Use of Peanut Hearts as a Fermentation Biostimulant
The subject invention provides methods of producing advantageous microbes and/or microbial growth by-products using a naturally-derived biostimulant composition. Specifically, the subject invention provides methods for producing bacteria, such as Bacillus spp. bacteria, wherein the rate of cell growth is increased through the application of a biostimulant composition comprising peanut hearts to the cultivation medium.
1 . A method of cultivating a microorganism and/or producing a microbial growth by-product, the method comprising:
a) inoculating a nutrient medium with a microorganism;
b) applying a biostimulant composition to the nutrient medium; and
c) cultivating the microorganism to reach a desired cell density and/or a desired concentration of the growth by-product,
wherein the biostimulant composition comprises peanut hearts, and
wherein the biostimulant composition stimulates growth of the microorganism to a rate higher than if no biostimulant composition were applied.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is a bacterium.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the bacterium is a Bacillus spp. bacteria selected from B. subtilis, B. licheniformis, B. firmus, B. laterosporus, B. megaterium, B. mucilaginosus, B. amyloliquefaciens and B. coagulans.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nutrient medium is solid or liquid.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nutrient medium comprises sources of nitrogen and carbon.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein about 0.5 g/L to about 5.0 g/L of the biostimulant composition is applied to the nutrient medium at a time.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the peanut hearts are ground into granules, meals or powders.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the biostimulant composition further comprises a carrier.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the biostimulant composition further comprises peanut oil.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the biostimulant composition is applied prior to, or concurrently with, inoculating the nutrient medium.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the biostimulant composition is applied after inoculating the nutrient medium.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein multiple applications of the biostimulant composition are performed throughout cultivation.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the growth rate of the microorganism is increased by at least 5% to at least 300%.
14 . The method of claim 1 , used to reduce the amount of waste due to production of peanut butter, peanut flour and peanut-containing confections.