A Novel Approach Using H-Mutant Bacteriophages For the Biological Control of Bacterial Blight of Geranium
A Novel Approach Using H-Mutant Bacteriophages For the Biological Control of Bacterial Blight of Geranium
Dr. Brent Harbaugh, Professor of Floriculture University of Florida E-MAIL: brenth@nersp.nerdc.uf.edu
FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES: BACTERIA-BUSTING VIRUSES ARE GLEANED FROM SOIL AND SLUDGE SAMPLES
Humans, and especially plant lovers, rarely meet a virus they especially like. But an Endowment-funded research team led by Dr. Brent Harbaugh since 1996 is devoted to bringing out the best in some select bacteriophages, viruses that kill bacteria. Indeed, Harbaugh’s work is rendering some viruses downright respectable. After scouring loads of sludge and soil samples, he and his team isolated dozens of bacteria-busting, plant-friendly phages. Then, through a complex selection process, the team singled out especially potent viral strains — scrappy germs with a special talent for infecting and killing the bacteria behind bacterial blight and soft rot on greenhouse crops. Decades ago, phages had been abandoned by researchers who treated crops with one virus at a time and achieved poor control results. But the Harbaugh team is beefing up viral brews, combining up to 8 different phages in one mixture tailored to target a single disease. In an early trial, a phage mixture applied to geraniums to prevent bacterial blight gave good results.
Heading into their third year of phage study, Harbaugh and his team are encouraged, but success has multiplied their tasks. Among their current goals are: 1) fine tuning phage mixtures and mixture-application methods, 2) collecting and evaluating new phage strains, 3) continuing tests on selected strains, and 4) determining the best methods for large-scale phage production. Though the team has focused thus far on geranium and poinsettia crops, they’re confident their studies’ results will contribute to the development of effective phage-based, bacterial-disease controls for a wide range of ornamental crops.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT RESEARCH-PROJECT LEADER:
Dr. Brent Harbaugh, Professor of Floriculture, University of Florida E-MAIL: brenth@nersp.nerdc.uf.edu
