Methods and compositions for improving corn yield
The present invention provides yield and early vigor enhancing compositions comprising Methylobacterium sp., methods for improving corn yield and early vigor, and methods of making the compositions. Also provided are isolated yield enhancing Methylobacterium sp.
1. A method for improving corn plant yield that comprises
spraying, coating, partially coating, immersing, and/or imbibing a corn plant, corn seed, or other corn plant part with a composition comprising a deposited Methylobacterium sp. strain selected from the group consisting of NLS0020 (NRRL B-50930), NLS0017 (NRRL B-50931), and NLS0021 (NRRL B-50939), wherein the composition comprises the Methylobacterium sp. strain at a titer of at least 1×10 6 CFU/gm for a solid composition or at a titer of at least 1×10 6 CFU/mL for a liquid composition and wherein the Methylobacterium provides for increased yield in a treated corn plant or corn plant grown from a treated seed in comparison to an untreated corn plant or corn plant grown from an untreated seed.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprising a Methylobacterium sp. strain is provided to the corn seed in furrow at planting.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises the Methylobacterium sp. strain at a titer of about 5×10 8 CFU/gm to about 6×10 10 CFU/gm for a solid composition or at a titer of about 5×10 8 CFU/mL to about 6×10 10 CFU/mL for a liquid composition.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises an emulsion.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applied composition coats or partially coats the corn plant or a part thereof, wherein partial coating includes coating at least 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 98%, 99%, or about 99.5% of the surface area of the corn plant or a part thereof.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is applied to foliage of the corn plant.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises an active selected from the group consisting of an insecticide, a nematicide, a fungicide, and a biopesticidal or otherwise beneficial microbe.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said biopesticidal or otherwise beneficial microbe is selected from the group consisting of Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus pumilis, Pseudomonas syringae, Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma vixens , and Streptomyces lydicus.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of growing the corn plant to maturity and harvesting seed from the mature corn plant.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises Methylobacterium sp. strain NLS0042 (NRRL B-50932).
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises Methylobacterium sp. strain selected from the group consisting of NLS0020 (NRRL B-50930) and NLS0021 (NRRL B-50939).
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said composition further comprises Methylobacterium sp. strain NLS0042 (NRRL B-50932).
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises an agriculturally acceptable adjuvant, excipient, or combination thereof.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least 95% of the microorganisms present by amount in the composition are Methylobacterium sp. strain NLS0017, NLS0020 or NLS0021.