Weather Based Agro-Advisory Services have been gaining momentum as a successful strategy to support agriculture in adapting to shifting climate and improving productivity, sustainability and resilience. These services combine weather forecasts with advisories based on the farm's situation in real-time, allowing farmers to make appropriate decisions for their crop planning, irrigation, pest and disease control and input use. The present study used an ex post facto research design, which evaluated the attitudes of farmers on WBAAS in Western Zone of Tamil Nadu which is very susceptible to climate variability. Based on Edwards' criteria, the attitude scale was developed and validated consisting of 26 items and administered to 300 farmers were selected in a 5-point Likert scale. The discriminating power of statements was tested by the t-value (critical ratio) method and the scale had high reliability according to the correlation coefficient (r = 0.85). The results showed that 27.00% of the farmers had a highly favourable attitude, while 59.00% had favourable attitude towards WBAAS. Farmers recognised that WBAAS could help to boost productivity and make better use of resources, as well as minimising weather-related risks. However, 14.00% of farmers had unfavourable attitudes because of issues like inaccuracies in forecasts, poor access and problems with interpretation. The results highlight the importance of improved precision, timeliness and localization of advisories and extension support and digital access. Overall, promoting awareness and capacity-building initiatives can significantly improve the adoption and effectiveness of WBAAS among farmers.
Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is a cash crop that plays a crucial role in the textile industry at global scale and Pakistan. However, its sustainable production is restricted by challenges like conventional tillage, imbalanced fertilization, water shortage and soil health degradation. Therefore, a two-year field study was conducted in Agricultural Research Institute, Ratta Kulachi, Dera Ismail Khan to compare the tillage operations coupled with nutritional regimes of balanced nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) to maintain the growth, yield and fiber quality traits of the cotton. The research treatments involved the tillage system (TS) reduced vs. conventional as main plots and NPK levels (NPK1 = 0:0:0, NPK2 = 200:0:0, NPK3 = 0:120:0, NPK4 = 0:0:150, NPK5 = 200:120:0, NPK6 = 200:0:150, NPK7 = 0:120:150, NPK8 = 200:120:150, and NPK9 = 250:170:200 kg ha-1) as subplots. The fiber quality and yield attributes of cotton were assessed after the harvest of cotton. The results of interactive effect of TS, NPK and Years were significant which influenced sympodial branches (plant-1), ginning outturn (%) and fiber strength (g tex-1) during both the years 2023 and 2024. However, balance NPK (200:120:150 kg ha-1) in combination with reduced tillage consistently outperformed and yielded maximum sympodial branches (59.2 in 2024 and 57.7 in 2023), plant height (151.5 cm in 2024), bolls plant-1 (60.7 in 2024 and 59.7 in 2023), seed cotton (2696 kg ha-1 in 2024 and 2646 kg ha-1 in 2023) and ginning outturn (71.9% in 2024 and 70.7% in 2023). This optimal fertilizer dose also improved fiber strength (30.0-31.0 g tex-1) which gave the highest net returns (1003.18 US $ ha-1) with benefit cost ratio (BCR) of 2.3. This study concluded that combination of reduced tillage and NPK (200:120:150 kg ha-1) adequately for sustainable cotton production under arid environment.
