MUTANTS OF BACILLUS AND METHODS FOR THEIR USE
The present invention relates to a composition comprising a biologically pure culture of plant growth promoting mutants of Bacillus firmus strain I-1582. The present invention also provides a method of treating a seed to promote plant growth, wherein the method comprises applying such mutants to the plant, to a part of the plant and/or to a locus of the plant.
1 . (canceled)
2 . A composition comprising a biologically pure culture of a Bacillus firmus strain NRRL B-67003, a Bacillus firmus strain NRRL B-67518 or a mutant having all the identifying characteristics of one or more of the strains.
3 . The composition of claim 2 , wherein the mutant has improved ability to promote plant growth compared to Bacillus firmus strain NRRL B-67003 or Bacillus firmus strain NRRL B-67518.
4 - 5 . (canceled)
6 . The composition according to claim 2 , wherein the mutant strain has a genomic sequence with greater than about 90% sequence identity to Bacillus firmus I-1582, Bacillus firmus strain NRRL B-67003 or Bacillus firmus strain NRRL B-67518.
7 . The composition of claim 6 , wherein the mutant has the ability to increase plant yield or total plant weight that is better than that of Bacillus firmus I-1582, Bacillus firmus NRRL B-67003 or Bacillus firmus NRRL B-67518.
8 . The composition of claim 2 , wherein the mutant strain has nematode control activity that is comparable to or better than that of Bacillus firmus I-1582.
9 . The composition of claim 2 further comprising an agriculturally acceptable carrier.
10 . A composition comprising a fermentation product of Bacillus firmus strain NRRL B-67003, Bacillus firmus strain NRRL B-67518, or a mutant of one or more of the strains having all the identifying characteristics of one or more of the strains.
11 . The composition of claim 10 , wherein the fermentation product further comprises a formulation ingredient.
12 . The composition of claim 11 , wherein the formulation ingredient is a wetting agent.
13 . The composition of claim 10 , wherein the fermentation product is a freeze-dried powder or a spray-dried powder.
14 . (canceled)
15 . The composition of claim 10 , wherein the fermentation product is a liquid formulation.
16 . The composition of claim 15 , wherein the liquid formulation is a suspension concentrate.
17 . The composition of claim 15 or 16 comprising at least about 2×10 9 CFU of the strain/mL of the liquid formulation.
18 . A method of treating a plant to enhance plant growth, wherein the method comprises applying Bacillus firmus strain NRRL B-67003, Bacillus firmus strain NRRL B-67518, or a mutant derived from one or more of the strains having all the identifying characteristics of one or more of the strains.
19 . (canceled)
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the composition is a fermentation product of the Bacillus firmus strain NRRL B-67003, the Bacillus firmus strain NRRL B-67518 or the mutant.
21 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the method comprises applying the composition to seed.
22 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the composition is applied at about 1×10 5 to about 1×10 8 colony forming units (CFU) per seed of any of the strains.
23 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the composition is applied to soil at about 1×10 13 to about 1×10 15 colony forming units (CFU) per hectare of any of the strains.
24 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein yield of the plant is increased by at least 1%.
25 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of cotton, corn, sorghum, soybeans and sugarbeet.
26 - 40 . (canceled)