This study explores the antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and cytotoxic properties of Myristica fragrans Houtt. from derived nutmeg (seed) and mace (aril) essential oils and ethanolic oleoresins extracted by hydrodistillation and Soxhlet extraction methods, respectively. Chemical profiling using GC–MS/FID identified α ‐terpineol (22.70%) in nutmeg essential oil, β ‐phellandrene (14.14%) in mace essential oil, diethyl phthalate (11.07%) in nutmeg oleoresin, and 4‐carvomenthenol (12.40%) in mace oleoresin as major constituents. Antioxidant activity, evaluated through DPPH, ABTS, NO, FRAP, and metal chelation assays, showed oleoresins, particularly mace oleoresin, to be more potent than essential oils. Mace oleoresin exhibited the strongest anti‐hemolytic effect (IC 50 : 165.11 µgmL −1 ). Anti‐inflammatory assays, i.e., albumin denaturation, protease inhibition, and lipoxygenase inhibition, also confirmed mace oleoresin as the most effective. Cytotoxicity was tested on HT‐29 and LNCaP cancer cell lines using the MTT assay, where mace oleoresin showed dose‐dependent inhibition with IC 50 values of 28.50 µgmL −1 (HT‐29) and 35.50 µg/mL (LNCaP). Its superior bioactivity is attributed to a higher content of oxygenated terpenoids (31.38%), phenylpropanoids (25.73%), and phenolics (12.03%). These findings suggest mace that oleoresin holds promise as a natural alternative to synthetic antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and anticancer agents.

The Intacta 2 Xtend system was developed to allow selective dicamba use in dicamba‐resistant soybean (DRS), aiding in the management of tolerant and resistant broadleaf weeds. This study evaluated the control of broadleaf weeds following single or sequential postemergence applications of dicamba (alone or tank‐mixed with glyphosate) in DRS. Experiments were arranged in a randomized block design with four replications. Treatments included single and sequential applications of dicamba (360 and 720 g a.e. ha −1 ) and its tank mixture with glyphosate (1,080 g a.e. ha −1 ), alongside weedy and weed‐free checks. Weed control was assessed for Conyza spp., Amaranthus viridis , Amaranthus hybridus , Euphorbia heterophylla , Ipomoea spp., and Raphanus raphanistrum , along with soybean yield. Single dicamba applications at 360 g a.e. ha −1 were insufficient to control A. viridis . Effective control of A. hybridus , E. heterophylla , and Ipomoea spp. required sequential dicamba at 720 g a.e. ha −1 or dicamba (360 or 720 g a.e. ha −1 ) tank‐mixed with glyphosate. For R. raphanistrum , only sequential dicamba + glyphosate treatments were effective, whereas Conyza spp. was controlled only by sequential applications of dicamba (720 g a.e. ha −1 ) + glyphosate. Overall, sequential dicamba + glyphosate applications provided superior weed control, without negatively impacting DRS yield.

This study investigated the effects of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the growth performance, economic yield and berberine content of Tinospora cordifolia L. (Giloy). The combined application of farmyard manure (5 t ha −1 ) and vermicompost (2.5 t ha −1 ) resulted in significant improvements in all growth and yield parameters compared with the unfertilized control. Between 30 and 180 days after the start of the experiment (DASE), plants receiving this treatment consistently exhibited the highest shoot growth, leaf production, and berberine accumulation. The combination farmyard manure (5 t ha −1 ) and vermicompost (2.5 t ha −1 ) increased the number of leaves (64.1%), fresh (167.6%) and dry (157.4%) leaf weight, stem length (38.3%), fresh (172.2%) and dry (233.3%) stem weight, as well as total fresh (166.5%) and dry yield (427.7%) by sevral‐fold, relative to the control. Berberine concentration in both leaves and stems was also significantly increase. These results demonstrate that integrating farmyard manure with vermicompost not only improves growth and yield but also enhances the pharmaceutical quality of T. cordifolia , supporting its adoption as a sustainable cultivation practice.

