Modified biological control agents and their uses

Abstract

Methods for improving the ability of a population of biological agents to compete and survive in a field setting are provided. The modified population of agents is able to grow, compete with other microbial strains and fungi, and provide protection for plants from pathogens. Modified biological agents and modified populations of such agents that are herbicide tolerant or resistant are selected or engineered. In this manner, the protection from disease-causing agents is enhanced. Such modified populations can be added to soils to prevent fungal pathogens and associated diseases, promoting plant growth. The present invention is useful for enhancing the competitiveness of modified biological agents particularly over other microbial agents which are not herbicide resistant. Compositions include selected or engineered herbicide resistant biological agents and modified populations of biocontrol agents. These modified biological agents can be used as an inoculant or as a seed coating for plants and seeds.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for improving a biocontrol agent, said method comprising modifying said biocontrol agent to be resistant to at least one herbicide, fungicide, pesticide, or other crop protection chemical. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said biocontrol agent is modified by growing in the presence of a herbicide, fungicide, pesticide, or other crop protection chemical to select a resistant strain. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said biocontrol agent is modified by transforming said biocontrol agent with a gene that confers resistance to said herbicide, fungicide, pesticide, or other crop protection chemical. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said biocontrol agent is a bacterial biocontrol agent. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said biocontrol agent is selected from the group consisting of  Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Agrobacterium, Lysobacter, Trichoderma, Paecilomyces, Gliocladium, Ampelomyces, Pythium, Metschnikowia, Chromobacterium, Penicillium, Coniothyrium, Chaetomium, Myrothecium, Aureobasidium, Pantoea, Burkholderia, Streptomyces, Variovorax, Pasteuria, Lactobacillus, Paenibacillus, Xanthomonas  genera. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said bacterial biocontrol agent is a  Pseudomonas  bacterium. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said  Pseudomonas  is  Pseudomonas fluorescens  or  Pseudomonas chlororaphis.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said herbicide is selected from the group consisting of glyphosate, glufosinate (glutamine synthase inhibitor), sulfonylurea and imidazolinone herbicides (branched chain amino acid synthesis inhibitors). 
     
     
         9 . A modified biocontrol agent wherein said biocontrol agent has been selected under herbicide, fungicide, pesticide, or other crop protection chemical pressure and is resistant to said herbicide, fungicide, pesticide, or other crop protection chemical. 
     
     
         10 . The modified biocontrol agent of  claim 9 , wherein said modified biocontrol agent is a bacterial biocontrol agent. 
     
     
         11 . The modified biocontrol agent of  claim 10 , wherein said bacterial biocontrol agent is a  Pseudomonas  bacterium. 
     
     
         12 . The modified biocontrol agent of  claim 11 , wherein said  Pseudomonas  is  Pseudomonas fluorescens  or  Pseudomonas chlororaphis.    
     
     
         13 . The modified biocontrol agent of  claim 9 , wherein said herbicide is selected from the group consisting of glyphosate, glufosinate (glutamine synthase inhibitor), sulfonylurea and imidazolinone herbicides (branched chain amino acid synthesis inhibitors). 
     
     
         14 . A method for growing a plant comprising applying to a crop, a seed or an area of cultivation a combination of an effective amount of a biocide and an effective amount of a modified biocontrol agent wherein
 (a) the effective amount of the biocide is such as to selectively control an organism of interest while the crop is not significantly damaged; and,   (b) the effective amount of the modified biocontrol agent is sufficient to result in a statistically significant increase in plant health, yield and/or growth when compared to the plant health, yield and/or growth that occurs when the same concentration of a non-modified biocontrol agent is applied in combination with the effective amount of the biocide.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the modified biocontrol agent and the biocide are applied simultaneously or wherein the modified biocontrol agent and the biocide are applied sequentially. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said biocontrol agent comprises the strain deposited as NRRL No. B-50897. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , where the biocide is glyphosate, and wherein the effective amount of glyphosate is such as to selectively control weeds while the crop is not significantly damaged. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said biocontrol agent comprises the strain AIP050999 deposited as NRRL No. B-50999 and the biocide is glufosinate. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , where the biocide is glufosinate, and wherein the effective amount of glufosinate is such as to selectively control weeds while the crop is not significantly damaged. 
     
     
         20 . A bacterial culture grown from
 a) the strain deposited as NRRL No. B-50897, wherein said bacterial culture has antifungal activity and is able to grow in the presence of glyphosate; or,   b) the strain AIP050999 deposited as NRRL No. B-50999 is present in an effective amount sufficient to improve plant health, growth or yield in the presence of an agricultural field application rate of glufosinate.   
     
     
         21 . The bacterial culture of  claim 20 , wherein
 a) the strain deposited as NRRL No. B-50897 is present in an effective amount sufficient to improve plant health, growth or yield in the presence of an agricultural field application rate of glyphosate; or,   b) the strain deposited as NRRL No. B-50999 is present in an effective amount sufficient to improve plant health, growth or yield in the presence of an agricultural field application rate of glufosinate.