Microbiology seminar: Dr Marion Schoof
Canker disease caused by Pseudomonas syringae species results in significant losses of stone fruit production and associated revenue. Phages, the viruses that infect bacteria, represent promising biocontrol agents against such pathogens, particularly as resistance to antibiotics and copper-based treatment continue to grow. From a collection of 250 of Pseudomonas strains and 30 phages isolated from cherry orchards in Aotearoa New Zealand, we characterised bacterium–phage interactions to inform rational cocktail design. Using genome comparison, host-range, receptor usage, phage stability, and resistance emergence, we predicted two cocktail versions to deliver the most stable, effective and host-range-diverse cocktails efficiently targeting the strains from our native collection.