Bacteriophages of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris: Current Knowledge and Potential for Biocontrol Applications

Bacteriophages (phages) are common and diverse viruses that specifically infect bacteria. Although their potential to suppress bacterial pathogens was recognized a century ago, their broader use remained limited for decades. Today, renewed interest in phages is rapidly expanding beyond medical use into agriculture, where they are being explored as environmentally friendly tools for managing bacterial plant diseases. Despite growing interest, our understanding of phage biology and genetics remains limited. This review focuses on phages that specifically infect Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc), a bacterial pathogen that seriously challenges the production of commercially valuable crops such as cabbage and broccoli. Phages could provide a much-needed addition to the current management practices that often fail to provide consistent results, especially when environmental conditions favor disease development. Here we summarize the currently available knowledge on Xcc phages, including their morphology, growth parameters, and stability under various environmental conditions, genomic features and basic genetic characteristics. Given recent changes in phage taxonomy, we also outline the newly adopted genome-based classification system, which has led to the reclassification of all officially recognized Xcc phages. A summary of practical applications provides encouraging results and paves the way for future research on phages of various plant pathogenic bacteria and their potential commercial use.