Use of pectin or pectin-related saccharides to enhance efficacy of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (pgpr) strains for promoting growth and health in plants and animals

Abstract

Disclosed are compositions and methods that include or utilize plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) for improving growth and health in plants and animals. The compositions and methods include or utilize a plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) that expresses a protein associated with pectin metabolism, and a saccharide comprising pectin or a pectin-related saccharide.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An inoculant comprising: (a)  Bacillus amyloliquefaciens  subspecies  plantarum  (BAP), and (b) a saccharide comprising pectin or a pectin-related saccharide. 
     
     
         2 . The inoculant of  claim 1 , wherein the saccharide is a heteropolysaccharide comprising D-galacturonate monomers which represents at least 50% of all monomers of the heteropolysaccharide. 
     
     
         3 . The inoculant of  claim 1 , wherein the saccharide is a heterogeneous mixture of polysaccharides or monosaccharides comprising D-galacturonate monomers or D-glucuronate monomers, and the sum of D-galacturonate monomers and D-glucuronate monomers in the mixture represent at least 50% of the total monomers of the mixture. 
     
     
         4 . The inoculant of  claim 1 , wherein the saccharide is pectin having an average molecular weight of at least about 30000 g/mol. 
     
     
         5 . The inoculant of  claim 1 , further comprising a nitrogen-fixing bacteria. 
     
     
         6 . Plant seeds coated with the inoculant of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         7 . The plant seeds of  claim 6 , wherein the seeds comprise at least two layers, the two layers comprising at least: (i) a first layer comprising the  Bacillus amyloliquefaciens  subspecies  plantarum  (BAP); and at least (ii) a second layer comprising the pectin or the pectin-related saccharide, wherein the second layer is interior relative to the first layer. 
     
     
         8 . Animal feed comprising the inoculant of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . The animal feed of  claim 8 , wherein the feed comprises 10 4 -10 7  CFU of the BAP per gram. 
     
     
         10 . The animal feed of  claim 1 , wherein the feed comprises pectin at a concentration (w/w) of at least about 0.05%. 
     
     
         11 . The animal feed of  claim 8  formulated for farmed fish. 
     
     
         12 . The animal feed of  claim 8 , wherein the animal feed is coated with the inoculant. 
     
     
         13 . The animal feed of  claim 8 , wherein the animal feed is prepared by forming a mixture of the animal feed and the inoculant and forming a compressed or pelleted animal feed from the mixture. 
     
     
         14 . A method for increasing nodulation in a legume, the method comprising: (a) treating the legume, seeds of the legume, or soil surrounding the legume with  Bacillus amyloliquefaciens  subspecies  plantarum  (BAP) and (b) treating the legume, the seeds of the legume, or the soil surrounding the legume with a saccharide comprising pectin or a pectin-related saccharide. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the legume, the seeds of the legume, or the soil surrounding the legume are treated concurrently with the BAP and the saccharide. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the legume, the seeds of the legume, or the soil surrounding the legume are treated first with the BAP and subsequently the legume, the seeds of the legume, or the soil surrounding the legume are treated with the saccharide. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the legume, the seeds of the legume, or the soil surrounding the legume are treated first with the saccharide and subsequently the legume, the seeds of the legume, or the soil surrounding the legume are treated with the BAP. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising administering a composition comprising the BAP to the soil surrounding the legume at a rate that delivers 10 3 -10 5  CFU per gram soil. 
     
     
         19 . A method for improving growth or health of a plant, the method comprising: (a) treating the plant, seeds of the plant, or soil surrounding the plant with  Bacillus amyloliquefaciens  subspecies  plantarum  (BAP) and (b) treating the plant, the seeds of the plant, or the soil surrounding the plant with a saccharide comprising pectin or a pectin-related saccharide. 
     
     
         20 . A method for improving growth or health in an animal, the method comprising: (a) administering to the animal  Bacillus amyloliquefaciens  subspecies  plantarum  and (b) administering to the animal a saccharide comprising pectin or a pectin-related saccharide.