Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of drought, posing a major threat to global agriculture and food security. Drought stress is the most pervasive abiotic constraint affecting crops, disrupting cellular homeostasis, impairing photosynthesis, altering oxidative metabolism, reducing stomatal conductance, and ultimately decreasing growth and productivity. To survive water deficit, plants activate a coordinated network of physiological, biochemical, hormonal, and molecular responses. Key adaptive strategies include root system plasticity, osmotic adjustment, antioxidant defense, maintenance of photosynthetic activity, and hormone-mediated stress signaling. Recent advances indicate that drought tolerance depends not only on individual defense mechanisms but also on their integration into complex regulatory networks. Emerging technologies such as plant growth-promoting microorganisms, biostimulants, and CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing provide promising tools for enhancing drought resilience. In addition, epigenetic regulation has emerged as a critical component of plant adaptation to drought. DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, and non-coding RNAs regulate drought-responsive gene expression without altering the DNA sequence. These modifications can establish stress memory, enabling stronger responses to recurring drought events, and in some cases may be transmitted across generations. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the physiological, molecular, and epigenetic mechanisms underlying plant responses to drought stress. Understanding the interactions among stress signaling, transcriptional regulation, and epigenetic processes will support the development of climate-resilient crop cultivars capable of sustaining productivity under increasing environmental challenges.
Reproductive biotechnologies are critical for improving productivity, genetic advancement, and conservation in sheep and goats (shoats). This review synthesizes established and emerging technologies, including artificial insemination (AI), estrus synchronization, multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET), in vitro embryo production (IVEP), gamete and embryo cryopreservation, embryo sexing and splitting, and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). It evaluates their principles, applications, successes, and limitations. While cattle have historically been the primary beneficiaries, shoats offer unique advantages, including shorter generation intervals, diverse outputs, and adaptability. However, challenges in cloning, such as inconsistent superovulatory responses, low cryopreservation efficiency, and technical barriers, hinder widespread adoption. These technologies support biomedical research, genetic conservation, and biobanking beyond production. Integrating reproductive biotechnologies into shoat systems promises significant gains in productivity, genetic progress, and global food security if species-specific protocols, capacity building, and supportive policies are implemented.
Developing high-yielding wheat cultivars for non-irrigated environments is crucial for climate-resilient agriculture. This study evaluated 30 bread wheat genotypes under rainfed conditions using an Alpha Lattice design with 2 replications at Lubu, Lalitpur, Nepal (1200 masl) during 2020-21 to determine genetic variability and trait associations, and to identify superior genotypes. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes for all studied traits. Estimates of genetic parameters indicated moderate to high variability coupled with high genetic advance for grain yield, effective tillers per m2, grains per spike, and grain weight per spike, suggesting the predominance of additive gene action. Correlation and path analysis demonstrated that spike length, effective tillers per m2, and grains per spike exerted the maximum direct positive effects on grain yield. PCA revealed that the first three components explain 93.1% of total variation. Along with that, cluster analysis grouped the genotypes into six distinct clusters. Superior agronomic performance was shown by cluster VI, which comprised 10 high-yielding genotypes. Genotypes WK3517 and WK3604 markedly outperformed the overall mean grain yield. These findings suggest that indirect selection based on spike length, effective tillers per m2, and grains per spike would be highly effective for yield improvement. The identified superior genotypes provide a robust foundation for breeding programs targeting water-limited environments.
The continuous proliferation of antibiotic resistance in the environment, driven by heavy metals, represents an alarming dual threat to global health. Current research mostly focuses on co-selection and cross-resistance occurrence, while an integrated mitigation framework linking molecular pathways, resistome dynamics, and environmental drivers remains limited. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of the mechanistic basis of heavy metal-induced antibiotic resistance, integrating genomic and resistome-level perspectives of resistance dissemination. Key microbial adaptive mechanisms were highlighted, including reactive oxygen species-mediated stress response, mobile genetic elements, horizontal gene transfer, multidrug efflux pumps, and biofilms, which mediate resistance under selective pressure. An in silico analysis of publicly available databases from environmental waste matrices highlighted ARG-MRG co-occurrence patterns, corroborating bibliometric findings and revealing proliferation of cross-resistance. Network analysis further revealed key interactions between ARGs, MRGs, and external environmental selective pressure, highlighting hotspots of cross-resistance and co-selection. The review evaluates mitigation strategies, including ROS scavengers, efflux pump inhibitors, biofilm-disrupting agents, metal chelators, bioremediation, and advanced wastewater treatment approaches. Additionally, the review also examines how climate-related factors, including rising temperatures and extreme weather, can also affect metal mobility, microbial community structure, and resistance spread. Strengthening waste regulations, improving metal management practices, implementing targeted environmental surveillance, and understanding the limitations of mitigation strategies are highlighted as key priorities. An integrated, genomic, mechanistic, resistome-level, and mitigation-focused One Health framework provides an in-depth roadmap for understanding and managing heavy-metal-driven antibiotic resistance in a rapidly changing environment.
