Phage and aldehyde work in synergy to control Xanthomonas infection.

Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes black rot, one of the most important diseases of vegetable brassica crops worldwide. The use of bacteriophages for the control of vegetable diseases is a growing sector, with more advantages then agricultural chemicals. In this study we isolated and characterized a lytic bacteriophage from soil, capable to reduce Xcc infection. We validated the antimicrobial activity of the phage and its possible direct administration into the plant xylem. We next performed both in vivo and in vitro experiments to assess the activity of the bacteriophage in association whit several anti-biofilm molecules, like a long-chain fatty aldehyde from antartic Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis and its analogs, differing in the length of the aliphatic chain. We demostrated that the synergistic work of bacteriophage and anti-biofilm molecules is the most effective way to destroy the biofilm and control Xanthomonas infection.