Abstract: Disclosed are peptides that have enhanced stability against plant proteases and are useful in the control of plant diseases. The peptides also have the ability to protect other peptides, polypeptides or proteins from degradation by proteases of plant, fungal, viral, bacterial, insect or other origin. DNA encoding the peptides of the present invention can be co-expressed with other DNA encoding exogenous peptides in transgenic plants as a method for protecting foreign peptides from degradation by proteases. Also disclosed are nucleic acid sequences, microorganisms, plants, and compositions useful for the treatment of plant diseases.