Category Archives: b_original_articles

Mahwish Raza¹*, Farid Asif Shaheen¹, Asim Gulzar¹, Muhammad Sheeraz Ahmad², Ambreen Maqsood³

¹Department of Entomology, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

²Department of Biochemistry, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

³Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan

*Corresponding author’s email: mahwishraza1214@gmail.com

Received: 12 June 2024 / Accepted: 05 December 2024 / Published Online: 23 January 2025

Abstract

The saw-toothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) is one of the most destructive pests known to target foods that are stored. Due to cosmopolitan nature, it is practically certain to be present in any stored food. Excessive application of chemicals can interfere with natural pest control systems by developing resistance and requiring the use of stronger or higher concentrations of the chemicals. The present research was carried out to find a safe and environmentally sustainable substitute for synthetic insecticides to manage saw-toothed grain beetle. Entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae for suppressing the saw-toothed grain beetle Oryzaephilus surinamensis was investigated by using varied fungal concentrations viz. 1×10⁴, 1×10⁶, 1×10⁸, 1×10¹⁰ and 1×10¹² spores/ml in stored split chickpea. Findings of this study have shown that fewer F₁ adults appeared in split chickpea when the highest concentration of B. bassiana was applied as compared to M. anisopliae. Less inhibition percentage of saw-toothed grain beetle adults being found when B. bassiana was applied. Weight loss was more in split chickpea when treated with lowest concentration of B. bassiana.  Adult saw-toothed grain beetles were found to be more susceptible towards M. anisopliae as compared to B. bassiana.  The concentration of 1×10¹² spores per ml of B. bassiana and M. anisopliae are suggested for management of O. surinamensis in stored split chickpea.

Keywords: Oryzaephilus surinamensis, Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Entomopathogenic, Fungi, Split chickpea

Marzouqah Almudayni¹, Raghad Aljohani¹, Sahar Khateeb¹*, Mody Albalawi¹, Kouther Alharthany¹, Noha Hamed²

¹Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71491, Saudi Arabia

²Nuclear Research Centre, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), Cairo, Egypt

*Corresponding author’s email: skhateeb@ut.edu.sa

Received: 14 October 2024 / Accepted: 26 November 2024 / Published Online: 13 January 2025

Abstract

Radiation-related toxicity is a major concern for certain tissues and organs in radiation oncology practice. In abdominal tumor radiation treatment, the pancreas is particularly sensitive to radiation and should be considered at risk. The primary causes of acute pancreatitis after exposure to gamma radiation are oxidative damage and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of matcha silver nanoparticles (M-AgNPs) in mitigating oxidative stress and apoptosis induced by gamma radiation in the pancreas of female rats. Rats were exposed to 6 Gy of gamma radiation and subsequently administered an oral treatment with matcha (M) or M-AgNPs (10 ml/kg/day) for 14 days. We examined apoptotic markers such as caspase 3, B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL2), and B-cell lymphoma-2-associated protein X (BAX) to evaluate their impact on cell survival. Additionally, the study investigated the modulation of antioxidants, glutathione S-transferases (GST), and malondialdehyde (MDA). The findings indicated that the administration of M-AgNPs for two weeks post-radiation exposure is more efficacious in diminishing lipid peroxidation and suppressing apoptotic indicators compared to conventional M treatments. M-AgNPs significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the elevation of MDA and demonstrated a considerable (p < 0.05) increase in GST. Moreover, it exhibited a markedly elevated level (p < 0.05) of BCL-2 and a significantly decreased level of Bax and caspase-3 (p < 0.05) in comparison to irradiated rats. The results of the histopathological investigations showed a notable enhancement in the histological characteristics of pancreatic tissue. In conclusion, the finding indicated that the AgNPs synthesized from matcha could potentially mitigate the adverse effects of radiation exposure. Further investigation is required to elucidate specific molecular pathways and their long-term consequences.

