Compositions inducing plants disease-resistance and process for producing the same

1. A plant disease resistance-inducing composition comprising a filamentous fungus-derived glycosphingolipid and a filamentous fungus-derived liposoluble substance, wherein said filamentous fungus is a microorganism belonging to edible Basidiomycetes selected from the group consisting of genus Pleurotus , genus Flammulina , genus Grifola , genus Agaricus , genus Auricularia , genus Tremellales , genus Pholiota , and genus Sparassidaceae or medical Basidiomycetes selected from the group consisting of genus Wolfiporis or genus Ganoderma or a microorganism for fermentation production selected from the group consisting of genus Aspergilus , genus, Penicillium , genus Trichoderma , genus Acremonium , genus Mucor , and genus Rhizopus wherein said glycosphingolipid cerebroside B ((4E,8E)-N-D-2′-hydroxypalmitoyl-1-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine), wherein the content of cerebroside B ((4E,8E)-N-D-2′-hydroxypalmitoyl-1-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine) is 0.4 to 3.0 mg/ml and the content of the liposoluble substance is 10 to 200 mg/ml in terms of an n-hexane extract.

2. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said glycosphingolipid is obtainable by extraction with an organic solvent from filamentous fungus.

3. The composition according to claim 2 , wherein said glycosphingolipid is obtainable by concentrating the extract obtained by the extraction with the organic solvent from the filamentous fungus and then precipitating and removing substances having physiologically inhibitory activity against plants.

4. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said liposoluble substance is obtainable by extraction with an organic solvent from filamentous fungus.

5. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said liposoluble substance is obtainable by concentrating the extract obtained by the extraction with the organic solvent from the filamentous fungus and then precipitating and removing substances having physiologically inhibitory activity against plants.

6. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the content of cerebroside B ((4E,8E)-N-D-2′-hydroxypalmitoyl-1-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine) is 0.9 to 3.0 mg/mi and the content of the liposoluble substance is 30 to 100 mg/ml in terms of an n-hexane extract.

7. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said microorganism for fermentation production is one for the production of enzyme, the production of antibiotics, and the production of saccharides.

8. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said microorganism belonging to the Basidiomycetes is selected from the group consisting of, Pleurotus ostreatus, Flammulina velutipes, Glifola frondosa, Agaricus bisporus, Agaricus campestris , and Auricularia polytricha.

9. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said microorganism for fermentation production is selected from the group consisting of Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, Penicillium roquefortii, Mucor prainii , and Rhizopus delemar.

10. A method for controlling a plant disease, comprising the step of treating a target plant with the composition according to claim 1 .

11. A process for producing the composition according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:

stirring mycelia or fruit bodies of a filamentous fungus dipped in an organic solvent to extract a glycosphingolipid and a liposoluble substance into the organic solvent (organic solvent extraction step); and

concentrating the extract provided by the organic solvent extraction in the extraction step and then precipitating and removing substances, having physiologically inhibitory activity against plants, contained in the extract (concentration/separation step), wherein said glycosphingolipid comprises cerebroside B ((4E,8E)-N-D-2′-hydroxypalmitoyl-1-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine), wherein the extract obtained by the organic solvent extraction is concentrated to give a concentrate having a cerebroside B ((4E,8E)-N-D-2′-hydroxypalmitoyl-1-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine) content of 0.4 to 3.0 mg/ml and the content of the liposoluble substance content of 10 to 200 mg/ml in terms of an n-hexane extract.

12. The process according to claim 11 , wherein the extract obtained by the organic solvent extraction is concentrated to give a concentrate having a cerebroside B ((4E,8E)-N-D-2′-hydroxypalmitoyl-1-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine) content of 0.9 to 3.0 mg/ml.

13. The process according to claim 11 , wherein the extract obtained by the organic solvent extraction is concentrated to give a concentrate having a liposoluble substance content of 30 to 100 mg/ml in terms of an n-hexane extract.