Biogenic nanoparticles are considered effective alternatives to chemical pesticides for the management of pathogenic plant diseases. This study was focused on the synthesis of stable silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to control challenging plant pathogenic bacteria in vitro and in planta. We synthesized AgNPs by reacting different proportions of silver nitrate and aqueous extract of Hedera nepalensis. The physicochemical properties of the synthesized AgNPs were determined by using various physical techniques. The TEM analysis revealed the AgNPs less than 50 nm in size and spherical shaped. For antibacterial assays, different concentrations (1000–15.62 µg/mL, 2-fold dilutions) of the extract-free AgNPs (Ef-AgNPs) or extract-mixed AgNPs (Em-AgNPs), and fruit extracts (FE) were used against plant pathogenic bacteria Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora, Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica, and Ralstonia solanacearum. In the in vitro assays, we found significant inhibition of both bacterial species in response to maximum concentrations of AgNPs. Overall, Ef-AgNPs exhibited a higher percent inhibition of bacterial pathogens. In potato tubers assay, complete inhibition of Erwinia carotovora was observed, except for the lowest AgNPs concentration of 15.62 µg/mL. Similarly, exposure of tomato plants to Ralstonia solanacearum suspensions (OD600 = 0.2) in the soil-drenching experiment and post-exposure treatment with 1000 µg/mL and 125 µg/mL of AgNPs resulted in disease inhibition. This study provides the basis that biogenic nanoparticles prepared from Hedera nepalensis are one of the best substitutes to synthetic pesticide, having displayed better results to control the growth of phytopathogenic microbes. However, field studies need to be conducted in a controlled environment to scale up the current work and find out the efficacy of nanoparticles on a larger scale.

Mean fiber diameter (MFD) is the main characteristic of processed wool that determines its use in the textile industry. Selected Pakistani sheep breeds/crosses were investigated for analysis of MFD. Overall, the Kari breed was found to have the lowest MFD (24 ± 0.31 µm) whereas, the Balkhi-cross had the highest MFD (28 ± 0.43 µm). MFD was found to be affected by breed/cross, gender, and shearing season (P < .05). The average MFDs in wool from Kari, Balkhi and Ramghani-cross fleeces were different from the Balkhi-cross, while no significant difference was found between the MFD of wool from Kutta and Balkhi-cross sheep. In the samples tested, the average MFDs of Kari, Ramghani-cross, and Balkhi wool were found to be lower than Balkhi-cross by 1.9, 1.8, and 2.1 µm, respectively. The average MFD of male sheep was found to be 1.0 µm lower than female sheep. The wool sheared in summer was on average 4.3 µm coarser than that sheared in spring. However, no significant difference was found in the MFD of wool samples sheared in winter and spring. Various features affecting wool quality were explored which can be considered for a sheep-breeding program to obtain optimal wool for the textile industry.

The Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research (OJVR), is the official publication of the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute. It publishes scientific papers reporting original research on diseases and disease vectors of livestock and wildlife with a focus on Africa, but with results of more than local interest.

The emergence of multidrug‐resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa in healthcare settings poses a critical global health challenge, intensified by limited therapeutic options and the environmental spread of pathogens through hospital waste. This study addresses the urgent need for alternative strategies by investigating the phylogenetic profile and antimicrobial resistance of P. aeruginosa isolated from hospital dry waste in Saidu Sharif, Pakistan, while evaluating the antibacterial and antioxidant potential of nine ethnomedicinal herbs. The isolate, identified via 16S rRNA sequencing, exhibited 99% homology to the MDR strain P. aeruginosa 610D6 reported from China, underscoring potential transboundary resistance dissemination. Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed resistance to 14 of 21 tested agents, with retained efficacy only for imipenem, cefoperazone/sulbactam (25‐mm inhibition zones), and fosfomycin (24 mm). Ethanol extracts of Punica granatum , Myrtus communis , and Olea ferruginea demonstrated remarkable antipseudomonad activity (26‐mm, 26‐mm, and 25‐mm zone of inhibitions, respectively) and potent antioxidant properties (97.57%, 95.55%, and 96.85% DPPH scavenging). Notably, solvent polarity significantly influenced extraction yields and bioactivity, with ethanol. This work highlights the therapeutic promise of plant‐derived compounds against MDR pathogens while encouraging for One Health approaches to mitigate antibiotic resistance.

The Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research (OJVR), is the official publication of the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute. It publishes scientific papers reporting original research on diseases and disease vectors of livestock and wildlife with a focus on Africa, but with results of more than local interest.