A simple and accurate quantitative method was used for four endocrine disruptors: 4-tert butyl phenol (4-TBP), 4-tert amyl phenol (4-TAP), 4-cumyl phenol (4-CP), and 3-tert butyl phenol (3-TBP) using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultraviolet (UV) detection in river water, domestic water, domestic wastewater, sludge, and soil samples. Carbowax templated resin (50 µm) fiber was employed to extract the analytes from aqueous samples. The limits of detection (LOD) for 4-TBP, 4-TAP, 4-CP, and 3-TBP were 1.33, 0.78, 0.89, and 0.17 ng/mL, respectively. To assess the alkylphenol content introduced into water from domestic use (household activities of Patiala city), concentrations were measured in both household water and wastewater generated from domestic activities in Patiala, India. To assess the alkylphenol content introduced into water from domestic activities in Patiala, Punjab, India, concentrations were measured in both the tube-well water supplied to households and the domestic wastewater generated from these activities. Additionally, metagenomic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequencing was conducted on soil samples and domestic wastewater sludge to evaluate the impact of alkylphenols on the microbial community. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis revealed a rich microbial community, with 20 phyla detected. Despite this diversity, only seven phyla accounted for more than 90

Salt stress (NaCl) is a major abiotic factor that severely affects plant growth and crop yield, with rice (Oryza sativa L.) being particularly vulnerable. Excessive soil salinity has been shown to significantly reduce rice productivity, posing a threat to global food security. To mitigate these adverse effects, research has increasingly focused on using nanomaterials to enhance plant tolerance to salt stress. This study investigates the potential of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and their hybrid form (SeNPs+MWCNTs) in alleviating NaCl-induced stress in rice plants exposed to 50 mM and 100 mM NaCl. Nanoparticle synthesis, hybridization, and localization in the foliar parts of the plants were confirmed using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and fluorescence microscopy with methylene blue dye, respectively. Among the treatments, SeNPs+MWCNTs hybrids (160 mu g/mL) demonstrated the most promising effects, significantly enhancing various growth and yield parameters under saline conditions. Notably, this treatment improved shoot length (17 %), root length (14 %), and key yield traits, including shoot dry weight (32 %), root dry weight (31 %), total dry weight (32 %), number of panicles (31 %), panicle length (19 %), panicle weight (22 %), number of spikes per panicle (28 %), spike length (18 %), spike weight (19 %), number of fertile spikelets (32 %), and 100-grain weight (29 %) compared to the individual SeNPs and MWCNTs treatments. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential application of nano- materials for improving rice growth under saline stress.

GATA transcription factors are a group of type IV zinc-finger proteins that play critical roles in regulating plant growth, development, and responses to abiotic stress. These genes are characterized by a conserved DNA-binding domain with the consensus sequence (A/T)GATA(A/G) and a type IV zinc-finger motif containing the conserved sequence CX2CX18-20CX2C. In this study, 27 GATA genes (designated AsGATA) were identified in Avena sativa using the GrainGenes genome database. Comprehensive analyses were performed to examine their conserved motifs, physicochemical properties, chromosomal localization, gene structures, phylogenetic relationships, and cis-acting regulatory elements. Based on the classification of GATA family members in Arabidopsis thaliana, the AsGATA genes were categorized into four subfamilies. Gene structure analysis revealed that members of the same subfamily generally exhibited similar structural features. Subcellular localization predictions indicated that most AsGATA proteins are Likely to function in the nucleus. Chromosomal mapping demonstrated the random distribution of the 27 AsGATA genes across the 21 chromosomes of Avena sativa. Expression profiling, based on RNA-Seq data from the NCBI SRA database, identified six AsGATA genes that are responsive to salt stress. These genes represent promising candidates for functional studies and could be leveraged in breeding programs to develop salt-tolerant Avena sativa varieties.

