Table 1.
Details of field trials performed in years 2016–2018.
| Year | Location | Number of Applications per Treatment × Volume [L] /Plot | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spraying (T1) 1 | Spraying (T2) 2 | Immersion (T3) 3 | Untreated (C1) 4 | Negative (C2) 5 | Positive (C3) 6 | ||
| 2016 | Belfast, Co. Antrim, NI | 4 × 1 | 4 × 1 | 1 × 2 | NT | 1 × 2 | 1 × 2 |
| 2017 | Crossnacreevy, Co. Down, NI | 4 × 1 | 4 × 1 | 1 × 2 | NT | 1 × 2 | 1 × 2 |
| 2018 | Loughgall, Co. Armagh, NI | 4 × 1 | 4 × 1 | 1 × 2 | NT | 1 × 2 | 1 × 2 |
1 For spraying (T1), planted onions were sprayed with the phage cocktail starting from the first day of planting, and this continued once per week for the next four weeks at an application rate of 1 L/plot. 2 Spraying (T2) treatment involved spraying onions with phage cocktail two weeks after planting at an application rate of 1 L/plot, and this continued once per week for the four following weeks. Spraying was performed using a Knapsack spraying pump directly into the soil on rows with planted material (spraying T1) or visible onion foliage (spraying T2). 3 Treatment immersion (T3) was achieved by submerging onion bulb seeds in 2 L of phage cocktail for 24 h before planting. 4 Untreated (C1) control plots received no phage or bacterial treatments throughout the experiment. 5 For negative control (C2) onions were immersed in 2 L of NB and left to soak for 24 h before planting. 6 As a positive control (C3), onions were immersed in 2 L of bacteria suspension ca. 108 CFU/mL. NT—not treated.