Revolutionizing Agriculture: Nano Fertilizers for Sustainable Crop Improvement

The abundant metalloid element silicon (Si) is present in the crust of the Earth and is important for improving many aspects of plant characteristics. The potential of silicon in agriculture is examined in this article with particular attention to how it affects crop improvement, stress management, and plant growth. Under certain pH circumstances, plant roots absorb orthosilicic acid, the form of silicon that is accessible to plants in soil. The benefits of Si application, including improved vegetative growth, development, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stress, have been demonstrated by numerous studies. Additionally, silica plays a role in decreased transpiration, enhanced photosynthesis, and UV-B radiation protection. Agricultural crops encounter a multitude of difficulties, such as pathogens, pests, drought, flooding, salinity, and metal toxicity, which are frequently intensified by inadequate silicon availability in soils. To remedy this deficiency, si fertilizers are used, which improves plant function. It is further important to fertilize with Si because certain crops actively accumulate Si in their tissues. Applications of Si take into account the fertility of the soil, the amount of moisture present, and the uptake of nutrients, resulting in enhanced growth, productivity, and resilience to stress. Si increases stem strength, stress tolerance, and lodging resistance, for instance, in rice. Moreover, silica boosts water use efficiency in drought-stricken maize and modifies proline levels in upland rice in response to water restrictions. Eventually, Si-based compounds have a great deal of promise to improve crop yield and solve the problems facing contemporary agriculture. The numerous advantages of applying Si in supporting resilient and sustainable agriculture are highlighted in this review

Vernacular Taxonomy, Cultural and Ethnopharmacological Applications of Avian and Mammalian Species in the Vicinity of Ayubia National Park, Himalayan Region

Numerous investigations on plant ethnomedicinal applications have been conducted; however, knowledge about the medicinal use of wild animals is still limited. This present study is the second on the medicinal and cultural meaning of avian and mammalian species used by the population in the surrounding area of the Ayubia National Park, KPK, Pakistan. Interviews and meetings were compiled from the participants (N = 182) of the study area. The relative frequency of citation, fidelity level, relative popularity level, and rank order priority indices were applied to analyze the information. Overall, 137 species of wild avian and mammalian species were documented. Of these, 18 avian and 14 mammalian species were utilized to treat different diseases. The present research showed noteworthy ethno-ornithological and ethno-mammalogical knowledge of local people and their connection with fauna, which might be useful in the sustainable utilization of the biological diversity of the Ayubia National Park, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Furthermore, in vivo and/or in vitro examination of the pharmacological activities of species with the highest fidelity level (FL%) as well as frequency of mention (FM) might be important for investigations on faunal-based new drugs