So far, we don’t fully understand how bacteriophages interact with the plant microbiome when applied to plants. This project will investigate how bacteriophages affect the microbial communities on sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) and how these interactions affect the development of leaf spot disease. We will also look at how the microbiome may influence the effectiveness of bacteriophages in targeting bacterial pathogens, and whether those pathogens can develop resistance over time.

We will use a range of molecular biology and bioinformatics tools to investigate the sweet cherry phyllosphere microbiome, the community of microorganisms that live on the above-ground surface of a plant. This will help us build representative synthetic microbial communities to test the three-way interactions among the microbiome, pathogen, and phage. Our aim is to provide clear evidence that bacteriophages can serve as effective biocontrol agents without harming the plant microbiome, and by extension, the wider environment.