Abstract: The present invention concerns compositions comprising a mixture of DNA molecules suitable for inhibiting a target species, methods and uses employing said compositions and methods for producing the compositions. Said compositions may find utility in amongst others the fields of human and/or veterinary medicine, pest and/or disease control in agriculture or in other fields where inhibition of one or more target species is beneficial.

Abstract: The invention provides an agrochemical composition comprising: (a) one or more fatty acids or derivatives thereof; and (b) a strain, culture, culture filtrate, spores or mycelia of a species of a fungus or oomycete, or a metabolite produced by a species of a fungus or oomycete, which strain, culture, culture filtrate, spores, mycelia or metabolite directly or indirectly (i) inhibits the growth or reproduction of plant pathogens or (ii) kills plant pathogens. Also provided is a method for controlling fungi or oomycetes at a locus, a method for promoting growth in a plant and a method for controlling nematodes at a locus.

Abstract: The present invention according to a first aspect relates to a Trichoderma longibrachiatum strain comprising an autologous nucleotide sequence coding for a protein having at least 70% sequence similarity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and its use for the treatment of a plant. Further aspects of the invention relate to a protein derived from said strain, methods for producing the protein, the use of the protein for the treatment of a plant and compositions comprising a source of the protein of the invention. Yet Further aspects of the invention relate to seeds treated with a source of the protein and methods for growing plants incorporating the step of treating said plants with the composition of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention according to a first aspect relates to a Trichoderma longibrachiatum strain comprising an autologous nucleotide sequence coding for a protein having at least 70% sequence similarity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and its use for the treatment of a plant. Further aspects of the invention relate to a protein derived from said strain, methods for producing the protein, the use of the protein for the treatment of a plant and compositions comprising a source of the protein of the invention. Yet Further aspects of the invention relate to seeds treated with a source of the protein and methods for growing plants incorporating the step of treating said plants with the composition of the invention.

Abstract: The invention provides an agrochemical composition comprising: (a) one or more fatty acids or derivatives thereof; and (b) a strain, culture, culture filtrate, spores or mycelia of a species of a fungus or oomycete, or a metabolite produced by a species of a fungus or oomycete, which strain, culture, culture filtrate, spores, mycelia or metabolite directly or indirectly (i) inhibits the growth or reproduction of plant pathogens or (ii) kills plant pathogens. Also provided is a method for controlling fungi or oomycetes at a locus, a method for promoting growth in a plant and a method for controlling nematodes at a locus.

Abstract: The present invention according to a firrst aspect relates to a Trichoderma longibrachiatum strain comprising an autologous nucleotide sequence coding for a protein having at least 70% sequence similarity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and its use for the treatment of a plant. Further aspects of the invention relate to a protein derived from said strain, methods for producing the protein, the use of the protein for the treatent of a plant and compositions comprising a source of the protein of the invention. Yet Further aspects of the invention relate to seeds treated with a source of the protein and methods for growing plants incorporating the step of treating said plants with the composition of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a transgenic Trichoderma spp. having a recombinant nucleic acid molecule encoding a bioactive molecule. The present invention also relates to methods for controlling plant disease that involve applying a transgenic strain of Trichoderma spp. plants or plants seeds, where the transgenic strain of Trichoderma spp. has a recombinant nucleic acid molecule encoding a bioactive molecule that is capable of controlling plant disease and conferring systemic disease resistance to the plant or a plant grown from the plant seed. The present invention also relates to a method of delivering a bioactive molecule to a plant or plant seed. The method involves providing a transgenic strain of Trichoderma spp. having a recombinant nucleic acid molecule encoding a bioactive molecule and applying the transgenic strain of Trichoderma ssp. the plant's roots or seeds.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition which includes elicitor compounds selected from the group consisting of: (N,N?diacetylhexobiose)n; (N,N?diacetylhexobiose)n having one or more associated amino acid residues, wherein the amino acid residues are valine or ornthine; (N,N?diacetylhexosamine)n having an associated (dihexobiose)n; (N,N?diacetylhexosamine)n having an associated (dihexobiose)n and one or more associated amino acid residues, wherein the amino acid residues are valine or ornithine; or combinations thereof. The (N,N?diacetylhexobiose)n and (N,N?diacetylhexosamine)n comprise N-acetylglucosamine or other amino hexosamines, while the (N,N?diacetylhexobiose)n and (dihexobiose)n are any D-hexoaldose or N-acetylamino derivative of D-hexoaldoses. In this aspect of the present invention, n=1 to 5 and the compounds are all 3 kDa or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for remediating polluted soils or water, removing toxic substances from polluted soils or water, and removing polluting plant nutrients from water using a plant-organism system or specific microbes added to the polluted land or water. Also provided is a method for enhancing the development of root hairs and fine roots in plants using rhizosphere competent microbes and a method for increasing crop plant yield.