Keywords: Gamma radiation, Matcha, Silver nanoparticles, Oxidative stress, Apoptosis, Pancreas

Mohsen A. Khormi¹, Mohammed A. Alfattah¹, Mabrouk A. Abo-Zaid¹, Saif Elden B. Abdalla², A. El-Shabasy^1*

¹Department of Biology, College of Science, Jazan University, P.O. Box 114, Jazan 45142, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

²College of Medical Laboratory Science, Jazan University, P.O. Box 114, Jazan 45142, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

*Corresponding author’s email: ael-shabasy@jazanu.edu.sa

Received: 09 August 2024 / Accepted: 27 December 2024 / Published Online: 13 January 2025

Abstract

The current study is to highlight the effect of natural phyto-product as Moringa oleifera Lam. oil and another artificial insecticide as cypermethrin on efficiency of two different organs of male rats related to different systems; testes and livers. The study utilized probit analysis to determine sub-lethal and lethal doses. Twenty-four male rats were divided into four experimental groups; G1: controlled group, G2 exposed to cypermethrin (CYP), G3 exposed to combination between Moringa oleifera Lam. oil and cypermethrin. G4 treated with moringa oil only. The biochemical analyses were performed as plasma glucose, total protein and albumin levels. ANOVA test besides histological features examined the parenchyma of both studied organs. Cypermethrin had detrimental effects on rats, leading to elevated serum glucose levels, reduced levels of total protein and albumin besides histopathological alterations observed in both studied organs. The molecular docking analysis of a specific testicular protein expressed the high affinity with Cypermethrin active bonds. The findings confirmed on the need of using natural products to overcome the spread of artificial chemicals in our environments.

Keywords: Insecticide, Medicinal plant, Edema, Hemorrhage, Histology, Toxicity, Anticancer

Wasba Sarfraz¹, Maria Khalid², Awais Rasheed¹, Tariq Mahmood^1*

¹Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan

²Atta-ur-Rehman School of Biological Sciences (ASAB), National University of Science & Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan

*Corresponding author’s email: tmahmood@qau.edu.pk

Received: 27 December 2023 / Accepted: 10 July 2024 / Published Online: 13 January 2025

Abstract

Rapid change in global environmental conditions will increase the severity of salinity and drought stresses. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major staple crop worldwide and its production is affected by these two major abiotic stresses. Use of breeding and transgenic techniques facilitated the development of tolerant varieties able to withstand in drought and saline environments. This work investigated the role of Solanum lycopersicum proteinase inhibitor II (PI-II), SlPI-II, gene for mounting tolerance under salinity and drought stress in transgenic wheat. Significant increase of 6.41-fold (TL1) was observed in transgenic plants at 1 day post 100m NaCl treatment. A gradual increase in the expression was observed at 200 mM NaCl treatment. At 300mM treatment, 3.78-fold (TL5) increase in the expression level was recorded. The maximum fold change of 5.01 and 3.99 was observed in 6 days post treatment at 100 mM and 200 mM in TL1, respectively. The extended saline treatment (14 days post treatment) in transgenic lines resulted the higher SlPI-II induction than control wheat plants which showed the efficacy of this gene in salinity tolerance. SlPI-II expression in 15% PEG treated plants showed transcript up to 7.31 fold increase during 1 day post treatment, while at 25% PEG transgene expression ranged from 3.45 to 2.27 fold increase. Conclusively, the role of SlPI-II gene in drought tolerance was due to sustained transcript increment during PEG treatment. We demonstrated that modern day transgenic approaches utilizing plant-based proteinase inhibitors will provide the new opportunities for the development of tolerant varieties in future.

Keywords: Wheat, NaCl, Proteinase inhibitor, Transgenic wheat, PEG6000

Thi Thuy Tien Nguyen¹*, Hien Trang Nguyen¹, Thanh Long Le ¹, Thy Dan Huyen Nguyen¹

¹Department of Engineering and Food Technology, University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University, Hue, Thua Thien Hue, 530000, Vietnam

