Background. Solanum melongena is a medicinally important vegetable crop that belongs to the family Solanaceae, which is cultivated worldwide. Methodology. In the present study, 22 eggplant varieties from the different ecogeographical regions were evaluated for nine quantitative and twenty-two qualitative morphological characters. A significant divergence was observed in all characters and wide regional variations for plant characteristics, flower, and fruit characteristics. Principle component analysis (PCA) was performed using PAST3 software to determine the relationship among eggplant accessions. Results. The principal component analysis showed that the first two principal component axes explained 97.17% of the total multivariate variation. Cluster analysis using the Unweighted Pair Group Method of Arithmetic Means (UPGMA) grouped the 22 eggplant accessions into two main clusters based on similarities in morphological characteristics. The study showed that the Solanum melongena accessions belonging to Pakistan and other geographical regions of the world possess marked variation in fruit weight, fruit shape, fruit color, leaf spine, number of locules in fruit, plant height, and flower color. Conclusion. Based on morphological diversity, the best cultivars of eggplant that show better yield can be selected for farmers.

Vegetable oil consumption is expected to reach almost 200 billion kilograms by 2030 in the world and almost 2.97 million tons in Pakistan. A large quantity of edible oil is imported annually from other countries to fill the gap between local production and consumption. Compared to other edible oil crops such as soybean, rapeseed, peanut and olive, sesame has innately higher (55%) oil content, which makes it an excellent candidate to be considered to meet local edible oil production. Oil seed crops, especially sesame, are affected by various pathogens, which results in decreased oil production with low quality oil. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) work synergistically, as it has antifungal activity along with improving plant growth. Different concentrations of SeNPs were used, on three different varieties of sesame (TS-5, TH-6, and Till-18). Plant growth and development were accelerated by SeNPs, which ultimately led to an increase in crop yield. Morphological parameters revealed that SeNPs resulted in a growth increase of 55.7% in root length, 48% increase in leaf number/plant, and 38% in stem diameter. Out of three sesame varieties, TS-5 seedlings treated with 40 mg/L SeNPs showed 96.7% germination and 53% SVI at 40 mg/L. Sesame varieties dramatically increased antioxidant capability using SeNPs, resulting in 147% increase in SOD and 140% increase in POD enzyme units in TH-6 and 76% elevation in CAT enzymes in TS-5 (mean ± S.E). GCMS analysis revealed that bioactive compound I, sesamin, sesamol, and tocopherol contents were increased along with enhanced production of different unsaturated fatty acids. Kegg pathway analysis and MSEA revealed that these compounds were mainly involved in biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, suggesting that SeNPs have elicited the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, and α-linoleic acid. This study concluded that SeNPs (40 mg/L) have an excellent capability to be used for crop improvement along with better oil quality.

Currently, providing nutritious food to all people is one of the greatest challenges due to rapid human population growth. The global poultry industry is a part of the agrifood sector playing an essential role in food insecurity by providing nutritious meat and egg sources. However, limited meat production with less nutritional value is not fulfilling the higher market demands worldwide. Researchers are focusing on nanobiotechnology by employing phytosynthesized mineral nanomaterials to improve the growth performance and nutritional status of broilers as these mineral nanoparticles are usually absorbed in greater amounts from the gastrointestinal tract and exert enhanced biological effects in the target tissues of animals with greater tissue accumulation. These mineral nanoparticles are efficiently absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract and reach essential organs via blood. As a result, it enhances growth performance and nutritional value with less toxicity and tremendous bioavailability properties. In this review, the research work conducted in the recent past, on the different aspects of nanotechnology including supplementation of mineral nanoparticle in diet and their potential role in the poultry industry, has been concisely discussed.

Bio-fortification is a new, viable, cost-effective, and long-term method of administering crucial minerals to a populace with limited exposure to diversified foods and other nutritional regimens. Nanotechnology entities aid in the improvement of traditional nutraceutical absorption, digestibility, and bio-availability. Nano-applications are employed in poultry systems utilizing readily accessible instruments and processes that have no negative impact on animal health and welfare. Nanotechnology is a sophisticated innovation in the realm of biomedical engineering that is used to diagnose and cure various poultry ailments. In the 21st century, zinc nanoparticles had received a lot of considerable interest due to their unusual features. ZnO NPs exhibit antibacterial properties; however, the qualities of nanoparticles (NPs) vary with their size and structure, rendering them adaptable to diverse uses. ZnO NPs have shown remarkable promise in bio-imaging and drug delivery due to their high bio-compatibility. The green synthesized nanoparticles have robust biological activities and are used in a variety of biological applications across industries. The current review also discusses the formulation and recent advancements of zinc oxide nanoparticles from plant sources (such as leaves, stems, bark, roots, rhizomes, fruits, flowers, and seeds) and their anti-cancerous activities, activities in wound healing, and drug delivery, followed by a detailed discussion of their mechanisms of action.