Treatment of Mosaic Viruses and Bacterial Infections of Plants
Compositions and methods are provided for treating certain plant pathogens using microbe-based products. In particular, the subject invention relates to treatment of plant pathogenic viruses, including mosaic virus, as well as plant pathogenic bacteria, using beneficial microbes and/or their growth by-products. In certain embodiments, the growth by-products are biosurfactants.
1 - 27 . (canceled)
28 . A method for treating a viral and/or bacterial disease of a plant, the method comprising applying to a plant a composition comprising a microorganism and/or a growth by-product thereof, wherein the microorganism is a biosurfactant-producing yeast or bacteria, and the growth by-product is a biosurfactant.
29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the yeast is Starmerella bombicola or Wickerhamomyces anomalus.
30 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the bacteria is Bacillus subtilis or Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.
31 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the composition comprises fermentation broth in which the microorganism was grown and/or the growth by-product was produced.
32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the composition comprises the fermentation broth without the microorganism.
33 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the biosurfactant is a glycolipid or lipopeptide.
34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the glycolipid is selected from sophorolipids, rhamnolipids, mannosylerythritol lipids, and trehalose lipids.
35 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the lipopeptide is selected from surfactin, iturin, lichenysin and fengycin.
36 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the biosurfactant is a sophorolipid at a concentration of 0.1% to 0.5%.
37 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the composition further comprises an adherent substance.
38 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the adherent substance is a polysaccharide selected from xanthan gum and guar gum.
39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the polysaccharide is xanthan gum at a concentration of 0.001% (w/v).
40 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the viral disease is Carlavirus, Abutilon, Hordeivirus, Potyvirus, Mastrevirus, Badnavirus, Reoviridae, Fijivirus, Oryzavirus, Phytoreovirus, Mycoreovirus, Rymovirus, Tritimovirus, Ipomovirus, Bymovirus, Cucumovirus, Luteovirus, Begomovirus, Rhabdoviridae, Tospovirus, Comovirus, Sobemovirus, Nepovirus, Tobravirus, Benyvirus, Furovirus, Pecluvirus, Pomovirus ; alfalfa mosaic virus; beet mosaic virus; cassava mosaic virus; cowpea mosaic virus; cucumber mosaic virus; panicum mosaic satellite virus; plum pox virus; squash mosaic virus; tobacco mosaic virus; tulip breaking virus; or zucchini yellow mosaic virus.
41 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the viral disease is a mosaic virus selected from alfalfa mosaic virus; beet mosaic virus; cassava mosaic virus; cowpea mosaic virus; cucumber mosaic virus; panicum mosaic satellite virus; plum pox virus; squash mosaic virus; tobacco mosaic virus; tulip breaking virus; and zucchini yellow mosaic virus.
42 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the bacterial disease is Pseudomonas savastanoi; Pseudomonas syringae pathovars; Ralstonia solanacearum; Agrobacterium tumefaciens; Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae; Xanthomonas campestris pathovars; Xanthomonas axonopodis pathovars; Erwinia amylovora; Xylella fastidiosa; Dickeya dadantii; Dickeya solani; Pectobacterium carotovorum; Pectobacterium atrosepticum; Clavibacter michiganensis; Clavibacter sepedonicus; Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus; Pantoea; Ralstonia; Burkholderia; Acidovorax; Streptomyces; Spiroplasma ; or Phytoplasma
43 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the plant is an alfalfa, apple, bean, beet, cassava, celery, corn, cucumber, fig, pepper, spinach, squash, tobacco, tomato, zucchini, petunia, rose, or tulip plant.
44 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the composition is applied to the plant's leaves or foliage.
45 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the method comprises contacting the fermentation broth, separated from the beneficial microorganism, with the plant.