Co-application of PGPR and chitosan nanoparticles enhances salinity tolerance in Green super rice by regulating osmotic balance and antioxidant defense mechanisms

Strategies for enhancing alkaline stress tolerance in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa cv. Sabrina) using zinc oxide nanoparticles and plant biostimulants

Strawberry ( Fragaria × ananassa ) is a globally cultivated fruit crop valued for its nutritional quality and short production cycle. However, alkaline stress caused by high soil pH and sodium carbonate/bicarbonate accumulation significantly impairs plant growth, photosynthesis, and nutrient uptake. This study ai...

Biochar coupled with KNO3 improves tomato yield and quality by modulating photosynthesis, nitrogen metabolism and antioxidant defense.

Extreme drought is the major limiting factor for global tomato production. Biochar and potassium nutrition (KNO3) can improve plant drought tolerance; however, the regulatory mechanisms underlying their combined application in alleviating drought-induced damage in tomatoes remain unclear. This study investigated the in...

Nanoparticles as catalysts of change: toward third-generation seed technology and stress-resilient crops

Seed Priming for Enhancing Germination and Early Seedling Vigour of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) under PEG-induced Osmotic Stress

Drought is a significant abiotic stress that adversely affects rice productivity in Kerala by reducing water potential and disrupting physiological processes. This study was conducted at the Department of Seed Science and Technology, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, to evaluate the efficacy of seed priming in impr...

Comparative Effects of High-Molecular-Weight Chitosan and Chitosan Oligosaccharide Lactate on Metabolic Adjustment and Salinity Tolerance in Cucumis sativus L.

Salinity is one of the most harmful abiotic factors limiting crop productivity. Chitosan is a natural polysaccharide biostimulant able to alleviate salt stress, but its efficiency depends on its physicochemical properties, which remain insufficiently understood. The present study aimed to determine whether two chemical...

Combined Effects of Plant Biostimulant Strategies on Lettuce Performance under Salinity Stress

: Soil salinity, intensified by climate change, is a major abiotic constraint limiting crop productivity, and the development of sustainable management strategies is therefore essential for resilient agroecosystems. Plant biostimulants, including arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMFs), Trichoderma spp., and organic amendm...