Plants are frequently exposed to a wide variety of environmental stressors, including heat, salinity, cold, drought, heavy metals, and other abiotic stresses. These stresses have a significant impact on the productivity, growth, and development of plants. One of the main abiotic stresses that reduces crop productivity is cold (freezing or chilling). Various mechanisms involving altered physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes have been evolved by plants to cope with cold stress. Developments in molecular biology and genetics have produced a number of tools for analyzing the molecular networks underlying a particular trait. Recent developments in genomics have made it easier to comprehend the genetic basis of plants' resistance to cold stress. Being a complex trait, cold stress in plants is governed by more than one gene, including transcription factors that facilitate plants' survival in adverse conditions. In this review, we focus on the state of knowledge on the molecular processes that plants use to adapt to cold stress. There is also discussion of the functions of different transcription factors in plant adaptation and how to use them to enhance crops. Climate variability is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of abiotic stressors like cold, making this research especially relevant to the sustainability of agricultural and food systems. The development of resilient crop varieties and the establishment of sustainable food production, environmental conservation, and rural livelihoods are discussed in this review, which examines the molecular mechanisms, genetic factors, and biotechnological tools involved in cold stress tolerance.

The use of nanoparticles in agriculture is increasing due to their ability to readily enter plants. Among these nanoparticles, metal oxide nanoparticles (MONPs) have garnered significant attention owing to their unique attributes such as stability and catalytic activity. Extensive studies have demonstrated the positive effects of various MONPs, including iron oxide (Fe2O3 or Fe3O4), copper oxide (CuO), zinc oxide (ZnO), titanium dioxide (TiO2), cerium oxide (CeO2), silicon dioxide (SiO2), and magnesium oxide (MgO) on the growth and productivity of legume plants in normal and abiotic stress conditions. These nanoparticles enhance symbiotic interactions with bacteria, photosynthesis, nutrient uptake, and nitrogen fixation. However, excessive utilization of MONPs can have detrimental consequences, including reduced photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation, and altered gene expression, leading to diminished crop yield. To ensure the safe and effective application of MONPs, it is imperative to consider factors such as MONP type, concentration, and exposure method. The main objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current research landscape concerning the role of MONPs and their effects on leguminous plants. Furthermore, it aims to identify potential avenues for future research in this domain. By addressing these aspects, this review endeavors to enhance our understanding of the implications and potential risks associated with the agricultural use of MONPs, facilitating informed decision-making and promoting sustainable practices.

Microbial contamination of urban water is a global concern for public health safety particularly in developing countries. Microorganisms like bacteria (Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio cholera), viruses (Rotavirus, Norovirus), protozoa (Giardia and Cryptosporidium) and blue green algae (Nostoc) are prevalent pathogens of drinking water. Blue green algae form algal blooms and secret toxic compounds (such as cyanotoxins) in water bodies. The main sources of pathogens in water are due to fecal matter of livestock and wildlife, sewage water and effluent of industrial/pharmaceutical plants. Poor management and unawareness cause water-borne diseases in humans due to consumption of contaminated drinking water. This chapter provides a brief overview of classical and advanced analytical techniques for biological micropollutants detection in contaminated waters. Further, the techniques such as membrane filtration, UV irradiation, advanced oxidation technology, ion exchange and biological filtration are discussed. Advanced technologies for rapid detection and removal of microbial pollutants in water including nanotechnology and algal-based sustainable remediation approaches have been briefly presented. The advantages, limitations and future perspectives of technologies have also been provided.

Arsenic (As) toxicity in crops is a major global concern, adversely affecting sustainable agricultural practices, and serving as a potential carcinogenic pollutant. As contamination in soil poses a significant threat to plant health and productivity, adversely impacting growth, photosynthesis, and the antioxidant system. To address this issue, plants endogenously regulate the levels of various phytohormones, and the exogenous application of phytohormones to mitigate As-induced stress has gained significant attention. Phytohormones act as secondary (2°) messengers, participating in diverse signaling cascades under As stress. As uptake in plants leads to the As-accumulation and generation of excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) which can be alleviated by phytohormones. Numerous studies have highlighted the role of phytohormones, such as auxins, methyl jasmonates, salicylic acid, brassinosteroids, and Mel, in regulating pathways that enhance plant growth, biomass accumulation, ROS scavenging, antioxidative enzyme and photosynthesis under As stress. This review summarizes the detailed mechanism of As phytotoxicity, its detoxification mechanism, and the exogenous application of phytohormones to alleviate As stress. Additionally, we provide insights into recent findings on the possible roles of various genes, proteins, transgenic factors, and genome editing approaches in phytohormone-mediated As-stress tolerance.