The success of agricultural innovations largely depends on farmers’ satisfaction with the technology. Automated micro-irrigation technology has emerged as an important intervention for addressing water scarcity and labour shortages in agriculture. The present study aimed to assess farmers’ satisfaction with automated micro-irrigation technology and identify the key factors influencing satisfaction and its long-term technology use. A field survey was conducted among 300 adopters of automated micro-irrigation technology using a structured questionnaire. Farmers’ satisfaction was quantified using the Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI), while the determinants of satisfaction were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed that the largest proportion (33.67%, n=101) of farmers held more than 10 hectares of farmland. The overall CSI value of 79.81% indicated that farmers were satisfied with the adoption of automated micro-irrigation technology. Among the service-quality dimensions, assurance significantly influenced farmers’ satisfaction (β= 0.456, p<0.001). Satisfaction further showed a significant positive influence on loyalty towards the technology (β=0.192, p=0.004). Mediation analysis indicated that commitment strongly mediated the relationship between satisfaction and loyalty (β=0.159, p<0.001), while trust acted as a partial mediator (β= - 0.030, p=0.039). The findings emphasize the importance of reliable technical support, responsive service systems and effective grievance-handling mechanisms for enhancing long-term adoption and sustained use of automated micro-irrigation technology. Keywords: Automated micro-irrigation; Farmer satisfaction; PLS-SEM; Sustainable irrigation; Technology adoption
Seasonal feed shortages are still a major issue for livestock productivity in Sahelian agro-pastoral systems. This study compared two forage species, two planting densities and two levels of organic manure to determine which factor had the most impact on establishment and biomass productivity of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone (formerly Pennisetum purpureum) and Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet (formerly Dolichos lablab). The experiments were conducted during the 2023–2024 cropping season in two contrasting agro-ecological zones in southern Niger (Maradi and Konni) using a factorial randomized complete block design with three replications. Two forage species, planting densities of 10,000 and 20,000 hills ha⁻¹, and organic manure rates of 0 and 3 t ha⁻¹ DM were used as treatments. The system was mainly rainfed and supplemental irrigation was done only during critical dry periods to avoid crop failure. At Maradi, P. purpureum produced up to 35.3 t DM ha⁻¹ in the combination of a high planting density and manure application. The yields in Konni were below 14 t DM ha⁻¹ in all treatments. D. lablab was established and performed well at both sites and remained consistent. Overall, differences in biomass production were mainly driven by forage species used and not density of plants or manure application. The results of this study make clear the importance of site-specific species selection in order to improve forage availability in Sahelian systems. Increasing the planting density or manure only works well when the soil is moist enough to have a good crop response. Keywords: Cenchrus purpureus; Lablab purpureus; forage productivity; Sahel; Niger
Face recognition is increasingly used for biometric identification in both humans and animals, offering a non-invasive option for managing hard-to-handle species such as water buffalo. We present a real-time face recognition system based on YOLOv5 to accurately identify individual buffalo in a livestock setting. Our goal is to support precision livestock farming with an efficient and scalable monitoring solution. We also introduce Buffalo-22, a dataset of 4000 augmented face images from eight water buffalo collected at a breeding farm in Yozgat, Turkey. We compare our system with a traditional approach based on Local Binary Patterns in the HSV color space (LBP-HSV) to highlight the advantages of deep learning in challenging agricultural environments. The proposed YOLOv5 model achieved 99.3% average precision at IoU 0.5 (mAP@0.5), while the LBP-HSV model reached 87.8% test accuracy. These results show that convolutional neural networks can deliver accurate, real-time face recognition for water buffalo. The reported performance indicates that the proposed system is a practical tool for automatic and reliable identification on livestock farms. Keywords: Biometric identification, face recognition, water buffalo, deep learning, YOLOv5