Abstract

Forty-eight Streptomyces strains were screened for antifungal activities against P. digitatum P2 and P. italicum I6 isolated from oranges infected with green mold and blue mold diseases, respectively, using the dual culture method. Among 48 screened strains of Streptomyces, S. murinus NARZ showed the strongest activity by completely inhibiting the growth of both pathogens. The antifungal activities of S. murinus NARZ were evaluated based on the percentage inhibition of radial growth (PIRG, %) using culture filtrate (CF) and ethyl acetate crude extract. The EC₅₀ values of the 7-day S. murinus CF were 13.25% and 33.72% against P. digitatum P2 and P. italicum I6, respectively. The EC₅₀ and MIC₉₀ values of the crude extract were 45.03 µg/mL and 193.15 µg/mL for P. digitatum P2, and 68.25 µg/mL and 295.60 µg/mL for P. italicum I6, respectively. Notably, out of the six International Streptomyces Project Media (ISP2, ISP3, ISP4, ISP4G, ISP4Y, and ISP8), ISP3 medium was optimal for S. murinus NARZ cultivation to produce antifungal metabolites, with 50% CF yielding 100% inhibition against both Penicillium pathogens. Furthermore, the CF had notable thermal resistance; the PIRGs decreased from 100% to 74.22% for P. digitatum P2 and to 64.59% for P. italicum P6 after treatment at 121°C for 15 min. The tests showed that oranges sprayed with 100% CF of S. murinus NARZ remained symptom-free of blue and green mold diseases after a seven-day incubation following artificial inoculation with Penicillium species. This study highlights the potential of Streptomyces strains, particularly S. murinus NARZ, as effective biocontrol agents against postharvest fungal diseases in oranges.

Keywords: Antifungal activities, Biocontrol, Postharvest diseases, Penicillium, Streptomyces murinus

Piangpassorn Kowwilaisang, Montinee Teerarak*, Chamroon Laosinwattana

School of Agricultural Technology, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok, 10520, Thailand

Abstract

Plant essential oils have limited water solubility, for which problem oil-in-water emulsions provide a good solution. The aim of this work was to prepare a ginger essential oil (Zingiber officinale Rosc.; GEO) coarse emulsion, microemulsion, and nanoemulsion all with the same formula, determine their characteristics, and compare their antioxidant activities and utility as holding solutions for Davallia fronds. A coarse emulsion was firstly formed by a magnetic stirrer of GEO with a 1:2 by weight mixture of Tween 20 and Span 20 at weight ratio of 1:8, respectively. The coarse emulsion droplets (810.0 nm) were then broken by sonication and high-pressure homogenization to create the microemulsion (426.1 nm) and nanoemulsion (76.4 nm), respectively. The three emulsions exhibited V-potential values more negative than -30 mV, indicating them to be stable. All three emulsions demonstrated DPPH^• and ABTS^•+ free radical scavenging capacities significantly higher than those of GEO in ethanol. Meanwhile, the nanoemulsion significantly improved the Fe²⁺ chelating effect Finally, in a bioefficacy experiment with Davallia fronds, both the microemulsion at concentrations of 5 and 10 mg/mL and the coarse emulsion at 10 mg/mL were found to extend frond vase life. The nanoemulsion demonstrated superior frond longevity at low concentration (5 mg/mL), but at higher concentration (10 mg/mL), vase life and leaf chlorophyll were not improved and malondialdehyde formation increased. Based on the current investigation, emulsification significantly enhances the antioxidant activities of GEO. Vase solutions containing high concentrations of coarse emulsion (10 mg/mL), microemulsion (5 and 10 mg/mL), and low concentration of nanoemulsion (5 mg/mL) increased Davallia frond longevity from 6.3 days to up to 11.9 days. Our findings suggest that there is an optimal concentration range for using essential oil emulsions in different delivery systems as a preservation solution in cut fronds.

Keywords: Cut leaf, Delivery vehicle, Fern, Oil-in-water, Holding solution

Saima Malik¹, Imran Mukhtar¹, Humaira Muzaffar¹, Laaraib Nawaz¹, Haseeb Anwar^1*

¹Health Biology Research Lab (HBRL), Department of Physiology, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan

