Genomic analysis of the Phalaenopsis pathogen Dickeya sp. PA1, representing the emerging species Dickeya fangzhongdai

Background Dickeya sp. strain PA1 is the causal agent of bacterial soft rot in Phalaenopsis, an important indoor orchid in China. PA1 and a few other strains were grouped into a novel species, Dickeya fangzhongdai, and only the orchid-associated strains have been shown to cause soft rot symptoms.