In the agricultural field, abiotic stresses are considered the primary barrier that negatively impacts plant growth and development. Simple or complex pathways of molecular networks regulate the adaptability to multiple abiotic stresses and are the point of focus to address the solution regarding enhances plants' tolerance ability against abiotic stresses. Transcription factors (TFs) are regulatory genes involved in stress response by interacting with specific cis-regulatory elements present on the promoters of stress-related genes. These TFs play a vital role in producing stress-tolerant crops. In addition, general mechanisms against abiotic stresses include several transporters (HKT and NHX), the mitogen-activated (MAPK) cascade pathway, calcineurin B-like interacting protein kinase, and calcium-dependent protein kinases. Over the past decade, immense research work has been done using advanced molecular tools to evaluate the role of TFs in various crop plants. In this review, we will discuss the recent reports on NAC, GATA, and GRAS transcription factors family to understand updated regulatory functions involved in different abiotic stresses, particularly salt stress responses, as well as their potential applications in crop improvement.

Landfills are a primary method of waste disposal in developing nations despite their environmental impact. The decomposition of municipal organic waste in landfills generates potent greenhouse gases (GHGs) that contribute to the effects of urban climate change. In Delhi, India, which generates 11,144 tons per day (TPD) of municipal solid waste (MSW), three major landfill sites Ghazipur (GL), Bhalswa (BL), and Okhla (OL) were examined using the well-established in-situ static chamber method to measure emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). This study highlights the need to address these uncertainties by comprehensively capturing GHG emissions from the diverse dynamics within the landfill through rigorous field experiments that account for spatial and temporal variability. The average CH4 emission fluxes from three years of extensive field studies exhibited high variability, measured at 1494 ± 893 (CV = 59.8

Strigolactones (SLs) are a novel phytohormone derivative of the carotenoid pathway that regulates diverse plant defense mechanisms against abiotic stress. Drought is considered a significant environmental factor that adversely affects plant growth and production. Strigolactones have developed sophisticated adaptive mechanisms to respond to drought conditions. To acclimatize under drought conditions, strigolactones modulate and synchronize various physiological, biochemical, genetic, and developmental processes. Significant advancement and the latest insights into strigolactone interplay can tune up the plant response and determine the root and shoot architecture of the plants in response to water deficit. In this chapter, we recapitulate the SL biosynthesis; its production, signaling, and crosstalk with other hormones; and transgenics with a comprehensive discussion on our current understanding of strigolactones and their key role in drought tolerance.

Background: NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC2) is one of the most prominent family of plant-specific transcription factors that play diverse roles in plant growth and development as well as in abiotic stress responses in plants. The members of this family are recognized by presence of typical conserved NAC domain at the N-terminal and diverse C-terminal region. Results: In this study, we have identified 101 Avena sativa NAC (AsNAC) genes from the available Avena genome database. Genes were analyzed for their physicochemical properties, conserved motifs, gene structure, chromosomal localization, phylogenetic relationship, and cis-acting elements. The phylogenetic analysis illustrated that there were 15 subgroups in both Avena sativa and Arabidopsis thaliana. Mainly four types of cis-acting regulatory elements were present in the promoter regions of NAC genes, including hormone-responsive, light-responsive, stress-responsive and growth and developmental responsive elements. The chromosomal mapping analysis concluded that 101 NAC genes of Avena sativa were unevenly distributed on 21 chromosomes. Expression analysis identified 27 Avena NAC genes that respond to salt stress based on transcriptomic data analysis available on the NCBI SRA database. Significance: The genome-wide identification and molecular analysis of NAC TFs involved in environmental stress responses have the ability to overcome the limitations that came across in producing the transgenic crops with superior quality and improved production under abiotic stressed conditions. Future prospectives: These NAC genes may be considered as potential candidates for further explorations of functional analysis and could be used to develop stress tolerant lines in Avena sativa.