In agricultural crop improvement programs, genetic diversity is a valuable tool for achieving various objectives in plant breeding, such as developing cultivars with higher yields, greater adaptability, desired quality traits and enhanced pest resistance. The present study evaluated genetic diversity in twenty-five turmeric cultivars using morphological traits and molecular approaches. Gundlupet local was the tallest (156.6 cm), while Erode local had the highest fresh rhizome yield (1110 g/plant). The findings provide insights for turmeric breeding, conservation, and sustainable utilization. Likewise, ISSR analysis 13 primers produced 140 amplified bands of which 119 (83.40%) were polymorphic indicating substantial genetic variation. The number of bands per primer ranged from 7 to 15, with an average PIC of 0.30. The highest polymorphism (100%) was observed with six primers, while the lowest (66.67%) was seen with UBC 827. DAMD analysis using 10 markers yielded 99 bands, 86 (85.58%) of which were polymorphic. The number of bands varied from 7 to 16 per marker with an average PIC of 0.258. Three markers showed 100% polymorphism with the lowest at 57.14% for URP 2R. SCoT analysis with 9 markers generated 106 bands with 74 (69.54%) being polymorphic. The number of bands per marker ranged from 9 to 15 with an average PIC of 0.214. The highest polymorphism (83.33%) was observed in SCoT10 and SCoT15 while SCoT18 had the lowest (54.55%). SSR analysis using 6 markers resulted in 18 bands, 14 (77.22%) of which were polymorphic. The number of bands ranged from 2 to 5 per marker with an average PIC of 0.30. The highest polymorphism (100%) was noted for SSR4 and SSR6, with the lowest (50%) for SSR3. These findings offer valuable insights into turmeric’s genetic diversity, supporting advancements sustainable agriculture.
Rhizosphere and endophytic microorganisms may contribute to secondary metabolism in medicinal plants, influencing both metabolite diversity and accumulation. By producing bioactive compounds and signaling molecules, these microbes may influence plant metabolic pathways beyond simple nutrient supply. In this review, we summarize recent advances in understanding how microbial secondary metabolites regulate may affect biosynthetic processes in medicinal plants through integrated signaling, metabolic, and genomic mechanisms. These studies suggest that microbial-derived elicitors trigger early signaling events, including reactive oxygen species production, calcium fluxes, and mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades, which are further integrated with phytohormone networks, such as jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, ethylene, and auxin. This coordinated signaling may contribute to transcriptional reprogramming mediated by key transcription factors, ultimately enhancing the biosynthesis of alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds. We also highlight the distinct contributions of major microbial groups, including arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, and endophytes, each of which may influence plant metabolism through complementary mechanisms such as nutrient acquisition, hormonal modulation, and direct biosynthesis of bioactive compounds. In addition, we discuss recent progress in microbial genomics, which has revealed the importance of biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), hormone-related genes, and volatile compound pathways in shaping medicinal plant-microbe metabolic interactions. These genomic features indicate microbial functional potential and may underpin stable colonization and metabolic regulation under appropriate biological conditions. Finally, we outline current challenges, including limited integration of multi-omics data and insufficient resolution of spatial and temporal dynamics in plant-microbe interactions. We suggest future directions focusing on the integration of spatial metabolomics, genome mining, and synthetic microbial communities to improve mechanistic understanding and enable more precise manipulation of medicinal plant metabolism.
Climbing perch (Anabas testudineus) is one of the economically important freshwater fish in Aceh, Indonesia, but is threatened by habitat fragmentation, overfishing, and the introduction of alien fish species. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the genetic structure of A. testudineus populations in the inland waters of Aceh using the Cytochrome c Oxidase subunit I (COI) marker. A total of 173 samples representing 12 populations, namely Banda Aceh, Aceh Besar, Pidie, Pidie Jaya, Lhokseumawe, West Aceh, Southwest Aceh, East Aceh, Simeulue, South Aceh, Gayo Lues, and Southeast Aceh, were successfully sequenced, with sequence similarity to the reference sequences ranging from 98.43% to 100%. The analysis produced 44 unique haplotypes, with haplotype diversity ranging from 0.476 to 0.857 (average 0.729). The fixation index (Fst) value of 0.770 (p < 0.001) revealed significant genetic differentiation, with 77% of genetic variation attributable to differences among populations. The phylogenetic tree reconstruction formed 2 main clades, where clade I comprised the populations of Pidie, Banda Aceh, Aceh Besar, South Aceh, Lhokseumawe, and East Aceh. Meanwhile, clade II comprised the populations of Southwest Aceh, West Aceh, Simeulue, Pidie Jaya, Southeast Aceh, and Gayo Lues. These findings indicate limited gene flow between populations due to geographic isolation and anthropogenic pressures, highlighting the need for specific conservation approaches for each population unit.
