Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42594117›Full record

ArticlePloS one2026

Endophytic Aspergillus fumigatus modulates growth, oxidative stress, and cadmium accumulation in okra under salinity and heavy-metal stress.

Sobia Khan, Salman Khan, Afshan Afshan, Muhammad Arif, Humaira Gul, Muhammad Hamayun, Mamoona Rauf, Douglas Law, Bandar M Almunqedhi, Mohamed A El-Tayeb and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Sobia KhanDepartment of Biotechnology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Salman KhanDepartment of Biotechnology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Afshan AfshanDepartment of Biotechnology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Muhammad ArifDepartment of Biotechnology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2429-1899
Humaira GulDepartment of Botany, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Muhammad HamayunDepartment of Botany, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Mamoona RaufDepartment of Botany, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Douglas LawFaculty of Health and Life Sciences, INTI International University, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
Bandar M AlmunqedhiBotany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4276-0588
Mohamed A El-TayebBotany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8635-2696
Ahmed Othman AlsabihDepartment of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Waheed AhmadMinnesota Dental Research Center for Biomaterials and Biomechanics, School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America.
Patricio R De Los Ríos-EscalanteNúcleo de Estudios Ambientales, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Chile.
Ayaz AhmadDepartment of Biotechnology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3555-4735

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Abiotic stress factors, such as salinity and heavy metals (HM), significantly reduce okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) yield, an important vegetable crop cultivated globally. The symbiotic relationship between endophytic fungi and plants enhances plant growth and helps plants overcome such stresses. This study was designed to isolate and examine endophytic fungi from Ziziphus lotus roots for their growth-promoting potential under salt (250 mM NaCl) and cadmium (100 ppm Cd) stress. The growth of okra was significantly enhanced by inoculation with Aspergillus fumigatus (SOA), resulting in a 28.9% increase in plant height (33.24 cm vs. 25.79 cm in the control) and improved biomass, chlorophyll content, and phytohormone regulation. Chlorophyll A content rose by 108.4% in SOA-treated plants (4.894 mg/g FW) relative to control (2.348 mg/g FW), while shoot dry weight increased more than threefold (4.365 g vs. 1.42 g in control). Abscisic acid (ABA) content decreased in SOA-treated plants, indicating a reduced stress response, whereas enhanced gibberellic acid (GA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) content promoted growth. Biochemical analysis revealed higher accumulation of lipids, sugars, phenols, and flavonoids, resulting in improved stress adaptation. Oxidative damage was reduced through high antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT and POD). SOA modulated cadmium uptake, thereby reducing heavy metal toxicity. These findings showed that endophytic fungi have the potential to enhance plants' resilience and provide a promising controlled-environment approach to enhance crop productivity in metal- and salt-contaminated soils.

Indexed as

AbelmoschusAspergillus fumigatusCadmiumEndophytesMetals, HeavyOxidative StressChlorophyllIndoleacetic AcidsPlant Growth RegulatorsPlant RootsSalinityStress, PhysiologicalCadmiumChlorophyllindoleacetic acidIndoleacetic AcidsMetals, HeavyPlant Growth Regulators

Identifiers

PMID42594117
PMCPMC13472373

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.