Systems, compositions, and methods for reducing levels of candidatus liberibacter solanacearum in potato

A method of reducing levels of Ca. Liberibacter solanacearum (Lso) in a potato, the method comprising:

• (a) transforming the potato with an expression vector to generate a transformed potato, the expression vector comprising, in a 5′ to 3′ direction:
• an expression control sequence;
• an exogenous nucleic acid operably linked to the expression control sequence;
• and
• a 3′ termination sequence operably linked to the exogenous nucleic acid,
• wherein the exogenous nucleic acid comprises a nucleic acid sequence having at least 98% identity to a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:
• 4 and SEQ ID NO:
• 6;
• and
• (b) cultivating the transformed potato in conditions suitable for expression of the exogenous nucleic acid,
• wherein the exogenous nucleic acid encodes a peptide having antimicrobial activity in potato effective against Lso such that the transformed potato comprises a reduced level of Lso compared to a wild type potato where the transformed potato and the wild type potato are inoculated with Lso and incubated under scientifically comparable conditions.