Abstract: Serratia plymuthica strain A30, BCCM Deposit No. LMG P-26170, its analogues or functionally equivalent strains thereto, provides a biological control agent against plant disease caused by a bacterial pathogen, particularly a soft rot, e.g. blackleg. The pathogen is Dickeya spp., Pectobacterium spp., and Ralstonia spp.; including Dickeya sp. biovar 3 strain. The deposited strain and its variants are formulated in an agriculturally or horticulturally acceptable diluent, carrier, filler or adjuvant. Plants or plant parts, particularly potato tubers, containing the deposited strain provide useful propagation material free of soft rot or blackleg disease.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated nucleic acid sequences involved in, or capable of the biosynthesis of polyacetylenic compounds with anti-fungal activity and especially isolated nucleic acid sequences derived from Collimonas fungivorans. Further, the present invention relates to methods for identifying the present isolated nucleic acids, the use thereof for identification of homologous nucleic acids in other organisms or the use thereof for the biosynthesis of polyacetylenic compounds with anti-fungal activity. Further, the present invention relates to novel polyacetylenic compounds with anti-fungal activity. Specifically, the present invention relates to isolated nucleic acids encoding one or more proteins involved in the synthesis of a polyacetylenic compound with antifungal activity wherein said isolated nucleic acid comprises a nucleic acid sequence having at least 70%, preferably at least 80%, more preferably at least 90%, most preferably at least 95% identity with SEQ ID No. 1.