Local inventories for effective management of alien species: insights from the alien flora of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh, India.

The broad-scale inventories of alien species reveal macroecological patterns, but these often fall short in guiding local-level management strategies. Local authorities, tasked with on-the-ground management, require precise knowledge of the occurrence of invasive species tailored to their jurisdictional boundaries. What proves critical at the local scale may not hold the same significance at national or regional levels.

Harnessing Walnut-Based Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles: A Sustainable Approach to Combat the Disease Complex of and in Cowpea.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) exhibit diverse applications, including antimicrobial, UV-blocking, and catalytic properties, due to their unique structure and properties. This study focused on the characterization of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) synthesized from Juglans regia leaves and their application in mitigating the impact of simultaneous infection by (root-knot nematode) and (root-rot fungus) in cowpea plants. The characterization of ZnO NPs was carried out through various analytical techniques, including UV-visible spectrophotometry, Powder-XRD analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, and SEM-EDX analysis.

Deciphering mycobiota and its functional dynamics in root hairs of Rhododendron campanulatum D. Don through Next-gen sequencing.

The Himalayas provide unique opportunities for the extension of shrubs beyond the upper limit of the tree. However, little is known about the limitation of the biotic factors belowground of shrub growth at these cruising altitudes. To fill this gap, the present study deals with the documentation of root-associated microbiota with their predicted functional profiles and interactions in the host Rhododendron campanulatum, a krummholz species.

Uncovering the secret weapons of an invasive plant: The endophytic microbes of .

Understanding plant-microbe interaction can be useful in identifying the microbial drivers of plant invasions. It is in this context that we explored the diversity of endophytic microbes from leaves of , an annual plant that is highly invasive in Kashmir Himalaya. We also tried to establish the role of endophytes in the invasiveness of this alien species.

Rhubarb: A novel model plant to study the conundrum of calcium oxalate synthesis.

The study investigated calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystal composition, accumulation, synthesis, and degradation in five rhubarb species from the North-Western Indian Himalayas. Techniques like optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), SEM-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), and real-time (qRT-PCR) expression analysis of strategic genes were used to understand the processes of oxalate synthesis and precipitation. Results showed crystals tend to accumulate around vascular bundles in all species, irrespective of size, indicating a consistent pattern.