ABSTRACT Groundwater is a critical resource facing growing threats from overuse and contamination on a global scale. This study examines uncontrolled groundwater extraction and salt accumulation in the Rachna Doab region using ArcGIS, MODFLOW, and MT3DMS algorithms combined with a finite-difference numerical technique. Geological, hydrological, and hydrogeological data were analyzed to understand groundwater level decline and total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration. The model was calibrated with piezometric data and TDS concentrations from 2009 to 2016 and validated with data from 2017 to 2021, showing strong correlations between estimated and observed values. Two pumping scenarios were developed for 2027: maintaining current pumping rates (Scenario I) and increasing pumping rates based on future trends (Scenario II). Simulation results indicated that water samples near Samundri Drain had the highest TDS concentrations, highlighting the influence of wastewater drains and low-quality saline groundwater. Groundwater samples were analyzed to assess the impact of domestic and industrial wastewater on groundwater quality, revealing that higher pumping rates and poor-quality groundwater in deeper layers are primary causes of saline intrusion.
The most common ethnomedicinal plants being effective in respiratory disorders were studied for the first time in Bahawalpur District. The herbal medication represents a low‐cost treatment for the local community. There is a need for documenting the traditional uses of plants for further investigation of bioactive compounds. Using a qualitative approach, the ethnobotanical data was collected from the district of Bahawalpur, Pakistan, from February 2018 to February 2020 through semistructured interviews with the local people and traditional healers. The quantitative analysis included use value, informant consensus factor, family importance value, and relative frequency citation. A total of 20 indigenous plants belonging to 17 families were documented from 185 informants. These plants were claimed to be used for the treatment of 10 respiratory ailments. The plant habit, part of the plant used, and mode of preparation were standardized for authentication. The herbs are the most used life form (55%), while trees and shrubs are also used. Leaves dominate with high use value (47.62%) followed by fruit, stem, flower, and other parts of plants. For the preparation of traditional remedies, decoction (76.19%) and extract (71.43%) are common preparation methods. However, other methods of paste infusion, powder juice, and ash are used to a lower extent. The plants with higher use value are Glycyrrhiza glabra , Acacia arabica , and Mentha piperita ; these have significant potential therapeutic activity for respiratory disease. The ethnomedicinal importance of plants against respiratory diseases used by the local population (traditional healers) is the commercial availability of the herbal product. It is a first‐time study in this area to fill the gap between traditional practices and synthetic medicine to screen out the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of plants that have a highly futuristic use value to develop antibiotic drug with least side effects by using sustainable methods.
Water scarcity is one of the key global challenges affecting food safety, food security, and human health. Constructed wetlands (CWs) provide a sustainable tool to remediate wastewater. Here we explored the potential of vertical flow-CWs (VF-CWs) vegetated with ten indigenous wetland plant species to treat chromium (Cr)-contaminated water. The wetland plants were vegetated to develop VF-CWs to treat Cr-contaminated water in a batch mode. Results revealed that the Cr removal potential of VF-CWs vegetated with different wetland plants ranged from 47% to 92% at low (15 mg L−1) Cr levels and 36% to 92% at high (30 mg L−1) Cr levels, with the maximum (92%) Cr removal exhibited by VF-CWs vegetated with Leptochloa fusca. Hexavalent Cr (Cr(VI)) was reduced to trivalent Cr (Cr(III)) in treated water (96–99 %) of all VF-CWs. All the wetland plants accumulated Cr in the shoot (1.9–34 mg kg−1 dry weight (DW)), although Cr content was higher in the roots (74–698 mg kg−1 DW) than in the shoots. Brachiaria mutica showed the highest Cr accumulation in the roots and shoots (698 and 45 mg kg−1 DW, respectively), followed by Leptochloa fusca. The high Cr level significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the stress tolerance index (STI) percentage of the plant species. Our data provide strong evidence to support the application of VF-CWs vegetated with different indigenous wetland plants as a sustainable Cr-contaminated water treatment technology such as tannery wastewater.
