Bacteriophage against Potato Soft Rot (Enterobacteriaceae)
Last updated: 25/04/2026
(Not known by any other names)
SUMMARY
Bacteriophage biopesticides are naturally occurring virus's that target and kill harmful bacteria. They are highly host specific and so considered to be harmless to humans and biodiversity as they cannot target cells other than those causing the specific plant disease. They are widespread in the environment and can play important roles in ecosystem services and healthy ecosystems. Hence they are not considered to pose risks to environmental quality.
Hazard alerts
The following Pesticide Hazard Tricolour (PHT) alerts are based on the data in the tables below. An absence of an alert does not imply the substance has no implications for human health, biodiversity or the environment but just that we do not have the data to form a judgement. The alerts for Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) are based on applying the FAO/WHO (Type 1) and the PAN (Type II) criteria to PPDB data. Further details on the HHP indicators are given in the tables below. Neither the PHT nor the HHP hazard alerts take account of usage patterns or exposure, thus they do not represent risk.
PHT: Environmental fate
PHT: Ecotoxicity
PHT: Human health
Highly Hazardous Pesticide
Human health Low alert
GENERAL INFORMATION
Description
A micro-organism, comprised of protein that encapsulates a DNA or RNA genome, that can infect and destroy bacteria causing a specific plant disease
Example pests/issues controlled
Soft rot (Enterobacteriaceae e.g. Pectobacterium, Dickeya spp.)
Example applications
Stored potato tubers
Efficacy & activity
Research has demonstrated consistently high performance across lab, ex vivo, greenhouse, and field trials with phage treatments significantly lowering disease incidence, severity, and loss (e.g., 59–91% reduction). Tailored cocktails have proven effective against varied Pectobacterium and Dickeya strains.
Appearance and life cycle
-
Taxonomic classification
Order: Caudovirales, Families: Myoviridae, Podoviridae, and Siphoviridae
GB regulatory status
GB COPR regulatory status
Not approved
Date COPR inclusion expires
Not applicable
GB LERAP status
No UK approval for use as a plant protection agent
EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414)
EC Regulation 1107/2009 status
Pending
Dossier rapporteur/co-rapporteur
Netherlands
Date EC 1107/2009 inclusion expires
-
EU Candidate for substitution (CfS)
No
Listed in EU database
Yes
Approved for use (✓) under EC 1107/2009 in the following EU Member States
ATAustria
BEBelgium
BGBulgaria
CYCyprus
CZCzech Republic
DEGermany
DKDenmark
EEEstonia
ELGreece
ESSpain
FIFinland
FRFrance
HRCroatia
HUHungary
IEIreland
ITItaly
LTLithuania
LULuxembourg
LVLatvia
MTMalta
NLNetherlands
PLPoland
PTPortugal
RORomania
SESweden
SISlovenia
SKSlovakia
Approved for use (✓) under EC 1107/2009 by Mutual Recognition of Authorisation and/or national regulations in the following EEA countries
ISIceland
NONorway
Additional information
Also used in
USA
Chemical structure
Isomerism
None
Chemical formula
-
Canonical SMILES
-
Isomeric SMILES
-
International Chemical Identifier key (InChIKey)
-
International Chemical Identifier (InChI)
-
2D structure diagram/image available?
No
General status
Biopesticide type
Bactericide
Substance groups
Micro-organism; Bacteriophage
Minimum active substance purity
-
Known relevant impurities
Contaminants potentially arising from production and formulation (e.g. endotoxins and chemical residues) may mediate Horizontal Gene Transfer or allergic reactions - purity is important
Substance origin
Natural
Mode of action
Bacteriophages are micro-organisms that inject their genetic material into a bacterium, take-over its metabolic processes to replicate and, subsequently, lyse (burst) the bacterial cell.
