Abstract
The bacterium ‘Dickeya solani’, an aggressive biovar 3 variant of Dickeya dianthicola, causes rotting and blackleg in potato. To control this pathogen using bacteriophage therapy, we isolated and characterized two closely related and specific bacteriophages, vB_DsoM_LIMEstone1 and vB_DsoM_LIMEstone2. The LIMEstone phages have a T4-related genome organization and share DNA similarity with Salmonella phage ViI. Microbiological and molecular characterization of the phages deemed them suitable and promising for use in phage therapy. The phages reduced disease incidence and severity on potato tubers in laboratory assays. In addition, in a field trial of potato tubers, when infected with ‘Dickeya solani’, the experimental phage treatment resulted in a higher yield. These results form the basis for the development of a bacteriophage-based biocontrol of potato plants and tubers as an alternative for the use of antibiotics.
Highlights
The plant pathogenic Dickeya spp. are Gram-negative, non-sporulating, facultative anaerobic bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae, which characteristically produce pectinolytic enzymes during infection
Along with other pectinolytic bacteria such as Pectobacterium atrosepticum and Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, they are a major cause of potato tuber soft rot during storage and blackleg disease in the field [2,3,4]
Out of 26 trial plots sampled, 18 contained plants infected with Dickeya spp. or Pectobacterium spp
Summary
The plant pathogenic Dickeya spp. (formerly known as Erwinia chrysanthemi or Pectobacterium chrysanthemi, [1]) are Gram-negative, non-sporulating, facultative anaerobic bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae, which characteristically produce pectinolytic enzymes during infection. Samson and colleagues (2005) differentiated six species within the genus Dickeya, namely D. zeae, D. dadantii, D. chrysanthemi, D. dieffenbachiae, D. dianthicola and D. paradisiaca [1] Of these six, only D. paradisiaca has not been isolated from potato [3], and D. dianthicola has been the main species found in Europe. More virulent Dickeya type, belonging to biovar 3 of E. chrysanthemi, was described and is tentatively named ‘Dickeya solani’ [3,5]. This Dickeya type has become the predominant cause of blackleg of potato in certain European countries [3,5,6]. At this moment no chemical disease control measures are available for Dickeya and infected batches of potatoes are declassified or discarded, resulting in significant economic losses [3]
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