Microbial consortia

Abstract

Disclosed herein are microbial consortia and compositions including microbes, for example, for use in agricultural or biodegradation applications. In some embodiments, soil, plants, and/or plant parts (such as seeds, seedlings, shoots, roots, leaves, fruit, stems, or branches) are contacted with a disclosed microbial consortia or composition including microbes. The microbial consortia or microbe-containing compositions may be applied to soil, plant, and/or plant parts alone or in combination with additional components (such as chitin, chitosan, glucosamine, amino acids, and/or liquid fertilizer). In additional embodiments, the disclosed microbial consortia or compositions including microbes are used in methods of degrading biological materials, such as chitin-containing biological materials.

1 . A composition comprising five or more microbial species selected from  Bacillus  spp.,  Azospirillum  spp.,  Pseudomonas  spp.,  Lactobacillus  spp.,  Desulfococcus  spp.,  Desulfotomaculum  spp.,  Marinobacter  spp.,  Nitrosopumilus  spp.  Ruminococcus  spp.,  Aquabacterium  spp.,  Acidisoma  spp.,  Microcoleus  spp.,  Clostridium  spp.,  Xenococcus  spp.,  Brevibacterium  spp., and  Methanosaeta  spp. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , comprising ten or more microbial species selected from  Bacillus  spp.,  Azospirillum  spp.,  Pseudomonas  spp.,  Lactobacillus  spp.,  Desulfococcus  spp.,  Desulfotomaculum  spp.,  Marinobacter  spp.,  Nitrosopumilus  spp.  Ruminococcus  spp.,  Aquabacterium  spp.,  Acidisoma  spp.,  Microcoleus  spp.,  Clostridium  spp.,  Xenococcus  spp.,  Brevibacterium  spp., and  Methanosaeta  spp. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , comprising each of  Bacillus  spp.,  Azospirillum  spp.,  Pseudomonas  spp.,  Lactobacillus  spp.,  Desulfococcus  spp.,  Desulfotomaculum  spp.,  Marinobacter  spp.,  Nitrosopumilus  spp.  Ruminococcus  spp.,  Aquabacterium  spp.,  Acidisoma  spp.,  Microcoleus  spp.,  Clostridium  spp.,  Xenococcus  spp.,  Brevibacterium  spp., and  Methanosaeta  spp. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more of chitin, chitosan, glucosamine, and amino acids. 
     
     
         5 . A method comprising:
 mixing a chitin-containing biological source with the composition of  claim 1  to form a mixture;   fermenting the mixture; and   separating the fermented mixture into solid, aqueous, and lipid fractions.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the chitin-containing biological source comprises an aquatic animal or aquatic animal by-product, an insect, or a fungus. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the aquatic animal is an aquatic arthropod. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the aquatic arthropod is shrimp, crab, or krill. 
     
     
         9 . The aqueous fraction made by the method of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         10 . The solid fraction made by the method of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising contacting soil, plants, or plant parts with the composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising contacting the soil, plants, or plant parts with one or more of chitin, chitosan, glucosamine, and amino acids. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising contacting the soil, plants, or plant parts with a liquid fertilizer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising contacting the soil, plants, or plant parts with one or more pesticides, one or more fungicides, one or more herbicides, one or more insecticides, one or more plant hormones, one or more plant elicitors, or combinations of two or more thereof. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 contacting soil, plants, or plant parts with the composition of  claim 1  and with an aqueous fraction or a solid fraction, wherein the aqueous fraction and the solid fraction are made by:
 mixing a chitin-containing biological material with the composition of to form a mixture; 
 fermenting the mixture; and 
 separating the fermented mixture into the solid fraction, the aqueous fraction, and a lipid fraction.