System and method for promoting plant growth
View Patent ↗Described herein are systems, methods and kits for culturing and applying fresh microbial inoculants in the field. The system, methods and kits are easy to use, reliable, sealed to prevent contamination, and can be stored on location, for use on demand by those unskilled in the microbiological arts. Particular embodiments described herein may be used to increase agricultural crop yields.
1 . A method of promoting plant growth, comprising:
(A) activating a microbial inoculant system to form a liquid inoculant, the system comprising:
a sealed bioreactor comprising a rigid container enclosing a first chamber and a second chamber separated by at least one dividing member, wherein the first chamber is connected to the second chamber;
a predetermined amount of a stable microbial culture in the first chamber;
a predetermined amount of a liquid medium in the second chamber;
wherein at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber comprises at least one gas permeable member, and
wherein activating comprises:
(1) disrupting the integrity of the dividing member;
(2) introducing the microbes of the first chamber into the second chamber; and
(3) culturing the introduced microbes to a log phase growth stage in the sealed bioreactor, thereby forming a liquid inoculant; and
(B) applying the liquid inoculant to a seed.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising diluting the liquid inoculant before applying.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the diluted liquid inoculant contains 1,000 to about 10,000,000 colony-forming units (CFUs) per ml.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising planting the seeds.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein applying adds 0.1% to about 2% moisture to the seed.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein about 10 3 to about 10 7 cells/seed are applied to the seed.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising allowing the seed to dry to a predetermined moisture content after applying the liquid inoculant.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein applying comprises spraying.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the liquid inoculant is sprayed at a rate of 10 3 cells/ml to about 10 7 cells/ml.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the seed is selected from the group consisting of petunia, tomato, legume, or grain crop seeds.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dividing member is disrupted by piercing, tearing, cutting, breaking, puncturing, rupturing, dissolving, or moving the dividing member.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rigid container includes sidewalls and culturing includes storing the bioreactor on its side.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber includes at least one access port for connection to a delivery device.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second chamber has an interior volume of from about 50 mL to about 500 mL.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second chamber has an interior volume of from about 0.5 L to about 100 L.
16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are fabricated, at least in part, from a polymeric material.
17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rigid container prevents deformation, breakage, and/or tearing of the sealed bioreactor during manufacturing and use.
18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rigid container is fabricated from polypropylene or polyethylene.
19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein culturing the introduced microbes comprises incubating the bioreactor for a period of from 1 day to 14 days at a temperature of from about 20° C. to about 50° C.
20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein oxygen is present in the second chamber, as a percentage of total gas in the second chamber, in a percentage of between 5% to 25% oxygen.