Hypersensitive response elicitor-induced stress resistance

Abstract

The present invention is directed to imparting stress resistance to plants. This can be achieved by applying a hypersensitive response elicitor in a non-infectious form to plants or plant seeds under conditions effective to impart stress resistance to plants or plants grown from the plant seeds. Alternatively, transgenic plants or plant seeds transformed with a DNA molecule encoding the elicitor can be provided and the transgenic plants or plants resulting from the transgenic plant seeds are grown under conditions effective to impart stress resistance to plants or plants grown from the plant seeds.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A method of imparting stress resistance to plants comprising: 
 providing a transgenic plant or plant seed transformed with a DNA molecule which encodes for a hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide and    growing the transgenic plant or plants produced from the transgenic plant seeds under conditions effective to impart stress resistance.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein a transgenic plant is provided.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein a transgenic plant seed is provided, said method further comprising: 
 planting the transgenic seeds in natural or artificial soil and propagating plants from seeds planted in soil.    
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the stress resistance is resistance to a stress selected from the group consisting of climated related stress, air pollution stress, chemical stress, and nutritional stress.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the stress is chemical stress where the chemical is selected from the group consisting of insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, and heavy metals.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the stress is climate-related stress selected from the group consisting of drought, water, frost, cold temperature, high temperature, excessive light, and insufficient light.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the stress is air pollution stress selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, NO x , hydrocarbons, ozone, ultraviolet radiation, and acidic rain.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the stress is nutritional stress where the nutritional stress is caused by fertilizer, micronutrients, or macronutrients.  
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide is derived from Erwinia, Pseudomonas, Xanthamonas, Phythophthera, or Clavibacter.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide is derived from  Erwinia amylovora, Erwinia carotovora, Erwinia chrysanthemi,  and  Erwinia stewartii.    
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide is derived from  Pseudomonas syringae  or  Pseudomonas solancearum.    
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide is derived from a Xanthamonas species.  
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of alfalfa, rice, wheat, barley, rye, cotton, sunflower, peanut, corn, potato, sweet potato, bean pea, chicory, lettuce, endive, cabbage, brussel sprout, beet, parsnip, cauliflower, broccoli, turnip, radish, spinach, onion, garlic, eggplant, pepper, celery, carrot, squash, pumpkin, zucchini, cucumber, apple, pear, melon, citrus, strawberry, grape, raspberry, pineapple, soybean, tobacco, tomato, sorghum, and sugarcane.  
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of  Arabidopsis thaliana,  Saintpaulia, petunia, pelargonium, poinsettia, chrysanthemum, carnation, and zinnia.