University of Otago biomedical sciences researchers Prof Peter Fineran (left) and Dr Robert Fagerlund are hoping their studies into phages will one day help in the battle against antibiotic-resistant bacterial diseases. "We have interacted with a number of Otago orchards to collect phage samples, as part of our research," Prof Fineran said. Pseudomonas bacteria could cause losses of 20%-50% of young orchards, so growers relied on copper sprays to control it. So his research team is developing phage cocktails — a combination of multiple phages, each with a different "key" to unlock a bacterium’s defences. They were also being used in mainstream agriculture, but Prof Fineran warned that phages were not "a silver bullet" solution.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 06, 2026 15:38 UTC