Use of hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide from Clavibacter michiganensis for disease resistance, growth enhancement and insect control

Abstract

The present invention is directed to the use of a protein or polypeptide from Gram positive bacteria, such as Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus, which elicits a hypersensitive response in plants. This protein or polypeptide can used to impart disease resistance to plants, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants. This can be achieved by applying the hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide in a non-infectious form to plants or plant seeds under conditions where the protein or polypeptide contacts the cells of the plant or the plant seed and is effective to impart disease resistance, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants or plants grown from the plant seeds.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.