Salinization is a major environmental constraint affecting mangrove seedling establishment, growth, biomass accumulation and physiological performance. However, species-specific differences in biomass accumulation, allocation and metabolic adjustment under increasing salinity remain insufficiently understood. This study evaluated growth, biomass accumulation and partitioning, ion regulation, oxidative stress responses, antioxidant defenses, and survival of three mangrove species (Avicennia marina, Aegiceras corniculatum, and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza) under salinity gradients of 0, 15, 25, and 35 ppt to assess their relative salinity tolerance during the seedling stage. Increasing salinity significantly reduced leaf-stem-root biomass accumulation, root and stem diameter, total leaf area, and leaf area ratio, with stronger negative effects observed in B. gymnorrhiza and A. corniculatum. Survival remained 100% in A. marina across all salinity treatments, whereas A. corniculatum and B. gymnorrhiza showed reduced survival at 35 ppt. A. marina maintained the highest biomass stability and salinity tolerance, associated with enhanced AsA–GSH cycle activity, favorable ionic balance, and lower oxidative damage under elevated salinity. A. corniculatum showed intermediate tolerance, characterized by antioxidant activation at moderate salinity but reduced physiological stability under severe stress. In contrast, B. gymnorrhiza exhibited greater oxidative stress, weaker antioxidant responses, and declining survival under high salinity. Overall, species × salinity interactions demonstrated distinct response patterns under salinity stress, with seedling-stage salinity tolerance ranking as A. marina > A. corniculatum > B. gymnorrhiza. These findings highlight the importance of integrating biomass and physiological responses for selecting mangrove species better adapted to salinity-prone coastal environments.

Phreatophytes depend on groundwater for survival, yet seedling responses to surface water and nutrient availability before accessing deeper reserves remain unclear. This study analyzed growth, redox homeostasis, carbohydrate metabolism, and hormones in Calligonum mongolicum seedlings under well-watered, moderate-drought (MD), and severe-drought (SD), with or without nitrogen addition. MD and SD significantly reduced shoot biomass (46

In the original publication [...].

Perennial species frequently experience repeated droughts; however their physiological and biochemical responses to sequential drought exposure remain poorly understood. This study investigated whether prior drought exposure enhances subsequent drought tolerance in Karelinia caspia seedlings by comparing primed [double drought: 50-day drought followed by 60-daydrought] and unprimed [single 60-day drought] treatments. Compared with unprimed seedlings, primed seedlings exhibited significantly higher shoot biomass, leaf relative water content, and chlorophyll a, and Rubisco activity. These improvements were associated with enhanced antioxidant defense system, including increased activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase, together with higher ascorbate/dehydroascorbate and glutathione/oxidized glutathione ratios, resulting in lower superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation. Roots showed stronger antioxidant responses than leaves, with increased catalase, polyphenol oxidase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase activities under double drought. Hormonal regulation also contributed to priming-induced drought-tolerance. Primed seedlings showed increased levels of growth- promoting hormones, including indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellin, zeatin riboside, and brassinosteroids, which likely supported growth under stress conditions. Moreover, proline, and glycine betaine, accumulation increased significantly in primed seedlings, contributing to improved osmotic adjustment. Elevated strigolactones levels further suggested a role in drought adaptation and root shoot functional responses. Principal component analysis demonstrated that drought priming enhanced antioxidant defense and osmotic regulation, protecting leaf photosynthetic machinery, while strengthening root antioxidant capacity. Collectively, these coordinated responses enabled primed K. caspia seedlings to maintain better growth and physiological stability under repeated drought. These findings improve our understanding of drought acclimation in perennial plants under hyper-arid environments and may support future ecological restoration strategies under climate change.

