PROSPECTS OF BACTERIOPHAGES IN MANAGEMENT OF PLANT PATHOGENIC BACTERIA

B a c k g r o u n d . In recent years bacteriophages draw attention as environmentally friendly means for controlling the bacterial infection. Their use is an effective measure for number of bacterial crops diseases. Bacteriophages have a number of advantages over other methods of control: they are highly specific to host bacteria, non-toxic to macroorganisms, not pathogenic for normal biota of plants and soil. In particular, phage cocktails with specificity and effectiveness against only certain groups of bacteria are used for preventing the spread of infectious diseases in plants. Therefore, the main objective of the study was to isolate and identify bacteriophages specific to phytopathogenic bacteria. M e t h o d s . Samples of beet, potatoe, apple, garlic and mandarin with rotting symptoms were selected from vegetable storehouses. Phages were isolated by direct isolation. Phage titers were determined as plaque forming units (pfu/ml) using the standard double layer agar assay technique. The morphological features of viral particles were examined by electron microscopy. R e s u l t s . As a result of this work we isolated phages (7591/3, 8573/3, Ser/2) specific to Pseudomonas syringae lachrymans 7591, P. fluorescens 8573 and Serratia marcescens. The phage isolates differed in terms of the morphology of their negative colonies. To identify host range of isolated phages spectrum of lytic activity was studied against 16 laboratory strains of phytopathogenic bacteria. Our research revealed that among 9 phage samples three phage isolates are polyvalent. C o n c l u s і o n s . The obtained data indicate that isolates with a broad spectrum of lytic activity can be promising biological agents in control of bacteriosis. Consequently, isolated polyvalent bacteriophages can be considered for therapeutic use against bacterial infection in plants during storage.