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 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . An agricultural carrier comprising  Bacillus subtilis  FB17. 
     
     
         28 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The agricultural carrier of  claim 27  further comprising at least one of a growth medium, an aqueous solution, or a powder. 
     
     
         31 . The agricultural carrier of  claim 30  further comprising an additive. 
     
     
         32 . The agricultural carrier of  claim 31  wherein the additive comprises at least one of an insecticide and a fungicide. 
     
     
         33 . The agricultural carrier of  claim 27  comprising  B. subtilis  FB17 in an amount, per kilogram of carrier, that is between (a) the amount of  B. subtilis  FB17 in 1 mL of a 0.5 OD culture at wavelength 600 nm, and (b) the amount of  B. subtilis  FB17 in 50 mL of a 0.5 OD culture at wavelength 600 nm. 
     
     
         34 . The agricultural carrier of  claim 33  comprising  B. subtilis  FB17 in an amount, per kilogram of carrier, that is between (a) the amount of  B. subtilis  FB17 in 5 mL of a 0.5 OD culture at wavelength 600 nm, and (b) the amount of  B. subtilis  FB17 in 25 mL of a 0.5 OD culture at wavelength 600 nm. 
     
     
         35 . The agricultural carrier of  claim 34  comprising  B. subtilis  FB17 in an amount, per kilogram of carrier, that is between (a) the amount of  B. subtilis  FB17 in 10 mL of a 0.5 OD culture at wavelength 600 nm, and (b) the amount of  B. subtilis  FB17 in 15 mL of a 0.5 OD culture at wavelength 600 nm. 
     
     
         36 . A composition comprising a growth medium and  B. subtilis  FB17. 
     
     
         37 . The composition of  claim 36  further comprising an additive. 
     
     
         38 . The composition of  claim 37  wherein the additive comprises at least one of an insecticide and a fungicide. 
     
     
         39 . The composition of  claim 36  comprising  B. subtilis  FB17 in an amount, per kilogram of carrier, that is between (a) the amount of  B. subtilis  FB17 in 1 mL of a 0.5 OD culture at wavelength 600 nm, and (b) the amount of  B. subtilis  FB17 in 50 mL of a 0.5 OD culture at wavelength 600 nm. 
     
     
         40 . The composition of  claim 39  comprising  B. subtilis  FB17 in an amount, per kilogram of carrier, that is between (a) the amount of  B. subtilis  FB17 in 5 mL of a 0.5 OD culture at wavelength 600 nm, and (b) the amount of  B. subtilis  FB17 in 25 mL of a 0.5 OD culture at wavelength 600 nm. 
     
     
         41 . The composition of  claim 40  comprising  B. subtilis  FB17 in an amount, per kilogram of carrier, that is between (a) the amount of  B. subtilis  FB17 in 10 mL of a 0.5 OD culture at wavelength 600 nm, and (b) the amount of  B. subtilis  FB17 in 15 mL of a 0.5 OD culture at wavelength 600 nm. 
     
     
         42 . A method for enhancing a characteristic of a plant, the method comprising administering the agricultural carrier of claim  1  to the plant, the seed of the plant, or soil surrounding the plant or the seed, in an amount effective to
 (a) produce a greater biomass in the plant compared to an untreated plant; 
 (b) produce a greater drought tolerance in the plant compared to an untreated plant; 
 (c) produce a decreased lignin concentration in the plant compared to an untreated plant; 
 (d) produce a greater iron concentration in the plant compared to an untreated plant; 
 (e) inhibit infection of the plant by the fungal pathogen compared to an untreated plant; 
 (f) increasing the rate of seed germination; and/or 
 (g) increasing tolerance to plant pathogens. 
 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of a corn plant, a soybean plant, a rice plant, a tomato plant, a  Zinnia  plant, a barley plant, and a bioenergy crop plant. 
     
     
         44 . A method for enhancing a characteristic of a plant, the method comprising administering the composition of claim  8  to the plant, the seed of the plant, or soil surrounding the plant or the seed, in an amount effective to
 (a) produce a greater biomass in the plant compared to an untreated plant; 
 (b) produce a greater drought tolerance in the plant compared to an untreated plant; 
 (c) produce a decreased lignin concentration in the plant compared to an untreated plant; 
 (d) produce a greater iron concentration in the plant compared to an untreated plant; 
 (e) inhibit infection of the plant by the fungal pathogen compared to an untreated plant; 
 (f) increasing the rate of seed germination; and/or 
 (g) increasing tolerance to plant pathogens. 
 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of a corn plant, a soybean plant, a rice plant, a tomato plant, a  Zinnia  plant, a barley plant, and a bioenergy crop plant.