Himalaya is one of the global biodiversity hotspots and hosts a complex mountain ecosystem due to high topographic and climatic heterogeneity, yet its forests are under constant pressure from climate change and human-driven disturbances. In this study, we examined the distribution, community structure, and ecological factors affecting Quercus-dominating forests in the Hazara Division, Pakistan. A total of 98 sites were sampled using the quadrat method to assess plant associations and species composition. Quadrat sizes were 10 × 10 m2 for trees, 5 × 5 m2 for shrubs, and 1 × 1 m2 for herbs. A total of 180 plant species belonging to 142 genera and 65 families were recorded. Quercus species showed clear elevational stratification with Q. glauca dominant at low elevation of 942 meters above sea level (MASL), Q. baloot and Q. dilatata at mid elevation (1123-2423 MASL), while Q. semecarpifolia at high altitude (2687-3306 MASL). Cluster analysis revealed 6 assemblages of communities: Quercus incana-Asparagus officinalis-Avena fatua community (QAA), Quercus incana-Aesculus indica-Phragmites communis community (QAP), Quercus semecarpifolia-Bergenia stracheyi- Indigofera heterantha community (QBI), Quercus dilatata-Cannabis sativa-Quercus glauca community (QCQ), Quercus incana-Prunus vulgaris-Quercus dilatata community (QPQ), and Quercus baloot-Quercus dilatata-Cynodon dactylon community (QQC). Highest diversity (richness=22.3) was recorded in the QQC community at mid elevation with Shannon index (2,78), and the lowest diversity (13.8) was found in the QBI community at high elevation (H=2.37). Multivariate analyses showed that temperature (r2=0.25), relative humidity (r2=0.14), and altitude (r2=0.5) were the most important climatic and geographic factors determining species distribution. Q. semecarpifolia and Q. glauca showed a poison model with the environmental variable, while other species exhibited a negative binomial model in response to environmental gradients. This study provides baseline strategies for the preservation and conservation of Quercus species under climatic and anthropogenic pressures and supports the development of effective management strategies in the western Himalayan forests in the Hazara division of Pakistan. Keywords: Quercus, Distribution, Community structure, Multivariate analyses, Species richness, Environmental variables
Rice is the cornerstone of Bangladesh’s food system, culture and tradition, daily life, employment and economy, which is sustaining more than 170 million people and shaping national identity for centuries. However, the long term sustainability of rice production is increasingly challenged by climate variability, resource constraints and nutritional limitations, necessitating a comprehensive synthesis of its current status and future direction. Present review synthesis the cultural heritage, dynamics of production and future prospects of rice in Bangladesh by integrating nutritional, agronomic, socio-cultural and abiotic-biotic perspectives. Rice is deeply associated in cultural traditions, festivals and livelihoods, while also serving as the primary source of dietary energy and significant contributor of protein and micronutrients in Bangladesh. The historical evolution of rice cultivars; indigenous landraces decrease and widespread adoption of high yielding varieties (HYV) and hybrids in diverse ecosystems. Some of them are stress tolerant has driven remarkable gains in productivity and food self-sufficiency. Moreover, the improvement of zinc, vitamin E, antioxidant, iron enriched and diabetic bio-fortified rice contribute to recover from malnutrition. The production increased from 9.77 MT (1971) to 40.62 MT (2024) within 54 years and average yield more than doubled (1.50 to 3.54 t ha-1) due to HYV, improved irrigation, government policy (subsidy for fertilizer, electricity for irrigation, seed). Although, Aman (monsoon) season cover more area than Aus (pre-monsoon), and Boro (irrigated), but total production is high in Boro season due to improved management & irrigation. Despite achievement, rice cultivation faced multifaceted challenges, including abiotic stresses (salinity, flash flood, submergence, drought, temperature), biotic pressures (insect pests, diseases, weeds) and socio-economic constraints till now. Rice based crop diversification (integration of legumes, oilseed and vegetable), varietal diversification (use of stress tolerant, bio-fortified and specialty rice) can enhance system resilience, nutritional security and farmer income. The future of rice cultivation in Bangladesh depends on enhancing abiotic and biotic resilience through climate smart varieties, integrated pest management, mechanization and supportive policies, alongside diversification, value addition and sustainable resource use to ensuring long-term food security and socio-economic stability. Keywords: abiotic stress; biotic stress; nutrition value; stress resilient; local landraces; perennial rice
