Combining nanomaterials and phages for enhanced bacterial wilt control

Abstract

Ralstonia solanacearum is plant-pathogenic bacterium caused bacterial wilt disease in a wide range of plant hosts. We proposed bacteriophage therapy as one of the most promising approaches to control this bacterium in our previous experiments. However, the application of the bacteriophage trophy for plant disease control is currently hindered by pathogen resistance development to bacteriophages and the limitation of movement within plant tissues. The goal of our study is to produce an enhanced virulence synthetic bacteriophage consortium against Ralstonia solanacearum, by combining phage trophy and nano-technology. Our results showed that the combination of bacteriophage and silicon nano-particle decreased the ability of bacteria evolving resistant to bacteriophage during the course of evolution, in vitro. We have tested this combination in roses plants under greenhouse condition and showed higher resistance and less disease severity in host plants. We concluded that the combination of nanomaterials and phages can be an effective biocontrol agent to protect the crop plants against phytopathogenic bacteria in agriculture and horticulture.