Compositions for stabilizing bacillus spores and methods of use thereof

1. A method for providing a Bacillus on agricultural soil or plant material, which comprises the steps of:

(a) suspending Bacillus spores in a liquid consisting essentially of water and acetic acid, wherein the acetic acid lowers the pH so that the spores are inhibited from germination and growth, and wherein the liquid does not contain a synthetic chemical; and;

(b) neutralizing the liquid of step (a) to enable the spores to provide an enabled Bacillus and applying the enabled Bacillus to the soil or plant material, wherein the neutralizing step is with an alkali metal base, an alkaline earth metal base, and/or alkaline soil.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the pH in step (a) is lowered to a pH from about 3.8 to about 4.2.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the Bacillus spores are Bacillus subtilis.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plant material in step (b) is a seed.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the applying in step (b) is to soil.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the applying in step (b) is to a plant.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the base is selected from the group consisting of: sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and calcium carbonate.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the acetic acid is from a fermentation process to produce vinegar used in step (a).

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the acetic acid is from a 20 percent acetic acid vinegar which is used to lower the pH in step (a).

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the acetic acid in said liquid is at a concentration of 1 to 5%.

11. A method for providing a Bacillus on agricultural soil or plant material, which comprises the steps:

(a) preparing Bacillus spores in a minimal media effective to sporulate Bacillus;

(b) separating said spores from said media;

(c) optionally washing said spores;

(d) suspending the spores from step (b) or (c) in a liquid consisting essentially of water and acetic acid, wherein the acetic acid lowers the pH so that the spores are inhibited from germination and growth, and wherein the liquid does not contain a synthetic chemical; and

(e) neutralizing the liquid of step (d) to enable the spores to provide an enabled Bacillus and applying the enabled Bacillus to the soil or plant material, wherein the neutralizing step is with an alkali metal base, an alkaline earth metal base, and/or alkaline soil.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said separating is by tangential flow filtration or centrifugation.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said tangential flow filtration utilizes a filter from about 0.1 micron to less than 1 micron.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein said centrifugation is performed at a force from about 3,000 g to about 10,000 g.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the pH is lowered to a pH from about 3.8 to about 4.2.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the Bacillus spores are Bacillus subtilis.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the plant material is a seed.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the application is to soil.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the application is to a plant.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the acetic acid in said liquid is at a concentration of 1 to 5%.

21. A method for providing a Bacillus on agricultural soil or plant material, which comprises the steps:

(a) suspending Bacillus spores in a liquid consisting essentially of water and an organic acid, wherein the organic acid lowers the pH so that the spores are inhibited from germination and growth, and wherein the liquid does not contain a synthetic chemical; and

(b) neutralizing the liquid of step (a) to enable the spores to provide an enabled Bacillus and applying the enabled Bacillus to the soil or plant material, wherein the neutralizing step is with an alkali metal base, an alkaline earth metal base, and/or alkaline soil.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:

i) preparing Bacillus spores in a minimal media effective to sporulate Bacillus;

ii) separating said spores from said media; and

iii) optionally washing said spores;

wherein said steps (i), (ii), and (iii) are performed prior to the suspending step.