Moringa oleifera, commonly known as the horseradish (drumstick tree), is a fast-growing, mineral-rich evergreen tree in the family Moringaceae, with wide applications in herbal medicine, agriculture, and livestock production. Despite its importance, genomic resources remain limited, with only one public draft assembly previously available. This study presents a de novo draft genome of Moringa oleifera from Pakistan, sequenced by the Illumina HiSeq platform using paired-end libraries. The assembly comprises ~205.2 Mb across 13,872 scaffolds (N50 = 17,279 bp) and includes 26,215 predicted protein-coding genes. Assembly quality, supported by completeness assessments, indicates the recovery of 83.9% of embryophyte BUSCOs and 84.68% of CEGMA core genes. This Pakistan-origin reference fills a vital geographic and technical gap for M. oleifera, enabling robust functional annotation and comparative analysis in the Moringa genus. It provides an immediate foundation for marker development and downstream applications in molecular breeding, biotechnology, and stress adaptation research. Keywords: Moringa oleifera, genome, assembly, annotation, Pakistan
Arthropods are key regulators of ecosystem stability, regeneration, and sustainability through their involvement in decomposition, nutrient recycling, soil improvement, biological control, and seed dispersal. Despite their immense contribution to ecosystem functioning, the existing evidence remains limited across taxa, forest types, and ecological functions. Additionally, the overall contribution of arthropod diversity to forest regeneration and health has not been adequately synthesized. This review addresses this gap by integrating empirical evidence on the ecological roles, population dynamics, and functional impacts of forest arthropods. Published literature from 2001 to 2026 was identified through Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science, with an emphasis on studies examining functional guilds, ecosystem engineering, herbivory, decomposition, biomass, and responses to disturbance. The synthesis indicates that arthropods support plant growth, survival, and continuity by accelerating litter and dung decomposition, improving soil characteristics, and regulating pests through natural-enemy interactions. Insect herbivory may cause seedling mortality of up to 35%, while ants, termites, beetles, and spiders can increase leaf-litter decomposition rates by approximately 31%. Arthropods also contribute substantially to forest biomass, with an estimated contribution of about 300 Mt, although their functional importance varies among regions and forest types. The novelty of this review lies in linking beneficial and harmful arthropod functions within a single forest-regeneration framework and highlighting how biodiversity loss may simultaneously weaken decomposition, soil quality, plant recruitment, and ecosystem resilience. Important knowledge gaps remain concerning climate-change responses, invasive species, and disturbance-driven population shifts. Integrating arthropod conservation into forest management is therefore essential for sustaining biodiversity and forest resilience. Keywords: Arthropod biodiversity, forest decomposition, forest stability, forest health, forest resilience
Soils in arid to semi-arid areas, which receive hill torrents in many countries around the world, are continually under threat of soil loss, rendering fertile and productive lands barren over time. Mapping of soil properties contributes to better management practices leading to enhanced crop production. This study examines the influence of altitude on the physico-chemical qualities of soil in 13 hill torrent affected regions of Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur from the Sulaiman range. 351 soil samples from 3 soil depths (0–15 cm), (16–30 cm), and (31–45 cm) were taken at three altitudes of each hill torrent command area. Portable GPS coordinates were collected for each elevation and hill torrent location. Physico-chemical soil parameters were determined using standard procedures. For this investigation, a representation of soil parameters was created using the ArcGIS 10.2 software. The soil was sandy in the upper elevated command areas of most of the hill torrents except Pitok and gradually became loamy to clay loam in the lower command areas. Other soil attributes were better at higher elevations except for total nitrogen, which probably leached under heavy hill torrent flows. Bulk density ranged between 1.56 in upper slope of Sanghar to 1.36 in lower slope of Zangi; interaction of Soil pH ranged from 8.81 in Vidor at upper elevation at upper 15 cm soil depth to 7.9 in Chachar at lower elevation and 31-45 cm soil depth. Whereas, interaction of organic matter ranged from 1.23% in Suri Shumali at upper elevation with upper 15 cm soil depth to 0.15% in Suri Janobi at lower elevation with 31-45 cm soil depth. With increasing soil depth from the surface, up to 45 cm, the soil properties worsened in terms of supporting plant growth based on soil texture and likely presence of hard plough pan. There were marked differences for various soil fertility parameters across soil depths and hill torrent sites. Moreover, good crop production is possible in hill torrent command areas of Punjab, Pakistan.
Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E Smith) is a destructive pest of maize (Zea mays L.) around the globe. It originated from the American continent and subsequently invaded Africa and Asia. Despite its recent invasion into Asia, some countries such as India, China, Pakistan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Nepal have already reported numerous bio-control agents of S. frugiperda. In Asia, several bio-control agents of S. frugiperda are frequently encountered, including the egg parasitoid, Telenomus remus (Nixon) and the egg-larval parasitoid, Chelonus formosanus (Sonan). The Hymenopteran family Braconidae was the presiding larval parasitoid group, while the dominant predatory groups belong to family Reduviidae, Coccinellidae, and Pentatomidae. T. remus is considered the most effective and extensively used bio-control agent of S. frugiperda. Therefore, we discuss the potential of the bio-control agents and successful efforts in the biological control programme globally, along with new natural enemy associations with recently invaded S. frugiperda in Asian countries. This review may encourage other Asian nations with S. frugiperda problem to adopt natural enemies-based sustainable and environmentally friendly approaches. Keywords: Asia, bio-control, natural enemies, parasitoids, predators, Spodoptera frugiperda
Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is known to induce severe reproductive disorders, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying testicular damage remain unclear. This research aims to explore the impact of PRV infection on porcine testicular (ST) cells and murine testicular tissue, with a focus on the involvement of the FOXO signaling pathway. This study also evaluated the antagonistic effect of compound RS on PRV infection through regulation of this pathway. Analyze differentially expressed genes and enriched pathways in ST cells infected with PRV through transcriptome sequencing. ST cells were infected with PRV and subsequently treated with either the FOXO pathway inhibitor AS1842856 or varying concentrations of RS (12.5, 25, and 50 μg/mL) to evaluate their effects on viral replication and FOXO gene expression. Cell viability was detected by CCK-8, viral load and mRNA expression of FOXO were detected by qPCR. Establish a PRV infected mouse model, observe pathological changes in testicular tissue through HE staining, detect testicular virus concentration, sperm count, and FOXO gene expression. PRV infection caused significant cytopathic effects in ST cells, with transcriptome sequencing identifying 1,650 significantly upregulated genes and 1,359 significantly downregulated genes (|log2FC| ≥ 1, P < 0.01). KEGG pathway analysis indicated significant enrichment of these genes in the FOXO signaling pathway, among others. Inhibition of the FOXO pathway markedly reduced viral replication in ST cells. PRV infection upregulated FOXO1 and FOXO4 mRNA expression, while downregulating FOXO3; these alterations were reversed upon RS treatment. In vivo experiments, RS treatment alleviated the pathological damage of mouse testicular tissue caused by PRV, reduced virus concentration in the testes, and partially restored sperm count. Compound RS effectively suppresses PRV replication both in vitro and in vivo by modulating the FOXO pathway and alleviates testicular injury caused by PRV. These findings provide a theoretical basis and identify a promising candidate for developing novel therapeutics targeting PRV-associated reproductive toxicity. Keywords: Rodgersia sambucifolia hemsl flavon; Scutellaria polysaccharide; Pseudorabies virus; FOXO signaling pathway
Plastic wastes are usually dumped into water that ultimately break down into microplastics (MP), which are harmful to fish populations. Thus, studies on microplastic pollution in water bodies are essential to comprehend its effects and develop practical approaches to protect aquatic life and ecosystems. The current study investigated the effects of water-borne microplastics polyethylene terephthalate (PET-MPs) on growth, hematological indices, serum biomarkers (ALP, AST, ALT, and cortisol), and oxidative status of targeted organs (liver, gills, and intestine) of commercially important fish, Labeo rohita (L. rohita). Healthy individuals of L. rohita (weight, 30 ± 2g; length, 10 ± 1 cm) were exposed to different concentrations (T1-0, T2-10, T3-20, and T4-40 mgL-1) of PET-MPs with an average size of 546.91μm, respectively, for a period of 28 days. The results indicated the dose-dependent toxic effects of PET-MPs on growth and biochemical parameters of L. rohita. Growth performance was considerably (p≤0.05) decreased in PET-MPs exposure groups. Hematological results indicate that red blood cells, hemoglobin and hematocrit (HCT) values were significantly decreased as the concentration of PET-MPs increased. In the case of serum biomarkers, the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and cortisol were significantly increased. Likewise, antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) activities and melano dialdehyde (MDA) level were also significantly increased in an organ- and dose-dependent manner. PET microplastics caused apparent dose-related physiological stress and organ toxicity in L. rohita, which showed their adverse effects on fish health and their potential threat to aquatic ecosystems and food safety. This study could help regulatory bodies to take appropriate steps to maintain healthy conditions of water bodies.
