Prophylactic use of natural phage cocktail for plants and potential for human applications

Phages targeting specific bacteria have been used for control of bacterial pathogens in plants and humans. We report results of prophylactic use of a natural cocktail of phages on plants. Water was collected from upper reaches of the Alaknanda river where more than 200 isolates of phages have been reported. The river water was collected in April 2020 before the onset of monsoons and stored with sediments. The water was sprayed twice weekly on spinach, cabbage and coriander plants. We did not isolate, identify or multiply the phages. We sprayed the water in its natural condition after diluting it to 10 percent with normal spring water that is used for irrigation in the area. Control plots were sprayed with normal spring water only. We find 47 percent higher yields in spinach, 6 percent in cabbage and 40 percent in coriander. Natural phages of Ganga river could provide an inexpensive approach for the improvement of plant yields. Implications for prophylactic use of cocktail of phages for humans are discussed.