CA2471555A1 - Controlling plant pathogens with fungal/bacterial antagonist combinations comprising trichoderma virens and bacillus amyloliquefaciens - Google Patents

Abstract

Fungal/bacterial antagonist combinations, a seed coated with one of the combinations and a plant protected from plant pathogens by one of the combinations. The invention is also a fungal/bacterial antagonist combination and its use for controlling plant pathogens as a biocontrol agent, bio-pesticide or bio-fungicide. The invention also finds utility as a fungal/bacterial antagonist combination applied to the seed, stalk or leaf that results in an increase in plant yield.

Claims (46)

1. An agricultural inoculum suitable for inoculating plant seeds, said inoculum comprising:
a fungal antagonist selected from the group of Trichoderma virens isolate G1-3 (ATCC
58678) and mutants thereof;
a bacterial antagonist selected from the group of Bacillus subtilis var.
amyloliquefaciens strain TJ1000 (ATCC BAA-390) and mutants thereof; and a suitable carrier that is non-phytotoxic, non-bacteriostatic, and non-bactericidal.

2. A composition of matter comprising:
a plant seed inoculated with a combination comprising a fungal antagonist selected from the group of Trichoderma virens G1-3 (ATCC 58678) and mutants thereof and a bacterial antagonist selected from the group of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TJ1000 or 1BE
(ATCC BAA-390) and mutants thereof;
wherein said combination suppresses growth of plant pathogenic fungi.

3. A plant inoculated with a combination comprising:
a fungal antagonist selected from the group of Trichoderma virens G1-3 (ATCC
58678) and mutants thereof; and a bacterial antagonist selected from the group of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TJ1000 or 1BE (ATCC BAA-390) and mutants thereof;

wherein the combination suppresses growth of plant pathogenic fungi and the plant is selected from the group of corn, sunflower, soybean, field pea, and wheat.

4. A method of protecting a plant from disease caused by a plant pathogenic fungus comprising:
inoculating seeds from said plant with a combination comprising a fungal antagonist selected from the group of Trichoderma virens G1-3 (ATCC 58678) and mutants thereof and a bacterial antagonist selected from the group of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TJ1000 or 1BE
(ATCC BAA-390) and mutants thereof;
wherein said combination suppresses growth of plant pathogenic fungi.

5. A method of protecting a seed or a plant from disease caused by a plant pathogenic fungus comprising:
inoculating seeds from said plant with a composition comprising a spore-forming fungal antagonist and a spore-forming bacterial antagonist.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the spore-forming bacterial antagonist is selected from the group Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TJ1000 or 1BE (ATCC BAA-390) and mutants thereof.

7. A method of protecting a seed or a plant from disease caused by a plant pathogenic fungus comprising:
inoculating seeds from said plant with a composition comprising the agricultural antagonist of claim 1;
wherein said combination suppresses growth of plant pathogenic fungi.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the combination suppresses growth of the plant pathogen fungi Fusarium, Phythium, Phytophthora and Penicillium.

9. A method of protecting a plant from disease caused by a plant pathogenic fungus comprising:
inoculating seeds from said plant with a composition comprising a fungal antagonist and a bacterial antagonist selected from the group of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TJ1000 or 1BE
(ATCC BAA-390) and mutants thereof;
wherein said combination suppresses growth of plant pathogenic fungi.

10. A method for biologically controlling or inhibiting stalk rot or root rot comprising:
coating seeds with an effective amount of a composition comprising Trichoderma virens G1-3 (ATCC 58678) and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TJ1000 or 1BE (ATCC BAA-390).

11. A process for making a composition comprising:
introducing an essentially pure culture of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TJ1000 or 1BE
(ATCC BAA-390) to a growth medium about eight hours after an essentially pure culture of Trichoderma virens G1-3 (ATCC 58678) is introduced to the growth medium; and growing the culture as a competitive culture.

12. A process comprising making a composition comprising:
combining an essentially pure culture of Trichoderma virens G1-3 (ATCC 58678) with an essentially pure culture of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TJ1000 or 1BE (ATCC BAA-390) in a 50:50 mixture; and applying said composition to a seed at a rate of at least 100,000 spores per seed.

13. A method for protecting plants in a growing medium from damping off and root rot fungal plant disease comprising:
placing in the growing medium in the immediate vicinity of the plant to be protected an effective quantity of the agricultural inoculum of claim 1.

14. A method for protecting plants from fungal plant disease comprising:
adding the composition of claim 1 in an effective quantity to a substrate selected from the group of pelletized calcium sulfate or pelletized lime; and placing the pellet in the immediate vicinity of the plant to be protected.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
adding another plant growth nutrient to the pellet.

16. A method for protecting a plant from fungal plant disease comprising:

adding the agricultural inoculum of claim 1 in an effective quantity to a liquid solution;
and applying the liquid solution in the immediate vicinity of the plant.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:
adding an additive to the liquid, said additive being at least one substance selected from the group of a plant nutrient, a plant micro-nutrient, and a chemical fungicide.

18. A method for biologically controlling a plant disease caused by a plant-colonizing fungus, the method comprising:
inoculating a seed of the plant with an effective amount of a microbial inoculant comprising a combination having all of the identifying characteristics of the agricultural inoculum of claim 1, said inoculation resulting in the control of said plant disease.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said inoculation results in the control of more than one plant disease.

20. A method comprising:
combining a spore-forming fungal strain and a spore-forming bacterial strain to produce a product; whereby the combining step enhances ease of use and longevity of the product.

21. A method comprising:
applying a Trichoderma spp. microorganism and a Bacillus spp. microorganism to a wettable powder to produce a combination; and applying the combination to a seed or another part of a plant.

