Microbial Composition Comprising Liquid Fertilizer and Processes for Agricultural Use

Abstract

Processes and compositions are disclosed that enhance crop production, increase plant defensive processes and/or decrease the level of plant pathogens. The compositions comprise a microbial composition and liquid fertilizer, preferably a liquid fertilizer that contains at least soluble nitrogen. The composition can be applied immediately to soil, foliage, seeds or seedlings. Alternatively, the composition may be activated by incubation for up to about seven days to form an activated composition. The incubation conditions influence the properties of the consortium after incubation. In one embodiment, the compositions comprise one or more lactic acid producing bacteria, one or more nitrogen fixing bacteria, and liquid fertilizer comprising soluble nitrogen. In preferred embodiments, there are multiple genera and/or species of lactic acid bacteria and nitrogen fixing bacteria. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the composition comprises HYTa in liquid fertilizer.

1 . A microbial composition comprising the microbes in HYTa (ATCC Patent Deposit Designation PTA-10973) and liquid fertilizer. 
     
     
         2 . The microbial composition of  claim 1  wherein said liquid fertilizer comprises soluble nitrogen. 
     
     
         3 . The microbial composition of  claim 2  wherein said soluble nitrogen comprises an organic soluble nitrogen source or a nitrogen containing inorganic salt. 
     
     
         4 . The microbial composition of  claim 3  wherein said soluble nitrogen containing inorganic salt is selected from the group consisting of ammonium hydroxide, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium pyrophosphate ammonium thiosulfate or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The microbial composition of  claim 3  wherein said organic soluble nitrogen source comprises urea. 
     
     
         6 . The microbial composition of  claim 1  further comprising at least one of chitin, chitosan, glucosamine and amino acids. 
     
     
         7 . The microbial composition of  claim 1  further comprising at least two of chitin, chitosan, glucosamine and amino acids. 
     
     
         8 . The microbial composition of  claim 1  further comprising at least three of chitin, chitosan, glucosamine and amino acids. 
     
     
         9 . The microbial composition of  claim 1  further comprising chitin, chitosan, glucosamine and amino acids. 
     
     
         10 . The microbial composition of  claim 1  further comprising HYTb and/or HYTd, wherein said HYTb is the liquid fraction obtained from the fermentation of chitin containing organisms by HQE (ATCC Patent Deposit Designation PTA-10861) and said HYTd is the liquid fraction obtained from the fermentation of chitin in HYTb by HQE. 
     
     
         11 . The microbial composition of  claim 1  further comprising HYTc, wherein said HYTc is the solid fraction obtained from the fermentation of chitin containing organisms with HQE (ATCC Patent Deposit Designation PTA-10861). 
     
     
         12 . The microbial composition of  claim 1  further comprising HYTb and/or HYTd and HYTc, wherein said HYTb is the liquid fraction obtained from the fermentation of chitin containing organisms with HQE (ATCC Patent Deposit Designation PTA-10861), said HYTc is the solid fraction obtained from the fermentation of chitin containing organisms with HQE (ATCC Patent Deposit Designation PTA-10861) and said HYTd is the liquid fraction obtained from the fermentation of chitin in HYTb by HQE. 
     
     
         13 . The microbial composition of  claims 1  wherein the microbes in said composition are activated. 
     
     
         14 . The microbial composition of  claim 13  wherein the microbes in said composition are activated by incubation in said liquid fertilizer. 
     
     
         15 . The microbial composition of  claim 14  wherein said incubation is from 24 to 168 hours. 
     
     
         16 . A process comprising contacting soil, seed, seedling or plant foliage with the microbial composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16  wherein said microbial composition is activated, 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 16  wherein said microbial composition is activated by incubation in said liquid fertilizer prior to said contacting. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18  wherein said incubation is for 24-168 hours prior to said contacting. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 16  wherein said contacting is of said soil to form treated soil. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 20  wherein said method further comprises contacting said treated soil or the foliage of a plant in said treated soil with one or more of the microbial composition of  claim 1 , the microbial composition of  claim 13 , HYTa, chitin, chitosan, glucosamine and amino acids. 
     
     
         22 . Treated soil comprising soil, HYTa and liquid fertilizer comprising a source of soluble organic nitrogen. 
     
     
         23 . The treated soil of  claim 22  wherein said soluble nitrogen is in the form of a liquid fertilizer, 
     
     
         24 . A package containing the treated soil of  claim 22  or  23 . 
     
     
         25 . A composition comprising one or more lactic acid bacteria, one or more nitrogen fixing bacteria and a liquid fertilizer comprising soluble nitrogen. 
     
     
         26 . The composition of  claim 25  comprising at least two nitrogen fixing bacteria. 
     
     
         27 . The composition of  claim 25  comprising at least three nitrogen fixing bacteria. 
     
     
         28 . The composition of  claim 25  further comprising at least one nitrogen oxidizing bacterium. 
     
     
         29 . The composition of  claim 25  further comprising at least two nitrogen oxidizing bacterium 
     
     
         30 . The composition of  claim 25  wherein said soluble nitrogen comprises urea or a nitrogen containing salt. 
     
     
         31 . The composition of  claim 30  wherein said nitrogen containing salt is selected from the group consisting of ammonium hydroxide, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium pyrophosphate, ammonium thiosulfate or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         32 . The composition of any of  claims 25  through  27  wherein said nitrogen fixing bacteria are selected from the group consisting of  Rhizobium japonicum, Clostridium pasteurianum  and  Azobacter vinelandii.    
     
     
         33 . The composition of any of  claims 28  and  29  wherein said nitrogen oxidizing bacterium is selected from  Nitrosomonas  and  Nitrobacter.    
     
     
         34 . The composition of  claim 25  further comprising microorganisms that solubilize sources of potassium, phosphorous and carbon. 
     
     
         35 . The composition of  claim 25  further comprising at least one of  Bacillus subtilis  (SILoSil® BS)  Bacillus thuringiensis  strains HD-1 and HD-73 (SILoSil® BT), and  Trichoderma harzianum  (TRICHOSIL). 
     
     
         36 . The composition of  claim 25  further comprising at least two of  Bacillus subtilis  (SILoSil® BS)  Bacillus thuringiensis  strains HD-1 and HD-73 (SILoSil® BT), and  Trichoderma harzianum  (TRICHOSIL). 
     
     
         37 . The composition of  claim 25  further comprising  Bacillus subtilis  (SILoSil® BS)  Bacillus thuringiensis  strains HD-1 and HD-73 (SILoSil® BT), and  Trichoderma harzianum  (TRICHOSIL). 
     
     
         38 . The composition of any of  claims 25  further comprising at least one of chitin, chitosan, glucosamine and amino acids. 
     
     
         39 . The composition of any of  claims 25  further comprising at least one of HYTb, HYTd and HYTc.