A novel thiosulfate-oxidizing bacterium, designated strain LCS2 T , was isolated from a biofilm on sulfur particles used in an autotrophic denitrification process. The strain was found to comprise Gram-negative, non-motile, non-spore-forming rods that produced yellow-pigmented colonies on R2A agar. The strain contained Q-8 as the major ubiquinone and 17 : 1 iso ω 9 c , 15 : 0 iso and 17 : 0 iso as the major fatty acids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 64.6 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain LCS2 T was found to be most similar to that of Rhodanobacter fulvus IAM 15025 T (97.4 % similarity). The results of DNA–DNA hybridization and phenotypic analysis showed that strain LCS2 T can be distinguished from all known Rhodanobacter species and therefore represents a novel species of the genus, for which the name Rhodanobacter thiooxydans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LCS2 T (=DSM 18863 T =KCTC 12771 T ).
Abstract Bacterial cell morphology might result from natural selection to gain a competitive advantage under environmentally stressful conditions such as nutrient limitation. A bacterial strain YC6860 T isolated from the rhizosphere of rice ( Oryza sativa L.) showed pleomorphic behavior with smooth cell morphology and wrinkled surface rods depending upon nutritional conditions. Based on scanning and transmission electron microscopy studies, we hypothesized that the surface-to-volume ratio of cells increases with decreasing nutrient concentrations. The transition from smooth to wrinkled cell surface morphology could be one of the adaptation strategies by which YC6860 T maximizes its ability to access available nutrients. To characterize the properties of the wrinkled strain, we performed taxonomic and phylogenetic analyses. 16S rRNA gene sequencing results showed that the strain represented a novel, deep-rooting lineage within the order Rhizobiales with the highest similarity of 94.2% to Pseudorhodoplanes sinuspersici RIPI 110 T . Whole genome sequencing was also performed to characterize its genetic features. The strain YC6860 T might belong to a new genus, named Rugositalea , and a new species, named Rugositalea oryzae , In addition, taxonomic analysis showed that YC6860 T is Gram-negative, aerobic, and rod-shaped with large regular wrinkles resembling a delicate twist of fusilli, measuring 0.5-0.6 µm in width and 1.5-1.6 µm in length under nutrient-limiting conditions. This unique cell structure with regular rugosity could be the first finding that has not been reported in the existing bacterial morphology.
A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain YC7378(T) was isolated from vermicompost (VC) collected at Masan, Korea, and its taxonomic position was investigated by using a polyphasic approach. Strain YC7378(T) grew optimally at 30 degrees C and at pH 6.5-8.5. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain YC7378(T) belongs to the genus Sphingosinicella in the family Sphingomonadaceae. The most closely related strains are Sphingosinicella soli KSL-125(T) (95.7 %), Sphingosinicella xenopeptidilytica 3-2W4(T) (95.6 %) and Sphingosinicella microcystinivorans Y2(T) (95.5 %). Strain YC7378(T) contained ubiquinone Q-10 as the major respiratory quinone system and sym-homospermidine as the major polyamine. The major fatty acids of strain YC7378(T) were C(18 : 1)omega7c, C(16 : 1)omega7c and/or iso-C(15 : 0) 2-OH, C(14 : 0) 2-OH and C(16 : 0). The major polar lipids were sphingoglycolipid, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. The total DNA G+C content was 59.4 mol%. The phenotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic data showed that strain YC7378(T) represents a novel species of the genus Sphingosinicella, for which the name Sphingosinicella vermicomposti sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YC7378(T) (=KCTC 22446(T) =DSM 21593(T)).
The major conflict in the cotton-wheat-cropping system is the prolonged harvesting of cotton resulting in late planting of wheat causing decrease in yield for every day’s delay in planting after 15 November. This clearly underlines the need for a solution of the above conflict. The now till technique is now being increasingly demonstrated as a way out. The major objective of the present study was to work out the profitability of planting wheat in standing cotton. The experiment was conducted at Adaptive Research Farm Rahim Yar Khan, during 2011- 12, to evaluate the technological feasibility and economic validity of relay cropping system by the different wheat seeding rates. The objective of this study was to check the different seed rates of wheat in standing cotton as relay crop. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Wheat variety Sehar-2006 was used with seed rates such as 125,150,175 and 200 kg/ha. The previous crop was cotton in this field, which was sown on 22nd May 2011. Wheat was sown by surface seeding in standing cotton with different seeding rates. Seed rate of 200 kg ha-1 in relaying wheat by surface seeding produced higher grain yield than seeding rate of 150 kg/ha. Yield, yield components and quality traits of cotton were not affected significantly by any of the relay cropping systems. Substantially higher net field benefit was obtained from relay cropping system with seeding rate of 200 kg/ha as compared to wheat followed after cotton.
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