometabolic regulatory potential. This study evaluated the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus-derived postbiotics on growth performance, nutrient sensing, intestinal barrier integrity, immune response, antioxidant status, and gut microbiota in broiler chickens. For this purpose, a total of 400 day-old broilers were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments with graded postbiotic supplementation (0.0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0%) for 42 days. Growth performance, immune and antioxidant indices, intestinal and hepatic histomorphology, gene expression, and cecal microbial composition were assessed. Broilers receiving 1.0% and 2.0% postbiotics exhibited significantly higher average daily gain and feed intake compared with controls (p < 0.05). Postbiotic supplementation enhanced systemic immunity, reflected by increased serum IgA, IgG, and IgM levels and elevated spleen and bursa indices. Improved intestinal morphology was evidenced by increased duodenal villus height and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio, while hepatic tissues showed reduced inflammation and fibrosis. Molecular analyzes revealed upregulation of nutrient transporters (SGLT1, PepT1), tight junction protein ZO-1, and antioxidant enzyme GPX1, alongside downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and IL-6). Additionally, postbiotics increased the abundance of beneficial cecal taxa, including coliforms, Lactobacillus, and total plate count. Collectively, L. acidophilus-derived postbiotics improve broiler performance by coordinating nutrient transporter regulation, antioxidant signaling, and inflammatory control, supporting their application as a sustainable AGPs alternative.