University of Florida Research Foundation Inc

Integrated Plant Genetics, Inc.

Centre De Cooperation Internationale En Recherche Agronomique Pour Le Developpement (cirad)

Centre De Cooperation Internationale En Recherche Agronomique Pour Le Developpement

Dean W Gabriel

Shujian Zhang

Yingnan Jiang

Joseph D Reddy

Roger Frutos

Monique Royer

Philippe Rott

Giovana J Perazzo-Ratto

Chandrika Ramadugu

Jiang Yingnan

Methods and compositions based upon natural phenolic aromatic aldehydes (ex: cinnamaldehyde, benzaldehyde) are provided, which find use as curing agents for systemic bacterial infections of living plants, in particular against Gram negative bacteria and more particularly species of, including. The curing agent compositions described are used synergistically with other antimicrobial compounds, such as those that plants manufacture or release as a result of biotic or abiotic stresses, including the application of the subject aldehydes, certain proteins, whether produced by recombinant methods or not, nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, or by natural essential oils such as carvacrol or allicin. The aromatic aldehydes have high volatility and exhibit phytotoxicity when applied above certain amounts. Systemic infections and infestations of a variety of plant parts can be treated, including those of leaves and roots. Methods of applying the compositions for agriculture use are disclosed.

Use of aldehydes formulated with nanoparticles and/or nanoemulsions to enhance disease resistance of plants to liberibacters

The present invention teaches methods and compositions useful for treating, preventing, or curing pathogen infections of living plants. In particular, the present invention teaches methods of enhancing plant response to pathogen-associated molecular patterns. The methods and compositions described herein are effective at treating biotrophic pathogens, including Liberibacters.

Methods and compositions for preventing or reducing infections of crop plants by bacterial and fungal pathogens

The invention relates to methods and compositions for genetic transformation of both juvenile and mature citrus. In some embodiments, the invention provides methods and compositions for genetic transformation of citrus using Rhizobia-mediated DNA delivery, and also methods of enhancing the frequency of genetic transformation of mature citrus by any DNA transfer method, including. Internodal stem sections prepared from epicotyls of citrus seedlings or freshly emerging shoots of mature citrus plants (e.g., first shoots from buds of mature plants following grafting onto rootstock or very young shoots of mature plants) are preconditioned for transformation by inducing callus formation on an artificial medium. All callus and any developing meristematic regions in immediately adjacent tissue are substantially or completely removed and the preconditioned explants are then transformed byor other known methods. Whole plants or shoots to be grafted onto rootstocks are subsequently regenerated from the transformed cells.

Transformation of mature citrus

The present invention provides compositions and methods for killing or suppressing growth of Gram-negative bacteria that infect, infest or cause disease in plants, including pathogenic, saprophytic and opportunistic microbes that cause disease in plants and food borne illness in people or in animal feed.

Use of bacteriophage outer membrane breaching proteins expressed in plants for the control of gram-negative bacteria

This invention provides: 1) methods for the identification of broad-spectrum holins with a high level of nonenzymatic activity in membranes; 2) conditions required for maintaining and increasing the anti-microbial and anti-pest efficacy of holins in gene fusions; 3) a method for effective targeting of holins expressed in plants through use of a leader peptide to direct the holin protein to the plant apoplast and xylem; 4) methods for the control of bacterial and fungal diseases of plants and control of insect and nematode pests that attack plants by expression of gene fusions involving holins, C-terminal additions and leader peptides, and optionally, endolysins; 5) methods for increasing the shelf-life of cut flowers, and 6) transgenic plants useful for the production of novel antimicrobial proteins based upon holins.

Identification and use of genes encoding holins and holin-like proteins in plants for the control of microbes and pests

Three gene clusters that together encode albicidin biosynthesis, the complete gene DNA sequences, and the deduced protein sequences for the enzymes and methods for using the DNA sequences are disclosed and discussed as well as methods for plant protection and creating new antibiotics. The novel Albicidin family of antibiotics is disclosed and their structure deduced.

Biosynthetic genes and host cells for the synthesis of polyketide antibiotics and method of use

Complementary DNA probe method for diagnosing bacterial or fungal diseases which produce leaf lesions in plants.

Growing community of inventors

Alachua, FL, United States of America

Dean W Gabriel