•would not destroy beneficial microorganisms, and would not be toxic to 

 crop plants. In addition it would be readily absorbed by the roots, be trans- 

 located in the plant, and be effective against a large nunaber of disease- 

 causing organisms. 



Oligomycin is one of the new antibiotics that nnay approach this ideal. 

 University of Wisconsin scientists report that it is not inactivated or 

 destroyed in the soil, does not destroy beneficial soil organisms, and is 

 not toxic to plants at concentrations as high as 3,000 p. p.m. In addition, 

 the antibiotic is absorbed by the roots and can be later detected in the 

 stems. As mentioned earlier 19 plant-disease-producing organisms proved 

 sensitive to it in the laboratory. 



As promising as these new antibiotics are, the search for new and 

 more effective ones is continuing. Past research has demonstrated the 

 effectiveness of antibiotics in the destruction of pathogens and their ability 

 to enter into the plant to control the disease-causing organisnn. If con- 

 tinuing research can also bring about reduced costs, antibiotics nnay soon 

 provide the same "miracle" protection to crop plants that they are pro- 

 viding the human population. 



Agriculture - Washington 

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