Bioactive polypeptides for improvements in plant protection, growth and productivity

Abstract

Bioactive priming polypeptides are provided that are useful when applied to plants in agricultural formulations. Methods of using the formulations containing the bioactive priming polypeptides are also provided which are applied exogenously to the surface of a plant or a plant cell membrane or endogenously to the interior of a plant or to a plant cell. The bioactive priming polypeptides when applied to a plant, a plant part, or a plant growth medium or a rhizosphere in an area surrounding the plant or the plant part increase growth, yield, health, longevity, productivity, and/or vigor of a plant or a plant part and/or decrease abiotic stress in the plant or the plant part and/or protect the plant or the plant part from disease, insects and/or nematodes, and/or increase the innate immune response of the plant or the plant part and/or change plant architecture.

1 .- 206 . (canceled) 
     
     
         207 . A method for treating a bacterial or fungal infection in a citrus plant, the method comprising injecting at least one antimicrobial peptide into the citrus plant. 
     
     
         208 . The method of  claim 207 , wherein the injecting comprises injecting into a trunk or phloem of the plant. 
     
     
         209 . The method of  claim 208 , wherein the injecting comprises injecting into the trunk of the plant. 
     
     
         210 . The method of  claim 207 , wherein the bacterial infection comprises Huanglongbing (HLB), Asian Citrus Greening disease or Citrus Canker disease. 
     
     
         211 . The method of  claim 210 , wherein the bacterial infection comprises Huanglongbing (HLB). 
     
     
         212 . The method of  claim 207 , wherein the bacterial infection is caused by a bacterial species comprising any one of  Candidatus liberibacter  spp.,  Xanthomonas citri , and  Xanthomonas axonopodis  pv. 
     
     
         213 . The method of  claim 212 , wherein the bacterial species comprises  Candidatus liberibacter  spp. 
     
     
         214 . The method of  claim 213 , wherein the  Candidatus liberibacter  spp. comprises liberibacter  asiaticus.    
     
     
         215 . The method of  claim 207 , wherein the antimicrobial peptide is derived from a plant. 
     
     
         216 . The method of  claim 214 , wherein the antimicrobial peptide is derived from a plant. 
     
     
         217 . The method of  claim 215 , wherein the antimicrobial peptide is derived from a Citrus spp. plant. 
     
     
         218 . The method of  claim 216 , wherein the antimicrobial peptide is derived from a Citrus spp. plant. 
     
     
         219 . The method of  claim 207 , wherein the antimicrobial peptide comprises cysteine bonds. 
     
     
         220 . The method of  claim 215 , wherein the antimicrobial peptide comprises cysteine bonds. 
     
     
         221 . The method of  claim 217 , wherein the antimicrobial peptide comprises cysteine bonds. 
     
     
         222 . The method of  claim 207 , wherein the antimicrobial peptide is produced in a bacterial expression system. 
     
     
         223 . The method of  claim 215 , wherein the antimicrobial peptide is produced in a bacterial expression system. 
     
     
         224 . The method of  claim 217 , wherein the antimicrobial peptide is produced in a bacterial expression system. 
     
     
         225 . The method of  claim 219 , wherein the antimicrobial peptide is produced in a bacterial expression system. 
     
     
         226 . The method of  claim 207 , wherein the antimicrobial peptide comprises a thionin or thionin-like polypeptide, a defensin, a flagellin or flagellin-associated polypeptide, or a harpin or harpin-like polypeptide. 
     
     
         227 . The method of  claim 226 , wherein the antimicrobial peptide is a thionin, thionin-like polypeptide or defensin. 
     
     
         228 . The method of  claim 226 , wherein the thionin, thionin-like polypeptide or defensin is injected in combination with a flagellin or flagellin-associated polypeptide, and/or a harpin or a harpin-like polypeptide. 
     
     
         229 . The method of  claim 227 , wherein the thionin, thionin-like polypeptide or defensin comprises any one of SEQ ID NOs: 650-749. 
     
     
         230 . The method of  claim 229 , wherein the thionin-like polypeptide comprises SEQ ID NO: 651. 
     
     
         231 . The method of  claim 207 , wherein the antimicrobial peptide is fused to a phloem targeting sequence to form a fusion polypeptide. 
     
     
         232 . The method of  claim 231 , wherein the phloem targeting sequence comprises any one of SEQ ID NOs: 641-649. 
     
     
         233 . The method of  claim 232 , wherein the phloem targeting sequence comprises SEQ ID NO: 641. 
     
     
         234 . The method of  claim 227 , wherein the thionin, thionin-like polypeptide or defensin is fused to a phloem targeting sequence to form a fusion polypeptide. 
     