Purpose The global rise in human population and the decline of arable land pose a significant threat to agricultural sustainability. Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), the world's third-most important oilseed crop, has a characteristically low harvest index (HI), limiting its yield potential. We hypothesize that selecting genotypes with a higher HI under dense, direct-seeding conditions will enhance dry matter and & sup1;& sup3;C assimilation and translocation, ultimately resulting in a substantial increase in seed yield. Methods A two-factor split plot design experiment with two different types of harvest index genotypes (Type 1; relatively low harvest index genotypes (Za 1945 and Zhongyouza 19) and Type 2; relatively high harvest index genotypes (Jiayou1hao and Nanyou 6211), two planting densities (traditional direct seeding planting density (LPD) = 150000 plantsha(-1) and High planting density (HPD) = 300000 plantsha(-1)) was conducted in 2020-2022 years. Results We found that type 2 genotypes performed better at high planting density as compared to type 1 genotypes. We observed that the transportation of C-13 and dry matter was restricted in low harvest index genotypes under both planting density, and more carbon and dry matter were transported from stem and leaves to grain of type 2 genotypes. Additionally, a higher dry matter contribution to grain was observed in high harvest index genotypes under high planting density. Conclusion This study demonstrates that selecting high-harvest-index genotypes is a viable strategy to maximize rapeseed yield under dense planting. This approach provides a practical pathway for agricultural intensification, allowing for more efficient use of limited land resources and making a valuable contribution to global food security.

The global rise in human population and the decline of arable land pose a significant threat to agricultural sustainability. Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), the world’s third-most important oilseed crop, has a characteristically low harvest index (HI), limiting its yield potential. We hypothesize that selecting genotypes with a higher HI under dense, direct-seeding conditions will enhance dry matter and ¹³C assimilation and translocation, ultimately resulting in a substantial increase in seed yield. A two-factor split plot design experiment with two different types of harvest index genotypes (Type 1; relatively low harvest index genotypes (Za 1945 and Zhongyouza 19) and Type 2; relatively high harvest index genotypes (Jiayou1hao and Nanyou 6211), two planting densities (traditional direct seeding planting density (LPD) = 150000 plantsha− 1 and High planting density (HPD) = 300000 plantsha− 1) was conducted in 2020–2022 years. We found that type 2 genotypes performed better at high planting density as compared to type 1 genotypes. We observed that the transportation of 13C and dry matter was restricted in low harvest index genotypes under both planting density, and more carbon and dry matter were transported from stem and leaves to grain of type 2 genotypes. Additionally, a higher dry matter contribution to grain was observed in high harvest index genotypes under high planting density. This study demonstrates that selecting high-harvest-index genotypes is a viable strategy to maximize rapeseed yield under dense planting. This approach provides a practical pathway for agricultural intensification, allowing for more efficient use of limited land resources and making a valuable contribution to global food security.

Systems of partial differential equations (PDEs) serve as fundamental tools for modeling and solving complex, multidimensional problems involving interdependent processes. This paper introduces an efficient technique for solving linear and nonlinear systems of PDEs of both integer and fractional orders. The proposed method, referred to as the Modified Yang Transform Method (MYT), combines the Adomian Decomposition Method with the Yang Transform. Owing to its simplicity and versatility, this approach holds significant potential for application across diverse scientific and engineering fields. A generalized solution procedure is outlined in a step-by-step manner for both integer- and fractional-order systems. Theoretical analysis is performed to ensure the method’s convergence and stability. To demonstrate the method’s effectiveness, several illustrative examples are solved. Visual validation is provided through 2D and 3D plots that depict the behavior of the solutions, while numerical error analysis is presented in tabular form. These results reveal that the approximate solutions exhibit strong agreement with the exact ones, with improved accuracy as the number of iterations increases. Detailed discussions of the findings are included to further support the reliability and applicability of the proposed method.

Marble industrial pollution introduce significant heavy metals contamination in soil. However, limited research studies addressed source apportionment, and carcinogenic - non-carcinogenic risks assessment of pollutants within the marble waste polluted ecosystem (MWPE). Therefore, positive matrix factorization (PMF), environmental and human health risk indices along with the Monte Carlo Simulation modeling and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) procedures were applied to examine the health risks and role of vegetation abundance in mitigation of those risks. The PMF results comprehended four major sources of the heavy metals (HMs) pollution i.e., F1 (traffic), F2 (natural), F3 (dolomite marble) and F4 (calcite marble). Nickel (1.85 to 50.55 mg/kg), copper (3.51-91.68), cadmium (0.59-56.93 mg/kg), and zinc (0.7-148.55 mg/kg) exceeded from the recommended threshold levels given by World Health Organization (WHO). The MWPE exhibited a high degree of HMs (cadmium, chromium, iron, nickel, manganese and zinc) pollution based on the Degree of Contamination (8.43-78.61), Metal Pollution Index (>1) and potential ecological risk index (1520.11). Human health risks based on hazard quotient and hazard index (>1) indicated a high risk of individual HMs both in adults and children in the MWPE. Ni and Cd were the dominant HMs responsible for the carcinogenic as well as noncarcinogenic risk in adults and children followed by Cr>Mn>Cu>Zn. Dermal exposure has been recorded as the major contribution pathway followed by inhalation and ingestion for health risks. SEM comprehends that with the increase in HMs (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Zn) concentration, the associated environmental risk (PERI, MPI & DC) also increases ((3=0.97). While higher plant species abundance mitigates or reduces ((3= -0.62) the environmental risks within the MWPE. It is concluded that the HMs released from marble mining and processing cause significant environmental and human health (carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic) risks, while plant species play an important role in the mitigation of these risks and toxicities. It is recommended to increase the vegetation cover by cultivating more plants especially the indicator species in the MWPE through afforestation and reforestation. Awareness programs about the health risks associated with HM exposure are necessary to educate people working in the marble industry or residing near marble processing units along, with protective pollution mitigation strategies.