Aedes albopictus is a globally invasive mosquito and a competent arbovirus vector. To characterize its ecological, genetic, and microbial profiles in Indonesia, we examined populations from urban (Lodaya) and peri-urban (Dramaga) non-human primate (NHP) facilities. Ovitrap sampling conducted in January–February 2022 revealed consistently higher ovitrap indices and egg densities at urban sites, indicating that anthropogenic habitats are major drivers of proliferation. Morphological and molecular identification confirmed the presence of Ae. albopictus, and sequencing of a 643 bp cytochrome oxidase I (COI) fragment verified species identity (>99% similarity). Seven haplotypes, seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms, and one non-synonymous substitution were detected. Genetic diversity analysis showed high haplotype diversity (Hd = 1.0 urban; 0.8 peri-urban) but low nucleotide diversity (π = 0.0029), suggesting recent demographic expansion and strong gene flow across sites. Microbiota profiling of pooled larval and adult midgut samples generated 784,336 high-quality reads, dominated by Proteobacteria (64.8%), Bacteroidetes (24.6%), and Firmicutes (3.8%). The major taxa included Rahnella aquatilis, Serratia marcescens, and Asaia bogorensis, with compositions differing by geography, sex, and developmental stage. These integrative data demonstrate that Ae. albopictus exhibits ecological plasticity, limited genetic divergence, and heterogeneous microbial associations. These findings provide a baseline for vector surveillance and highlight the relevance of combining molecular barcoding and microbiota profiling within a One Health framework for arbovirus risk assessment.
Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) is a cornerstone of Ghana's economy, contributing significantly to national GDP and supporting the livelihoods of over 700,000 people. Despite its importance, cocoa production is severely constrained by black pod disease caused by Phytophthora species, which accounts for yield losses exceeding 40%. The identification and deployment of resistant cocoa genotypes therefore remain critical for sustainable disease management.This study evaluated resistance to black pod disease among 28 cocoa introductions using a detached pod inoculation assay. Specifically, the study validated genotypic resistance, assessed the role of selected biochemical compounds and pod physical traits in lesion development, examined relationships among the traits, and determined genetic relationships within the study population. Pods aged 3 to 4 months were obtained through controlled pollination using pollen from a reference donor (PA150) to ensure uniformity. Lesion expansion was monitored at 5 and 7 days after inoculation with a pure isolate of Phytophthora palmivora.Significant differences in lesion size were observed among genotypes across assessment periods. Seven genotypes, GEBP426AF, GEBP404AF, GEBP914AF, GEBP565AF, GEBP585AF, GEBP403AF, and GEBP428AF consistently exhibited smaller lesion sizes within the first seven days, indicating resistance. Among the biochemical traits evaluated, epicuticular wax content showed a significant (p<0.05) negative correlation with lesion size at early stages, while pod hardness and husk thickness negatively correlated. Furthermore, significant genetic diversity was observed among the genotypes, predominantly classified into Iquitos, Contamana, Trinitario, and Nanay genetic groups. This diversity provides a valuable foundation for selecting genetically distinct black pod resistant parents for improved hybrid development.
