The present invention provides compositions and methods for detecting Candidatus Liberibacter infection and Huanglongbing disease in a citrus plant by detecting the expression of small RNAs such as miRNA and siRNA. The invention also provides methods for treating Huanglongbing disease in a citrus plant by contacting the plant with a phosphorus containing solution.

The present invention provides biosynthetic products that may be useful for controlling bacterial panicle blight of rice. These products are encoded by four biosynthetic operons found within the genome of a Pseudomonas protegens strain designated as PBL3 and deposited as ATCC #, which has been shown to inhibit the growth of Burkholderia glumae on rice plants. Also provided are vectors encoding these biosynthetic products, and methods of using the biosynthetic products to inhibit the growth of microorganisms.

The present embodiments relate to elite event NS-B50027-4, seeds and oils obtained from NS-B50027-4, progeny derived from NS-B50027-4, the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of NS-B50027-4, and compositions and methods for the identification of elite event NS-B50027-4. In particular, NS-B50027-4 is a transgenic canola line capable of producing at least 5% DHA in its seed oil.

Antimicrobial activity exhibited against a wide variety of plant pathogens. A functional peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence: YYGFPAFSERTRKFWRIWKGKTS (SEQ ID NO: 1) or an amino acid sequence having an identity of 85% or more with respect to the amino acid sequence, or consisting of a partial peptide thereof.

Disclosed is a use of the BXL gene or a protein encoded thereby. Specifically, when the expression of the BXL gene or a protein encoded thereby is inhibited, traits of plants can be significantly improved, comprising: (i) enhancing the stress resistance of plants; and/or (ii) the resistance to pathogens; and/or (iii) reducing lignin content and increasing fiber and pectin content. In addition, inhibitors of the BXL gene or a protein encoded thereby can also be used in feed compositions, and are used for improving feed palatability.

Antimicrobial peptides of general formula X.sub.0X.sub.1X.sub.2C X.sub.3X.sub.4X.sub.5CX.sub.6X.sub.7X.sub.8X.sub.9CYX.sub.10X.sub.11CX.sub.12X.sub.13 are provided. Also provided are certain formulations containing these peptides and methods of using these peptides for treating skin infections in an animal in need thereof.

The present invention relates to the field of plant biotechnology. Specifically, there are provided methods and nucleic acid sequences for obtaining pathogen resistance in plants and for generating resistant plants. In particular, the role of a central molecule in plant immunity is studied. Based on the mechanisms elucidated, the present invention provides strategies to specifically modulate said phosphatase-like protein family member molecule by different transient and/or stable techniques, alone or in combination, to achieve a robust increased of pathogen resistance in different target plants to obtain inherently pathogen resistant plants and plant materials to avoid severe harvest losses as caused by major plant pathogens by biological means instead of herbicide or pesticide treatment.

The present embodiments relate to inbred transgenic canola line NS-B50027-4; seeds and oils obtained from NS-B50027-4; and progeny derived from NS-B50027-4. In particular, NS-B50027-4 is a true-breeding canola line capable of producing at least 5% DHA in its seed oil.

Methods and compositions are provided for expressing an endolysin in a bacterium or in a tobacco plant or plant part. Expression of the endolysin can reduce the total bacterial load on the plant and in tobacco products produced from the plant. Accordingly, the level of tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA) in a cured tobacco product can be decreased when the tobacco leaves used in the product were harvested from a plant expressing endolysin or when bacteria modified to express endolysin is used to treat the tobacco. Thus, bacteria and tobacco plants and plant parts are provided that express an endolysin. Further provided are methods for decreasing the microbial load on a tobacco plant and in a tobacco product by applying a solution of bacteria modified to express an endolysin or by modifying a tobacco plant to express endolysins. Smokeless tobacco products including such modified tobacco plant parts are also provided.

The disclosure relates to a plant that is tolerant or resistant to species of Ca. Liberibacter. Specifically exemplified are citrus and solanaceous plants. Provided by the disclosure is a modified citrus or solanaceous plant that is resistant or tolerant to Sec-dependent effectors secreted by bacteria. Also provided by the disclosure are methods of modifying a plant genome plant to provide tolerance or resistance to species of Ca. Liberibacter. Still further provided by the disclosure are methods conferring a population of plants with tolerance or resistance to species of Ca. Liberibacter and screening that population for the plants that are tolerant or resistant to species of Ca. Liberibacter.