Agricultural productivity, soil health, and food safety are all seriously threatened by heavy metal pollution, especially mercury (Hg) from industrial sources. In susceptible crops like chickpeas (Cicer arietinum var. NIFA 2005), mercury impairs cellular metabolism, photosynthesis, and seed germination, resulting in oxidative stress and growth suppression. The individual and synergistic potential of zinc ferrite nanoparticles (ZnFe₂O₄ NPs) and six strains of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) in reducing mercury-induced toxicity in this variety (Cicer arietinum var. NIFA 2005) of chickpea was assessed for the first time that why they making this work unique. Chickpea seeds were grown for 15 days under five treatments: T0 (control), T1 (8 ppm Hg), T2 (8 ppm Hg + ZnFe₂O₄ NPs at 100 mg L⁻1), T3 (8 ppm Hg + PGPR), and T4 (8 ppm Hg + ZnFe₂O₄ NPs + PGPR). ZnFe₂O₄ NPs (20–30 nm) were applied as seed priming and soil amendment at a concentration of 100 mg L−1 and then 20 ml to T2 and T4 treatment. Data were analyzed using ANOVA (p < 0.05) in SPSS v23, with correlation and PCA analyses in OriginPro and Prism graph pad used for the Graph of the data. 8 ppm Hg exposure resulted in a 45–50

The shift in tolerance mechanisms from antioxidant to osmotic adjustments in Calligonum mongolicum, resulting in high seedling survival rates under progressively increasing saline stress, indicates the plant’s suitability for desert restoration and revegetation programs. Salinity is a significant barrier to vegetation renewal in the nutrient-limited saline and hyperarid Taklamakan desert. Using a pot experiment, we evaluated the growth and physiological responses of Calligonum mongolicum seedlings to saline stress (0, 50, 150, and 300 mM). The survival rate, root length, shoot length, and chlorophyll a content significantly reduced under 150 mM and 300 mM salinity compared with the control. Additionally, plant height, total biomass, and chlorophyll b content showed significant reductions across all salinity stress levels. Conversely, the chlorophyll a/b ratio increased with increasing salinity concentrations, indicating that salinity may adversely affect Chl b more than Chl a (p < 0.05). Furthermore, significant increases were observed in Na+, H2O2, and TBARS, whereas K+/Na+, K+, NO3−, and NH4+ decreased with increased stress levels. Under all treatments, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase activities were upregulated, whereas glutamate synthase was decreased, and glutamine synthase was unaffected. Nitrate reductase activity was significantly reduced under 300 mM salinity. Moreover, significant increases were observed in proline under medium and high stress and in soluble protein under all stress levels, while soluble sugars were only increased under high stress. Our findings suggest Calligonum seedlings may sacrifice biomass production to maintain their anti-stress mechanisms. Increasing salinity concentrations may cause an increase in energy expenditure for antioxidant enzymes (at 50–150 mM) and osmotic adjustment (at 150–300 mM). Based on univariate and multivariate analyses, Calligonum seedlings subjected to low salinity can grow and survive without substantial changes in their functionality. Consequently, Calligonum seedlings may be utilized in vegetation renewal efforts in the Taklamakan desert to combat desertification under climate change scenarios.

