Isolation and Evaluation of Bacteriophages Against Paracidovorax Citrulli for Sustainable Control of Bacterial Fruit Blotch

Paracidovorax citrulli (formerly known as Acidovorax citrulli), the causal agent of bacterial fruit blotch (BFB), is a major seed-borne pathogen of cucurbits and remains difficult to control using conventional management strategies. In this study, bacteriophages were isolated from watermelon-growing areas in Türkiye and evaluated for their potential as biological control agents against a local P. citrulli strain AC11. Six lytic bacteriophages were successfully isolated and characterized for their tolerance to different temperatures and pH conditions. The inhibitory effect of selected bacteriophages (DB_AC1, DB_AC6, and DB_AC7) on bacterial growth was evaluated individually and in combination using killing curve assays at different MOI values. DB_AC1 showed the strongest inhibitory effect, reducing bacterial growth by 44.3