Cymodocea nodosa is an ecologically valuable Mediterranean seagrass that plays a crucial role in coastal stability and marine biodiversity; nevertheless, high-resolution genetic data for evaluating intra-population variation are still few. This study utilized publicly accessible whole-genome resequencing datasets from three Cymodocea nodosa individuals were analyzed using a reproducible Linux based bioinformatics workflow for genome wide SNP discovery and genomic characterization. Raw illumina paired end reads were quality filtered aligned to the C.nodosa reference genome and subjected to variant calling and SNP filtering using BWA-MEM, SAM tools, BCF tools and PLINK based analysis. A total of 2,277,223 high confidence SNPs were identified from the merged multi sample dataset. Tranition substitutions predominated over transversions, producing Ts/Tv ratio of 3.45, consistent with high quality variant datasets. Per sample analysis revealed substantial genomic variation among individuals with total SNP count ranging from 1.49 to 3.44 million variants. Sequencing depth remained high across three samples ranging from approximately 51x to 119x coverage. Principal component analysis and pairwise genomic distance heatmaps revealed detectable but moderate genomic differentiation among samples. Observed hetrozygosity remained consistency high across all individuals, suggesting substantial genetic variation with local C.nodosa populations. Although the present study is limited by sample size and geographic scope, it demonstrates the utility of WGS approaches for generating high density SNP resources in non-model marine plants. The resulting genomic dataset provides a reproducable framework for future investigations of population genomics, adaptive variation, conservation genetics and evolutionary ecology in C.nodosa and related seagrass species.
Salt stress is one of the most vulnerable abiotic problems in agriculture turning agronomically useful land into unproductive areas. It has a major effect on soil properties and plant growth, affecting both vegetative and reproductive development. The use of halotolerant PGPR is an ecofriendly approach for enhancing plant growth under saline conditions. Hence, they can be used as biofertilizer in the salt affected agricultural fields. The present investigation was aimed to isolate, characterize and identify the halotolerant bacterial isolates from saline soils. A total of 103 bacterial isolates were screened for salt tolerance ability and 42 isolates which were able to tolerate higher (10 per cent) concentration of sodium chloride were further screened for other halotolerant traits viz. ACC deaminase and EPS production. The isolates showing maximum activity for halotolerant traits were further screened for qualitative as well as quantitative estimation of multifarious plant growth promoting traits. Out of 35 isolates, 28 isolates were found phosphate solubilizers (80 per cent), 25 were nitrogen fixers (71.4 Per cent), 20 were ammonia producers (57.1 per cent), 17 isolates were HCN producers (48.5 per cent) and 15 were siderophore producers (42.8 per cent). The 2 isolates with maximum halotolerant and PGP traits were selected and characterized morphologically and biochemically. These bacterial isolates were identified as Sphingobacterium detergens and Sphingobacterium multivorum after molecular identification. Both bacterial isolates were able to grow at pH 7, temperature 35 °C and incubation period of 48h. Both the halotolerant isolates were evaluated for their effect on seed germination in okra under salt stress of 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100-mM. Both of them increased the seed germination percentage, radicle length and fresh weight of germinated seeds over control seeds.
Global food security, climate change, and sustainable agriculture are pressing challenges as the world population continues to rise. CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology offers a precise means to modify genetic material, enabling the development of resilient crops with enhanced yield, stress tolerance, and reduced environmental impact—often without introducing foreign DNA. Successful applications in rice (yield enhancement), wheat (disease resistance), and tomato (shelf-life extension) demonstrate the technology's versatility. This review critically evaluates the advantages and limitations of CRISPR/Cas9 for crop improvement, synthesizing current knowledge on technical capabilities, regulatory frameworks, and deployment challenges. Key advances include the development of high-fidelity Cas9 variants that reduce off-target effects by 50–90% and multiplex editing systems that enable simultaneous trait improvement. However, critical knowledge gaps remain: limited long-term field data on ecological impacts, species-specific delivery barriers for recalcitrant crops, and fragmented regulatory frameworks that create trade barriers and increase compliance costs. This review identifies these gaps and proposes research priorities—including field-level validation, harmonized regulatory approaches, and equitable access mechanisms—to realize the full potential of CRISPR/Cas9 for developing climate-resilient and sustainable agricultural systems.
Genetic variability present in crop germplasm plays an important role in the selection of suitable material for breeding programs. In the present study, 38 sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) accessions were evaluated using 13 quantitative agro-morphological, phenological, and yield-related traits to assess genetic diversity and trait relationships through multivariate statistical approaches implemented in Python. Considerable variation was observed among the accessions, particularly for number of primary branches per plant, capsules per plant, and thousand seed weight. Correlation analysis revealed that yield per plant was positively associated with capsules per plant, thousand seed weight, plant height, and number of primary branches per plant, indicating the importance of these traits in yield improvement. Principal component analysis showed that the first three principal components accounted for 79.10% of the total variation, with flowering and yield-related traits contributing strongly to genetic divergence. Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped the accessions into four distinct clusters, reflecting clear genetic separation among the studied germplasm. The results suggested that hybridization between genetically distant clusters, particularly those combining early flowering and superior yield traits, may serve as useful parental material for developing improved sesame varieties. Overall, the study demonstrated the usefulness of multivariate approaches for understanding genetic relationships and identifying potential parental lines for sesame improvement programs.