Phreatophytes survive under arid conditions by accessing groundwater, but their seedlings’ response to water and nutrient availability in the topsoil remains poorly understood. This study investigated the effects of well-watered, medium drought, and severe drought conditions—with or without nitrogen—on growth, osmotic regulation, nitrogen metabolism, and carbon-nitrogen metabolic regulation in Alhagi sparsifolia seedlings, dominating hyper-arid Taklimakan desert, Northwestern China. Both medium and severe drought stress significantly reduced growth and impaired physiological traits. Both drought treatments decreased leaf, stem, and root biomass and negatively impacted physio-biochemical traits in leaves and roots. Moreover, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, Rubisco activity, and leaf relative water content decreased, while chlorophyllase activity increased under medium and severe drought. Nitrate, ammonium, and key enzymes (nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, glutamine synthetase, glutamate synthase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase) declined, with more pronounced reductions under severe drought. However, deaminating glutamate dehydrogenase and aminating glutamate dehydrogenase activities increased in the leaves, while isocitrate dehydrogenase activity rose in both organs under both drought treatments. Alpha-ketoglutarate increased in leaves, and glutamate dehydrogenase activity in roots increased only under medium drought, indicating enhanced metabolic regulation. Additionally, drought reduced starch but increased soluble sugar as well as increased oxidative stress markers like nitric oxide and nitric oxide synthase and elevated osmolytes (proline, glycine betaine). However, nitrogen addition under drought improved growth, reduced chlorophyllase activity, enhanced leaf relative water content, increased pigments, Rubisco, osmolytes, carbohydrates, and up-regulated carbon-nitrogen metabolic enzymes, supporting stress tolerance. Nitrogen alleviated drought effects, especially under medium drought, highlighting its potential to enhance drought tolerance and aid the conservation of A. sparsifolia in hyper-arid ecosystems facing future climate change.

Human-driven vegetation management practices (VMPs) employed in agricultural activities and livelihoods pose potential threats to native plant communities. However, there remains a significant gap in comprehensive understanding regarding the long-term effects of VMPs on the ecological multifunctionality of plant-soil systems within desert ecosystems. Therefore, it is essential to conduct thorough studies and analyses examining the implications of these practices on plant-soil interactions to enable informed decision-making regarding the effective management of desert ecosystems. The Taklamakan Desert in China, which is recognized as one of the largest and driest deserts globally, serves as a valuable model for investigating the impact of human activities on desert environments. This study assessed the long-term (16 years) effects of four distinct VMPs-control (no disturbance), burning, spring cutting, and autumn cutting, as well as irrigation-on Alhagi sparsifolia and its associated soil layers (0-50 cm and 50-100 cm) under realistic field conditions. The irrigation treatment increased aboveground biomass, reduced electrical conductivity and sodium concentration, and decreased soil organic carbon pools across both soil layers. Conversely, spring and autumn cutting led to diminished plant biomass and nutritional value. While autumn cutting increased soil cation levels and effectively lowered salinity compared to control plots, spring cutting did not yield significant effects on these functions. Burning, on the other hand, significantly reduced plant biomass and increased soil salinity but unexpectedly enhanced certain soil functions, likely attributable to the low intensity of the fire and the sparse plant coverage typical of desert ecosystems. All VMPs exhibited dual effects, promoting specific ecological functions while compromising others. The harvesting of vegetation, particularly during the spring, along with burning practices, may considerably disrupt the fragile equilibrium of the plant-soil system and associated ecosystem services. However, a comprehensive assessment to evaluate the overall balance of benefits and drawbacks of VMPs is crucial. To foster the sustainable management and utilization of desert plant communities to combat desertification, it is imperative to implement key actions, including providing alternative fuel sources, assessment of annual biomass consumption, and capacity-building initiatives for farmers.

Calligonum mongolicum, a pioneer sand-fixing desert shrub, is vital for arid land restoration. Mature phreatophytes access groundwater through deep roots to overcome water and nutrient limitations. However, their seedling responses to topsoil water and nitrogen availability– before roots reach the water table – remain unclear. A randomized block design pot experiment was conducted to assess the effect of nitrogen addition under drought conditions (medium drought and severe drought) and well-watered conditions on growth, N metabolism, carbon-nitrogen linkage, and osmotic regulation in 6-month-old C. mongolicum seedlings. Drought significantly reduced biomass (37–73

