Ralstonia Phage

Phages (also known as bacteriophages) are viruses which can infect and kill bacteria. This means they could potentially be used instead of pesticides to treat bacterial infections. This project is exploring whether phage biocontrol might be feasible for controlling Ralstonia solanacearum, which causes bacterial wilt in tomatoes.

The project research will focus on these aspects;

  1. Researching phage specificity to see if it is possible to selectively target the pathogen
  2. Studying the evolution of bacterial restistance to the phage and whether this might make the pathogen less virulent
  3. Exploring how the tomato plants respond to these changes in their microbiome
  4. Developing phage biocontrol agents for manufacture and conducting large scale trials for safety and efficacy

Photographs from the Ralstonia Phage Project Research

  • A healthy and diseased tomato plant
  • A petri dish, plant roots and plant
  • A petri dish and electron microscope image


Meet the Ralstonia Phage Team