Variations in rubber production are thought to be influenced by differences in soil fertility. The study aimed to analyze and evaluate soil fertility variation in different rubber productivity. The research was conducted from January to June 2024 in Banjarsari Plantation, PT Perkebunan Nusantara I Regional 5 Jember Regency, especially at two contrast rubber productivity (i.e., high and low productivity). The classification of rubber productivity determined from the average rubber production during the last 3 years before the research, namely land with high productivity has a production ≥ 1,500 kg ha-1, while land with low productivity has a production ≤ 1000 kg ha-1. All the research plot was located at 12-13 years old of rubber which is cultivated in monoculture systems, especially at clone RRIC-100. Soil sample were collected on a plot size 20 m × 20 m at 2 depths (i.e., 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm) of the high and low rubber productivity with 3 replications of each. Soil chemical properties were measured, including soil organic C, pH, total N, available P, soil exchangeable K, Ca, Mg, Na, Cation Echange Capacity (CEC), and base saturation (%). The study found that the land with high rubber productivity had 72-85% higher of soil exchangeable Na as compared to the land with low rubber productivity at 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm depths, as well as had 46% higher of total N at the top 20 cm of soil. In contrast, the land with low rubber productivity had 41% and 11% higher of soil exchangeable K and Ca as compared to the land with high rubber productivity, probably due to the high K and Ca uptake for supporting rubber production. Pearson correlation and principal component analysis (PCA) test highlighted the significant relationship between functional elements such as soil exchangeable Na and latex production (r = 0.82, r table 5% = 0.497, p-value = 0.001). Therefore, increasing soil fertility through combining organic and inorganic fertilizer containing N and Na (e.g., potassium nitrate or borate fertilizers) can be helpful in areas with low rubber productivity for sustainable rubber production. Keywords: Monoculture rubber plantation; Rubber productivity; Soil chemical properties; Soil management
The quality of forage, a key factor in livestock feed selection, is now a major development objective to ensure food security, nutrition, and human health. It also represents a sustainable intensification of livestock farming systems. Two experiments were conducted to assess the effects of forage type and lucerne growth stage on milk yield and physicochemical composition. In the first experiment, 25 cows were randomly allocated to five dietary treatments (n = 5 cows per treatment) including: (i) green barley + oat hay as the control, reflecting standard farm practice; green lucerne + oat hay; pasture + oat hay; green sorghum + lucerne hay; and green sorghum + oat hay. The second experiment involved a separate group of 10 cows randomly assigned to two treatments (n = 5 cows per treatment) to evaluate the influence of lucerne growth stage on milk production and composition. The treatments consisted of fresh lucerne used at either the budding stage or the flowering stage. The data were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA with feed treatment as a fixed factor. The fresh lucerne–oat hay resulted in the highest milk yield (16.93 kg day⁻¹) compared with sorghum–lucerne hay and the control diet. Milk production decreased by about 50% when cows were fed pasture–oat hay or green sorghum–oat hay. Moreover, feeding fresh lucerne increased milk yield by over 31% compared with lucerne hay. Fresh lucerne improved milk quality indicated by a higher protein (3.66%) and fat (4.19%), lactose and mineral content but it exhibited the lowest Dornic acidity (16°D), compared with lucerne hay and other diets. Markedly, fresh lucerne at the budding stage significantly improved milk yield (+30.8%) compared with the flowering stage which induced a higher crude fiber (25.23%), that may reduce digestibility. In contrast, budding stage lucerne increased the milk quality by enhancing the crude protein (+24.20%), digestible crude protein (+25.34%), mineral content (+45.01%), and feed units for lactation (+22.58%). The findings of this investigation highlighted that an incorporation of the fresh lucerne, particularly at budding stage into ruminant diets could represent a promising strategy to improve forage quality and supports optimal lactation performance due to its high nutritional richness in protein and mineral components. Keywords: Lucerne forage, Dairy cattle, Milk composition, Milk yield, Forage quality