Abstract

The gut microbiome potentially modulates pharmacokinetics of orally administered drugs. Homologous transporting proteins in epical membrane of the enterocytes and cell membrane of the residing microbial cells of the host may compete for absorption of the orally administered drugs. Microbial cells residing the small intestine of the host may uptake/bio-accumulate some of the quantity of the dose of orally administered drug. This project is aimed to observe absorption/bio-accumulation behavior of enalapril by the gut microbiome when enalapril was administered orally in pure form and in the presence of excipients (Tablet; commercial preparation). Currently, no data confirms specific transport system for enalapril uptake by gut microbiome in absence and presence of excipients as well. Two in-vivo trials, enalapril pure drug treated trial and enalapril commercial tablet treated trial were conducted in parallel. Each trial was conducted in adult Wistar albino rats (n=42) divided into seven groups having same number of rats in each group (n=6); one control group and six drug treated groups administered orally with single dose of enalapril 10mg/kgbwt. Rats (n=6) were subsequently sacrificed at different intestinal transit times of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 hours post drug administration to harvest microbial mass pellet from digesta. Pellet was lysed to expose microbial lysate and pursued through HPLC. The microbiome absorbed enalapril at 4hour transit time (103±7.31µg) significantly (p≤0.05) higher as compared to 5hour transit time (73.2±5.17µg). Percent dose recovery from microbiome was significantly (p≤0.05) higher at 4hour transit time (4.15±0.05%) as compared to 5hour transit time (3.14±0.18%) post drug administration. Independent of presence of excipients, from both formulations enalapril was absorbed in equal amount competitively by the intestinal microbiome through the homologous transport mechanism present in the enterocytes of the host. Conclusively, enalapril serves as a substrate of gut microbiome independent of dosage form when administered orally.

Keywords: Enalapril, Microbiome, Microbial lysate, Percent drug recovery

Amir Manzoor¹, Muhammad Anjum Aqueel^*1, Shams Ul Islam¹, Eldessoky S. Dessoky², Muhammad Haseeb Ahsan¹, Bashir Ahmad^1,3, Muhammad Usman Yousuf¹, Muhammad Saqib⁴, Muhammad Fahim Raza⁵, Rashid Iqbal^*4,6

¹Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan

²Department of Biology, College of Science, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia

³PARC-Arid Zone Research Institute, Bahawalpur, Pakistan

⁴Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan

⁵Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5B4, Canada

⁶Department of Life Sciences, Western Caspian University, Baku, Azerbaijan

Abstract

Artificial diets are necessary for managed honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) in arid regions when naturally occurring flora becomes scarce. The current study was planned to evaluate different artificial diets in terms of consumability and digestibility of A. mellifera and their effects on weight of queen bee, worker bee longevity and number of broods for colony survival and management in dearth period. Different artificial diets were administered separately to 33 colonies in three replications. The best combination was 25 g, each of soya flour, dry apricot powder, date paste and powder sugar, mixed in 8 ml of vegetable oil. Honeybees consumed most of diet-T₈ in all weeks (average 49.53 g), followed by diet-T₇ (average 38.81 g) and diet-T₆ (average 34.55 g); while the minimum consumption was of diet-T₁ (average 6.67 g). In diet digestibility experiment, diet-T₂ showed the highest digestibility (73.9%) followed by diet-T₁ (71.3%) and diet-T₄ (66.7%) with the lowest digestibility in diet-T₉ (59%). The protein present in hemolymph was highest in diet-T₈ (26.9 ug/ul) followed by diet-T₇ (24.1 ug/ul) and diet-T₆ (22.9 ug/ul) with the lowest in diet-T₁ (17.7 ug/ul). As a response to the feeding on the prepared diets, the queen’s bee weight was highest in diet-T₈ (198.65 ± 0.36 mg) followed by diet-T₇ and diet-T₆ while the lowest in diet-T₀ (control group, 182.28 ± 0.55 mg). Similarly, the worker bee longevity was highest in diet-T₈ (53 ± 2.14 days) followed by diet-T₇ and diet-T₆ and lowest in diet-T₀ (control group, 34 ± 1.73 days). In the brood experiment, the number of eggs, larvae and pupae was highest in diet-T₈ (85 ± 2.03 eggs, 66 ± 1.15 larvae and 78 ± 1.15 pupae) while lowest in diet-T₀ (51 ± 1.5 eggs, 26 ± 1.5 larvae, 23 ± 1.5 pupae) after 28 days of diet feeding. Therefore, diet-T₈ can be used as substitute diet for the honeybees during dearth period for the survival and colony management of A. mellifera

Keywords: Apis mellifera diet, Substitute diet, Dearth period management, Diet digestibility, Weight of queen, Worker bee longevity, Number of broods

