title: Isolation of Ralstonia solanacearum-infecting bacteriophages from tomato fields in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and their experimental use as biocontrol agents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To isolate and characterize novel bacteriophages infecting the phytopathogen, Ralstonia solanacearum, and to evaluate them as resources with potential uses in the biocontrol of bacterial wilt.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen phages infecting R. solanacearum were isolated from soil samples collected in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The phages showed different host ranges when tested against 59 R. solanacearum strains isolated from Thailand and Japan. These phages were characterized as nine podoviruses and five myoviruses based on their morphology. Podovirus J2 in combination with another podovirus (φRSB2) lysed host cells very efficiently in contaminated soil. J2 treatment prevented wilting of tomato plants infected with a highly virulent R. solanacearum strain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with J2 effectively reduced the amount of the bacterial wilt pathogen in contaminated soil and prevented bacterial wilt of tomato in pot experiments. Myovirus J6 possessed jumbo phage features, giving a unique opportunity to study its utilization as a biocontrol agent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As exemplified by J2, the phages isolated in this study represent valuable resources with potential uses in biocontrol of bacterial wilt. A rare jumbo phage J6 served as a valuable subject to understand and utilize this new group of phages.
authors.affiliation: Plant Research Laboratory, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, NSTDA, Pathum Thani, Thailand; Center for Agricultural Biotechnology, Kasetsart University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand; Center of Excellence on Agricultural Biotechnology: (AG-BIO/PERDO-CHE), Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhunchoth
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Phironrit
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leksomboon
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Chatchawankanphanich
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kotera
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Narulita
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujie
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000302:isolation & purification; D061046:Biological Control Agents; D058507:Host Specificity; D007564:Japan; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D043368:Ralstonia solanacearum / Q000821:virology; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013785:Thailand
chemical_list: D061046:Biological Control Agents
keywords: Ralstonia solanacearum; bacterial wilt disease; bacteriophages; biocontrol; host range