Compositions and methods for increasing biomass, iron concentration, and tolerance to pathogens in plants

Abstract

Methods for producing greater biomass in a plant, increasing the drought tolerance of a plant, producing a decreased lignin concentration in a plant, producing a greater iron concentration in a plant, or inhibiting fungal infection in a plant comprise administering Bacillus subtilis FB17 to the plant, the seed of the plant, or soil surrounding the plant or the seed in an amount effective to produce greater biomass, increase the drought tolerance, produce a decreased lignin concentration, produce a greater iron concentration, or inhibit fungal infection in the plant compared to an untreated plant, respectively. Agricultural carriers and seed coatings comprising Bacillus subtilis FB17 are provided. The biomass of a plant which has been administered Bacillus subtilis FB17 can be converted to a biofuel or can be used as a food crop or in other uses.

1 . A method for producing a greater biomass in a plant comprising administering  Bacillus subtilis  FB17 to the plant, the seed of the plant, or soil surrounding the plant or the seed in an amount effective to produce a greater biomass in the plant compared to an untreated plant. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising administering the  Bacillus subtilis  FB17 to the seed of the plant. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of a corn plant, a soybean plant, a rice plant, and a tomato plant. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant is a bioenergy crop plant. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plant is  Brachypodium distachyon.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising administering the  Bacillus subtilis  FB17 in an amount effective to produce a greater biomass in the plant by about 5% to about 100% compared to an untreated plant. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising administering the  Bacillus subtilis  FB17 to the seed in an amount of about 1×10 6  CFU/seed to about 1×10 8  CFU/seed. 
     
     
         8 . A method for producing a greater drought tolerance in a plant comprising administering  Bacillus subtilis  FB17 to the plant, the seed of the plant, or soil surrounding the plant or the seed in an amount effective to produce a greater drought tolerance in the plant compared to an untreated plant. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising administering the  Bacillus subtilis  FB17 to the seed of the plant. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of a corn plant, a soybean plant, a rice plant, and a tomato plant 
     
     
         11 . A method for producing a decreased lignin concentration in a plant comprising administering  Bacillus subtilis  FB17 to the plant, the seed of the plant, or soil surrounding the plant or the seed in an amount effective to produce a decreased lignin concentration in the plant compared to an untreated plant. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising administering the  Bacillus subtilis  FB17 to the seed of the plant. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of a corn plant, a soybean plant, a rice plant, and a tomato plant. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising administering the  Bacillus subtilis  FB17 to the seed in an amount of about 1×10 6  CFU/seed to about 1×10 8  CFU/seed. 
     
     
         15 . A method for producing a biofuel, said method comprising converting the biomass of the plant of  claim 11  which has been administered  Bacillus subtilis  FB17 to said biofuel. 
     
     
         16 . A biofuel produced according to  claim 15 . 
     
     
         17 . A method for producing a greater iron concentration in a plant comprising administering  Bacillus subtilis  FB17 to the plant, the seed of the plant, or soil surrounding the plant or the seed in an amount effective to produce a greater iron concentration in the plant compared to an untreated plant. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the plant is a rice plant. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising administering the  Bacillus subtilis  FB17 to the seed of the rice plant prior to planting. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising administering the  Bacillus subtilis  FB17 in an amount effective to produce a greater iron concentration in the rice plant by at least about 25% compared to an untreated rice plant. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising administering the  Bacillus subtilis  FB17 to the seed in an amount of about 1×10 6  CFU/seed to about 1×10 8  CFU/seed. 
     
     
         22 . A method for inhibiting infection of a plant by a fungal pathogen comprising administering  Bacillus subtilis  FB17 to the plant, the seed of the plant, or soil surrounding the plant or the seed in an amount effective to inhibit infection of the plant by the fungal pathogen compared to an untreated plant. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the plant is a rice plant and the fungal pathogen is rice blast. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , comprising administering the  Bacillus subtilis  FB17 to the seed of the rice plant prior to planting. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , comprising administering the  Bacillus subtilis  FB17 to the seed of the rice plant in an amount of about 1×10 6  CFU/seed to about 1×10 8  CFU/seed. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein symptoms of the rice blast are reduced by about 5% to about 100% compared to an untreated plant. 
     
     
         27 . An agricultural carrier comprising  Bacillus subtilis  FB17. 
     
     
         28 . A plant seed coating comprising  Bacillus subtilis  FB17. 
     
     
         29 . A plant seed comprising the coating of  claim 28 .