Use of cry14 for the control of nematode pests

Abstract

Compositions and methods for conferring nematicidal activity to bacteria, plants, plant cells, tissues and seeds are provided. In particular, methods for killing or controlling a nematode pest population, particularly a Pratylenchus spp., e.g., Pratylenchus brachyurus , root knot nematode, reniform nematode, or Lance nematode population, are provided. The methods include contacting the nematode pest with a pesticidally-effective amount of a polypeptide comprising a nematicidal toxin, particularly a nematicidal toxin active against a Pratylenchus spp. nematode, e.g. Pratylenchus brachyurus . Further included are methods for increasing yield in plants by expressing the toxin of the invention.

1 . A method for controlling a  Pratylenchus  spp. nematode pest population comprising contacting said population with a nematicidally-effective amount of a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2, wherein said polypeptide has nematicidal activity against the  Pratylenchus  spp. nematode pest population. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said  Pratylenchus  spp. is  Pratylenchus brachyurus.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said plant is a soybean plant. 
     
     
         4 . A method for protecting a plant from a  Pratylenchus  spp. nematode pest, comprising expressing in a plant or cell thereof a nucleotide sequence operably linked to a promoter capable of directing expression of the nucleotide sequence in a plant cell, wherein said nucleotide sequence is selected from the group consisting of:
 a) the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3 or 4; and   b) a nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2, wherein said polypeptide has nematicidal activity against said  Pratylenchus  spp. nematode pest.   
     
     
         5 . A method for increasing yield in a plant comprising growing in a field a plant or a seed thereof having stably incorporated into its genome a DNA construct comprising a nucleotide sequence operably linked to a promoter capable of directing expression of the nucleotide sequence in a plant cell, wherein said nucleotide sequence is selected from the group consisting of:
 a) the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3 or 4; and   b) a nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2, wherein said polypeptide has nematicidal activity against a  Pratylenchus  spp. nematode pest;   
       wherein said field is infested with the  Pratylenchus  spp. nematode pest. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said  Pratylenchus  spp. is  Pratylenchus brachyurus.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said plant further comprises one or more nucleotide sequences encoding one or more insect toxins.