PsgPhageKill: isolation, characterisation and use of lytic bacteriophages against Pseudomonas syringae pv. garcae to fight the coffee bacterial canker: an efficient and ecofriendly alternative

• Grant number: 22/10775-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2023
• End date: July 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Principal Investigator: Vitor Manuel Cardoso Figueiredo Balcão
• Grantee: Vitor Manuel Cardoso Figueiredo Balcão
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria de Pós-Graduação, Pesquisa, Extensão e Inovação. Universidade de Sorocaba (UNISO). Sorocaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Aline Maria da Silva ; José Martins de Oliveira Junior ; Marta Maria Duarte Carvalho Vila

Abstract

Coffee canker, or bacterial blight of coffee, is a disease caused by the phytopathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas syringae pv. garcae (Psg), having been found for the first time in 1955, in the Garça region, in the State of São Paulo, and which has stood out in the Brazilian coffee plantations in recent years, leading to severe economic losses that seriously affect the coffee trade. This bacterial disease was more common in the colder coffee plantation regions, such as the states of Paraná and São Paulo, however, in recent years it has also been found in coffee plantation areas of Cerrado Mineiro (Triângulo and Alto Paranaíba), South of Minas and high altitude areas of Matas de Minas. It presents greater severity, mostly, in new crops, up to 4 years old, but old crops that have been pruned and seedling nurseries can be equally highly vulnerable. The treatments available for this disease are still scarce, with the most common ones involving frequent spraying of coffee plantations with copper derivatives, especially copper hydroxide and copper oxychloride, as well as the antibiotic kasugamycin. However, these copper formulations should be avoided due to their high toxicity and the development of resistance to this metal by bacteria. The development of resistance to antibiotics used to treat infections by phytopathogens has also been a reality. Therefore, it is essential to search for new approaches for controlling Psg, which would reduce the apparition of resistant bacteria and, at the same time, would allow a sustainable local agriculture production without the use of the traditional environmentally toxic products. This research project aims to develop and establish a highly accurate approach to combat and prevent the occurrence of coffee canker, a disease commonly known as coffee-leaf blight. To achieve that, one will use specific viruses of bacteria (bacteriophages) to eliminate the causative agent of this disease which is responsible for substantial economic losses worldwide and in particular in Brazil, the phytopathogen Psg. To the best of my knowledge, this will be the first attempt to develop and apply phage therapy in the management of this important agricultural disease, and the coffee production industry will benefit from this green technology, which will contribute to a sustainable growth in a highly globalized marketplace. (AU)

Scientific publications

(7)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

EZE, OSITA C.; BEREBON, DINEBARI P.; EMENCHETA, STEPHEN C.; EVURANI, SOMTOCHUKWU A.; OKORIE, CHIBUNDO N.; BALCAO, VICTOR M.; VILA, MARTA M. D. C.. Therapeutic Potential of Marine Probiotics: A Survey on the Anticancer and Antibacterial Effects of Pseudoalteromonas spp.. PHARMACEUTICALS, v. 16, n. 8, p. 35-pg., 2023-08-01. (18/05522-9, 22/10775-9)

SILVA, ERICA C.; RODRIGUES, LUCAS M. R.; DESTEFANO, SUZETE A. L.; GUERREIRO FILHO, OLIVEIRO; BRAGHINI, MASAKO T.; BALDO, DENICEZAR A; OLIVEIRA JR, JOSE M.; VILA, MARTA M. D. C.; BALCAO, VICTOR M.. Control of coffee canker associated with Pseudomonas coronafaciens pv. garcae using a cocktail integrating two virulent polyvalent bacteriophages encapsulated in nanoparticles: in planta studies. Journal of Applied Microbiology, v. 136, n. 1, p. 18-pg., 2025-01-07. (22/10775-9, 23/03797-9)

MOTA, LUAN C.; SILVA, ERICA C.; QUINDE, CARLOS A.; CIEZA, BASILIO; BASU, AAKASH; RODRIGUES, LUCAS M. R.; VILA, MARTA M. D. C.; BALCAO, VICTOR M.. Potential of a newly isolated lytic bacteriophage to control Pseudomonas coronafaciens pv. garcae in coffee plants: Molecular characterization with in vitro and ex vivo experiments. Enzyme and Microbial Technology, v. 184, p. 25-pg., 2024-12-18. (22/10775-9, 23/03797-9, 18/05522-9)

PEREIRA, ARTHUR O.; BARROS, NICOLE M. A.; GUERRERO, BRUNA R.; EMENCHETA, STEPHEN C.; BALDO, DENICEZAR A.; OLIVEIRA JR., JOSE M.; VILA, MARTA M. D. C.; BALCAO, VICTOR M.. An Edible Biopolymeric Microcapsular Wrapping Integrating Lytic Bacteriophage Particles for Salmonella enterica: Potential for Integration into Poultry Feed. ANTIBIOTICS-BASEL, v. 12, n. 6, p. 33-pg., 2023-06-01. (18/05522-9, 22/10775-9, 16/12234-4, 16/08884-3)

SILVA, ERICA C.; QUINDE, CARLOS A.; CIEZA, BASILIO; BASU, AAKASH; VILA, MARTA M. D. C.; BALCAO, VICTOR M.. Molecular Characterization and Genome Mechanical Features of Two Newly Isolated Polyvalent Bacteriophages Infecting Pseudomonas syringae pv. garcae. GENES, v. 15, n. 1, p. 35-pg., 2024-01-01. (22/10775-9, 18/05522-9)

SANTOS, LARISSA F.; BALDO, DENICEZAR A. .; OLIVEIRA JR, JOSE M.; VILA, MARTA M. D. C.; BALCAO, VICTOR M.. An environmental "fairytail": Removal of mercury from water via phage virion-based biosorption. Enzyme and Microbial Technology, v. 183, p. 18-pg., 2025-02-01. (22/10775-9, 23/03797-9, 23/12912-6)

SILVA, ERICA C.; RODRIGUES, LUCAS M. R.; VILA, MARTA M. D. C.; BALCA, VICTOR M.. Newly isolated phages preying on Pseudomonas syringae pv. garcae: In vitro and ex vivo inactivation studies in coffee plant leafs. Enzyme and Microbial Technology, v. 171, p. 16-pg., 2023-09-15. (16/08884-3, 22/10775-9, 18/05522-9)