There is provided a method of producing an antimicrobial-protein-producing microorganism capable of entering into an endosymbiotic relationship with a plant host comprising the combination of genetic material encoding a plant-derived antimicrobial protein with an endophyte. Examples of potent plant-derived antimicrobial proteins are given. A method for protecting a plant host from disease comprising treating the plant host with the antimicrobial-protein-producing microorganism is described.
