Pioneering research from the Environmental and Biomedical Virology research group at I2SysBio, a joint center of the Higher Scientific Research Council (CSIC) and the University of Valencia (UV), focuses on using bacterial viruses to combat Xylella fastidiosa in the Balearic Islands. This pest threatens many crops, including olive and almond trees.
Developed by Evolving Therapeutics SL, a spinoff of UV, this marks Spain’s first pilot phage therapy trial in agriculture. The approach has already seen use in human medicine, including treatments for cystic fibrosis. The announcement was shared by CSIC.
“We are pursuing personalized solutions based on phages. They will target and eliminate the specific bacteria while preserving the overall microbiota of the treated organism.” The researchers explained that this applies to plants, animals, and even patients. Pilar Domingo-Calap, leader of the Environmental and Biomedical Virology research group at I2SysBio and scientific director of Evolving Therapeutics, provided the statement.
This company operates as part of AgrotecUV, an initiative within the UV Science Park that brings together high-tech firms working in public-private partnerships within agriculture. The Balearic Government Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment supported the research with 22,000 euros.
One of the deadliest bacteria
This pest primarily affects almond trees, olive trees, and vineyards. It is considered one of the most concerning quarantine pathogens in the European Union, requiring farmers to remove infected plants to prevent spread.
The work is described as an opportunity to pioneer in this field. Preliminary results provide strong support for the project. The team expects to assess effectiveness over time, with new leaves on vines offering the first clear indicator next year, according to Francesc Adrover, a plant health technician at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
“Sustainable and biologically safe treatments”
Marta López, head of the plant health department, noted that the study advances the move toward sustainable and biologically safe treatments. She emphasized that while long-term results are still being gathered, the project represents a meaningful step forward in fighting bacterial infections with innovative, environmentally friendly methods.
Resistant bacteria in Spain cause three times more fatalities than traffic incidents and demand fresh strategies for control. Phage therapy shows increasing promise and may also be used as a biological control in animal and plant health contexts.
The project began as a basic science effort to isolate phages capable of killing Xylella, with researchers aiming to explore potential applications in agricultural facilities. The newly identified phages emerged from collaborations between the Pilar Domingo-Calap group at I2SysBio and team led by Ester Marco-Noales at IVIA.
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Contact address of the environmental department: [redacted for publication purposes]