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.

This study evaluated different approaches for detecting grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) in its nematode vector, Xiphinema index , using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Four sample preparation strategies were compared, each based on a distinct approach and tested under identical conditions. Two approaches involved RNA extraction prior to RT-PCR: column-based RNA extraction (using the RNeasy Plant Mini Kit) and magnetic bead-based RNA extraction (using the MagMAX RNA Isolation Kit). The other two methods were tested without RNA extraction prior to RT-PCR: direct RT-PCR and brief heat treatment. Samples containing one, two or five nematodes from three different vineyards were analysed to assess the effect of sample size on the efficiency of GFLV detection in X. index . Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the presence of GFLV-like particles in the anterior region of individual adult females of X. index , supporting the molecular detection results. Among the tested methods, column-based RNA extraction using the RNeasy Plant Mini Kit showed the highest detection probability and most consistent performance under the conditions evaluated, including samples containing one or two adult females of X. index . Detection success increased with higher nematode numbers, with a more pronounced effect observed for methods without prior RNA extraction. These results demonstrate that both sample preparation strategy and nematode number influence GFLV detection efficiency in vector populations and highlight the importance of optimised sample preparation and sampling strategies for reliable GFLV detection, with potential applications in vineyard monitoring, replanting and phytosanitary management.