[en] Responses of pigmented pathogenic fungi and E. coli strains differing in DNA repair and catalase proficiency to direct and indirect effects of ultraviolet radiation were evaluated. Pigments in the four fungal pathogens of Citrus differed in their ability to protect against direct UV and damage by UV-A -mediated phototoxins of both host and non-host origin. UV-A and UV-B did not inactivate the fungal species. Differential protection in wild type strains of the two Fusarium spp. and in the wild type strains of the two Penicilium spp. against UV-C was observed. Wild type and mutants with altered coloration in Penicilium spp. protected to varying extent against both α-T and 8-MOP in the presence of UV-A. UV-B irradiation of E. coli resulted in inactivation of strains deficient in DNA excision repair. Plasmid DNA damaged in vitro by UV-B from lamp systems as well as by sunlight, and transformed in vivo into bacterial cells lacking specific nucleases showed reduced transformation in DNA excision repair strains. UV-B enriched wavelengths isolated from a solar simulator affected plasmid DNA in a similar manner as UV-B from lamp systems. Sunlight, however affected the membrane of whole cells. Concentration of foliar furanocoumarins of Citrus jambhiri decreased with UV-B irradiation. Phototoxicity to Fusarium spp. was accounted for, in part, by furanocoumarins, psoralen and bergapten (5-MOP) and others. Pure psoralen and 5-MOP affected both Fusarium spp. similarly and carotenoids protected only partially in the wild type strains. Citrus targetted the cell membrane in Fusarium spp.l and in E. coli strains; carotenoids in both of which protected against such damage. Loss in structural integrity of plasmid DNA when treated with citral and UV-A correlated with loss in transforming activity. Biological damage to membrane and DNA was due to the production of hydrogen peroxide. Fruit-rot pathogens Penicilium spp. were not affected by either furanocoumarins or citrals