Muhammad Imran Khan

University of Agriculture Faisalabad · Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences

Background Soil pollution by petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) reduces yield by changing the physico-chemical properties of soil and plants due to PHCs’ biotoxicity and persistence. Thus, removing PHCs from the soil is crucial for ecological sustainability. Microbes-assisted phytoremediation is an economical and eco-friendly solution. The current work...

Sewage water is extensively used for irrigation, serving as a valuable resource for plant growth to enhance agricultural productivity. However, this practice also results in a significant accumulation of heavy metals in the soil, posing potential environmental and health risks. A study was designed to evaluate the combined effect of amendments on h...

The microbial biotransformation of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) by novel anaerobic microbial consortia enriched from sediments of an industrial effluent channel and the river Ravi in Pakistan was examined. The anaerobic consortia were capable of biotransforming α-, β-, γ-, and δ-HCH through reductive dichloroelimination, resulting in the formation o...

Background Soil salinity is one of the major menaces to food security, particularly in dealing with the food demand of the ever-increasing global population. Production of cereal crops such as wheat is severely affected by soil salinity and improper fertilization. The present study aimed to examine the effect of selected microbes and poultry manure...

Synthesis of bionanoparticles and their significance in soil nutrition and plant development

Here, a pot experiment was carried out to assess the effectiveness of co-application of a microbial consortium and L-tryptophan (L-TRP) on bioremediation of glyphosate and growth of mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) in glyphosate-contaminated soil. Mungbean seeds (untreated or treated with L-TRP) were sown in the soil that was spiked with glyphosate (600...

Here, a pot experiment was designed to evaluate the phytoremediation potential of ryegrass (Lolium perennne L.) for Pb- and Cd-polluted soils under various drought levels in the presence of farmyard manure (FYM). Three levels of Pb (0, 300, and 600 mg kg-1), Cd (0, 100, and 200 mg kg-1), and drought (field capacity 100, 50, and 30%) as well as two...

Soil pollution by petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) is a serious environmental problem due to the relatively higher biotoxicity and persistence of PHCs in soil. The aim of current study was to prepare and characterize bacterial consortia for PHCs removal and plant growth enhancement in hydrocarbons contaminated soil. In this study, we isolated a number...

To overcome food security, sustainable strategies for reclamation and the subsequent utilization of salt-affected soils for crop production are needed. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the impacts of compost and biochar addition on the growth and fruit quality of tomato under salinity stress. For this purpose, the soil was spiked with a...

An experiment was carried out to explore the impact of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHs)-degrading microbial consortium (MC) on phytoremediation ability and growth of water hyacinth (WH) plants in water contaminated with lead (Pb) and PHs. Buckets (12-L capacity) were filled with water and WH plants, PHs (2,400 mg L-1) and Pb (10 mg L-1) in respective b...

Integrated nutrient management is one of the most effective techniques to tackle soil fertility concerns and boost crop productivity. Taking this into consideration, a pot experiment was carried out to determine the effects of selected organic amendments and zinc (Zn) fertilizer on the soil quality, Zn uptake, growth, and yield of maize (Zea mays L...

The present work aimed to develop and investigate microbial consortia for petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) detoxification and plant growth improvement in hydrocarbons-contaminated soil. Here, we isolated several bacteria from PHCs-contaminated soils to make bacterial consortia and two of the best consortia were tested in a pot experiment to evaluate t...

Introduction Exogenous melatonin (EMT) application has been used to reduce postharvest senescence and improve the quality and antioxidant enzyme activities of papaya fruits during cold storage. Methods The effects of exogenous melatonin application (1. 5 mM) were investigated on papaya fruits during cold storage (10°C ± 2°C) for 28 days in the pre...

Salt stress is major constraint affecting agricultural productivity, land degradation and has become a serious threat for global food security. The selection and evaluation of barley genotypes that can tolerate salt stress are the main components for rehabilitation of salt-degraded marginal soils in arid and semi-arid countries, including Arabian P...