     
         235 . The method of  claim 234 , wherein the phloem targeting sequence comprises any one of SEQ ID Nos: 641-649. 
     
     
         236 . The method of  claim 235 , wherein the phloem targeting sequence comprises SEQ ID NO: 641. 
     
     
         237 . The method of  claim 226 , wherein the flagellin or flagellin-associated peptide comprises any one of SEQ ID NOs: 226, 1-225,227-375, 526, 528, 530, 532, 534, 536, 538, 540, 541, 751, 752, 754-766, 571-579, and 753. 
     
     
         238 . The method of  claim 237 , wherein the flagellin or flagellin associated peptide comprises SEQ ID NO: 226, SEQ ID NO: 571 or SEQ ID NO: 752. 
     
     
         239 . The method of  claim 226 , wherein the harpin or harpin-like polypeptide comprises any one of SEQ ID NOs: 587, 589, 591, 593, 594 and 595. 
     
     
         240 . The method of  claim 239 , wherein the harpin or harpin-like polypeptide comprises SEQ ID NO: 587. 
     
     
         241 . The method of  claim 207 , wherein treating the bacterial infection comprises a prophylactic treatment, treatment, prevention, and decreased disease progression on or in the plant or plant part. 
     
     
         242 . The method of  claim 207 , wherein the citrus plant comprises Sweet orange ( Citrus sinensis, Citrus maxima  x  Citrus reticulata ), Bergamot Orange ( Citrus bergamia, Citrus limetta  x  Citrus aurantium ), Bitter Orange, Sour Orange or Seville Orange ( Citrus aurantium, Citrus maxima  x  Citrus reticulata ), Blood Orange ( Citrus sinensis ), Orangelo or Chironja ( Citrus paradisi  x  Citrus sinensis ), Mandarin Orange ( Citrus reticulate ), Trifoliate Orange ( Citrus trifoliata ), Tachibana Orange ( Citrus tachibana ), Clementine ( Citrus clementina ), Cherry Orange ( Citrus kinokuni ), Lemon ( Citrus limon, Citrus maxima  x  Citrus medica ), Indian Wild Orange ( Citrus indica ), Imperial Lemon ( Citrus limon, Citrus medica  x  Citrus paradisi ), Lime ( Citrus latifoli, Citrus aurantifolia ), Meyer Lemon ( Citrus meyen ); hybrids of  Citrus  x  meyer  with  Citrus maxima, Citrus medica, Citrus paradisi  and/or  Citrus sinensis , Rough Lemon ( Citrus jambhin ), Volkamer Lemon ( Citrus volkameriana ),  Ponderosa  Lemon ( Citrus limon  x  Citrus medica ) Kaffir Lime ( Citrus hystrix  or  Mauritius papeda ), Sweet Lemon, Sweet Lime, or Mosambi ( Citrus limetta ), Persian Lime or Tahiti Lime ( Citrus latifolia ), Palestine Sweet Lime ( Citrus limettioides ), Winged Lime ( Citrus longispina ), Australian Finger Lime ( Citrus australasica ), Australian Round Lime ( Citrus australis ), Australian Desert or Outback Lime ( Citrus glauca ), Mount White Lime ( Citrus garrawayae ), Kakadu Lime or Humpty Doo Lime ( Citrus gracilis ), Russel River Lime ( Citrus inodora ), New Guinea Wild Lime ( Citrus warburgiana ), Brown River Finger Lime ( Citrus wintersii ), Mandarin Lime ( Citrus limonia ; (hybrids with  Citrus reticulata  x  Citrus maxima  x  Citrus medica ), Carabao Lime ( Citrus pennivesiculata ), Blood Lime ( Citrus australasica  x  Citrus limonia ) Limeberry ( Triphasia  brassii,  Triphasia  grandifolia,  Triphasia trifolia ), Grapefruit ( Citrus paradisi; Citrus maxima  x Citrus xsinensis), Tangarine ( Citrus tangerina ), Tangelo ( Citrus tangelo; Citrus reticulata  x  Citrus maxima  or  Citrus paradisi ), Minneola Tangelo ( Citrus reticulata  x  Citrus paradisi ), Orangelo ( Citrus paradisi  x  Citrus sinensis ), Tangor ( Citrus nobilis; Citrus reticulata  x  Citrus sinensis ), Pummelo or Pomelo ( Citrus maxima ), Citron ( Citrus medica ), Mountain Citron ( Citrus halimii ), Kumquat ( Citrus japonica  or  Fortunella  species), Kumquat hybrids (Calamondin,  Fortunella japonica; Citranqequat, Citrus ichangensis ; Limequat,  Citrofortunella floridana ; Orangequat, hybrid between  Satsuma mandarin  x  Citrus japonica  or  Fortunella  species; Procimequat,  Fortunella hirdsiie ; Sunquat, hybrid between  Citrus meyeri  and  Citrus japonica  or  Fortunella  species; Yuzuquat, hybrid between  Citrus ichangensis  and  Fortunella margarita ), Papedas ( Citrus halimii, Citrus indica, Citrus macroptera, Citrus micrantha ), Ichang Papeda ( Citrus ichangensis ), Celebes Papeda ( Citrus celebica ), Khasi Papeda ( Citrus latipes ), Melanesian Papeda ( Citrus macroptera ), Ichang Lemon ( Citrus ichangensis  x  Citrus maxima ), Yuzu ( Citrus ichangensis  x  Citrus reticulata ), Cam sành ( Citrus reticulata  x  Citrus maxima ), Kabosu ( Citrus sphaerocarpa ), Sudachi ( Citrus sudachi ), Alemow ( Citrus macrophylla ), Biasong ( Citrus micrantha ), Samuyao ( Citrus micrantha ), Kalpi ( Citrus webber ), Mikan ( Citrus unshiu ), Hyuganatsu ( Citrus tamurana ), Manyshanyegan ( Citrus mangshanensis ), Lush ( Citrus crenatifolia ), Amanatsu or Natsumikan ( Citrus natsudaidai ), Kinnow ( Citrus nobilis  x  Citrus deliciosa ), Kiyomi ( Citrus sinensis  x  Citrus unshiu ), Oroblanco ( Citrus maxima  x  Citrus paradisi ), Ugli ( Citrus reticulata  x  Citrus maxima  and/or  Citrus  x  paradisi ), Calamondin ( Citrus reticulata  x  Citrus japonica ), Chinotto ( Citrus myrtifolia, Citrus aurantium  or  Citrus pumila ), Cleopatra Mandarin ( Citrus reshni ), Daidai ( Citrus aurantium  or  Citrus daidai ), Laraha ( Citrus aurantium ), Satsuma ( Citrus unshiu ), Naartjie ( Citrus reticulata  x  Citrus nobilis ), Rangpur ( Citrus limonia ; or hybrid with  Citrus sinensis  x  Citrus maxima  x  Citrus reticulata ), Djeruk Limau ( Citrus amblycarpa ), lyokan, anadomikan ( Citrus iyo ), Odichukuthi ( Citrus odichukuthi ), Ougonkan ( Citrus flaviculpus ), Pompia ( Citrus monstruosa ), Taiwan Tangerine ( Citrus depressa ), Shonan gold ( Citrus flaviculpus  or  Citrus unshiu ), Sunki ( Citrus sunki ), Mangshanyen ( Citrus mangshanensis, Citrus nobilis ), Clymenia ( Clymenia platypoda, Clymenia polyandra ), Jabara ( Citrus jabara ), Mandora ( Mandora cyprus ), Melogold ( Citrus grandis  x  Citrus paradisii/Citrus maxima/Citrus grandis ), Shangjuan ( Citrus ichangensis  x  Citrus maxima ), Nanfengmiju ( Citrus reticulata ), or ShikwAsai ( Citrus depressa ). 
     
     
         243 . The method of  claim 232 , wherein the citrus plant comprises Bergamot Orange ( Citrus bergamia ), Sour or Bitter Orange ( Citrus aurantium ), Sweet Orange ( Citrus macrophylla ), Key Lime ( Citrus aurantiifolia ), Grapefruit ( Citrus paradisi ), Citron ( Citrus medica ), Mandarin Orange ( Citrus reticulate ), Lemon ( Citrus limon , or hybrids with  Citrus medica  x  Citrus maxima, Citrus limonia, Citrus medica  x  Citrus maxima  x  Citrus medica ), Sweet Lime ( Citrus limetta ), Kaffir Lime, ( Citrus hystrix  or  Mauritius papeda ), Lemon hybrid or Lumia ( Citrus medica  x  Citrus limon ), ( Citrus medica  x  Citrus maxima  x  Citrus medica ), Omani Lime ( Citrus aurantiifolia, Citrus medica  x  Citrus micrantha ), Jambola ( Citrus grandis ), Kakadu Lime or Humpty Doo Lime ( Citrus gracilis ), Pomelo ( Citrus retkulata ), Tangor ( Citrus nobilis ), or Sour Lime or Nimbuka ( Citrus acida ).