Transport of phthalates from Nepal to the southern Himalayas: Distribution, source analysis and environmental risk.

Features of the spread of organic compounds in the Black Sea after the accidental spill of fuel oil.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the major grain crops worldwide that is particularly vulnerable to waterlogging (WL) stress. Glutathione (GSH) and nitric oxide (NO) are known to protect plants from a variety of abiotic stresses; however, their potential for improving WL tolerance in maize remains unexplored. The present study examined the impact of exogenously applied GSH and NO on maize plants exposed to WL-stress. Our findings revealed that GSH + NO-treated waterlogged maize plants grew better and produced more biomass than only WL-stressed plants. The improved performance of GSH + NO-sprayed WL-stressed maize seedlings was supported by the increased root dry and fresh weight, shoot length, shoot dry and fresh weight, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoid content. Exogenous GSH and NO treatments significantly enhanced the amounts of leaf proline, leaf soluble sugars, and total protein in maize seedlings, suggesting adaptive metabolic reprogramming under stress. The increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in maize leaves and roots revealed that WL caused significant oxidative damage. Exogenous GSH, NO individually, and combinedly significantly decreased total H2O2 and MDA contents in both leaves and roots. Exogenous GSH and NO reduced oxidative stress by increasing peroxidase activity, ascorbic acid, and anthocyanin content in maize leaf and root tissues. Our findings emphasize the possible relevance of GSH and NO, simultaneously and individually, in enhancing adaptive mechanisms in maize seedlings for reducing WL-induced damage. Although the GSH + NO-mediated approach shows promise for mitigating WL-stress in maize under controlled conditions, further field-based investigations are required to validate its practical applicability.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) profile in sludge biosolid fertiliser intended for agricultural use in Japan.

Effect of combined copper, salt and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria inoculation on the growth, photosynthesis and ion accumulation in the halophyte Salicornia ramosissima: a phytoremediation perspective.

Biochar is increasingly being explored for soilless cultivation; however, high pH, elevated electrical conductivity (EC), and heterogeneous particle size often limit its use as a standalone growing medium. This study evaluated peanut shell biochar (PS-BC) as the sole substrate for Komatsuna ( Brassica rapa var. perviridis ) and assessed its short-term reuse across two consecutive crop cycles. Pot experiments examined the effects of particle size and PS-BC conditioning (unwashed vs. prewashed), rinsing frequency and reuse, and acid treatments using pyroligneous acids (PAs) and citric acid (CA). Prewashing markedly improved plant growth, and leaf area and dry weight increased by up to approximately four-fold across particle sizes; however, pH and EC decreased by approximately 7% and 89%, respectively. Changes in substrate chemical properties were also observed. Particle size had a lesser effect on plant performance, with the greatest response observed for particle sizes of 5 mm and >7 mm. Interestingly, the rinsing frequency did not significantly affect plant height or dry weight within individual crop cycles; however, reuse of the preconditioned PS-BC was associated with improved plant height and leaf area as well as further shifts in substrate chemical and nutrient statuses relative to the original unwashed substrate. Both PA and CA treatments reduced pH dose-dependently, but only PA treatments increased EC. The best plant performance was observed with 5% CA and 14% rice-derived PA, whereas bamboo PA inhibited growth despite acceptable pH levels. Overall, preconditioned PS-BC effectively supported Komatsuna growth and maintained performance upon reuse across two consecutive crop cycles, demonstrating its potential as a practical standalone substrate for short-term leafy vegetable production.

Presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the Nandu River Estuary, Hainan Island.

GmIFS interacts with GmNFR1α and plays a positive role in soybean legume-rhizobia symbiosis.

Spatiotemporal distribution of legacy and alternative per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in major rivers of the Pearl river delta.

Development and application of a layered double hydroxides binding layer based DGT technique for simultaneous sampling low molecular weight organic acids and arsenic in soil.

Development and preliminary validation of an analytical methodology for the determination of organic UV filters in zooplankton samples.

Machine learning-driven multi-objective optimization of Dunaliella salina cultivation for enhanced biomass and β-carotene production.

GmMYB84, a transcription factor, confers cadmium tolerance in soybean via regulation of the phenylpropanoid pathway.

Assessment of natural radionuclide levels in marine seagrass and beach sediments in the Mediterranean sea.

Combined contamination of OPEs and PAEs in coastal sediments: Distribution, sources, and ecological risks in Northern China's Marginal Seas.

The hydroxyl content of biochar mediates the coating structure to dominate the release performance of castor oil-based polyurethane coated urea.

Volatile compounds from Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus PAL5 regulate photosynthesis and protein networks to promote Arabidopsis thaliana growth.

