The present invention is directed to isolated fragments of an Erwinia hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide which fragments elicit a hypersensitive response in plants. Also disclosed are isolated DNA molecules which encode the Erwinia hypersensitive response eliciting fragment. Isolated fragments of hypersensitive response elicitor proteins or polypeptides, which elicit a hypersensitive response, and the isolated DNA molecules that encode them can used to impart disease resistance to plants, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants. This can be achieved by applying the hypersensitive response eliciting fragments in a non-infectious form to plants or plant seeds under conditions effective to impart disease resistance, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants or plants grown from the plant seeds. Alternatively, transgenic plants or plant seeds transformed with a DNA molecule encoding a hypersensitive response eliciting fragment can be provided and the transgenic plants or plants resulting from the transgenic plant seeds are grown under conditions effective to impart disease resistance, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants or plants grown from the plant seeds.
