Antifungal
Compositions comprising Methylobacterium with anti-fungal activity, methods for controlling plant pathogenic fungi, and methods of making the compositions are provided.
1 . A composition for treating a seed of a leguminous or cereal crop plant susceptible to infection by a fungal pathogen, wherein said composition comprises (a) a Methylobacterium strain selected from the group consisting of NLS0089 (NRRL B-50933) and NLS0066 (NRRL B-50940) and (b) a carrier, wherein said Methylobacterium strain is at a titer of at least 5×10 7 colony-forming units per gram for a dry composition, or at least 5×10 7 colony-forming units per milliliter for a liquid composition, an effective amount for treating the seed of the leguminous or cereal crop plant susceptible to infection by the fungal pathogen.
2 . The composition of claim 1 wherein said composition further comprises an antifungal compound selected from the group consisting of an azole, dithiocarbamate, strobilurin, and benzimidazole.
3 . The composition of claim 2 wherein said azole antifungal compound is ipconazole.
4 . The composition of claim 1 wherein said composition further comprises a fungicide.
5 . The composition of claim 1 wherein said plant is susceptible to infection by the fungal pathogen selected from the group consisting of a Rhizoctonia sp., a Fusarium sp., a Pythium sp., a Septoria sp., a Cercospora sp., a Colletotrichum sp., a Puccinia sp., and a Sclerotinia sp.
6 . The composition of claim 1 wherein said composition further comprises an agricultural polymer solution.
7 . The composition of claim 1 wherein said composition further comprises a second Methylobacterium strain selected from the group consisting of NLS0017 (NRRL B-50931) and NLS0020 (NRRL B-50930).
8 . A method for reducing adverse effects to a plant, wherein said adverse effects are caused by growth of a fungal pathogen, wherein said method comprises applying a composition comprising (a) a Methylobacterium strain selected from the group consisting of NLS0089 (NRRL B-50933) and NLS0066 (NRRL B-50940) and (b) a carrier to a plant or plant part that is susceptible to adverse effects caused by growth of a fungal pathogen, wherein said Methylobacterium strain is at a titer of at least 5×10 7 colony-forming units per gram for a dry composition, or at least 5×10 7 colony-forming units per milliliter for a liquid composition.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein at least 10 3 CFU of said Methylobacterium strain are applied to said plant or plant part.
10 . The method of claim 8 wherein said plant part is a seed.
11 . The method of claim 8 wherein said plant is a leguminous or cereal crop plant.
12 . The method of claim 8 wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of a rice, soybean, peanut, tomato, wheat, corn, barley, millet, sorghum, oat, and rye plant.
13 . The method of claim 8 wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of a coffee, coconut, pineapple, citrus, cocoa, tea, banana, avocado, fig, guava, mango, olive, papaya, cashew, macadamia, almond, sugar beet, sugarcane, lettuce, green bean, lima bean, pea, cucurbit, ornamental, conifer and turfgrass plant.
14 . The method of claim 8 wherein said composition further comprises an antifungal compound selected from the group consisting of an azole, dithiocarbamate, strobilurin, and benzimidazole.
15 . The method of claim 14 wherein said azole antifungal compound is ipconazole.
16 . The method of claim 8 wherein said composition further comprises a fungicide.
17 . The method of claim 8 wherein said fungal pathogen is selected from the group consisting of a Rhizoctonia sp., a Fusarium sp., a Pythium sp., a Septoria sp., a Cercospora sp., a Colletotrichum sp., a Puccinia sp., and a Sclerotinia sp.
18 . The method of claim 10 wherein said composition further comprises an agricultural polymer solution.
19 . The method of claim 8 wherein said composition further comprises Methylobacterium strain NLS0017 (NRRL B-50931) and/or NLS0020 (NRRL B-50930).