Transportation is a major contributor to postharvest losses in mangosteens. This study compared the quality of mangosteens transported by train and by truck from an orchard in Chumphon Province to Bangkok and monitored poststorage changes at 25 ± 1°C and 64 ± 3% relative humidity (RH). During transit, truck shipments experienced internal conditions ranging from 26.0 to 33.0°C, 70.0 to 93.7% RH, and 9.5 to 105.4 m s −2 in vibration intensity, whereas train shipments ranged from 28.2 to 40.3°C, 40.8 to 96.8% RH, and 1.1 to 13.3 m s −2 . Mangosteens transported by truck exhibited considerably higher physical damage (24.9 ± 10.51%) than those transported by train (2.9 ± 1.98%). During subsequent storage, truck‐delivered fruit showed faster peel color development and more pronounced internal deterioration. Moreover, truck transport led to markedly greater increases in peel hardness and lignin content over time, while both transport modes produced negligible effects on total soluble solids (TSS) and titratable acidity (TA). In truck‐delivered fruit, peel hardness was positively correlated with lignin content but negatively correlated with TSS and TA—relationships not observed in train‐delivered samples. Statistical analyses, including analysis of variance, Pearson correlation, and principal component analysis, confirmed that transportation mode and storage duration significantly influenced mangosteen quality deterioration, with truck transport accelerating pericarp hardening and ripening. These findings highlight the importance of optimizing logistics, particularly by favoring rail transport, which produces a lower vibration threshold than truck delivery, thereby reducing physical damage and maintaining mangosteen quality throughout the supply chain.

Managing crop, water, and nitrogen resources under climate change and effects on productivity and resource‐use efficiency is vital for food security in the rice–wheat dominated Indo‐Gangetic Plains, where quantitative assessments under simulated climate remain limited. This study evaluated climate impacts on rice and wheat using CERES‐Rice and CERES‐Wheat models in Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) under representative concentration pathways (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) for mid‐century (2031–2060) and end‐century (2061–2090) relative to baseline (1990–2020). Rice yield increases under both RCPs, while wheat increases under RCP 4.5 but declines under RCP 8.5. Water use efficiency decreases, whereas nitrogen recovery efficiency improves. Recommended adaptations for rice include variety PR126, 2‐day drainage, and 90 kg N ha −1 in RCP 4.5 (MC); PR126, 3‐day drainage, and 150 kg N ha −1 in RCP 4.5 (EC). For RCP 8.5, PR122 with 3‐day drainage and 150 kg N ha −1 is suggested for MC; PR122 with 3‐day drainage and 120 kg N ha −1 for EC. For wheat, variety Unnat PBW343 with IW/CPE 1.0 and 150 kg N ha −1 is advised for RCP 4.5 (MC); IW/CPE 1.2 for EC. Under RCP 8.5, PBW550 with IW/CPE 0.8 and 120 kg N ha −1 is suitable for MC; IW/CPE 1.2 and 150 kg N ha −1 for EC.

Upland cotton is a globally significant cash crop; however, its early growth, especially the seedling stage, is highly susceptible to salinity stress. Therefore, this study was conducted utilising multivariate approaches and stress indices of morphological, water relations, gaseous exchange, and ionic homeostasis to enhance the selection of tolerant genotypes under salt stress at the seedling stage. Salt stress significantly reduced shoot and root biomass, gaseous exchange, and water relations in sensitive genotypes as compared to tolerant genotypes. Tolerant genotypes exhibited better ionic homeostasis (K + /Na + ) in both roots and shoots under saline conditions. Principal component (PCA) and correlation analyses identified relative water content (RWC), photosynthesis (Pn), water‐use efficiency (WUE), root and shoot K + /Na + ratios, as well as biomass traits such as fresh shoot length (FSL) and dry shoot weight (DSW), as key indicators of salt tolerance. Further, heatmap clustered genotypes by tolerance level, while a composite stress tolerance index (CSTI) classified them into tolerant, moderately tolerant and susceptible groups. These combined approaches identified NIAB‐512‐68‐SB, FH‐326 and FH‐540 as the potential salt‐tolerant lines. These results show that combining multivariate analysis with the CSTI index improves early salinity screening and helps identify traits and genotypes useful for breeding salt‐tolerant cotton.

