Isolation and Characterisation of Phages to Control Black Rot Disease in Brassicas

Isolation and Characterisation of Phages to Control Black Rot Disease in Brassicas

Life Sciences

Imogen Nix, Sneha Chakravorty

2024

Mojgan Rabiey

The UK produces over 300,000 tones of vegetable Brassica each year, worth £329 million (British Growers Association, 2023) Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc), is the causative agent of black rot disease in vegetable Brassica (Fig 1) (Ahdb.org.uk, 2023). The disease can significantly reduce vegetable Brassica production, causing up to 50% damage. Current treatments to control black rot are limited-antibiotics and chemicals risk promoting resistance and harm the environment (Mortensen , 2022). Phages, viruses that specifically target bacteria, offer a potential alternative. Our research tested phages against various Xcc strains, examining their impact at reducing the Xcc population.

Phage, xanthomonas, phage therapy, black rot, brassica