In developing countries, using non-conventional water for irrigation is a traditional and cost-effective tool. However, its long-term use for agriculture and forestry will led to toxic metal bioaccumulation in plants and soil environment. Copper (Cu) is an essential plant nutrient but its excess accumulation can cause significant issues and risks t...

Melatonin, being an endogenous signaling molecule plays important role in plant growth and stress alleviation. The present study was conducted to evaluate the ameliorative role of melatonin against Cr toxicity in maize seedlings. The Cr toxicity (50, 100 and 200 µM) severely affected hydroponically grown seedlings growth in a dose-dependent manner;...

Around the world a large area is affected by the presence of excessive salts and it has negative impacts on plant growth and crop productivity. Salinity also deteriorates the soil physicochemical properties directly or indirectly by influencing soil microbial activities resulting in reduced agricultural productivity. Therefore, it is crucially impo...

Globally, a large area under cultivation is affected by soil salinity. It has negative impacts on plant growth and crop yields. Salinity, directly or indirectly degrades the physico-chemical properties of the soil, affecting the microbial activities in the soil and thus reduce the agricultural productivity. Mitigating the negative effects of soil s...

The use of petroleum products has an increasing trend in our current mechanized society, but their toxic impacts on environmental quality are also inevitable. Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) pose serious threats to the soil-plant-human system. Bioremediation of TPHs contaminated soil can be an eco-friendly and viable option on a large-scale. He...

The experiment was carried out on mango cv. Dusehri to investigate the effect of N, P and K fertilizers on vegetative, reproductive growth, yield and fruit quality. Eight different fertilizer combinations such as T1 (control), T2 (N), T3 (P), T4 (K), T5 (NP), T6 (NK), T7 (PK) and T8 (NPK) were used. Individual or combine fertilizer application of N...

Contamination by petroleum hydrocarbons (PHs) is a great threat to environment due to the higher persistence and bio-toxicity of PHs. Therefore, removal of PHs from contaminated environment and strategies to reduce their toxic effects on living organisms are crucial for environmental safety and human health. The toxic effects of PHs from the pollut...

Exponential upsurge in the global population growth rate claims sustainable means to fulfill their food requirements. Therefore, the collaboration of beneficial microorganisms with their host plants have been of interest for years as these associations can be helpful in the development of sustainable agriculture. However, the endophytic microorgani...

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is the common cash crop of the rainfed areas. Appropriate management practices are very important to get better yield of peanut in sandy loam soil. A field study was carried out during the growing seasons of 2018 and 2019 to evaluate the effect of poultry manure (PM) (37.1 t ha-1), farmyard manure (FYM) (49.4 t ha-1), g...

Mining activity is a growing environmental concern as it contributes to heavy metals (HMs) pollution in agricultural soils. Microbial communities play an important role in the biogeochemical cycling of HMs and have the potential to be used as bioindicators. Arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) are the most hazardous HMs and are mainly originated from mining...

The contamination of crude oil in soil matrices is a persistent problem with negative repercussions because of the recalcitrant, hazardous, and mutagenic properties of its constituents. To mitigate the effect of crude oil contamination in soil, the use of microorganisms is a cheap and feasible option. In the current study, bacterial species from nu...

Melatonin, being an endogenous signaling molecule plays important role in plant growth and stress alleviation. The present study was conducted to evaluate the ameliorative role of melatonin against Cr toxicity in maize seedlings. The Cr toxicity (50, 100 and 200 lM) severely affected hydroponically grown seedlings growth in a dose-dependent manner;...

Extraction and exploration of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHs) to satisfy the rising world population's fossil fuel demand is playing havoc with human beings and other life forms by contaminating the ecosystem, particularly the soil. In the current review, we highlighted the sources of PHs contamination, factors affecting the PHs accumulation in soil,...

