Articles
A novel bacteriophage-based solution against Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis: natural approach for organic walnut production
Article number
1420_42
Pages
327 – 336
Language
English
Abstract
Plants are constantly exposed to numerous abiotic pressure and biotic jeopardy.
One major biothreat is bacterial pathogens causing various diseases, critically diminishing crop yields, and threatening worldwide food security.
The necessity of developing sustainable biocontrol agents is markedly rising, such as the application of bacteriophages.
Indeed, the reemerging phage therapy approach to control plant-pathogenic bacteria is highly promising: cost-effective, eco-friendly, extremely specific, and safe for the host plant.
Phages were successfully tested as therapeutic agents against various phytopathogenic bacterium species. Xanthomonas spp., being the most economically influencing group.
Accordingly, we recovered 12 bacteriophages infecting Xanthomonas arboricola pv. Juglandis (Xaj), the causal agent of walnut blight disease, from Romanian and Hungarian samples.
Before application in fields, following a unique pipeline, bacteriophages were characterized morphologically and genetically.
Their efficacy was also analysed, and basic life cycle parameters (burst time and burst size) were determined in vitro in the laboratory trials.
Based on the characterization, we formulated a cocktail containing six bacteriophages and performed field trials for two consecutive years in Pitesti, Romania.
The applications were implemented through foliar spraying the suspension on different Juglans regia cultivars.
The phage cocktail treatment protected walnut trees against Xaj effectively, albeit efficiency discrepancies were observed in accordance with the cultivar treated.
Biosafety and ecotoxicity tests were performed to evaluate the bacteriophages’ intervention effect on the ecosystem.
The findings highlighted their safety and neutral effect on the environment.
The presented results aim to assess the potential of bacteriophages as biocontrol agents and further emphasize their biopesticide activity against Xanthomonas spp.
One major biothreat is bacterial pathogens causing various diseases, critically diminishing crop yields, and threatening worldwide food security.
The necessity of developing sustainable biocontrol agents is markedly rising, such as the application of bacteriophages.
Indeed, the reemerging phage therapy approach to control plant-pathogenic bacteria is highly promising: cost-effective, eco-friendly, extremely specific, and safe for the host plant.
Phages were successfully tested as therapeutic agents against various phytopathogenic bacterium species. Xanthomonas spp., being the most economically influencing group.
Accordingly, we recovered 12 bacteriophages infecting Xanthomonas arboricola pv. Juglandis (Xaj), the causal agent of walnut blight disease, from Romanian and Hungarian samples.
Before application in fields, following a unique pipeline, bacteriophages were characterized morphologically and genetically.
Their efficacy was also analysed, and basic life cycle parameters (burst time and burst size) were determined in vitro in the laboratory trials.
Based on the characterization, we formulated a cocktail containing six bacteriophages and performed field trials for two consecutive years in Pitesti, Romania.
The applications were implemented through foliar spraying the suspension on different Juglans regia cultivars.
The phage cocktail treatment protected walnut trees against Xaj effectively, albeit efficiency discrepancies were observed in accordance with the cultivar treated.
Biosafety and ecotoxicity tests were performed to evaluate the bacteriophages’ intervention effect on the ecosystem.
The findings highlighted their safety and neutral effect on the environment.
The presented results aim to assess the potential of bacteriophages as biocontrol agents and further emphasize their biopesticide activity against Xanthomonas spp.
Publication
Authors
T. Kovács, N. Bounedjoum, D. Bali, G. Rákhely
Keywords
Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis, walnut blight, bacteriophages, organic production, biopesticide
Groups involved
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