The invention provides pEARLI1-like polynucleotides which are capable of conferring increased nematode resistance to a plant. Also provided are inhibitory polynucleotides based on pEARLI1-like genes, which are capable of conferring resistance to necrotrophic fungi to plants. Specifically, the invention relates to transgenic plants, transgenic seeds, and expression vectors based on polynucleotides encoding pEARLI1-like genes, and methods of use thereof.