Solid-state fermentation (SSF) is recognized as an efficient method for microbial enzyme production using low-cost agro-waste. In this study, 32 microbial isolates obtained from soil samples collected from ecological fields (rice, sweet potato, and elephant foot yam) were screened on starch agar plates for extracellular amylase production. Four promising isolates (R3, R4, SP8, and EFY11) were characterized based on morphological, biochemical, and amylolytic activity in liquid fermentation. Among them, isolate R4 exhibited the highest enzymatic activity and was selected for further investigation. Molecular identification using 16S rRNA sequencing confirmed R4 as Bacillus subtilis, and the sequence was deposited in GenBank (Accession No. PV934264). Amylase production by B. subtilis R4 was enhanced through SSF using wheat bran as the substrate. Initially, the one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) approach was applied to evaluate the influence of various physicochemical parameters and media components on enzyme yield. Significant factors were subsequently identified using the Plackett–Burman (PB) design, which revealed fructose, pH, temperature, and moisture level as key variables. Further optimization using Central Composite Design under Response Surface Methodology (CCD-RSM) resulted in the development of a predictive model with an R2 value of 0.8403. Validation under optimized conditions (fructose 0.075 g, pH 7.5, temperature 52 °C, and moisture level 10.5 mL) predicted an amylase activity of 36.98 U/gds, while experimental trials yielded 37.26 U/gds. The close agreement between predicted and observed values confirms the reliability of the model. These findings demonstrate the potential of B. subtilis R4 as a promising candidate for cost-effective amylase production from agricultural waste.
Pampus cinereus is extensively distributed in the Indo-West Pacific (IWP) region, and has significant ecological and commercial value. Genetic variation of P. cinereus alongside the coast of Bangladesh in the Bay of Bengal and the Strait of Malacca in Malaysia, and its phylogeography in the IWP, was assessed utilizing mitochondrial COI (N=140) and Cyt β (N=79) sequences. Intra-population genetic diversity of P. cinereus based on COI was characterized with low haplotype diversity (h = 0.1466±0.0658) in Bangladesh and moderate haplotype diversity (h=0.3417±0.1403) in Malaysia, but low nucleotide diversity: π=0.0002±0.0004 and π=0.0006±0.0006, respectively, and which is reflected by shallow genealogy with a lack of significant genetic differentiation between sampling sites. The DNA sequences mismatch distribution based on COI follows the sudden expansion model. Based on the COI gene, the times since expansion for the Bangladesh and Malaysia populations was around 230.8 Kyr and 33.4 Kyr ago, respectively. The results are consistent with recent population expansion or reduced mitochondrial genetic variation, but alternative explanations cannot be excluded. Female effective population size (Nef) of P. cinereus populations from Bangladesh and Malaysia were 0.67 (CI:6.89×10-10 to 5.30) and 0.02 (CI:4.52×10-4 to 0.09) million individuals, respectively. The phylogeny, based on COI and Cyt β variation, did not reveal any distinct geographical pattern within the IWP (ΦST and FST p>0.05 for both genes) and thus, characterized by a lack of significant genetic differentiation between sampling sites. The results will be useful for further study and better management and conservation of the species through regional cooperation.
Soil acidity and the lack of acid-tolerant barley genotypes are major constraints to barley production in the acid-prone highland soils of Ethiopia. In this study, ten barley genotypes were evaluated across eight environments during the 2021 and 2022 main cropping seasons using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Pooled analysis of variance indicated that grain yield was significantly influenced by genotype, environment, and genotype-by-environment interaction (GEI). The results demonstrated that genotypes G9, G1, G10, and G3, which were located on the left side of PC1 in the average-environment coordination (AEC) view, exhibited better grain yield performance and greater stability. Genotype G9 with highest mean grain yield (3.56 t ha-1) was accepted as the ideal genotype, while G1, G3, and G10 were also considered desirable due to their proximity to G9. The GGE biplot ‘which-won-where’ analysis identified a single mega-environment with vertex genotypes G9, G1, G5, G2, G6, and G7. Among environments, E6 was the most discriminating and representative environment. The application of lime improved grain yield and likely increased environmental variation by increasing the soil fertility differences between the limed and unlimed soils. Based on grain yield performance and stability across environments, G9, G1, G10, and G3 were selected as superior genotypes. Expanding the use of cultivar (G9), further evaluating and using the accessions G1 and G3 and the local control (G10), along with liming of the acid-prone soils of the region, is recommended to enhance barley production and productivity and to help tackle food security challenges.
