A quorum-sensing system using AHLs as the signal in many bacterial pathogens is a critical virulence regulator and an attractive target for anti-infective drugs. In this work, we identified a novel AHL lactonase, AidB, from a soil bacterial strain, Bosea sp. F3-2. The expression of aidB reduced the production of AHL signals and QS-dependent virulence factors in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pectobacterium carotovorum . The homologs of AidB with AHL-degrading activities were found only in several genera belonging to the Alphaproteobacteria . Remarkably, AidB is a thermostable enzyme that retained its catalytic activity after treatment at 80°C for 30 min and exhibits reliable storage stability at both 4°C and room temperature. These properties might make it more suitable for practical application.

This study explores the spatio-temporal distribution and trends on monthly, seasonal, and annual scales of rainfall in the central Punjab districts of Punjab province in Pakistan by using observation and satellite data products. The daily observed data was acquired from the Pakistan Metrological Department (PMD) between 1983 and 2020, along with one reanalysis, namely the Climate Hazard Infrared Group Precipitation Station (CHIRPS) and one satellite-based daily Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information Using Artificial Neural Networks climate data record (PERSIANN-CDR) using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) web-based API platform to investigate the spatio-temporal fluctuations and inter-annual variability of rainfall in the study domain. Several statistical indices were employed to check the data similarity between observed and remotely sensed data products and applied to each district. Moreover, non-parametric techniques, i.e., Mann–Kendall (MK) and Sen’s slope estimator were applied to measure the long-term spatio-temporal trends. Remotely sensed data products reveal 422.50 mm (CHIRPS) and 571.08 mm (PERSIANN-CDR) mean annual rainfall in central Punjab. Maximum mean rainfall was witnessed during the monsoon season (70.5%), followed by pre-monsoon (15.2%) and winter (10.2%). Monthly exploration divulges that maximum mean rainfall was noticed in July (26.5%), and the minimum was in November (0.84%). The district-wise rainfall estimation shows maximum rainfall in Sialkot (931.4 mm) and minimum in Pakpattan (289.2 mm). Phase-wise analysis of annual, seasonal, and monthly trends demonstrated a sharp decreasing trend in Phase-1, averaging 3.4 mm/decade and an increasing tendency in Phase-2, averaging 9.1 mm/decade. Maximum seasonal rainfall decreased in phase-1 and increased Phase-2 during monsoon season, averaging 2.1 and 4.7 mm/decade, whereas monthly investigation showed similar phase-wise tendencies in July (1.1 mm/decade) and August (2.3 mm/decade). In addition, as district-wise analyses of annual, seasonal, and monthly trends in the last four decades reveal, the maximum declined trend was in Sialkot (18.5 mm/decade), whereas other districts witnessed an overall increasing trend throughout the years. Out of them, Gujrat district experienced the maximum increasing trend in annual terns (50.81 mm/decade), and Faisalabad (25.45 mm/decade) witnessed this during the monsoon season. The uneven variability and trends have had a crucial imprint on the local environment, mainly in the primary activities.

The family Aphididae (Hemiptera) represents one of the most diverse groups of sap-sucking insect pests referred to as aphids or plant-lice, with 366 species reported in Pakistan, associated with wide array of agricultural and horticultural crops, including fruit and forest trees, weeds, grasses, shrubs, and vines. This work aims to provide an updated checklist of aphids and their associated host plants documented across various regions of Pakistan. The checklist consolidates information from various published literature sources, including annotated checklists, regional distribution data, and host plant records from Pakistan. In this study, we present an annotated checklist of 366 aphid species, belonging to 134 genera and 11 subfamilies, associated with a total of 359 host plant species stretched over 84 families in Pakistan.

Type III secretion systems (T3SS) are syringe-like apparatuses acting as protein transport nanomachines found in most Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. They can inject effector proteins into the host cell cytoplasm, crossing the host cell membrane, and cause infection. Due to their critical role in pathogenicity, T3SS represent attractive targets for vaccinations and disease treatments. This review elucidates the overarching structural framework and operational mechanisms of T3SS apparatuses while also delineating the responsiveness of phytobacterial T3SS to host-derived signals and the nuanced orchestration of their activities by host and environmental stimuli. This discussion encompasses shared features and idiosyncratic attributes among a spectrum of pathogens, including but not limited to Pseudomonas syringae, Ralstonia, Xanthomonas, and Erwinia. Additionally, we scrutinize the contribution of natural products and synthetic chemicals as T3SS inhibitors, elucidating their hallmark and role in the ongoing quest for and design of novel drugs. An in-depth comprehension of T3SS functionality and the modes of action of diverse inhibitors holds promise for developing innovative drugs aimed at swiftly suppressing phyto-pathogenicity elicited by a spectrum of bacterial species.

Brassica napus (Rapeseed) affected by white rust is a major threat in Pakistan causing 60-90% yield losses. Two susceptible varieties of Brassica napus DGL and Oscar were sown in research area of department of Plant Pathology during 2016-17. Eight commercial fungicides were applied to check their efficacy to manage the white rust disease. Two concentrations (0.25% and 0.50%) of each fungicide were applied on weekly interval with hand sprayer separately on each variety. It was concluded that among all fungicides, Swing 72% (Metalaxyl 8% +Mancozeb 64%) was found most effective in reducing the disease incidence. It reduced the disease incidence effectively upto 24.09% followed by Antracol (Propineb 70%) 34.7%.