The importance of habitat spatial variability as a key driver of soil biota patterning (e.g., soil nematodes) has lately gained a lot of attention. It is generally accepted that rhizosphere soil has a distinct faunal assemblage than bulk soil, but less is known about the patterning of soil nematodes and the causes of these changes in maizealfalfa agroecosystems. As a result, the purpose of this study was to assess the dynamic changes in soil nematodes across bulk and rhizosphere soils when maize and alfalfa were grown separately and in a combination at varying levels of nitrogen fertilizer. The results of a field experiment in a 2 x 3 factorial completely randomized block design revealed that total nematode and omnivore-predator abundance, as well as nematode generic diversity and richness, maturity, and structure indices, were significantly increased in the rhizosphere of monoculture alfalfa and alfalfa grown in a mixture with maize when compared to the bulk soil. Furthermore, we discovered elevated levels of total sugars and organic acids in rhizosphere soils. Plant- and fungal-feeding nematodes increased in both bulk and rhizosphere soils, whereas omnivores and predators decreased in soils treated with monoculture and nitrogen fertilizer. Furthermore, we discovered a significant positive relationship between total nematode and omnivore-predator abundance and soil organic carbon and total nitrogen, soil moisture content, and microbial biomass C and N, implying that changes in these soil properties and rhizodeposition may shape the nematode community assemblage between the bulk and rhizosphere soils. Our findings suggest that crop mixes containing alfalfa would improve soil characteristics and rhizodeposition, resulting in increased nematode number and variety and contributing to sustainable agriculture.

The pollution of soil and aquatic systems by inorganic and organic chemicals has become a global concern. Economical, eco-friendly, and sustainable solutions are direly required to alleviate the deleterious effects of these chemicals to ensure human well-being and environmental sustainability. In recent decades, biochar has emerged as an efficient material encompassing huge potential to decontaminate a wide range of pollutants from soil and aquatic systems. However, the application of raw biochars for pollutant remediation is confronting a major challenge of not getting the desired decontamination results due to its specific properties. Thus, multiple functionalizing/modification techniques have been introduced to alter the physicochemical and molecular attributes of biochars to increase their efficacy in environmental remediation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in developing multiple functionalized/modified biochars via biological and other physiochemical techniques. Related mechanisms and further applications of multiple modified biochar in soil and water systems remediation have been discussed and summarized. Furthermore, existing research gaps and challenges are discussed, as well as further study needs are suggested. This work epitomizes the scientific prospects for a complete understanding of employing modified biochar as an efficient candidate for the decontamination of polluted soil and water systems for regenerative development.

Nonlinear partial differential equations have a crucial rule in many physical processes. In this paper, a novel approach is used to study nonlinear partial differential equations of fractional order, which is named as Modified Yang Transform ( MYT ) method. This approach combines Yang transform with the Adomian decomposition method. The fractional order is considered in the Caputo-Fabrizio sense. Convergence analysis of the modified Yang transform to nonlinear fractional order partial differential equations is presented. Additionally, a solution framework for the solution of nonlinear partial differential equation is carried out and some examples are provided to highlight the application of the current method. To illustrate that how the solution behaves for various fractional orders, 2D and 3D graphs are plotted. Various tables are also provided to show the difference between exact and approximate solutions and the values are compared with other methods in the literature. Results and discussion sections are included for each example to explain the graphs, tables and their results.

Land use change and intensification though they contributed to increases in food production, have remained one of the main threats to soil biodiversity due to their negative impacts on the health and fertility of the soil. Nematodes have been used as a tool for assessing the structure and functions of soils in agroecosystems because indices of nematode community can reflect current changes and functions over time of the ecological processes in the soil. Although nematodes are largely considered important drivers in the decomposition of organic matter and nutrient cycling, their community structure and functional responses to land use change and intensification, and agricultural practices remain poorly understood. Therefore, this review aims to evaluate the response of soil nematodes to land use change and intensification, as well as the potential influence of management practices on their community structure and population dynamics. Besides, due to the fact that nematodes are soil inhabitants, their activities are largely controlled by the physical and biological conditions of the soil. A variation in the soil micro-ecological environment may affect their community structure and functional responses. Furthermore, we investigate the impact of agricultural intensification, such as monocropping, greater use of chemical fertilizers, and the application of pesticides on nematode populations. We also evaluate how sustainable agricultural techniques like organic farming, crop rotation, and decreased tillage affect the health of nematode populations. This study will give a thorough knowledge of how these factors interact to affect soil health and ecosystem function. Further insights about how root interactions in multi-species systems affect the rhizosphere ecology and influence the nematode community will be discussed.

