Compositions and methods to treat biofilms are disclosed based on the discovery of the role of the disaccharide trehalose in microbial biofilm development. In various embodiments to treat body-borne biofilms systemically and locally, the method includes administering trehalase, the enzyme which degrades trehalose, in combination with other saccharidases for an exposition time sufficient to adequately degrade the biofilm gel matrix at the site of the biofilm. The method also includes administering a combination of other enzymes such as proteolytic, fibrinolytic, and lipolytic enzymes to break down proteins and lipids present in the biofilm, and administering antimicrobials for the specific type(s) of infectious pathogen(s) underlying the biofilm. Additionally, methods are disclosed to address degradation of biofilms on medical device surfaces and biofilms present in industrial settings.

Compositions and methods to treat biofilms are disclosed based on the discovery of the role of the disaccharide trehalose in microbial biofilm development. In various embodiments to treat body-borne biofilms systemically and locally, the method includes administering trehalase, the enzyme which degrades trehalose, in combination with other saccharidases for an exposition time sufficient to adequately degrade the biofilm gel matrix at the site of the biofilm. The method also includes administering a combination of other enzymes such as proteolytic, fibrinolytic, and lipolytic enzymes to break down proteins and lipids present in the biofilm, and administering antimicrobials for the specific type(s) of infectious pathogen(s) underlying the biofilm. Additionally, methods are disclosed to address degradation of biofilms on medical device surfaces and biofilms present in industrial settings.

Glycan Composites and methods for rendering glycan composites for the treatment of photosynthetic organisms, including the steps of formulating branched glycan deglycosylates into coordination complex compositions resulting in water-borne availability; stability during storage; applying a suitable volume of the resulting mixture to one or more photosynthetic organisms; delivery to photosynthetic organisms; metabolically based growth of crops; enhanced qualities and increased quantities of crops; and systems and compositions for the same.

The present invention relates to agrochemical and biological control compositions for combating pests, more specifically plant pests, comprising at least one polypeptide, which specifically binds to a pest. The invention further provides methods for protecting or treating a plant or a part of a plant from an infection or other biological interaction with a plant pathogen, at least comprising the step of applying directly or indirectly to a plant or to a part of a plant, an agrochemical composition, under conditions effective to protect or treat a plant or a part of a plant against a infection or biological interaction with a plant pathogen. Further provided are methods for producing such agrochemical compositions and formulations, to polypeptides with a specific pesticidal activity comprised within an agrochemical formulation, to nucleic acids encoding such polypeptide and to plants comprising chimeric genes comprising such nucleic acids.

The present invention is directed to vegetative insecticidal proteins (Vips) modified to comprise heterologous carbohydrate binding modules and methods of use thereof.

Disclosed herein are the nucleotide sequences of the Chromobacterium subtsugae genes. In addition, the amino acid sequences of proteins encoded by the C. subtsugae genes are provided. Nucleic acids, vectors and polypeptides comprising the aforementioned sequences are also provided. Homologues, functional fragments and conservative variants of the aforementioned sequences are also provided. Compositions having pesticidal, bioremedial and plant growth-promoting activities comprising C. subtsugae genes and proteins, and methods for the use of these compositions, are also provided.

Fungicidal mixtures, comprising 1) a fungicidal strain (I) selected from a) the Bacillus substilis strain with NRRL Accession No. B-21661, and b) the Bacillus pumilus strain with NRRL Accession No. B-30087, or a mutant of these strains having all the identifying characteristics of the respective strain, or a metabolite produced by the respective strain that exhibits activity against plant pathogenic fungi, and 2) at least one chemical compound (II), selected from the active compound groups A) to F): A) azoles; B) strobilurins; C) carboxamides; D) heterocyclic compounds; E) carbamates; F) other fungicides; in a synergistically effective amount, methods for controlling harmful fungi using compositions of components 1) and 2), the use of a component 1) with a component 2) for preparing such compositions, and also fungicidal agents and seed comprising such compositions.

Fungicidal mixtures, comprising 1) a fungicidal strain (I) selected from a) the Bacillus substilis strain with NRRL Accession No. B-21661, and b) the Bacillus pumilus strain with NRRL Accession No. B-30087, or a mutant of these strains having all the identifying characteristics of the respective strain, or a metabolite produced by the respective strain that exhibits activity against plant pathogenic fungi, and 2) at least one chemical compound (II), selected from the active compound groups A) to F): A) azoles; B) strobilurins; C) carboxamides; D) heterocyclic compounds; E) carbamates; F) other fungicides; in a synergistically effective amount, methods for controlling harmful fungi using compositions of components 1) and 2), the use of a component 1) with a component 2) for preparing such compositions, and also fungicidal agents and seed comprising such compositions.

The present invention concerns a sprayable aqueous composition intended for feeding biological control agents comprising eggs from at least one arthropod species and one or more thickeners and/or gelling agents, and a method for preparing such a composition, the use of same as a nutrient source for biological control agents and for improving the effectiveness of biological control methods, and biological control methods.

The present invention relates to novel isolated bacterial strains, which are members of the genus Paenibacillus, originally isolated from soil and showing antagonistic activity against a broad range of pathogens and being capable of producing antimicrobial metabolites. It was found that the strains Lu16774 and Lu17007 belong to a novel subspecies named Paenibacillus polymyxa ssp. plantarum while the strain Lu17015 belongs to a novel species which is proposed to be Paenibacillus epiphyticus. The present invention also relates to microbial pesticide compositions comprising at least one of such novel bacterial strains, whole culture broth or a cell-free extract or a fraction thereof or at least one metabolite thereof, and/or a mutant of at least one of said novel bacterial strains having all the identifying characteristics of the respective bacterial strain or whole culture broth, cell-free extract, fraction and/or metabolite of the mutant thereof showing antagonistic activity against plant pathogens. The present invention also relates to a method of controlling or suppressing plant pathogens or preventing plant pathogen infections by applying such composition. The present invention also relates to novel fusaricidin-type compounds which are metabolites produced by the strains of the present invention.