Lycopene is a lipophilic natural antioxidant that effectively neutralizes oxygen and free radicals. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of lycopene supplemented canola meal-based diets on growth, nutrient digestibility, hematology, carcass composition, and mineral digestibility of Cirrhinus mrigala fingerlings. Six concentrations of lycopene supplementation (0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5%) were prepared. A feeding rate of 5% live body weight was given to the fish for three months, stocked in tanks (n=270; average weight= 5.31 ± 0.039 g). The results showed that weight gain % (288.49±9.82%), FCR (1.332±0.03), protein content (77.50±0.87%), and gross energy (75.42±0.94%) were significantly higher in the group fed 3% lycopene supplemented diets, while crude fat digestibility (77.94±1.43%) was maximum at 2% lycopene level. Furthermore, the hematological parameters were significantly improved at Test-diet IV (3% lycopene supplementation). Moreover, the body composition parameters and mineral digestibility (Ca, K, Fe, Cu, Zn, Na, and P) were substantially enhanced when C. mrigala were fed the Test-diet IV. In conclusion, the supplementation of 3% lycopene in canola meal-based diets is recommended for C. mrigala fingerlings, enhancing growth performance, nutritional digestibility, and blood parameters. Keywords: Lycopene, aquaculture, fishmeal, canola meal, supplementation
DNA barcoding using the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene has revolutionized species identification and biodiversity research in Pakistan since 2006. This review assesses the progress, trends, and challenges of COI-based DNA barcoding in Pakistani fauna from 2006 to 2025. A total of 120 articles were downloaded, of which 91 were retained based on strict relevancy using PRISMA flow. Research efforts are unevenly distributed, with insects, particularly mosquitoes and fruit flies, receiving the most attention. However, mammals, amphibians, marine organisms, fungi, and microbes remain largely underrepresented. Geographic coverage and sample sizes vary widely, affecting statistical reliability and species representation. Methodological inconsistencies, such as unreported collection sites and varying trapping techniques, limit reproducibility and comparative analysis. Genetic divergence data reveal inconsistencies, with conspecific distances typically between 0-2% but sometimes reaching extreme values (e.g., 67.10%), suggesting sequencing errors, mislabeling, or reflecting data quality problems. Congeneric distances also vary significantly, emphasizing the need for taxon-specific barcoding thresholds. Phylogenetic analyses predominantly use MEGA software, with Neighbor-Joining and Maximum Likelihood methods being most common, while Bayesian inference remains underutilized, which provides statistical robustness and rate heterogeneity among models. The publication trend was slow from 2006 to 2012 but showed steady growth from 2013 to 2021 and a sharp rise from 2022 onwards, driven by increased funding and technological advancements. Research is mainly published in international journals, with some contributions to national journals such as the Pakistan Journal of Zoology. To enhance DNA barcoding in Pakistan, improvements such as expanded taxonomic and geographic coverage, standardized methodologies, increased data sharing, and integration with multigene approaches are necessary. Addressing these gaps will improve the accuracy and global relevance of COI-based DNA barcoding. Keywords: DNA barcoding, COI gene, Biodiversity, Species identification, Pakistan fauna, Genetic divergence, Review
White Kwao Krua, also known as Pueraria mirifica, is a traditional medicinal plant in several Asian countries. This plant has a high content of essential phytoestrogens such as isoflavones and chromenes, particularly miroestrol. However, their biosynthetic pathway remains unclear and is currently under investigation. Three gene families Chalcone isomerases (CHIs), Chalcone synthases (CHSs), and UDP-dependent glycosyltransferases (UGTs) play a key role in the phytoestrogen biosynthesis in P. mirifica. They are large gene families with myriad members, involved in several plant functions. In the research, five P. mirifica cultivars (TLBYT, TLCNX, TLDB, NA, and SL) were cultivated under the same conditions and then their leaf, stem, and tuber tissues were collected. The transcriptomes of the cultivars were sequenced, assembled, and annotated in the research. By using RNA-seq, the transcriptome assembly yielded over 300,000 unigenes, of which approximately 32,000 were annotated across four major databases: NCBI-Nr (229569 unigenes), SwissProt (158667 unigenes), COG (112089 unigenes), and KEGG (61480 unigenes). Seventeen individuals from these gene families that may catalyze or influence miroestrol and isoflavone biosynthesis were detected. The RT-qPCR analysis revealed tissue-specific gene expression, with several genes showing preferential expression in either leaves or tubers. CHS11, CHS13, and UGT74 gene were predominantly expressed in leaves, whereas CHI4A, CHI3A2, and CHS14 showed higher expression in tubers, the primary site of phytoestrogen accumulation. These results provide transcriptomic data for different P. mirifica varieties and demonstrate tissue-specific expression patterns of key CHI, CHS, and UGT genes involved in the isoflavonoid biosynthetic pathway.
