Silene conoidea L.: A Review on its Systematic, Ethnobotany and Phytochemical profile

Silene conoidea L. is a weed commonly grown in subtropical and temperate zone of western Eurasia, and some part of Himalaya. S. conoidea is a small herb height from 20 to 40cm mostly grow as weed in different crops like wheat, barley, mustard, roquette and lentil pea. This is the first attempt to gather utmost information about the species distribution, taxonomy, ethno-medicines, phytochemical analysis, biological activity etc. of Silene conoidea. The present review aim was to collect fragmented information about the species in addition to explore its therapeutic importance in future research opportunities. A total of 100 research articles were reviewed using different sources like; Scopus, web of science, Science direct, google scholar and PubMed. The species are used as multipurpose in different biological activities against microbes, bacteria and as insecticidal. Silene is also important due to high contents of various chemicals compounds. Chemical extracts contain flavones, glycosides, saponins, sterols and glycosides. A research study shows that S. conoidea can be used as an indicator species of gold. Traditional therapeutic values of the species for treating respiratory, antioxidant, anti-diabetic and anticancer are needed to be validated through more research. Ethno-pharmacological and clinical trial research can be subjected for future studies

HEMATOLOGICAL VARIATIONS AND ASSESMENT OF HEAVY METALS IN SINDH SPARROW (PASSER PYRRHONOTUS) AS A BIOINDICATOR IN PUNJAB AREAS OF PAKISTAN

Sindh sparrows, prevalent in Sindh region of Pakistan, are non-migratory birds abundant in human-inhabited areas globally, except Antarctica. Given their close association with human settlements, these birds serve as crucial indicators for biological monitoring in regions affected by pollution. This study focused on assessing the hematological parameters and heavy metal concentrations in various organs of Sindh sparrows in the Punjab regions of Pakistan. The collected blood samples underwent analysis for hematological indices and heavy metal concentrations. The results indicated variability in hematological analysis of sparrows. Fluctuations were observed in the concentrations of different heavy metals, with significant differences in zinc and iron, while chromium, cadmium, and nickel concentrations showed non-significant differences. The patterns of heavy metal accumulation revealed higher concentrations of chromium, nickel, and iron in the liver, contrasting with the cadmium and zinc in kidneys. In conclusion, significant correlations were observed among the concentrations of Zinc, Chromium, Cadmium, Nickel, and Iron in kidney, liver, and muscles of both male and female Sindh sparrows. The findings underscore the need for further comprehensive studies to assess heavy metal accumulation in birds, highlighting the urgency to address environmental pollution that poses risks to avian species and human populations worldwide

Diversity of medicinal plants used as male contraceptives: An initiative towards herbal contraceptives

In the recent era, population control is a global issue as well as national community health concern. Plants are being used as a source of medicines by human beings since ancient time. This study highlights the collection, identification and diversity of medicinal plants concerning their traditional knowledge to get better access to the herbal male contraception. Local informants and traditional health practitioners were consulted for information about the local names, distribution, part used and mode of utilization of the medicinal plant. To select plants with high medicinal uses, different quantitative measurements i.e. Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), Disease Consensus Index (DCI) and descriptive methods of Jaccard Index (JI) was performed. A total of 100 plant species (used for infertility by the local communities) belonging to 50 families and 91 genera were collected. Jaccard Index results showed that 28 plant species were reported for the first time used as male contraceptives in Pakistan. The frequency of citation (FC) value ranged from 35 to 56. Plants with high Relative frequency of citation (RFC) and Disease Consensus index (DCI) values showed a high consensus for the antifertility among informants and THPs. Our study is focused on the diversity and priority of medicinal plants as male contraceptives.

Bacteria assisted green synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles and their potential applications as antimicrobial agents and plant growth stimulants

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) have piqued the interest of agricultural researchers due to their potential application as fungicides, insecticides, and fertilizers. The Serratia sp. ZTB29 strain, which has the NCBI accession number MK773873, was a novel isolate used in this investigation that produced CuO-NPs. This strain can survive concentrations of copper as high as 22.5 mM and can also remove copper by synthesizing pure CuO-NPs. UV-VIS spectroscopy, DLS, Zeta potential, FTIR, TEM, and XRD techniques were used to investigate the pure form of CuO-NPs. The synthesized CuO-NPs were crystalline in nature (average size of 22 nm) with a monoclinic phase according to the XRD pattern. CuO-NPs were found to be polydisperse, spherical, and agglomeration-free. According to TEM and DLS inspection, they ranged in size from 20 to 40 nm, with a typical particle size of 28 nm. CuO-NPs were extremely stable, as demonstrated by their zeta potential of −15.4 mV. The ester (C=O), carboxyl (C=O), amine (NH), thiol (S-H), hydroxyl (OH), alkyne (C-H), and aromatic amine (C-N) groups from bacterial secretion were primarily responsible for reduction and stabilization of CuO-NPs revealed in an FTIR analysis. CuO-NPs at concentrations of 50 μg mL−1 and 200 μg mL−1 displayed antibacterial and antifungal activity against the plant pathogenic bacteria Xanthomonas sp. and pathogenic fungus Alternaria sp., respectively. The results of this investigation support the claims that CuO-NPs can be used as an efficient antimicrobial agent and nano-fertilizer, since, compared to the control and higher concentrations of CuO-NPs (100 mg L−1) considerably improved the growth characteristics of maize plants

Deforestation perspectives of dry temperate forests: main drivers and possible strategies

