MSU discovery may help plants fight crop diseases

Researchers at Montana State University say they have discovered a way to jump-start a plant's immune system that could enable farmers to fight crop diseases with less pesticide.
Scientist Barry Jocobsen tells the Billings Gazette that a commercial product could be available next year. The discovery hinges on a helpful bacterium that activates a specific plant gene.
He says the discovery has been sub-leased to Certis USA, a global supplier of biological farm products.
Jacobsen says fungus and bacteria attacks on crops cost farmers billions of dollars in pesticide and reduced harvests. He says part of the problem is plants can't respond fast enough to attacks and are overwhelmed.
He says researchers found a way to activate a plant's immune system before the disease materializes.


http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/msu-discovery-may-help-plants-fight-crop-diseases/article_797cabd8-6560-11e1-8c53-0019bb2963f4.html