Arsenic (As) is a nonessential toxic metalloid existing in two different inorganic forms: arsenite As (III) and arsenate As (V) which cause hindrance in plant developmental processes and are hazardous to human beings. As contamination is a major environmental issue as it stimulates physiological and metabolic dysfunctions, for instance, nutrient and redox imbalance, rate of photosynthesis, and membrane integrity, ultimately leading to reduced crop yield. Plants show detoxification processes to overcome As toxic effects by effluxing excess metal ions through metal transporters, accumulating As in the vacuole, and producing antioxidant enzymes. In recent times, the exogenous application of various biostimulants such as hormones, antioxidants, osmolytes, and others is being explored to combat As-mediating injuries to crop plants. These compounds are effective in improving seed germination, antioxidant enzyme activity, plant biomass, and overall growth of the plants. The objective of this chapter is to provide recent knowledge on the biostimulants hallmarks to alleviate As stress in crop plants.

With an expanding global population, world food demand relies on agriculture. Due to rapid climate change, abiotic stresses are posing a negative effect on the productivity of plants and diminish the majority of crop production. To cope with adverse growing conditions, it becomes critical to understand the physiological effects of the abiotic stresses and search for ways to make plants more adaptive. Trace elements (TEs) are needed minimally for the ideal growth and development of plants. Recently, there have been several 68successes concerning using TEs at their low levels to enhance plants' abiotic stress tolerance. The role of TEs in ameliorating abiotic stresses is multifarious, such as regulating various metabolic processes, signal transduction, gene regulation, biosynthesis of proteins, sugars, and lipids, energy metabolism, and hormone perception. Here, we describe the role of some prominent TEs, their favorable aspects to boost crop production, and the part of TEs in conferring resilience to abiotic stresses in different plant species.

The presence of pollutants like uranium and arsenic in the groundwater can have a terrible impact on people's health (both radiologically and toxicologically) and their economic conditions. Their infiltration into groundwater can occur through geochemical reactions, natural mineral deposits, mining and ore processing. Governments and scientists are working to address these issues, and significant progress has been achieved, but it's challenging to deal with and mitigate without adequately understanding the different chemical processes and the mobilization mechanism of these hazardous chemicals. Most of the articles and reviews have focused on the particular form of contaminants and specific sources of pollution, such as fertilizers. However, no literature report exists explaining why particular forms appear and the possible basis of their chemical origins. Hence, in this review, we tried to answer the various questions by devising a hypothetical model and chemical schematic flowcharts for the chemical mobilization of arsenic and uranium in groundwater. An effort has been made to explain how chemical seepage and excessive groundwater use resulted in the change in aquifers' chemistry, as evidenced by their physicochemical parameters and heavy metal analysis. Many technological advancements have taken place to mitigate these issues. Still, in low-middle-income countries, especially in the Malwa region of Punjab, also known as Punjab's cancer belt, paying a high amount for installing and maintaining these technologies is an unviable option. In addition to working to improve people's access to sanitary facilities and clean water to drink, the policy-level intervention would focus on increasing community awareness and continued research on developing better and more economical technologies. Our designed model/chemical flowcharts will help policymakers and researchers better understand the problems and alleviate their effects. Moreover, these models can be utilized in other parts of the globe where similar questions exist. This article emphasises the value of understanding the intricate issue of groundwater management through a multidisciplinary and interdepartmental approach.

In this paper, the effect of various sodium hydroxide (NaOH) treatment parameters on the adsorption efficiency of rice husk for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from water is studied. Various NaOH-based adsorbents were prepared by treating rice husk with different concentrations of NaOH solution as well as by varying the treatment time and temperature. The adsorbents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and N 2 adsorption studies. FTIR and TGA studies indicated that NaOH treatment results in the degradation and removal of hemicellulose, lignin, and silica of rice husks. The MB adsorption studies were done by varying parameters such as pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, and initial concentration. These studies indicated that increasing the concentration of NaOH solution as well as time and temperature during the treatment of rice husk makes the adsorption process faster and improves its adsorption efficiency. The pseudo-second-order model was found to give the best fit among various models applied to the experimental data. The second-order rate constant for adsorption by adsorbent prepared by treating rice husk with 1 N NaOH at 90℃ for 4 h was more than three times greater than bare rice husk. Among various isotherms such as Freundlich, Langmuir, Temkin, and Redlich-Peterson applied to equilibrium data, the last one was found to give the best fit, indicating the heterogeneous nature of adsorbents. The maximum monolayer adsorption capacity was found to be 123.39 mg.g −1 and 71.28 mg.g −1 for NaOH-treated and bare rice husk, respectively.