Post-harvest algae biomass is prone to degradation, resulting in mass loss and compositional changes, and preservation is vital to economic viability of algal products. Effective storage solutions are needed to mitigate for seasonal productivity variations (long-term storage) and to keep post-harvest biomass stable until processing. Ensiling has emerged as a long-term storage solution capable of preserving biomass up to six months with little loss without the energy demands of drying. Organic acids produced during ensiling lower biomass pH and prevent growth of degradative bacteria such as Clostridia. However, losses are front-loaded with a majority occurring within the first week before organic acids can accumulate. Currently, there is no information on the stability of algae biomass within the first 24 hours post-harvest or methods available to ensure stability during this period. Freshly harvested Tetradesmus obliquus UTEX 393 biomass was stored in three conditions: ambient atmosphere, anaerobic atmosphere without treatment, and anaerobic atmosphere with citric acid amendment. Citric acid treatment limited mass loss to 1% after 28 days, while untreated biomass experienced 4% mass loss after just 4 hours and 18% mass loss after 4 weeks. The carbohydrate fraction was most affected, with minimal changes to the elemental composition of biomass across treatments. Bacilli bacteria, including lactic acid bacteria, increased in abundance under all storage conditions. Untreated biomass showed a rise in Clostridia, but none were found in citric acid-treated biomass. After 28 days, organic acid composition differed significantly among treatments, with succinic acid being accumulated to 30% of dry cellular weight in citric acid treated UTEX 393 biomass. Citric acid treatment effectively mitigates biomass loss and, surprisingly, promotes substantial production of succinic acid. The unexpected autofermentation of UTEX 393 biomass to a versatile intermediate chemical such as succinic acid at high titers with minimal energy input could contribute to the economic viability of algae cultivation for fuels and chemicals.

Drought and herbivory are prevalent stressors that often interact to constrain forest regeneration. Drought-induced depletion of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) may impair seedling chemical defenses, increasing vulnerability to pests and pathogens. To investigate NSC thresholds influencing defense capacity, we quantified the effects of drought and simulated insect herbivory on NSC (starch, sucrose, glucose, and fructose) and mono- and sesquiterpene (MST) defenses in five-year-old piñon pine (Pinus edulis) seedlings. Seedlings were either well-watered or subjected to drought until stomatal closure before treatment with methyl jasmonate (MeJA) to simulate herbivory. Both drought and MeJA treatments individually reduced NSC content in needles and stems by 50%, with no further decrease observed under combined stressors. Regardless of stressor(s), NSC was depleted to ~0.5% and ~0.7% dry weight in needles and stems, respectively. While drought alone more than doubled MST concentrations in both tissues, total MST concentrations remained unchanged in response to MeJA, suggesting NSC was instead mobilized to support other unidentified metabolic processes. By demonstrating that NSC were depleted to similar lower limits across all stressors and combinations, this study suggests the existence of reserve thresholds below which seedling capacity to respond to subsequent stress may become constrained.

Zea mays L. (maize) is a globally important cereal crop whose productivity is highly vulnerable to abiotic stresses, particularly drought and salinity. Biochar (BC) and plant growth regulators such as gibberellic acid (GA3) have been proposed as sustainable strategies to enhance crop performance under adverse conditions; however, evidence for their combined effects under controlled stress environments remains limited. This pot experiment (10kg soil per pot) was conducted under a Completely Randomized Design to evaluate BC and GA3, alone and in combination, under drought stress (40% field capacity) and two levels of salinity stress: 6 dS m-1 representing high salinity and 2.41 dS m-1 representing moderate salinity commonly observed in regional irrigated soils. Germination percentage (recorded at 7 DAS), seedling growth (15 DAS), biomass, and chlorophyll pigments (mg g-1 FW at 21 DAS) were assessed. Under drought, germination decreased to 60% in untreated plants but improved to 79% with BC + GA3, while shoot length increased from 4.15 to 5.93cm and root length from 3.65 to 5.43cm. Shoot fresh and dry weights increased from 1.50 to 2.13g and 0.70 to 0.90g, respectively. Under moderate salinity (2.41 dS m-1), germination improved to 82%, shoot length increased from 20.33 to 22.83cm, and shoot dry weight from 0.674 to 0.989g with combined application, while chlorophyll contents were maintained approximately 20-35% higher than stressed controls. Overall, BC and GA3, particularly when applied together, supported better germination, biomass accumulation, and chlorophyll retention under drought and salinity stress, indicating promising potential under pot conditions, although field validation remains necessary before agronomic recommendations can be finalized.