Technology Description:

Agricultural Research Service scientists are producing plants that have enhanced disease-fighting power. Plants naturally produce hydrogen peroxide in response to microbial invasion. Hydrogen peroxide possesses moderate antimicrobial activity. This invention provides a method of making pathogen-resistant plants by modifying the plants with a gene, called chroloperoxidase, from a naturally-occurring bacteria that boosts the plants ability to fight microbial pathogens. Presence of the chloroperoxidase gene results in more than a 100-fold increase in a plant s ability to fight lethal microbes. By developing plants with built-in disease protection, this invention could ultimately lead to a reduced-reliance on chemical pesticides. This invention could be used to transform a variety of plants and crops, including those for food use.

Reference:

Please refer to USPN 6,703,540 (Docket #0021.98), "Transformation of Plants with a Non-Heme Chloroperoxidase Gene to Enhance Disease Resistance, which issued on March 9, 2004.
Foreign rights are not available. 

Inventors:

Thomas J. Jacks Food & Feed Safety Research New Orleans, LA 70179 Phone: (504) 286-4380      Fax: (504) 286-4419 tjacks@srrc.ars.usda.gov	Kanniah Rajasekaran (Same as first inventor) Phone: (504) 286-4482      Fax: (504) 286-4419
Jeffrey W. Cary (Same as first inventor)  Phone: (504) 286-4264     Fax: (504) 286-4419	Anthony J. DeLuca (Same as first inventor) Phone: (504) 286-4253      Fax: (504) 286-4419
Thomas E. Cleveland (Same as first inventor) Phone: (504) 286-4531     Fax: (504) 286-4419	H-K Van Pee  Technische Universitat Dresden D-01062 Dresden, Germany