Vegetation restoration in deserts is challenging due to these ecosystems ' inherent fragility and harsh environmental conditions. One approach for active restoration involves planting native species, which can accelerate the recovery of ecosystem functions. To ensure the effectiveness of this process, carefully selecting species for planting is crucial. Generally, it is expected that a more diverse mix of species in the plantation will lead to the recovery of a greater number of ecosystem functions, especially when the selected species have complementary niche traits that facilitate maximum cooperation and minimize competition among them. In this study, we evaluated the planting of two native species from the hyper -desert of Taklamakan, China, which exhibit marked morpho-physiological differences: a phreatophytic legume ( Alhagi sparsifolia ) and a halophytic non -legume ( Karelinia caspia ). These species were grown in both monoculture and intercrop communities. Monoculture of the legume resulted in the highest biomass accumulation. Intercropping improved several ecosystem functions in the 50 cm -upper soil, particularly those related to phosphorus (P), carbon (C), and sulfur (S) concentrations, as well as soil enzyme activities. However, it also increased soil sodium (Na + ) concentration and pH. Halophyte monocultures enhanced ecological functions associated with nitrogen concentrations in the upper soil and with P, S, C, and cation concentrations (K + , Ca 2 + , Mg 2 + , Cu 2 + , Fe 2 + , Zn 2 + , Co 2 + , Ni 2 + ), along with enzyme activities in the deep soil. It also maximized Na + accumulation in plant biomass. In summary, we recommend legume monoculture when the primary goal is to optimize biomass accumulation. Conversely, halophyte monoculture is advisable when the objective is to extract sodium from the soil or enhance ecosystem functions in the deep soil. Intercropping the two species is recommended to maximize the ecosystem functions of the upper soil, provided there is no salinization risk. When planning restoration efforts in desert regions, it is essential to understand the impact of each species on ecosystem function and how complementary species behave when intercropped. However, these interactions are likely species- and system -specific, highlighting the need for more work to optimize solutions for different arid ecosystems.

Over the last decade, face recognition technology has played a critical role in various circumstances, such as airport boarding, security applications, biometric verification, and smart homes. Along with the major role of face recognition in the areas above, we must recognize the important role of face recognition in various sports (i.e., cricket and football). The importance of proper player surveillance and identification in sports, particularly cricket, cannot be overstated. Articles are saturated with many deep-face evaluation systems; however, they are not up to mark due to the lack of significant face posture data. To address the black box in facial expression datasets, this chapter presents a comprehensive cricket player facial recognition dataset. The authors have a wide selection of cricket player images from various teams, playing styles, and backgrounds. It includes images taken during games, practices, and official team photos, providing a diverse range of facial changes and challenges for facial recognition systems. Furthermore, they evaluate the efficacy of cutting-edge facial recognition algorithms on our dataset, providing insights into the effectiveness of current methodologies as well as potential areas for development. Eventually, the extensive experimental analyses demonstrate that the current work is significant in addressing the black box in facial expression datasets.

Groundwater resources sustain phreatophytes in arid ecosystems. Nevertheless, how phreatophyte seedlings respond to topsoil water and nutrients before reaching groundwater remains elusive. This study unraveled the effects of three irrigation levels (well-watered, medium-drought, and severe-drought) and N-fertilization on multiple physio-biochemical responses in Calligonum mongolicum seedlings. Drought-stressed seedlings significantly enhanced reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, and oxidized ascorbate-glutathione in shoots and roots, leading to impaired chlorophyll pigments, water status, and biomass, compared to control. They displayed higher abscisic acid, salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and strigolactones but reduced indole acetic acid (IAA), cytokinin (CTKs), and zeatin riboside (ZR) in shoots and roots, and gibberellic acid (GA) and brassinosteroids (BR) in shoots. Lower starch and higher fructose, glucose, and sucrose, are possibly due to dynamic changes in carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes. Further, significantly upregulated superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in shoots, while glutathione-peroxidase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase observed in shoots and roots under either stress. Lower SOD and APX in roots; PPO in shoots while other enzymes of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle in shoots and roots following either stress, suggesting the sensitivity of the anti-oxidant mechanism. Conversely, N-addition enhanced the productivity of drought-stressed seedlings by improving their chlorophyll pigments, and endogenous hormones (IAA, GA, CTK, BR, and ZR), which may account for their better growth. Moreover, upregulated O 2 •− -H 2 O 2 -scavenging mechanism, and soluble sugar, resulting in better status and biomass. Hence, N-supplementation could be an effective strategy to enhance drought-resistance in Calligonum seedlings to restore their communities in hyper-arid conditions under future climate change.