Deforestation is the accelerating factor of climate change in developing countries. The German Watch Report 2020 had rated Pakistan number seventh most affected country due to adverse impacts of climate change. The problem of deforestation poses an existential danger to the forest-depleted country. It is of utmost importance to predict the main drivers to control deforestation. This study was conducted from October 2021 to August 2022 in dry temperate forests of the Chilas to investigate the current condition, causes of deforestation, and predicted the main drivers by using a binary regression model. Stratified random sampling techniques and fixed area plot method were used and taken ground measurements during field inventory to access current situation of deforestation. While a non-probability quota sampling technique and semi-structured questionnaire were utilized for the determination of main drivers of deforestation through respondent’s survey. The forest inventory result showed that most trees fall in immature and sub-mature (mainly in 10–20 and 20–30 cm) diameter classes while the binary logistic regression model predicted dominating four primary drivers (unsustainable fuel wood extraction, unsustainable timber extraction and urban crawling and rural expansion/habituation, and free and uncontrolled livestock grazing) and one secondary driver (wood for energy needs). To address the underlying causes of deforestation, the government must supply alternate energy sources, as well as other economic possibilities to reduce dependency on forests

Molecular World Today and Tomorrow: Recent Trends in Biological Sciences 2.0

Molecular techniques have become influential instruments in biological study, transforming our comprehension of life at the cellular and genetic levels [...

Molecular World Today and Tomorrow: Recent Trends in Biological Sciences

Various molecular techniques based on omics (transcriptomics, proteomics, genomics) and phylogenetics have been applied in the field of biological sciences [...

Trichomes’ Micromorphology and Their Evolution in Selected Species of <i>Causonis</i> (Vitaceae)

The Vitaceae genus Causonis is found in tropical to temperate climates from Asia to Australia, including the Pacific Islands. Rafinesque established the genus in 1930; however, Süssenguth classified it under Cayratia as a sect. Discypharia in 1953. The genus was resurrected in 2013 using morphological and genetic evidence. We herein provided insight into the diversity of trichomes’ micromorphology of selected species of this recently reinstated genus for taxonomical implication. Simple trichomes, representing non-glandular and unbranched trichomes, are only found in Causonis. Trichomes vary from straight, curved, hooked, appressed, pilose, to villous in different parts like branchlets, abaxial leaf surface, and adaxial leaf surface in different species. They also vary in the same plant from the young stage to the mature stage. Most species are pubescent when young, but a few species become nearly glabrous when they are mature. Significant variations can be observed in trichomes’ length between the species. Principal component analysis (PCA), based on the micromorphological traits, was carried out for the species delimitation. In Mesquite, ancestral character state reconstruction was used to examine evolutionary trends for trichomes on three different surfaces. The glabrous to sparsely pubescent state found on the branchlets and both leaf surfaces were found to be the ancestral state and, on the branchlets and both leaf surfaces, the villous hairs state was the derived state in the genus. The identification of Causonis species is greatly aided by trichomes morphology. Therefore, similar studies should be conducted on other Vitaceae genera to reveal the variety of trichomes found in the family

Taxonomic significance of macro and micro-morphology of Geranium L. species Using Scanning Electron Microscopy

Macro and micromorphology of different parts that is, sepals, petals, flowers, indumentum, and leaf shape of 22 Geranium L. taxa from Iran were studied. These taxa representing the eight sections of the genus as sect. Dissecta, sect. Geranium, and sect. Tuberosa (of subgen. Geranium); sect. Batrachioidea, sect. Divaricata, sect. Lucida, sect. Ruberta and sect. Trilopha (of subgen. Robertium), that were collected from different geographical habitats of Iran. The biometric study involved 27 quantitative and 33 qualitative characters which were studied by use of stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Statistical analyses were done by use of PAST software. Principal Component Analysis defined the most variable characters. Results showed that the diagnostic features were; length, width, apex of sepals, petals, trichomes type in pedicles and sepals along with their density, the shape length and width of leaves. In general, the present study revealed that the species could be differentiated by macro and micro-morphological characters. Taxa of two subgenera were clearly separated based on selected characters. These characters were found useful for the taxonomic identification and species delimitation in almost all taxa studied at the sub generic level, although some species of section Geranium and section Dissecta are mixed and nested in both subgenea

How Does Changing Environment Influence Plant Seed Movements as Populations of Dispersal Vectors Decline?

Plants differ widely in their ability to find tolerable climatic ranges through seed dispersal, depending on their life-history traits and habitat characteristics. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic review on seed dispersal mechanisms was conducted to elucidate plant seed movements amid changing environments. Here, the highest relative count of studies was found in Spain (16.47%), followed by Brazil (14.12%), and the USA (14.12%). The megadiverse, hotspot countries (e.g., Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, India, and Indonesia) and Africa (Tanzania, South Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo) have very low to no data about the reviewed topic. The effects of land use changes, habitat degradation/disturbances, climate, and extreme weather conditions on seed dispersal mechanisms and agents had the highest share of studies across topics and countries. Plant diversity and distribution of anemochorous, endozoochorous, epizoochorous, hydrochorous, myrmecochorous, and ornithochorous species are seriously affected by changing environments due to altered long-distance seed dispersal. The fruit types commonly associated with endozoochory and ornithochory are species with achene, capsule, drupe, fleshy, and nut fruits/seeds, whereas achene, capsule, samara/winged seeds are associated with anemochory. The present review provides a summary of evidence on how plants are affected by climate change as populations of dispersal vectors decline. Finally, recommendations for further study were made based on the identified knowledge gaps