| Summary: | <i>Pectobacterium odoriferum</i> has recently emerged as a widely infective and destructive pathogen causing soft-rot disease in various vegetables. Bacteriophage phiPccP-1 isolated from Pyeongchang, South Korea, showed lytic activity against <i>P. odoriferum</i> Pco14 and two other <i>Pectobacterium</i> species. The transmission electron microscopy and genome phylograms revealed that phiPccP-1 belongs to the <i>Unyawovirus</i> genus, <i>Studiervirinae</i> subfamily of the <i>Autographivirinae</i> family. Genome comparison showed that its 40,487 bp double-stranded DNA genome shares significant similarity with <i>Pectobacterium</i> phage DU_PP_II with the identity reaching 98% of the genome. The phiPccP-1 application significantly inhibited the development of soft-rot disease in the mature leaves of the harvested Kimchi cabbage up to 48 h after Pco14 inoculation compared to the untreated leaves, suggesting that phiPccP-1 can protect Kimchi cabbage from soft-rot disease after harvest. Remarkably, bioassays with phiPccP-1 in Kimchi cabbage seedlings grown in the growth chamber successfully demonstrated its prophylactic and therapeutic potential in the control of bacterial soft-rot disease in Kimchi cabbage. These results indicate that bacteriophage phiPccP-1 can be used as a potential biological agent for controlling soft rot disease in Kimchi cabbage.
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