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Strigolactones, a new group of phytohormones, are reported to improve plant tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of synthetic strigolactone (GR24 at 0.001, 0.01 and 0.1 mg L−1) application on ornamental sunflowers (Helianthus annuus cv. Vincent’s Choice) grown under salt stress (150 mM NaCl). Salt stress was applied after 14 days, and SL was applied 25 days seed sowing. The results showed that amongst various GR24 concentrations, 0.01 mg L−1 proved to be superior, as it enhanced the photosynthetic rate (9.29%), transpiration rate (0.76%), stomatal conductance (77.5%), total soluble protein (0.55%) and K+ (14.63% in roots; 14.87% in shoots) and Ca2+ (12.63% in roots; 11.48% in shoots) contents under control conditions. Similarly, the leaf turgor potential (Ψp), osmotic potential (Ψs) and free proline, glycinebetaine (GB), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxide (POD) contents increased by 58.17, 89.95, 159.04, 101.54, 74.42, 175.68 and 53.62%, respectively, under salt stress conditions. The leaf water potential (Ψw) decreased (−0.14%) and the malondialdehyde (MDA) content increased (16.65%) when treated with the 0.001 mg L−1 GR24 level. Meanwhile, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and Na+ concentrations in roots and shoots increased by 62.53%, 74.66% and 38.55% under saline conditions with a GR24 level of 0 mg L−1. Regarding the plant biomass, a GR24 level of 0.01 mg L−1 with salt stress greatly decreased the root (−47.27% and −50.45%) and shoot (−44.79% and −59.42%) fresh and dry weights, respectively, compared to control conditions. These results reveal that exogenously applied GR24 might be an effective way to mitigate the perilous impacts of salt stress in ornamental sunflower production. It is suggested that the use of molecular techniques to study different processes in which GR24 could play a vital part in various commercial floricultural crops is extremely imperative and can open novel horizons for future investigations in this exhilarating field of plant hormones.

Drought is a key abiotic stress that confines agriculture development worldwide. Silicon (Si) is commonly considered to be a valuable element for resistance against drought and for sustainable agriculture. To investigate the morpho-physiological and biochemical characteristics of Gerbera jamesonii plants, a pot experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions and exposed to water stress (60% FC) and well-watered (100% FC) conditions. Foliar application of Si was carried out after ten days (48 days after sowing) of drought treatment and was repeated weekly, while well-water was regarded as control. Water deficiency significantly abridged the morphological attributes, pigments, and stress-related metabolites and negatively affected the photosynthetic apparatus in drought-stressed gerbera plants. However, Si supplementation by 40 mg L−1 produced increased leaf area (31%), stem length (25%), flower diameter (22%), plant fresh biomass (17%), total chlorophyll (48%), and concentration of carotenoids (54%) in water-stressed plants. Similarly, the accretion of a total free amino acid (41%) and the activities of peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, glycinebetaine, total soluble proteins, total free proline, and malondialdehyde were enhanced by 44%, 31%, 53%, 33%, 330%, 61%, 51%, and 66%, respectively, under drought stress in comparison with control conditions. Meanwhile, the photosynthetic rate (89%), the transpiration rate (12%), and stomatal conductance (55%) were significantly enhanced in water-deficit gerbera leaves with Si supplementation. This study proposes that the foliar application of Si is a viable and convenient method of improving the performance of elegant gerbera flower plants in regions of the world that are facing severe water deficiency.

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Innovation works as an engine of growth for the country and the backbone for the performance of the firm. Pakistan is a developing country and it is lagging behind in terms of innovation activities in the region. In Pakistan, due to the weaker quality of institutions, court fairness is biased. The objective of the study was to measure the effect of court fairness on the innovation of the firm in the case of Pakistan using the World Enterprise Survey. The results of the study indicate that court fairness increases the likelihood of innovation. From the perspective of the policy proposal, it is suggested that proper reforms in the judicial system must be initiated and it is the utmost need of the society, firms, and the nation as a whole.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the world's second most lethal and hateful disease in people. Even while chemotherapy medications have made considerable progress against cancer disease, the body still has to deal with their toxic side effects. In order to produce anticancer medicines with the lowest cost and treatment time, mostly people are using mechanistic techniques. In addition to chemotherapy advanced treatment techniques are also used in clinical practices, and they have an excellent healing results by enhancing patient survival rates. The social care net faces serious challenges because of the lack and high cost of modern therapeutic techniques. The side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs and expensive advance techniques triggered the patient interest towards phytochemicals drugs which indicate that nature always attracts human to fulfill their medical needs at very low cost. The pharmaceutical industries are showing strong interest in recent research, which has led to the addition of a quite large number of phyto-medicines in PCa therapeutic practices. Currently, several experimental epidemiological and clinical research reports confirmed that plant bio-actives play a significant role in PCa prevention by using different mechanistic ways such as suppressing adhesion, anti-angiogenesis, pro-apoptosis, anti-proliferation, invasion and migration. This review systematically highlighted various strategies to treat PCa and advances in research by using different bioactive plant extracts and isolated components that have been tested for PCa therapy along with corresponding clinical and epidemiological studies.

Edible oils are among the most crucial nutritional constituents as these are utilized for frying or cuisine. Though, these oils are prone towards oxidative deterioration from manufacturing to transportation due to environmental exposure as well as storage conditions which result in generation of different types of oxidation products. The generation of primary and secondary products result in harmful impacts on human health and may also result in cardiovascular diseases in consumers. The mechanism of oxidative deterioration cannot be assessed easily due to complexity of the reaction under which it may take place. Different types of approaches have been proposed to determine the products generated as a result of oxidation so that safety for their user can be assured. Different types of analytical techniques can be employed in addition to chemical methods so that analysis of oxidative deterioration can be done completely. The proposed study is aimed to assess the oxidative stability of oils in addition to the factors which can influence oxidation of these oils under different conditions. This review also summarize the classical and advanced state of the art analytical techniques which has recently been developed in different possible ways and effectively can be employed for analysis of oxidative deterioration of edible oils. This article possibly will oblige as a reference in the assortment, establishing, and enhancement of approaches for investigating the oxidative stability of edible oil.