Phage Therapy for Crops: Concepts, Experimental and Bioinformatics Approaches to Direct Its Application

Abstract

Phage therapy consists of applying bacteriophages, whose natural function is to kill specific bacteria. Bacteriophages are safe, evolve together with their host, and are environmentally friendly. At present, the indiscriminate use of antibiotics and salt minerals (Zn2+ or Cu2+) has caused the emergence of resistant strains that infect crops, causing difficulties and loss of food production. Phage therapy is an alternative that has shown positive results and can improve the treatments available for agriculture. However, the success of phage therapy depends on finding effective bacteriophages. This review focused on describing the potential, up to now, of applying phage therapy as an alternative treatment against bacterial diseases, with sustainable improvement in food production. We described the current isolation techniques, characterization, detection, and selection of lytic phages, highlighting the importance of complementary studies using genome analysis of the phage and its host. Finally, among these studies, we concentrated on the most relevant bacteriophages used for biocontrol of Pseudomonas spp., Xanthomonas spp., Pectobacterium spp., Ralstonia spp., Burkholderia spp., Dickeya spp., Clavibacter michiganensis, and Agrobacterium tumefaciens as agents that cause damage to crops, and affect food production around the world.

Characterisation of New Foxunavirus Phage Murka with the Potential of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris Control

“…As can be seen in recent publications, the interest in the use of phage therapy in agriculture is increasing [ 67 ]. Reviewed research on phage-based biocontrol of plant pathogens is targeting the most common and destructive plant pathogens and includes some Xcc trials [ 22 ].…”

Exchange of Microbiomes in Plant-Insect Herbivore Interactions

“…The next step could be manipulations of the microbiome exchange. This could take place through the enrichment of species of bacteria or fungi that are beneficial for the plant in that they enhance plant growth, kill pathogens or pests ( 133 ), or eliminate plant-pathogenic strains through, for example, phage-based strategies ( 134 , 135 ). The microbial biocontrol of herbivores would provide an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical pesticides that are, to a great extent, responsible for the global insect decline ( 17 , 135 – 139 ).…”

Phage therapy in the battle towards antibiotic resistance

“…The use of inhaled phage therapy may alter how bacterial illnesses are prevented and treated in the respiratory tract, including those caused by resistant bacteria [12]. For instance, by using phages' natural function to kill bacteria, the improvement of agriculture was significant [13]. Among studies on present isolation techniques, selection of lytic phages, analysis of phages, some incredible achievements was done to enhance the production of crops by killing the bacteria [14].…”