Rethinking Bacterial Disease Management: From Pathogen Biology to Phage Precision
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Phage particles viewed by transmission electron microscopy in the phloem of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’–infected periwinkles; Figure 2 from my publication: https://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-11-10-0256
As a bacteriologist, I spent several years studying plant diseases like citrus canker, citrus greening, and Pierce’s Disease in grapevines. My research focused on how pathogens infect, spread, and compete with their hosts. Like others in this field, I studied the virulence factors, host-pathogen interactions, and mechanisms of resistance, and explored biological control solutions for bacterial diseases.
When I started my postdoc at the University of Florida, I worked on genome sequencing of the citrus bacterial disease called citrus greening, caused by several species of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter’, a psyllid-transmitted, phloem-limited, alpha-proteobacterium. Citrus greening is arguably the most damaging disease of citrus worldwide, resulting in substantial fruit production losses and greatlyshortened lifespan of infected trees. Once infected, most trees die within a few years. There are no effective solutions so far.
Liberibacter species have not been continuously cultured, and therefore, obtaining ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ DNA isextremely difficult. In my study, multiple displacement amplification (MDA) was used to enrich bacterial genomic DNA from infected citrus and periwinkle. I then constructed a fosmid library and submitted it for shotgun sequencing. Surprisingly, phage DNA was highly overrepresented.
Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect bacteria. Most lytic phages work in a straightforward way: they attach to a target bacterium, inject their genetic material, multiply within the host, and then lyse the host cell to release new phages.
As shown in the picture above, we observed phage particles attached to a bacterial cell (denoted in B and D by a dashed bracket) and within a bacterial cell (denoted in D by an arrowhead). Based on the relatively short neck length, the observedphage particles belong to the family Podoviridae. We considered its potential as a biological control solution. However, because the bacteria remain unculturable in the laboratory, we were unable to pursue this approach further at the time.
However, that experience sparked my long-standing interest in bacteriophages as a means of controlling bacterial diseases. Unlike broad-spectrum bactericides, which rely heavily on copper and antibiotics, phages target specific bacterial pathogens, cause less harm to beneficial microbes, and offer a more sustainable option. From a microbiological perspective, it is a beautifully evolved system: biology regulating biology.
Phage applications in plant disease control date back to the 1920s, but commercial development has gained real momentum only in the past decade. Advances in genomics, sequencing, fermentation, formulation science, and regulatory frameworks are transforming phage-based solutions from experimental concepts into scalable, industrially viable crop protection tools. Today, companies across the U.S., Europe, and Asia are developing phage biopesticides for crops ranging from tomatoes and peppers to citrus and apples, targeting diseases such as bacterial wilt, canker, and fire blight.
As someone who has worked on multiple bacterial diseases across crops, I see phages not merely as another biocontrol tool but as a conceptual shift toward precision microbial management.
From Discovery to Deployment: BioEX2026
As I mentioned in my previous post, I will be speaking at BioEX2026, an international summit focusing on technological breakthroughs, policy coordination, market expansion, and practical implementation in the biological sector. I’m particularly excited to engage with industry leaders and innovators to exchange perspectives on advancing biological solutions and translating scientific breakthroughs into scalable agricultural impact.
One talk I’m really looking forward to is by Mark Engel, Chairman of Phagelux AgriHealth, titled: “The Role of Bacteriophages in Sustainable Crop Bacterial Disease Management.”
From a scientist’s perspective, I am curious about:
Phage library development, secletion and host range optimization
Resistance evolution and prevention strategy
Formulation technologies enabling environmental stability
From an industry perspective, I am equally interested in:
Scalable manufacturing and cost management
Regulatory navigation across different regions
Integration into existing practices and IPM systems
The bridge between laboratory biology and field deployment is where real transformation happens.
Looking Forward
Growing up on a farm, I learned early that innovation only matters when it helps the people working the land, a perspective that continues to shape how I approach science, leadership, and partnerships.
Phage-based disease control may not replace traditional tools right away. But it is more than just a new product. It shows a shift toward using evolutionary intelligence, or natural regulators of bacteria, to help restore balance in farming ecosystems.
As agriculture shifts toward more biological solutions, data-driven decision-making, and less reliance on chemicals, phages could become part of a new generation of precise crop protection tools.
For me, studying phages is not just following a technology trend. It is about looking at basic microbiology in new ways through industrial innovation and thinking about how we can use biology to work with nature rather than against it.
I look forward to learning more at BioEX2026 and to the conversations that will follow.
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