Microbial inoculants and fertilizer compositions comprising the same

Abstract

Provided herein are microbial inoculants for use in increasing plant growth, plant productivity and/or soil quality, comprising strains of one or more bacterial species selected from Lactobacillus parafarraginis, Lactobacillus buchneri, Lactobacillus rapi and Lactobacillus zeae . Optionally the microbial inoculants also comprise a strain of Acetobacter fabarum and/or a strain of Candida ethanolica . Also provided are fertilizer compositions comprising said microbial inoculants.

1 . A microbial inoculant for use in increasing plant growth, plant productivity and/or soil quality, comprising strains of one or more bacterial species selected from  Lactobacillus parafarraginis, Lactobacillus buchneri, Lactobacillus rapi  and  Lactobacillus zeae.    
     
     
         2 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A microbial inoculant according to any one of  claim 1  wherein the inoculant is a symbiotic combination of two or more, or three or more, of said  Lactobacillus  species. 
     
     
         6 . A microbial inoculant according to  claim 1  wherein the  Lactobacillus parafarraginis  strain is  Lactobacillus parafarraginis  Lp18 deposited with National Measurement Institute, Australia on 27 Oct. 2011 under Accession Number V11/022945. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A microbial inoculant according to  claim 1  wherein the  Lactobacillus buchneri  strain is  Lactobacillus buchneri  Lb23 deposited with National Measurement Institute, Australia on 27 Oct. 2011 under Accession Number V11/022946. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A microbial inoculant according to  claim 1  wherein the  Lactobacillus rapi  strain is  Lactobacillus rapi  Lr24 deposited with National Measurement Institute, Australia on 27 Oct. 2011 under Accession Number V11/022947. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A microbial inoculant according to  claim 1  wherein the  Lactobacillus zeae  strain is  Lactobacillus zeae  Lz26 deposited with National Measurement Institute, Australia on 27 Oct. 2011 under Accession Number V11/022948. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A microbial inoculant according to  claim 1  further comprising a strain of  Acetobacter fabarum.    
     
     
         15 . A microbial inoculant according to  claim 14  wherein the  Acetobacter fabarum  strain is  Acetobacter fabarum  Af15 deposited with the National Measurement Institute, Australia on 27 Oct. 2011 under Accession Number V11/022943. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A microbial inoculant according to  claim 1  further comprising a yeast. 
     
     
         18 . A microbial inoculant according to  claim 17  wherein the yeast is a strain of  Candida ethanolica.    
     
     
         19 . A microbial inoculant according to  claim 18  wherein the  Candida ethanolica  strain is  Candida ethanolica  Ce31 deposited with the National Measurement Institute, Australia on 27 Oct. 2011 under Accession Number V11/022944. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A microbial inoculant according to  claim 1  wherein one or more of the strains in the inoculant is encapsulated. 
     
     
         22 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . An inoculant according to  claim 1  for use as a fertilizer. 
     
     
         25 . A fertilizer composition comprising a microbial inoculant according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A fertilizer composition according to  claim 25  for use in fertilizing pasture plants, crop plants or ornamental plants. 
     
     
         28 . A fertilizer composition according to  claim 27  wherein the crop is a human or animal food crop or crop for use as fuel or for pharmaceutical production. 
     
     
         29 . A fertilizer composition according to  claim 28  wherein the food crop is a fruit, vegetable, nut, seed or grain. 
     
     
         30 . A method for increasing plant growth and/or productivity, the method comprising applying to the plant, plant seeds or to the soil in which the plant or plant seeds are grown an effective amount of a microbial inoculant according to  claim 1  or a fertilizer composition according to  claim 25 . 
     
     
         31 . A method for improving soil quality or remediating degraded soil or pasture, the method comprising applying to the soil or pasture, or to the plants or plant seeds in said soil, an effective amount of a microbial inoculant according to any one of  claims 1  to  24   claim 1  or a fertilizer composition according to  claim 25 . 
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 30  or  31  wherein the plant is a pasture plant, crop plant or ornamental plant. 
     
     
         33 - 34 . (canceled)