Sandpaper mutants of bacillus and methods of their use to enhance plant growth, promote plant health and control diseases and pests

Abstract

The present invention relates to novel strains of Bacillus and methods of their use for enhancing the growth, promoting plant health or controlling diseases or pests of a plant.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A composition comprising  Bacillus subtilis  QST713 cells (deposited as Accession Number NRRL B-50420) having a mutation in the swrA gene, wherein the cells having the mutation comprise at least 3.5% of the total bacterial cells in the composition. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the cells having the mutation comprise at least one nucleic acid base pair change in a start codon and/or at least one nucleic acid base pair insertion or deletion in the swrA gene. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the insertion or deletion in the swrA gene occurs at one or more of the base pairs at positions 26-34 of SEQ ID NO. 1. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the cells having the mutation are selected from the group consisting of the strain AQ30002 (aka QST30002) and the strain AQ30004 (aka QST30004), deposited as Accession Numbers NRRL B-50421 and NRRL B-50455, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises at least one carrier. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises at least one other active ingredient in addition to the cells having the mutation. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 6 , wherein the active ingredient is a chemical or another strain of bacteria. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 6 , wherein the active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of an herbicide, a fungicide, a bactericide, an insecticide, a nematicide, a miticide, a plant growth regulator, a plant growth stimulant and a fertilizer. 
     
     
         9 . A method of treating a plant to enhance plant growth or promote plant health and to control a plant disease or pest, wherein the method comprises applying the composition of  claim 1  to the plant, to a part of the plant and/or to a plant locus. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the method comprises applying the composition to soil. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the plant part is selected from the group consisting of a seed, root, corn, tuber, bulb, slip and rhizome. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the plant pest is a plant parasitic nematode. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the plant disease is a soil-borne pathogen selected from the group consisting of  Aphanomyces cochliodes, Cylindrocladium parasiticum, Fusarium avenaceum, Fusarium culmorum, Phytophthora capsici, Phytophthora cinnamomi, Pythium ultimum, Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Sclerotinia minor, Sclerotium rolfsii, Usilago hordei, Stagonospora nodorum, Aspergillus fumigatus, Verticillium dahliae, Tapesia yallunde, Alternaria alternate  and  Penicillium expansum.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the composition is applied at a rate of about 4×10 11  to about 8×10 12  cfu per acre. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the composition further comprises at least one other active ingredient in addition to the cells having the mutation. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of a herbicide, a fungicide, a bactericide, an insecticide, a nematicide, a miticide, a plant growth regulator, a plant growth stimulant and a fertilizer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the nematicide is a  Bacillus firmus.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the insecticide is a neonicotinoid insecticide. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the plant growth stimulant is a  rhizobia  bacteria. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the active ingredient is a formulated composition applied at a rate that is less than the rate recommended on a product label for the active ingredient were the active ingredient applied as a stand-alone treatment.