Adeel Yunus¹, Nighat Sultana^1*, Alia Gul², Abdullah^3,4

¹Department of Biochemistry, Hazara University, Mansehra, Pakistan

²Department of Botany, Hazara University, Mansehra, Pakistan

³State Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Modernization, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China

⁴Haihe Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China

Abstract

The plant family Athyriaceae Alston consists of 3 genera and 650 species dispersed in different regions of the world, including Athyrium Roth, Diplazium Sw., and Deparia Hook. & Grev. The family has diverse morphological characteristics, ranging from creeping rhizomes to ascending or erect scales at apices. In the present study, the chloroplast (cp) genome of Diplazium polypodioides Blume was de novo assembled and compared with twelve other reported genomes of the species of the family Athyriaceae. The cp genome of D. polypodioides was 152,009 bp and showed a quadripartite structure in which a large single copy (82,389 bp) and a small single copy (22,303 bp) were separated by a pair of long inverted repeats (IRa and IRb: 23,659 bp each). We identified 116 genes, including 4 rRNAs, 29 tRNAs, and 84 protein-coding genes, with 15 genes duplicated in inverted repeats. The cp genome sizes of the thirteen analyzed species ranged from 150,797 bp (Diplazium striatum Desv.) to 152,009 bp (D. polypodioides). Despite high variability in SSRs and oligonucleotide repeats, the species showed similarities in GC content, contraction and expansion of inverted repeats, codon usage, amino acid frequency, and substitutions. Transition substitutions were more common than transversion substitutions across all species. Phylogenetic analysis of 84 protein-coding genes revealed monophyletic relationships among the limited species of three genera, namely, Diplazium, Athyrium, and Deparia. In addition, Diplazium was more closely related to Athyrium than to Deparia. Our study provides preliminary insights into the evolutionary dynamics of the cp genome in Athyriaceae and clarifies its phylogenetic relationships.

 Keywords: Athyrium, Athyriaceae, Deparia, Diplazium polypodioides, Pteridophytes, Phylogenetics

Khaoula Habbadi^1*, Meriem Guartoumi El Idrissi¹, Salma El Iraqui El Houssaini¹, Ilyass Maafa², Faical Aoujil¹, Abdellatif Benbouazza¹, El Hassan Achbani¹, Moha Ferrahi³

¹Phytobacteriolgy and Biological Control Laboratory, Regional Center of Agricultural Research of Meknes, National Institute of Agricultural Research, Avenue Ennasr, BP 415 Rabat Principal, 10090 Rabat, Morocco

²International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Rabat 10080, Morocco

³Department of Breeding and Conservation of Genetic Resources, National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), Rabat 10020, Morocco

Abstract

Considering the imperative challenges posed by climate change, particularly the escalating instances of drought stress, optimizing wheat production stands as a critical goal for agricultural development. This experimental study delves into the pivotal role of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) and Water Retention Agents (WRA) in bolstering the resilience of bread wheat crops to drought conditions. The study encompasses germination tests, field observations, and a comprehensive analysis of agronomic parameters, emphasizing the significance of PGPR and WRA in mitigating the adverse effects of water scarcity on wheat crops. The germination tests in Petri dishes reveal a substantial enhancement with the application of PGPR strains, showing higher rates (95% for Serratia nematodiphila strain GAB111 and 92% for Pseudomonas koreensis strain GAJ222) compared to the control. PGPR significantly increased root and shoot lengths, with significant increases observed. Field observations show the climatic impact on wheat development, with an accelerated growth cycle due to high temperatures and arid conditions. Further analyses reveal that WRA and PGPR significantly affect agronomic parameters such as the number of leaves, tillers, ears, and chlorophyll content. The study also assesses the impact on leaf temperature, wheat yield, plant-root development, and soil parameters such as organic matter and nutrient content. The combined use of WRA and PGPR shows promising results, highlighting their potential synergistic effects on wheat growth and development, especially in challenging environmental conditions. These findings offer practical solutions for enhancing wheat resilience and have broader implications for the sustainable development of agricultural systems confronting increasing climate-induced stresses.

Keywords: Climate change, Wheat resilience, Aagronomic parameters, PGPR, WRA