METHOD OF PROMOTING BACILLUS SPORE GERMINATION
The present invention provides a method of promoting spore germination and/or vegetative growth of a plant growth-promoting Bacillus or Paenibacillus isolate, the method comprising simultaneously or sequentially applying inorganic phosphate and the plant growth-promoting Bacillus or Paenibacillus isolate to a plant, a plant part, a plant propagule, a seed of a plant and/or a locus
1 - 40 . (canceled)
41 . A composition comprising
(i) Bacillus spores of a plant growth-promoting Bacillus isolate, and
(ii) 0.004% to 0.5% (w/w) inorganic phosphate, in the absence of a carbon source.
42 . The composition of claim 41 , wherein the Bacillus isolate is Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus pumilus, or a combination thereof.
43 . The composition of claim 42 , wherein the plant growth-promoting Bacillus isolate is selected from the group consisting of Bacillus subtilis var. amyloliquefaciens strain FZB24, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain FZB42, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain D747, Bacillus subtilis strain Y1336, Bacillus subtilis strain MBI 600, Bacillus subtilis strain QST713 (Accession No. NRRL B-21661), Bacillus subtilis AQ30002 (Accession No. NRRL B-50421), Bacillus subtilis AQ30004 (Accession No. NRRL B-50455), Bacillus pumilus QST2808 (Accession No. NRRL B-30087), mutants thereof with all the identifying characteristics of the respective strain, and combinations thereof.
44 . The composition of claim 43 , wherein the plant-growth promoting Bacillus isolate is Bacillus subtilis QST713 (Accession No. NRRL B-21661).
45 . The composition of claim 41 , wherein the inorganic phosphate is selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid, polyphosphoric acid, phosphorous acid and a salt of H 2 PO 4− , H 2 PO 3− , HPO 4 2− or PO 4 3− .
46 . The composition of claim 41 , wherein the inorganic phosphate is monopotassium phosphate.
47 . The composition of claim 41 , wherein the inorganic phosphate is calcium phosphate, monobasic (Ca(H 2 PO 4 ) 2 ), calcium phosphate, dibasic (CaHPO 4 ), or a combination thereof.
48 . The composition of claim 41 comprising 0.004% to 0.4% (w/w) monopotassium phosphate.
49 . The composition of claim 41 comprising 0.3% to 0.28% (w/w) calcium phosphate, monobasic (Ca(H 2 PO 4 ) 2 ), calcium phosphate, dibasic (CaHPO 4 ), or a combination thereof.
50 . The composition of claim 41 , wherein the plant-growth promoting Bacillus isolate is Bacillus subtilis QST713 (Accession No. NRRL B-21661) and the inorganic phosphate is monopotassium phosphate.