Method of imparting drought resistance to plants

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of enhancing growth of plants. This involves applying a hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein in a non-infectious form to a plant or plant seed under conditions effective to enhance growth of the plant or plants produced from the plant seed. Alternatively, transgenic plants or transgenic plant seeds transformed with a DNA molecule encoding a hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein can be provided and the transgenic plants or plants resulting from the transgenic plant seeds are grown under conditions effective to enhance plant growth.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A method of imparting drought resistance to plants comprising: 
 applying a hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide in a non-infectious form to a plant under conditions effective to impart drought resistance.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide is derived from Erwinia, Pseudomonas, Xanthomonas, or Phytophthera.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide is derived from  Erwinia amylovora, Erwinia carotovora, Erwinia chrysanthemi , and  Erwinia stewartii.    
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide is derived from  Pseudomonas syringae  or  Pseudomonas solancearum.    
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide is derived from a Xanthomonas species.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide is derived from a Phytophthera species.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of rice, wheat, barley, rye, cotton, sunflower, peanut, corn, potato, sweet potato, bean pea, chicory, lettuce, endive, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, turnip, radish, spinach, onion, garlic, eggplant, pepper, celery, carrot, squash, pumpkin, zucchini, cucumber, apple, pear, melon, strawberry, grape, raspberry, pineapple, soybean, tobacco, tomato, sorghum, and sugarcane.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of rose, Saintpaulia, petunia, pelargonium, poinsettia, chrysanthemum, carnation, and zinnia.  
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said applying is carried out prior to a drought.