22. A composition of matter made by combining:
a fungal antagonist selected from the group of Trichoderma virens isolate G1-3 (ATCC
58678) and mutants thereof;
a bacterial antagonist selected from the group of Bacillus subtilis var.
amyloliquefaciens strain TJ1000 (ATCC BAA-390) and mutants thereof; and a suitable carrier that is non-phytotoxic, non-bacteriostatic, and non-bactericidal.

23. An antagonist for controlling plant pathogens made by combining effective amounts of a fungal antagonist selected from the group of Trichoderma virens isolate G1-3 (ATCC
58678) and mutants thereof;
a bacterial antagonist selected from the group of Bacillus subtilis var.
amyloliquefaciens strain TJ1000 (ATCC BAA-390) and mutants thereof; and a suitable carrier that is non-phytotoxic, non-bacteriostatic, and non-bactericidal.

24. An antagonist made by further combining with the antagonist of claim 23 an effective amount of another bacterial strain.

25. A seed assembly made by combining a plant seed with effective amounts of a spore-forming bacterial antagonist and a spore-forming fungal antagonist.

26. The seed assembly of claim 25 wherein the seed is a seed of a plant selected from the group of a monocot, and a dicot.

27. The seed assembly of claim 25 wherein the seed is a seed of a plant selected from the group of a legume plant, and a non-legume plant.

28. The seed assembly of claim 25 wherein the seed is a seed of a plant selected from the group of~
corn, sunflower, soybean, field pea, and wheat.

29. A method for culturing a plant comprising:
applying the antagonist of claim 23 to a seed or to the seedbed of the plant;

planting the seed in the seedbed;
growing the plant to yield a crop; and harvesting the crop;
wherein said applying step increases the yield of the crop.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the antagonist is applied to the seed or to the seedbed of a plant selected from the group of a monocot, and a dicot.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the antagonist is applied to the seed or to the seedbed of a plant selected from the group of a legume plant, and a non-legume plant.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein the antagonist is applied to the seed or to the seedbed of a plant selected from the group of corn, sunflower, soybean, field pea, and wheat.

33. A process comprising:
making a composition by combining an essentially pure culture of Trichoderma virens G1-3 (ATCC 58678) with an essentially pure culture of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TJ 1000 (ATCC BAA-390) in a mixture; and applying said composition to a seed; wherein said mixture ranges in composition from 10 to 90 percent Trichoderma virens G1-3 (ATCC 58678) by culture volume and from 90 to 10 percent Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TJ1000 (ATCC BAA-390) by culture volume.

34. A process comprising:
making a composition by combining an essentially pure culture of Trichoderma virens G1-3 (ATCC 58678) with a plurality of essentially pure cultures of bacteria in a mixture; and applying said composition to a seed; wherein said mixture ranges in composition from 10 to 90 percent Trichoderma virens G1-3 (ATCC 58678) by culture volume.

35. An antagonist for controlling plant pathogens made by combining effective amounts of a fungal antagonist selected from the group of a strain of Trichoderma virens and mutants thereof;
a bacterial antagonist selected from the group of Bacillus subtilis var.
amyloliquefaciens strain TJ1000 (ATCC BAA-390) and mutants thereof; and a suitable carrier that is non-phytotoxic, non-bacteriostatic, and non-bactericidal.

36. The antagonist of claim 35 wherein the strain is Trichoderma virens Gl 21.

37. An antagonist for controlling plant pathogens made by combining effective amounts of:
a fungal antagonist selected from the group of Trichoderma virens isolate G1-3 (ATCC
58678) and mutants thereof;
a plurality of bacterial antagonists; and a suitable carrier that is non-phytotoxic, non-bacteriostatic, and non-bactericidal.

38. The antagonist of claim 37 wherein the plurality of bacterial antagonists comprises a strain of Erwinia carotovora.

39. The antagonist of claim 37 wherein the plurality of bacterial antagonists comprises a strain of Bacillus lentimorbus.

40. A method comprising:
combining a spore-forming fungal strain and a spore-forming bacterial strain to produce a product comprising the composition of matter of claim 22; and applying the product to a plant or to a part of the plant;
whereby application of the product produces yield enhancement in the plant.

41. A method comprising:
applying a Trichoderma spp. microorganism and a Bacillus spp. microorganism to a wettable powder to produce a combination comprising the antagonist of claim 23; and applying the combination to a seed;

whereby application of the combination produces a positive yield response in a plant growing from the seed.

42. A process comprising:
making the agricultural inoculum of claim 1; and applying said agricultural inoculum to a seed;
wherein said agricultural inoculum ranges in composition from 1 to 99 percent Trichoderma virens GL-3 (ATCC 58678) by culture volume and from 99 to 1 percent Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TJ1000 or 1BE (ATCC BAA-390) by culture volume.

43. A composition of matter comprising:
a plant seed inoculated with the agricultural inoculum of claim 1;
wherein said combination increases the yield of the plant.

44. A method for increasing the yield of a plant, the method comprising:
coating a seed of the plant with an effective amount of the agricultural inoculum of claim 1; and culturing the plant.

45. A composition made by combining effective amounts of:
a spore-forming fungal antagonist; and a spore-forming bacterial antagonist;

wherein the spore-forming fungal antagonist does not produce a substance that substantially inhibits the growth of the spore-forming bacterial antagonist and the spore-forming bacterial antagonist does not produce a substance that substantially inhibits the growth of the spore-forming fungal antagonist; and wherein the composition is effective at increasing the yield of a plant grown from a seed to which the composition has been applied.

Claim 46. The composition of claim 45 wherein the composition is effective at increasing the manganese content of the plant.