Unusual pattern of aflatoxins and ochratoxin in commercially grown maize varieties of Pakistan.

The contamination of food with mycotoxins could be a major health risk. Identification and quantification of mycotoxins in maize are essentially required to guarantee food safety. Seven commonly grown maize cultivars were sown at semi-arid conditions in Pakistan.

Role of the Phytochemical Compounds like Modulators in Gut Microbiota and Oxidative Stress.

Background: Currently, daily consumption of green herb functional food or medicinal herbs has increased as adopted by many people worldwide as a way of life or even as an alternative to the use of synthetic medicines. Phytochemicals, which are a series of compounds of relatively complex structures and restricted distribution in plants, usually perform the defensive functions for plants against insects, bacteria, fungi or other pathogenic factors. A series of studies have found their effectiveness in the treatment or prevention of systemic diseases such as autoimmune diseases, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, Crohn's disease and so on.

Selection and screening of drought tolerant high yielding chickpea genotypes based on physio-biochemical indices and multi-environmental yield trials.

Background: Chickpea is one of the major legume crops being cultivated in the arid and semi-arid regions of Pakistan. It is mainly grown on the marginal areas where, terminal drought stress is one of the serious threats to its productivity. For defining the appropriate selection criteria for screening drought tolerant chickpea genotypes, present study was conducted.

Comparative efficacy of mitigation techniques for the detoxification of Prunus persica (L.) from selected pesticide residues.

Fruits are the valuable and important components of human diet. Among them, Prunus persica is a rich source of different minerals and dietary fibers. In Pakistan, the total annual production of P.

Exploiting Anti-Inflammation Effects of Flavonoids in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases.

Background: Inflammation is a complex response of the host defense system to different internal and external stimuli. It is believed that persistent inflammation may lead to chronic inflammatory diseases such as, inflammatory bowel disease, neurological and cardiovascular diseases. Oxidative stress is the main factor responsible for the augmentation of inflammation via various molecular pathways.

Agronomic, physiological and molecular characterisation of rice mutants revealed the key role of reactive oxygen species and catalase in high-temperature stress tolerance.

Climatic variations have increased the occurrence of heat stress during critical growth stages, which negatively affects grain yield in rice. Plants adapt to harsh environments, and particularly high-temperature stress, by regulating their physiological and biochemical processes, which are key tolerance mechanisms. The identification of heat-tolerant rice genotypes and reliable selection indices are crucial for rice improvement programs.

Hazards of nitrogen fertilizers and ways to reduce nitrate accumulation in crop plants.

In modern agriculture, farm produce accumulates a lot of nitrates that can reach toxic levels owing to the unfair use of nitrogen fertilizers, cultural methods, farming policies in multiple areas of the world, thereby increasing concerns about the availability of hygienic food supply and environmental hazards. Over the past few decades, global interest in achieving greater output through intensive fertilization has been a growing trend. The fertilizer based on urea or ammonium mainly yields ammonium, which is then transformed to nitrate through the oxidation process that is biologically mediated.

Patulin Mycotoxin in Mango and Orange Fruits, Juices, Pulps, and Jams Marketed in Pakistan.

The objective of the study was to explore the incidence of patulin (PAT) mycotoxin in mango and orange fruits and derived products marketed in Pakistan. A total of 274 samples, including 70 mango fruits, 63 mango-based products (juices, pulp, and jam), 77 orange fruits, and 64 orange-based products, were collected. PAT was determined by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV-Vis detector (276 nm).

Effects of dietary energy level on growth performance, blood parameters and meat quality in fattening male Hu lambs.

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different dietary energy levels on growth performance, slaughter traits, meat quality and blood biochemical parameters in fattening male Hu lambs. Sixty lambs were fed five iso-protein diets which contained different levels of metabolizable energy in a completely randomized design for 70 days. At the end of study, fifteen lambs were harvested for further study.

Flavonoids and type 2 diabetes: Evidence of efficacy in clinical and animal studies and delivery strategies to enhance their therapeutic efficacy.

Diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder develops due to the overproduction of free radicals where oxidative stress could contribute it. Possible factors are defective insulin signals, glucose oxidation, and degradation of glycated proteins as well as alteration in glutathione metabolism which induced hyperglycemia. Previous studies revealed a link between T2DM with oxidative stress, inflammation and insulin resistance which are assumed to be regulated by numerous cellular networks such as NF-κB, PI3K/Akt, MAPK, GSK3 and PPARγ.

Development and Molecular Characterization of Low Phytate Basmati Rice Through Induced Mutagenesis, Hybridization, Backcross, and Marker Assisted Breeding.

Breeding low phytate crops is the most viable solution to tackle mineral deficiencies. The objective of the present study was to develop high yielding, low phytate (lpa) basmati rice cultivars. Three homozygous lpa mutants, Lpa5, Lpa9, and Lpa59, were developed through induced mutations (gamma rays Co) and identified by colorimetric and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis.

Eucommia ulmoides flavones (EUF) abrogated enterocyte damage induced by LPS involved in NF-κB signaling pathway.

This study was conducted to explore the regulatory mechanism of Eucommia ulmoides flavones (EUF) using enterocyte damage model induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Intestinal porcine epithelial cell line (IPEC-J2) cells were cultured in Dulbecco's modified eagle medium with high glucose (DMEM-H) medium containing 0 or 10 μg/mL EUF, 0 or 40 ng/mL LPS. The results showed that LPS impaired DNA synthesis, cell viability, mitochondrial function, arrested cell cycle and induced apoptosis, reduced SOD activity while the EUF treated cells provided beneficial effect on all these parameters (P < 0.

Phosphate fertilizer premixing with farmyard manure enhances phosphorus availability in calcareous soil for higher wheat productivity.

Fixation reactions reduce the concentration of soluble phosphorus (P) and affect crop growth in alkaline calcareous soils. In lab and greenhouse studies, phosphoric acid (PA) or diammonium phosphate (DAP) were evaluated at various P rates (0, 18, 36 and 54 mg kg soil), either as non-mix (designated as NM-PA and NM-DAP, respectively) or after premixing with farmyard manure (FYM) at 400 mg kg soil (designated as PM-PA and PM-DAP, respectively). The amended soil was incubated at 25 °C and 70% water holding capacity for 7 weeks; thereafter, P dynamics were measured using the Freundlich kinetic model.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Assessment of aflatoxins in peanuts grown in the Pothohar area of Pakistan.

A survey was carried out to assess the mycotoxin (aflatoxins) contamination in locally grown peanuts. A total of 72 samples of raw, roasted and salty peanuts were collected randomly from the Pothohar Plateau of Pakistan. The samples were dried, ground and extracted by adding acetonitrile:water (84:16; v/v%).

Modern Trends in Plant Genome Editing: An Inclusive Review of the CRISPR/Cas9 Toolbox.

Increasing agricultural productivity via modern breeding strategies is of prime interest to attain global food security. An array of biotic and abiotic stressors affect productivity as well as the quality of crop plants, and it is a primary need to develop crops with improved adaptability, high productivity, and resilience against these biotic/abiotic stressors. Conventional approaches to genetic engineering involve tedious procedures.

Ecological niche modeling and a lack of phylogeographic structure in Vriesea incurvata suggest historically stable areas in the southern Atlantic Forest.

Premise: Despite the efforts to understand the processes that shape neotropical biodiversity, the complexity of certain biomes, such as the Atlantic Forest (AF), prevents the generalization of patterns. Initially, ecological niche modeling (ENM), with phylogeographic studies, identified past stable areas in the central and northern portions of the AF, while the southern portion was thought to be highly fragmented. Here, we examined the phylogeography, historical patterns, genetic diversity, and population structure of Vriesea incurvata, an endemic species of the southern portion of the AF.

Opportunities and challenges in the remediation of metal-contaminated soils by using tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.): a critical review.