Cucumber is an economically important vegetable crop cultivated and consumed worldwide. The high‐altitude region of Taibai County in China offers an ideal environment for high‐quality vegetable production, especially during the summer season of lowland areas. However, suitable cucumber cultivars for Taibai County with high‐quality, such as Mini cucumber (the Beit Alpha type), are still lacking. To diversify local cucumber production of Taibai County, this study introduced 72 Mini cucumber cultivars and evaluated their adaptability and genetic diversity. We assessed key morphological traits, including sex expression, fruit shape index (FSI), immature fruit rind color, and downy mildew resistance under local growing conditions. Significant phenotypic variation was observed for these cucumbers. There were 50% of lines that were gynoecious or subgynoecious. The FSI of these Mini cucumbers ranged from 1.4 to 7.5. Besides, the downy mildew resistance also varied widely, with several lines showing promising resistance. Genetic analysis using 19 polymorphic SSR markers revealed moderate diversity across the panel, with an average polymorphism information content of 0.29. Population structure analysis divided the accessions into two distinct groups, with Group I enriched for gynoecious lines. The genetic data, combined with phenotypic evaluations, identified superior lines such as the downy mildew‐resistant mini044 and the short‐fruited mini047, and mini033. This study provides a valuable foundation for breeding and selecting Mini cucumber cultivars adapted to high‐altitude production systems, supporting the diversification and sustainability of vegetable cultivation in these unique agro‐ecological niches.

Salt stress (SS) poses a significant threat to cut flower geophytes. This study evaluated the impact of SS on vegetative growth and photosynthetic activities in tuberose ( Polianthes tuberosa L.) and assessed the efficacy of 300 ppm salicylic acid (SA) alone or in combination with 100 ppm indole acetic acid (IAA), 300 ppm ascorbic acid (AA), and 300 ppm chitosan (CS), under saline water irrigations at 0, 80, and 120 mM NaCl concentrations. The SS negatively impacted the vegetative growth of Polianthes tuberosa L. At the highest salinity level (120 mM NaCl), leaf area decreased by 14% compared with the control group, while shoot fresh and dry weights dropped by 54% and 61%, respectively. Root fresh and dry weights were reduced by 48% and 62%, respectively, and the number of bulblets per plant decreased by 43%. Additionally, the average stalk length and the number of florets per plant declined by 15% and 2%, respectively. At 80 mM NaCl, the average stalk length and the number of florets per plant were reduced by 6%, compared to the control. The photosynthetic activity, including the parameters such as Phi2 (photosystem II), relative chlorophyll content and Fv/Fm was adversely affected. At the high salinity level, these parameters were reduced by 14%, 11%, and 21%, respectively, while moderate salt stress led to reductions of 7%, 67% and 14%, respectively. The response of antioxidative enzymes was varied at different salinity levels. At 80 mM NaCl, the catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) increased by 22% and 46%, respectively, while at 120 mM NaCl, these activities decreased by 21% and 79%, respectively, compared with the control. SA alone and its combinations with IAA hindered the drastic effect of SS by enhancing superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity by 78% and 111% and DPPH scavenging property by 0.7% and 1% under SS. It also influenced the photosynthetic rates with higher nonphotochemical quenching (NPQt), Phi2 and photoprotection (PhiNPQ) in salt‐stressed plants by 111%, 15%, and 26%, respectively. In conclusion, using SA and its combination with IAA and AA can effectively mitigate the negative impacts of salt stress in tuberose plants.

‘Zesy002’ ( Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis , sold commercially as Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit) now dominates the New Zealand kiwifruit industry and the global market for yellow‐fleshed kiwifruit. It is an inherently larger‐fruited cultivar than the traditional green‐fleshed “Hayward” fruit, with an average fruit mass of ∼120 g compared to ∼100 g for "Hayward." Despite the larger average fruit size, there may still be a significant proportion of small fruit in the harvest. It has been noticed that there are marked compositional differences between the larger and smaller fruit at harvest. To investigate this, large (120–150 g) and small (80–90 g) fruit on five orchards were monitored during maturation. The differences between large and small fruit were consistent across orchards. For seed colour change, the cessation of growth and nett starch loss, there appeared little difference between the large and small fruit. The most noticeable difference was in flesh colour and SSC at any given timepoint, with small fruit lagging ∼2 weeks behind large fruit. The off‐vine degreening of commercially picked and packed large and small fruit from three orchards was investigated at temperatures between 5°C and 15°C. Both large and small fruit had similar responses to temperature for degreening and softening.