A multireceptor six-phage cocktail consistently controls bacterial leaf spot of lettuce caused by Xanthomonas hortorum pv. vitians and improves harvest quality.

Abstract

Phage cocktails are promising biocontrol agents against bacterial plant diseases by broadening host range and limiting the emergence of resistant mutants. To date, nine lytic phages with properties suitable for biocontrol have been isolated against Xanthomonas hortorum pv. vitians, the causal agent of bacterial leaf spot of lettuce. Here, a six-phage cocktail was rationally designed based on complementary host ranges, covering 91% of tested vitians strains while maintaining strict phage specificity toward the pathovar. To design a robust biocontrol, three distinct phage infection strategies, identified by transposon insertion sequencing, were combined in a cocktail. The susceptibility determinants were involved in LPS biosynthesis, a modified O-antigen structure, and an outer membrane protein putatively linked to the type I secretion system. As these structures contribute to plant colonization and virulence, phage resistance is expected to impose substantial fitness costs. In growth-chamber experiments, the phage cocktail provided dose-dependent protection, with significant symptom reduction observed across all tested concentrations, from 17% at 106 PFU.mL-1, to 34.7% at 107 PFU.mL-1 (two applications), and up to 66% at 108 PFU.mL-1. In two independent field trials conducted across contrasting growing seasons, weekly applications consistently reduced disease severity by 30%, decreased the proportion of non-marketable lettuce heads by more than 84%, and reduced post-harvest trimming losses from 20.7% to 18.1% in summer and from 17.8% to 14.0% in autumn. These findings provide the first demonstration of a reproducible and effective phage-based biocontrol strategy against Xanthomonas hortorum pv. vitians under field conditions.