The Friedel-Crafts (F-C) reaction has been a fundamental pillar of both academic and industrial synthetic organic chemistry since its discovery in 1873. Its success is based on the versatility and applicability of F-C reactions for a wide range of substrates, and there have been an impressive number of publications and patents describing catalytic F-C reaction methods. The asymmetric version of the reaction was discovered about 100 years after the seminal work by Friedel and Crafts and has become a major area of research. While chemical methods with much-improved efficacies and scopes have been discovered, F-C reactions still suffer from limitations. Biocatalysis has the potential to be the best solution to this challenge because of the excellent selectivity (enantio-, chemo-, and regioselectivity) displayed by enzymes. In the last two decades, advancements in molecular biology techniques, bioinformatics, high-throughput screening, directed evolution, and process scale-up have led to biocatalysis becoming a mature field. It is therefore not surprising that researchers around the globe have developed several biocatalysts for asymmetric F-C reactions. Herein, we review recent developments in the design and use of catalytic and stereoselective strategies for performing the asymmetric F-C reactions.

In the present work, the precursor performance of Datura stramonium as bioresource material was studied for its electrochemical applications. Datura stramonium commonly known as thornapple or jimsonweeds is a wild and medicinal shrub belonging to the Solanaceae family, containing tropane alkaloids. Datura stramonium stem was used to synthesize porous activated carbon as an electrode material to check their performance in electric double-layer supercapacitor. The prepared activated carbon was investigated for the crystal structure, presence of functional groups, and textural properties using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and N-2 adsorption-desorption isotherm. The study revealed that activated carbon is microporous in nature and showed BET surface areas of 703 m(2)/g. The energy-dispersive X-ray (EDAX) spectrum of DSSC sample clearly showed the presence of carbon (67.53 at%) and oxygen (25.63 at%). The presence of elemental chemical composition was further confirmed by XPS analysis. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was performed to study capacitive behavior of the synthesized activated carbon. The maximum calculated value of specific capacitance (C-s) was found to be 81 F/g for one electrode at current density of 1 A/g. Thus, prepared novel material proves to be an excellent electrode material for energy storage devices.

Genomics is an interdisciplinary approach that characterizes and quantifies important genes of an organism through mapping, editing, functional, and structural studies. Genomics-based strategies have revolutionized the genetic enhancement of crops by dissecting the complex architecture of various important traits in plants. Incorporate genomic tools in cereal breeding can assist in enhancing their yield and productivity. Owing to the advancement of genomic resources and novel molecular markers, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) via tagging of important genes or markers linked to useful agronomic and physiological traits and QTL mapping have become an important approach utilized in marker assisted breeding for improvement or introgression of these traits. In addition, advancements in sequencing technologies provide complete sequences of various important cereals that further provide insights into their complex genomes. Knowledge of genes can assist in manipulating their response toward stress and transferring important genes to other crop species via conventional breeding methods, marker assisted breeding or transgenic approaches for crop improvement. The present chapter provides the detailed methodology of GWAS and QTL mapping along with advanced sequencing technologies, which enhance the genomic resources in cereals, map important agronomic traits, and provide linked markers for marker assisted breeding which are essential for genetic improvement of crops.

Abstract Plants are often subjected to a broad range of environmental stresses such as drought, cold, salinity, heat, heavy metals, and other abiotic stresses. These stresses critically influence plant growth, development, and productivity. Among various abiotic stresses, cold (chilling or low temperature) is one of the major hindrances to crop productivity. In response to cold stress, plants have evolved various types of mechanisms that involve altered physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes to deal with cold stress. Advances in the fields of genetics and molecular biology have led to the development of various tools for the analysis of molecular networks involved in a certain trait. Nowadays, the advent of “OMICS” technology has been widely applied to understand the complex genetic nature of cold stress tolerance in plants. Being a complex trait, cold stress in plants is governed by more than one gene, including transcription factors that facilitate plants' survival in adverse conditions. In this review, we emphasize on the current understanding of molecular mechanisms for cold stress adaptation in plants. The roles of various transcription factors in plant adaptation and how they can be utilized for crop improvement are also discussed.