Pakistan is ranked third among countries facing severe water shortage. Yet the country’s water resources are being depleted with such intensity that it has become a country with physical water deficiency, with water contamination another contributing factor. Most of the population is exposed to hazards of drinking unsafe and polluted surface and gr...

The main purpose of this study was to examine the impact of different phosphorus (P) fertilizers and organic manures alone and in combination with Bacillus sp. MN-54 on growth, yield, nutrient uptake, chlorophyll (SPAD value) and crude proteins content of chickpea. The simple manure (SM), processed manure (PM), single super phosphate (SSP), and roc...

Guava (Psidium guajava) is a highly perishable fruit with a short shelf life as physico-chemical changes occur continuously and rapidly after harvest leading to heavy postharvest losses. This experiment was laid down to unravel the effects of ascorbic acid (AA) on ripened guava fruits to improve its shelf life and quality. Four different concentrat...

Lead (Pb) is considered an important environmental contaminant due to its considerable toxicity to living organisms. It can enter and accumulate in plant tissues and become part of the food chain. In the present study, individual and combined effects of Bacillus sp. MN-54 and phosphorus (P) on maize growth and physiology were evaluated in Pb-contam...

Petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) contamination of soil is a widespread global environmental concern due to the persistence and recalcitrant nature of PHCs. The PHCs are highly toxic and their removal from the terrestrial ecosystem is necessary to maintain soil as well as human health. Here, a pot experiment was performed to examine the impact of Enterob...

Nitric oxide (NO) is a free radical molecule which plays a mediating role in resistance to salinity, drought, heavy metal stresses and temperature extremes in different crops. It regulates plant growth and development, such as seed germination and root formation, and promotes different biochemical and physical processes. By modulating antioxidant d...

In the present study, an anaerobic microbial consortium for the degradation of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) was selectively enriched with the co-addition of RDX and starch under nitrogen-deficient conditions. Microbial growth and anaerobic RDX biodegradation were effectively enhanced by the co-addition of RDX and starch, which resu...

Arsenic (As) is a potential contaminant in sewage sludge that may affect waste treatment and limit the use of these waste materials as soil amendments. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is an important and effective process for the treatment of sewage sludge and the chemical speciation of As is particularly important in sludge AD. However, the biotransforma...

Arsenic (As) has been recognized as one of the most toxic metalloids present in the surface soil contaminating food chain and posing threat to human life. Sulfur (S) fertilizer is often supplied in paddy soil for rice growth, but its impact on As mobility and related bacteria remains poorly understood. In this study, a pot experiment was set up wit...

Background Extensive milling processes have deprived wheat flour from essential nutrients. The objective of the current study was to assess the nutritive quality of commercial wheat flour (soft flour (SF)) through analyses of proximate composition and functional properties as well as quantification of benzoyl peroxide (BPO; added as bleaching agent...

Agricultural pollution is a global environmental concern. Agricultural pollution is mainly caused by the application of farming inputs (e.g., fertilizers and pesticides) and practices (e.g., excessive tillage of the land and runoff). Agricultural pollutants may include essential plant nutrients (e.g., excessive amounts of nitrate and phosphate), to...

In the present study, an anaerobic microbial consortium for the degradation of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) was selectively enriched with the co-addition of RDX and starch under nitrogen-deficient conditions. Microbial growth and anaerobic RDX biodegradation were effectively enhanced by the co-addition of RDX and starch, which resu...

In this work, a pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of organic amendments in alleviation of toxicity of untreated domestic wastewater to okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) and purslane (Portulaca oleracea). Three organic amendments including farm yard manure (FYM), poultry manure (PM) and bagasse ash (BGA) at the rate of 1% and 3% were a...

Mango malformation is destructive malady in mango producing countries and causing significant economic loss. The present/This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of different combinations of N, P and K on incidence of malformation physiology of mango (Mangifera Indica. L) Cv. Dusheri. Each treatment of N (1000 g), P (750 g) and K (750 g) wa...

