Nutritional enhancement in black seed ( L.) using bacteria-based biofertilizers.

L. is an aromatic spice, utilized as an original and peculiar flavoring ingredient in a variety of culinary applications and pharmaceuticals. Black seed ( L.) belongs to the family Ranunculaceae. It is an undercultivated crop in Pakistan. The present study was planned keeping in mind sustainable development goals SDG 3 (good health and well-being) and SDG 15 (life on land). The effects of several rhizospheric bacterial strains and synthetic fertilizers on the development of and nutrition were studied using a completely randomized experimental design. For this purpose, plant growth-promoting effects of different strains (, and and synthetic fertilizers (nitrogen and phosphorus) were assembled to check their effects individually and in combination form and inoculation significantly enhanced the morphological characteristics of , whether applied individually or in combination, with positive effects on seedlings, plant height, number of branches, number of leaves, number of flowers, stamens numbers, follicles number, number of tentacles and seed production. plants that were simultaneously inoculated with and showed the highest potential for antioxidant activity, particularly in petroleum ether extracts. In the methanolic extract, a higher amount of radical scavenging was observed as compared to positive and negative control. There was also increase in fat, moisture and carbohydrate contents of the combination inoculated plant. So, from the present study, in Pakistan, the technique is recommended to enhance the yield and nutritional value of .