Stable inoculant compositions and methods for producing same

Abstract

The present disclosure provides non-aqueous inoculant compositions and methods for enhancing the survival and/or stability of microbial spores in an inoculant composition. In some embodiments, inoculant compositions of the present disclosure comprise microbial spores, one or more dispersants, one or more protectants and a non-aqueous liquid carrier.

1 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A non-aqueous inoculant composition, comprising:
 microbial spores comprising about 0.1 to about 15% (by weight) of said inoculant composition;   one or more protectants comprising about 0.5 to about 5% (by weight) of said composition, said one or more protectants comprising one or more sugars and/or sugar alcohols;   one or more dispersants comprising about 0.1 to about 5% (by weight) of said composition; and   one or more polyethylene glycols comprising about 75 to about 95% (by weight) of said inoculant composition.   
     
     
         30 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said one or more polyethylene glycols comprise PEG 200, PEG 300 and/or PEG 400. 
     
     
         31 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said microbial spores comprise about 1×10 1  to about 1×10 15  colony-forming units, optionally at least 1×10 1 , 1×10 2 , 1×10 3 , 1×10 4 , 1×10 5 , 1×10 6 , 1×10 7 , 1×10 8 , 1×10 9 , 1×10 10 , 1×10 11 , 1×10 12  colony-forming units. 
     
     
         32 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said microbial spores comprises one or more  Penicillium  spores, optionally spores of  Penicillium bilaiae  ATCC 18309,  Penicillium bilaiae  ATCC 20851,  Penicillium bilaiae  ATCC 22348,  Penicillium bilaiae  NRRL 50162,  Penicillium bilaiae  NRRL 50169,  Penicillium bilaiae  NRRL 50776,  Penicillium bilaiae  NRRL 50777,  Penicillium bilaiae  NRRL 50778,  Penicillium bilaiae  NRRL 50777,  Penicillium bilaiae  NRRL 50778,  Penicillium bilaiae  NRRL 50779,  Penicillium bilaiae  NRRL 50780,  Penicillium bilaiae  NRRL 50781,  Penicillium bilaiae  NRRL 50782,  Penicillium bilaiae  NRRL 50783,  Penicillium bilaiae  NRRL 50784,  Penicillium bilaiae  NRRL 50785,  Penicillium bilaiae  NRRL 50786,  Penicillium bilaiae  NRRL 50787,  Penicillium bilaiae  NRRL 50788,  Penicillium bilaiae  RS7B-SD1,  Penicillium brevicompactum  AgRF18,  Penicillium canescens  ATCC 10419,  Penicillium expansum  ATCC 24692,  Penicillium expansum  YT02,  Penicillium fellatanum  ATCC 48694,  Penicillium gaestrivorus  NRRL 50170,  Penicillium glabrum  DAOM 239074,  Penicillium glabrum  CBS 229.28,  Penicillium janthinellum  ATCC 10455,  Penicillium lanosocoeruleum  ATCC 48919,  Penicillium radicum  ATCC 201836,  Penicillium radicum  FRR 4717,  Penicillium radicum  FRR 4719,  Penicillium radicum  N93/47267 and/or  Penicillium raistrickii  ATCC 10490. 
     
     
         33 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said non-aqueous liquid carrier comprises about 80 to about 90% (by weight) of said inoculant composition, optionally about 80, 80.5, 81, 81.5, 82, 82.5, 83, 83.5, 84, 84.5, 85, 85.5, 86, 86.5, 87, 87.5, 88, 88.5, 89, 89.5 or 90% (by weight) of said inoculant composition. 
     
     
         34 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said one or more polyethylene glycols consist essentially of PEG 300. 
     
     
         35 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said one or more protectants comprising about 1 to about 2% (by weight) of said composition. 
     
     
         36 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said one or more protectants comprises:
 one or more disaccharides, optionally maltose, sucrose and/or trehalose; and/or   one or more sugar alcohols, optionally arabitol, mannitol, sorbitol and/or xylitol.   
     
     
         37 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said one or more protectants comprises:
 one or more disaccharides, optionally maltose, sucrose and/or trehalose, and one or more sugar alcohols, optionally arabitol, mannitol, sorbitol and/or xylitol.   
     
     
         38 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said one or more dispersants comprising about 1 to about 4% (by weight) of said composition. 
     
     
         39 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said one or more dispersants comprises:
 one or more non-ionic surfactants, optionally one or more alcohol ethoxylates; and/or   one or more wetting agents, optionally one or more naphthalene sulfonates.   
     
     
         40 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said one or more dispersants comprises one or more secondary alcohol ethoxylates. 
     
     
         41 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said inoculant composition further comprises one or more pesticides. 
     
     
         42 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said inoculant composition further comprises one more lipo-chitooligosaccharides, optionally one or more lipo-chitooligosaccharides represented by formulas I-IV. 
     
     
         43 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said inoculant composition further comprises one or more of the lipo-chitooligosaccharides represented by structures V-XXXIII. 
     
     
         44 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said inoculant composition further comprises one or more chitooligosaccharides, optionally one or more chitooligosaccharides represented by formulas XXXIV-XXXV. 
     
     
         45 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said inoculant composition further comprises one or more of the chitooligosaccharides represented by structures XXXVI-XXXIX. 
     
     
         46 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said inoculant composition further comprises one or more chitinous compounds, optionally one or more chitins and/or one or more chitosans. 
     
     
         47 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said inoculant composition further comprises one or more flavonoids, optionally:
 one or more flavanones,   one or more flavanonols, and/or   one or more isoflavonoids.   
     
     
         48 . The inoculant composition of  claim 29 , wherein said inoculant composition further comprises one or more drying agents. 
     
     
         49 . A coated plant propagation material, comprising:
 a plant propagation material, optionally a seed; and   a coating that covers at least a portion of an outer surface of said seed, said coating comprising the inoculant composition of  claim 29 .   
     
     
         50 . A kit, comprising:
 the coated plant propagation material of  claim 49 ; and   a container housing said coated plant propagation material.   
     
     
         51 . A plant germinated from the coated plant propagation material of  claim 49 . 
     
     
         52 . A plant part harvested from the plant of  claim 51 . 
     
     
         53 . A processed product produced from the plant part of  claim 52 . 
     
     
         54 . A crop comprising a plurality of the plant of  claim 51 . 
     
     
         55 . A method, comprising applying the inoculation composition of  claim 29  to a plant propagation material, optionally a seed. 
     
     
         56 . A method, comprising planting the coated plant propagation material of  claim 49  in a growth medium, optionally a soil.