Use of bacillus methylotrophicus as a stimulant of plant growth and biological control means, and isolates of said species

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of microorganisms as plant growth stimulants and for the biological control of bacteria, insects, fungi and phytopathogenic nematodes. More specifically, the invention relates to the use of microorganisms of the genus Bacillus, more specifically the Bacillus methylotrophicus species, as well as to cultures thereof, compositions comprising these bacteria, different culture methods and the products comprising same, as plant growth stimulants and for the biological control of bacteria, insects, fungi and phytopathogenic nematodes.

1 . A method of providing phytopathogen protection to a plant, the method comprising applying to at least a portion of the plant a composition comprising lipopeptides of a microorganism, wherein the microorganism comprises  Bacillus methylotrophicus  strain XT1 (deposit number CECT8661) or a related strain having a 16S rRNA gene sequence with at least 99.7% identity to the 16S rRNA gene sequence of the  B. methylotrophicus  strain XT1. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the plant is selected from a root, a leaf, and a stem. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is the  B. methylotrophicus  strain XT1. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the applying comprises foliar application. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the applying comprises irrigation. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lipopeptides comprise surfactin, fengycin and lichenysin. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises enzymes of the microorganism. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the enzymes are selected from glucanases, proteases, lipases, phosphatases and ureases. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a culture of the microorganism. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the culture of the microorganism is at a concentration of at least 10 8  colony forming units (CFU) per ml and is at a dilution between 0.5-5% (v/v). 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the culture of the microorganism is at a concentration of at least 5×10 8  CFU per ml and is at a dilution of about 1.5% (v/v). 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises an isolated extract of the lipopeptides. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the applying comprises an application at a first time point, and an application at a second time point that is about thirty days after the first time point. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the applying comprises application once every 10 days, for 60 days. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the applying comprises application once a day for 8-12 days. 
     
     
         16 . A composition comprising an isolated lipopeptide extract derived from a culture of a microorganism, wherein the microorganism comprises  Bacillus methylotrophicus  strain XT1 (deposit number CECT8661) or a related strain having a 16S rRNA gene sequence with at least 99.7% identity to the 16S rRNA gene sequence of the  B. methylotrophicus  strain XT1. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the composition comprises the one or more lipopeptides at a concentration of at least about 0.12 g/l. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the isolated lipopeptide extract comprises a mixture of 13, 14 and 15 carbon atoms fatty acids, which are bound to a cyclic peptide by leucine or isoleucine. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 17 , wherein the relative proportion of the 13, 14, and 15 carbon fatty acids is a ratio of 1:6.5:5.7, respectively. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the isolated lipopeptide extract comprises one or more of surfactin, fengycin and lichenysin. 
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the isolated lipopeptide extract comprises surfactin, fengycin and lichenysin.