| abstract |
The present invention provides a method of enhancing tolerance of a plant or animal to a fungal pathogen using a sugar acid, or a biocontrol agent which produces a sugar acid, to inhibit, retard or otherwise control the growth and/or viability of the fungal pathogen. The invention further extends to compositions comprising sugar acids and their use in the treatment of fungal infestations of plants, plant parts and animals. The invention further provides microorganisms which is useful in the performance of the invention. The present invention further provides nucleotide sequences of Pseudomonas sp. which encode and/or otherwise facilitate the synthesis of sugar acids in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, in particular bacteria and/or plants. The present invention further contemplates transgenic plants and microorganisms which have been genetically engineered to produce sugar acids at levels sufficient to control the growth and/or viability of one or more plant pathogens. |