Substance source
First isolated from rotting potato tubers and agricultural soils in potato growing regions in Europe such as the United Kingdom. Poland and Bulgaria
Mid-20th century, first isolated Europe; 2011, first commercial use
Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically
APS Biocontrol
Example products using this active
Formulation and application details
Often formulated as 'cocktails' of related phages (to broaden host range & mitigate resistance) into liquid or powder products with protective agents to enhance shelf life and stability. Products are applied as a fine mist to stored produce.
Commercial production
Commercial production of bacteriophages for use as biopesticides involves isolating phages that specifically infect and kill target plant-pathogenic bacteria, followed by amplification in controlled bacterial cultures. Once sufficient phage populations are produced, they are purified through filtration and centrifugation to remove bacterial debris and concentrate active viral particles.
Impact on climate of production and use
The greenhouse gas emissions associated with bacteriophage commercial production are considered low compared to conventional chemical pesticide manufacturing, but they are not zero. Emissions mainly arise from energy use in fermentation, bacterial culture growth, purification, and formulation processes, as well as from packaging and distribution. Current studies suggest that bacteriophages have a smaller carbon footprint because they rely on biological amplification rather than energy intensive chemical synthesis. Rough estimates suggest that typically 0.2–1.0 kg CO₂ e per kg of formulated product are emitted, largely from electricity use in fermentation, purification, and drying.
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Solubility - In water at 20 °C at pH 7 (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Melting point (°C)
-
-
-
Boiling point (°C)
-
-
-
Degradation point (°C)
-
-
-
Flashpoint (°C)
-
-
-
Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C
P
-
-
-
Log P
-
-
-
Fat solubility of residues
Solubility
-
-
-
Data type
-
-
-
Density (g ml⁻¹)
-
-
-
Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C
-
-
-
-
Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)
-
-
-
Henry's law constant at 25 °C (Pa m³ mol⁻¹)
-
-
-
Volatilisation as max % of applied dose lost
From plant surface
-
-
-
From soil surface
-
-
-
Maximum UV-vis absorption L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹
-
-
-
Surface tension (mN m⁻¹)
-
-
-
Degradation
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
General biodegradability
-
Soil degradation (days)
DT₅₀ (typical)
-
-
-
DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
-
-
DT₅₀ (field)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (field)
-
-
-
DT₅₀ modelling endpoint
-
-
-
Note
Ubiquitous in the environment - decay processes are not relevant in the context of traditional risk assessments
Soil mineralisation
Aerobic (at 20 °C)
-
-
-
Anaerobic (at 20 °C)
-
-
Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on plant matrix
Value
-
-
-
Note
-
Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on and in plant matrix
Value
-
-
-
Note
-
Aqueous photolysis DT₅₀ (days) at pH 7
Value
-
-
-
Note
-
Aqueous hydrolysis DT₅₀ (days) at 20 °C and pH 7
Value
-
-
-
Note
-
Water-sediment DT₅₀ (days)
-
-
-
Water phase only DT₅₀ (days)
-
-
-
Sediment phase only DT₅₀ (days)
-
-
-
Air degradation
As this parameter is not normally measured directly, a surrogate measure is used: ‘Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀’. Where data is available, this can be found in the Fate Indices section below.
Decay in stored produce DT₅₀
-
Soil adsorption and mobility
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Linear
Kd (mL g⁻¹)
-
-
-
Koc (mL g⁻¹)
-
Notes and range
-
Freundlich
Kf (mL g⁻¹)
-
-
-
Kfoc (mL g⁻¹)
-
1/n
-
Notes and range
-
pH sensitivity
-
Known metabolites
None
ECOTOXICOLOGY
Terrestrial ecotoxicology
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
> 200000
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Rat
Low
Mammals - Short Term Oral NOAEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)
-
-
-
Mammals - Long Term (Chronic) Oral NOAEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)
Lewis, K.A., Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D. and Green, A. (2016) An international database for pesticide risk assessments and management. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 22(4), 1050-1064. DOI: 10.1080/10807039.2015.1133242
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