Abstract: A system for inhibiting the germination or growth of a fungus comprises (a) fungal cell wall degrading chitinolytic or glucanolytic enzyme and (b) antifungal cell membrane affecting: compound. Exemplified antifungal fungal cell membrane affecting compounds include flusilazole, miconazole, osmotin, gramicidin, valinomycin, phospholipase B, and trichorzianines. The system components (a) and (b) may be supplemented with polyene macrolide antibiotic, antifungal epithiodiketopiperazine antibiotic (e.g., gliotoxin), fungal cell wall biosynthesis inhibitor (e.g., L-sorbose) and/or detergent. Embodiments include method of contacting a plant which expresses cell wall degrading enzyme with antifungal fungal cell membrane affecting compound.

Abstract: Two chitinases from Trichoderma harzianum P1 (ATCC 74058) show chitin-containing-fungus-inhibiting activity. One is an endochitinase and the other is a chitobiase. Both have molecular weights of 40 kDa and isoelectric points of 3.9. A &lgr;gtll recombinant encoding for the endochitinase has been prepared (ATCC 55338) and the gene encoding for the endochitinase has been removed from the DNA of the recombinant by the restriction enzyme, Not I. Endochitinases and chitobiases including the two purified from Trichoderma harzianum strain P1 demonstrate synergy with each other in anti-fungal effect.

Abstract: Two chitinases from Trichoderma harzianum P1 (ATCC 74058) show chitin-containing-fungus-inhibiting activity. One is an endochitinase and the other is a chitobiase. Both have molecular weights of 40 kDa and isoelectric points of 3.9. Endochitinases and chitobiases including the two purified from Trichoderma harzianum strain P1 demonstrate synergy with each other in antifungal effect. Isolated gene encoding for the endochitinase has the sequence set forth in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO:1.

Abstract: N-acetyl-.beta.-glucosaminidase isolated from Trichoderma harzianum strain P1 having accession No. ATCC 74058 has molecular mass of 72 kDa and isoelectric point of 4.6. Glucan 1,3-.beta.-glucosidase isolated from Trichoderma harzianum strain P1 has molecular mass of 78 kDa and isoelectric point of 6.2. Combinations of endochitinase, chitin 1,4-.beta.-chitobiosidase, N-acetyl-.beta.-glucosaminidase and glucan 1,3-.beta.-glucosidase have synergistic antifungal effect.

Abstract: Antifungal composition comprising synergistic combination of fungal cell wall degrading enzyme selected from the , group consisting of chitinolytic enzymes, glucanolytic enzymes and cellulases and non-enzymatic fungicides selected from the group consisting of sterol synthesis inhibiting fungicides (e.g., flusilazole and miconazole) and thiol group inactivating fungicides which are not specific to fungal cell membranes (e.g., captan) are applied in an antifungal effective amount to fungus to be inhibited or to a locus to be protected from said fungus.

Abstract: Two chitinases from Trichoderma harzianum P1 (ATCC 74058) show chitin-containing-fungus-inhibiting activity. One is an endochitinase and the other is a chitobiase. Both have molecular weights of 40 kDa and isoelectric points of 3.9. Endochitinases and chitobiases including the two purified from Trichoderma harzianum strain P1 demonstrate synergy with each other in anti-fungal effect. Isolated gene encoding for the endochitinase has the sequence set forth in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO:1.

Abstract: Combination of fungal cell wall degrading enzymes (e.g., chitinolytic enzymes) and antifungal bacteria (e.g., E. cloacae) which bind to fungal cell walls in the presence of said enzymes even when sugars are present, increases potency and range of use of the bacteria and fosters proliferation thereof.

Abstract: Antifungal composition comprising synergistic combination of fungal cell wall degrading enzyme selected from the group consisting of chitinolytic enzymes, glucanolytic enzymes and cellulases and non-enzymatic fungicides selected from the group consisting of sterol synthesis inhibiting fungicides (e.g., flusilazole and miconazole) and thiol group inactivating fungicides which are not specific to fungal cell membranes (e.g., captan) are applied in an antifungal effective amount to fungus to be inhibited or to a locus to be protected from said fungus.

Abstract: Two chitinases from Trichoderma harzianum P1 (ATCC 74058) show chitin-containing-fungus- and insect-inhibiting activity. The first is an endochitinase having a molecular weight of 36 kDa and an isoelectric point of 5.3.+-.0.2. The second is an exochitinase having a molecular weight of 36 kDa an an isoelectric point of 4.4.+-.0.2. The chitinases can be applied in contact with chitin-containing fungus or insect as an inhibitor thereof. The chitinases can be applied to plants or to soil around plants which need production from a chitinase-containing pest. The chitinases can also be used to isolate genes coding for them which can be inserted into a genome of a plant needing protection from a chitinase-containing pest or into the genome of a microorganism to provide transgenic microorganism useful to produce enzyme or as a biocontrol agent.