This study evaluated the effect of housing systems (HS) and chicken genotypes (CG) on the behavior, morphometrics, and carcass traits of Naked Neck cockerels. In total, 405 males between 6 to 16 weeks old were studied. A randomized complete block design in factorial arrangement, with 9 treatments of 3 replicates with 15 birds each, was applied. Treatments consisted of 3 housing systems (Enriched indoor aviary system, Semi-intensive free-range system, and Intensive indoor system) and three chicken genotypes (full feathered (FF), partial feathered (PF), and Naked Neck (NN)). Behavior (walking, jumping, running, drinking, foraging & feeding, standing, sitting, aggressiveness, dust bathing, and wing flapping), morphometrics (body, keel, drumstick, and shank length, wing spread, drumstick and shank circumference), and carcass traits (pre-slaughter, shank, head, empty intestine, empty gizzard, liver, heart, neck, carcass, leg quarter, thigh, drumstick, and breast weight, and carcass yield) were evaluated. Scratching, perching, feeding, and dust bathing behaviors were more pronounced (p ≤ 0.05) in Semi-intensive free-range system reared birds whereas Naked Neck genotype exhibited higher (p ≤ 0.05) scratching, preening, jumping, and feeding behaviors. Birds reared under Enriched indoor aviary system revealed higher (p ≤ 0.05) keel and drumstick length while body, drumstick and shank length, and drumstick and shank circumference were greater (p ≤ 0.05) in full feathered genotype. Neck and carcass were heavier (p ≤ 0.05) in birds reared under Enriched indoor aviary system and Semi-intensive free-range system whereas pre-slaughter, carcass, and breast weight were better (p ≤ 0.05) in full feather genotype. In conclusion, the optimal housing system is genotype specific. The Semi-intensive free-range system is recommended for Naked Neck chickens to best express their natural scratching behavior, and for Partial Feathered chickens to promote dust bathing. The Enriched indoor aviary system is recommended for Full Feathered chickens to maximize carcass yield and muscling. Therefore, matching genotype to housing system is crucial for optimizing both welfare and production outcomes.
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity is severely constrained by biotic stresses, among which stem rust remains a major threat to global food security. In this study, we developed wheat line overexpressing the pathogenesis-related gene 2 (PR2) gene to build innate antifungal defenses. The PR gene coding sequence was cloned into the pCB-PR2-P2A-GUS expression vector and introduced into embryogenic calli of the TD-1 cultivar via biolistic transformation. Regenerated plantlets were subjected to rigorous molecular analysis, including PCR and RT qPCR, confirming stable genomic integration and ~35-fold upregulation of PR2 gene transcripts relative to non-transgenic controls. Histochemical β-glucuronidase (GUS) assays revealed spatial and temporal expression patterns across callus and developing seeds, indicating robust promoter-driven activity. Functional evaluation under natural pathogen exposure demonstrated marked reduced stem rust pustule formation in transgenic lines, validating the antifungal efficacy of β-1,3-glucanase in plants. In silico allergenicity analysis showed minimal similarity to known wheat allergens, supporting the biosafety of the transgene. These results established a comprehensive framework for PR2 gene-mediated disease resistance, integrating molecular validation with phenotypic assessment. Future field trials will elucidate the durability of stem rust resistance and yield stability, providing strategic insights for wheat breeding programs. Keywords: Stem resistance, PR2 gene, Transgenic wheat, Wheat transformation
