Many strains of Erwinia chrysanthemi, which are Gram-negative bacterial phytopathogens, produce copious amounts of extracellular polysaccharides. The extracellular polysaccharide from E. chrysanthemi pv. zeae strain SR 260, a phytopathogen of corn, is a branched-chain glucomannorhamnan of proven structure (Gray et al, Carbohydr. Res. 1993, 245, 271-287). The extracellular polysaccharide from E. chrysanthemi Ech6 is different, containing no rhamnose or mannose. It is composed of L-fucose, D-galactose, D-glucose and D-glucuronic acid in the ratio 2:2:1:1. The structure of the polysaccharide is as follows: --> 4)-alpha-L-Fucp-(1 --> 3)-beta-D-Glcp-(1 --> 4)-alpha-L-Fucp-(1 --> 3 up arrow 1 alpha-D-Galp-(1 --> 4)-alpha-D-GlcpA-(1 --> 3)-alpha\-D-Gal 6 4 \\ C \\ HOOC CH3.