Disclosed are compositions comprising chitosan, glucosamine and amino acids, where the concentration of chitosan is greater than 1.5 wt % and glucosamine is greater than 1.5 wt %. In preferred embodiments the concentration of chitosan is from 2 to 2.5 wt % and glucosamine is 2 to 6 wt %. The composition can also include solid chitin. The composition can also include trace elements, protein and other polysaccharides. The composition is generally a liquid but may be a solid. In most embodiments, the solid can be reconstituted with water prior to use. In preferred embodiments, the composition comprises HYTd and at least one of, HYTa, HYTb and HYTc. In other embodiments the composition comprises HYTd and two or more of, HYTa, HYTb and HYTc. The composition can also comprise HYTd, HYTa, HYTb and HYTc. In the disclosed processes soil, seed, seedling or plant foliage are contacted with HYTd or any of the above compositions.

The present disclosure relates to methods of treating or preventing a biofilm-related infection and methods of preventing and treating biofilm formation on indwelling medical devices, implants, and non-medical surfaces comprising administering at least one soluble microbial protein that is encoded by an exopolysaccharide biosynthetic operon or functional gene cluster, wherein the protein comprises a glycosyl hydrolase domain. The present disclosure further provides particular soluble glycosyl hydrolases and compositions thereof.

A bio-stimulant composition for obtaining improved plant growth, either combined or uncombined with urea and/or other agricultural compounds, as well of methods of producing and using said composition.

This disclosure concerns nucleic acid molecules and methods of use thereof for control of coleopteran pests through RNA interference-mediated inhibition of target coding and transcribed non-coding sequences in coleopteran pests. The disclosure also concerns methods for making transgenic plants that express nucleic acid molecules useful for the control of coleopteran pests, and the plant cells and plants obtained thereby.

The present invention provides an insect pest repellant and a method for repelling insect pest using the same, which is highly transported by the insect pests and which effectively exterminates insect pests and does not badly affect ecological system. The present invention is to provide an insect pest repellant comprising, in a mixed condition, (A) a dummy egg imitating an egg of an insect pest, formed from a particulate substrate on which an egg recognizing pheromone is coated, and (B) a particle containing an active component for repelling the insect pest either on a surface or in an inside of the particle.

Methods and compositions for deploying refuge seeds together with transgenic crop seeds are provided. The refuge seeds can be non-transgenic seeds of a similar variety to that of the transgenic crop seeds, or the refuge seeds can be a transgenic variety.

Described is a composition, which is a natural and organic pesticide, specifically for mitigating, controlling and treating fungicidal, virucidal and bactericidal pathogenic microorganisms in agricultural products such as root crops, fruits and vegetables. Examples of such disease-causing microorganisms are Mycosphaerella fijensis causing black Sigatoka disease in Cavendish (banana), Ralstonia solanacearum causing Moko disease in Cavendish (banana), Lasiodiplodia theobromae causing soft rot or fruit rot in crops and fruits, Fusarium oxysporum causing Panama wilt in fruits and crops, and many others. The composition is a fermented product of tropical plants, carbon source, protein (nitrogen) source, and a carrier agent. The fermented product may help strengthen the plant's immune system to fight pathogenic diseases. Since all the major constituents of the composition are generally regarded as safe, this natural pesticide is found to be non-toxic and safe to humans and animals, and environmentally benign.

Disclosed are genetically modified nudiviruses capable of being sexually transmitted by an insect useful for controlling pest populations. The genetically modified nudiviruses are capable of causing sterility in a target population of insects. Also disclosed are insects infected with the disclosed genetically modified nudiviruses, methods of making the genetically modified nudiviruses, and methods of using the genetically modified nudiviruses to control an insect pest population.

An insect control sheet containing a Cry polyhedron prepared by fixing an insecticidal protein (a Cry toxin) produced by Bacillus thuringiensis to a polyhedron of polyhedrin protein is provided. The insect control sheet contains the Cry polyhedron and is used by floating on water. The insect control sheet is floatable on water, and includes a pure matrix layer 20 and a toxin-containing matrix layer 30 containing the Cry polyhedron 51 which are layered on the underside of a sheet-shaped first sheet substrate 10. The pure matrix layer 20 is composed of a degradable or water-soluble second material and the toxin-containing matrix layer 30 is composed of a degradable or water-soluble third material and the Cry polyhedron. The toxin-containing matrix layer sustainably releases the Cry polyhedron to the water on which the insect control sheet is floated.

Biologically pure cultures of Bacillus subtilis Maseca-1 strain were isolated from the pericarp of nixtamalized corn. The Bacillus Maseca-1 strain was characterized and found to produce peptides and/or other compounds that have antimicrobial activity. An extract prepared from the Bacillus Maseca-1 strain is active against microorganisms such as bacteria and mold and may be used as an agent to inhibit the growth of undesirable microorganisms and thereby prevent spoilage and extend the shelf life in foods.