Gram-stain-negative, pectinolytic bacteria were repeatedly isolated from pear trees displaying symptoms of bleeding canker in China. Three strains, JS5 T , LN1 and QZH3, had identical 16S rRNA gene sequences that shared 99 % similarity to the type strain of Dickeya dadantii. Phylogenetic analysis of strains JS5 T , LN1 and QZH3 with isolates representing all species of the genus Dickeya and related Pectobacterium species supported their affiliation to Dickeya. Multi-locus sequence typing employing concatenated sequences encoding recA, fusA, gapA, purA, rplB, dnaX and the intergenic spacer illustrated a phylogeny which placed strains JS5 T , LN1 and QZH3 as a distinct clade, separate from all other species of the genus Dickeya. Average nucleotide identity values obtained in comparison with all species of the genus Dickeya supported the distinctiveness of strain JS5 T within the genus Dickeya. Additionally, all three strains were phenotypically distinguished from other species of the genus Dickeya by failing to hydrolyse casein, and by producing acids from (À)-D-arabinose, (+)melibiose, (+)raffinose, mannitol and myo-inositol, but not from 5-keto-D-gluconate or b-gentiobiose. The name Dickeya fangzhongdai sp. nov. is proposed to accommodate these strains; the type strain is JS5 T

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