The successful phytoextraction of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) from polluted soils can be achieved by growing non-food and industrial crops. Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is one of the main industrial crops and is widely grown in many countries.

Phytoremediative potential of salt-tolerant grass species for cadmium and lead under contaminated nutrient solution.

Phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soils represents a promising technique and salt-tolerant hyperaccumulators for multiple metals are the need of time. Therefore, phytoremediation potential of four salt-tolerant grass species [Dhab (), Kallar (), Para () and Sporobolus ()] was evaluated for cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in a hydroponic study. The plants were harvested after a growth period of 3 months in a nutrient solution containing different levels of Cd (0, 5, and 25 mg L) and Pb (0, 25, and 125 mg L).

Comparative effectiveness of different biochars and conventional organic materials on growth, photosynthesis and cadmium accumulation in cereals.

Although biochar and conventional organic materials have been widely studied for lowering cadmium (Cd) uptake by plants but information regarding their comparative effectiveness is lacking. In this study, biochars from different feedstocks viz. rice husk biochar (RHB), cotton sticks biochar (CSB) and wheat straw biochar (WSB) were compared with conventional organic materials viz.

Split application of silicon in cadmium (Cd) spiked alkaline soil plays a vital role in decreasing Cd accumulation in rice (Oryza sativa L.) grains.

Food contamination with cadmium (Cd) is a serious health threat to humans worldwide and Cd accumulation by rice is a major source of Cd entrance to the food chain. Silicon (Si) application decreases the Cd content in rice but the timing of Si application may need further investigation. The present study investigated the effect of split application of Si in the soil (600 kg/ha of Si) at different growth stages of rice on the growth and Cd accumulation by rice under Cd stress.

Zinc biofortification of cereals-role of phosphorus and other impediments in alkaline calcareous soils.

Alkaline calcareous soils are deficient in plant nutrients; in particular, phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) are least available; their inorganic fertilizers are generally applied to meet the demand of crops. The applied nutrients react with soil constituents as well as with each other, resulting in lower plant uptake. Phosphorus availability is usually deterred due to lime content, while Zn availability is largely linked with alkalinity of the soil.

Effect of plasma progesterone on oocyte recovery, oocyte quality, and early in-vitro developmental competence of embryos in Bos indicus dairy cows.

The objective of present study was to determine the effect of plasma progesterone (P4) on oocyte recovery, oocyte quality, and early in-vitro developmental competence of embryos in Bos indicus dairy cows. The ovaries were collected in an abattoir. These ovaries (n = 750) were divided into two groups: 1) estrous CYCLIC (n = 318), and 2) estrous ACYCLIC (n = 432).

Phylogenetic analysis of Infectious Bursal Disease viruses according to newly proposed model of classification into geno-groups.

Background: Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) is the causative agent of Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD), the disease causes immunosuppression which leads to secondary infections among rearing poultry flocks. Characterization of the virus is important for its control and eradication. The circulating IBDVs are classified on the basis of their antigenic and pathogenic properties.

Biological Evaluation of Endothall, a Dicarboxylic Acid Analog of Norcantharidin, and Cantharidin on Oriental Leafworm, Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Cantharidin is a highly potent toxin produced by insects belonging to the order Coleoptera and family Meloidae. The insecticidal activity of cantharidin against different orders of insects has been well documented. Although it is highly effective, its extraction and synthesis is very tedious.

Assessment of Genetic Diversity, Population Structure, and Evolutionary Relationship of Uncharacterized Genes in a Novel Germplasm Collection of Diploid and Allotetraploid Accessions Using EST and Genomic SSR Markers.

This study evaluated the genetic diversity and population structures in a novel cotton germplasm collection comprising 132 diploids, including and allotetraploid cotton accessions, including , , , , and , from Santa Cruz, Isabella, San Cristobal, Hawaiian, Dominican Republic, and Wake Atoll islands. A total of 111 expressed sequence tag (EST) and genomic simple sequence repeat (gSSR) markers produced 382 polymorphic loci with an average of 3.44 polymorphic alleles per SSR marker.