Postharvest losses mostly occur due to senescence, microbial decay and pathogen attack, which greatly affect the quantity and quality of food. Number of techniques are used to minimize the postharvest lossesand diseases, by treating products with several physical, biochemical and biological means, directly controlling pathogen infestation and exten...

Pesticides contamination is a global environmental and public health concern due to their carcinogenic and highly toxic nature for all kind of living organisms including plants, animals and humans. Pakistan as an agriculture-based country, annually use a huge amount of organochlorine pesticides (OC) to control insect pests and different diseases of...

The present study was conducted to explore the role of different types of vermicomposts (VCs) prepared from different substrates to improve soil health (physical and chemical properties) and wheat plant growth under field conditions. Different combinations of vermicompost prepared from different substrates (cow dung, paper waste, and rice straw) an...

Asian dust (AD) events have received significant attention due to their adverse effects on ecosystems and human health. However, detailed information about airborne pathogens associated with AD events is limited. This study monitored airborne bacterial communities and identified AD-specific bacteria and the potential hazards associated with these b...

Higher accumulation of salts causes osmotic and oxidative stresses to plants. Salicylic acid (SA) is one of the naturally producing phenolic compounds and has important roles in regulation of physiological and biochemical mechanisms in plant under biotic and abiotic stresses. The present study was designed to evaluate the possible effects of foliar...

Acidity of soils poses numerous drastic impacts on physical and chemical properties of soils along with diminishing the soil nutrient status. A pot experiment was conducted to improve the soil physicochemical properties and wheat production in strongly acidic soils (Ultisols) of tropical and subtropical regions of China. Sludge biochar (C1), straw...

Improper decisions concerning animal carcass disposal sites pose grave threats to environmental biosecurity. However, only a few studies have focused on the effects of different land-use types on the composition of carcass-derived pollutants and microbial responses to the disturbances. This study was conducted using soil microcosms with minced pork...

Environmental contamination with arsenic (As) is a global environmental, agricultural and health issue due to the highly toxic and carcinogenic nature of As. Exposure of plants to As, even at very low concentration, can cause many morphological, physiological, and biochemical changes. The recent research on As in the soil-plant system indicates tha...

Nanotechnology is enabling the reassembling and self-assembling of the nanoparticles. Applications of nano-techniques have become an important part of food processing and manufacturing industries. In food processing, nano-technology revolutionizes the conventional concepts and stimulates the innovative ideas such as encapsulation of the functional...

In this study, the raw wastewater (RW), and effluents from the acidogenic phase (AP) and methanogenic phase (MP) in a swine wastewater treatment plant were collected to investigate the occurrence and transformation of arsenic (As), as well as the abundance of As metabolism genes during the anaerobic digestion (AD) process. The results showed that t...

Soil pollution due to crude oil is becoming a widespread environmental problem of major concern. Oil spills due to pipeline rupture, tank failures, various production and storage problems and transportation accidents are the major causes. Crude oil is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons, mainly composed of aliphatic, aromatic and asphaltene fractions...

Water is an essential element for the living organism. Many global influences due to over population, industrialization and urbanization are deteriorating the water quality. Physical, Chemical, biological and radiological properties are being referred as water quality. Improvement in water quality is important for safe drinking purpose, domestic an...

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of two non ionic surfactants (Tween 80 and Triton X-100), a biosurfactant (Lecithin), and randomly methylated-β-cyclodextrins (RAMEB) on the remediation of pyrene from soil planted with tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). Soils with pyrene concentration of about 243 mg kg−1 was grown with tall f...

Improved Explosive Detoxification with Starch Addition by Novel Nitrogen-Fixing Microbial Consortia

In this work, we developed and characterized a novel nitrogen-fixing aerobic microbial consortium for the complete detoxification of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX). Aerobic RDX biodegradation coupled with microbial growth and nitrogen fixation activity were effectively stimulated by the co-addition of starch and RDX under nitrogen li...