PROTECTION OF PLANTS AGAINST FROST INJURY USING ICE NUCLEATION-INHIBITING SPECIES-SPECIFIC BATERIOPHAGES

摘要

Frost-sensitive plants are protected against frost injury by topical application thereto of non-phytotoxic virulent bacteriophages which are species-specific to the ice-nucleating bacteria normally present on the plants. The bacteriophages selectively attack the ice-nucleating bacteria and inhibit their ice-nucleating activity, thereby reducing the temperature at which frost injury occurs.