Phosphate-solubilzing fungal strains

Abstract

The present disclosure provides novel fungal strains capable of solubilizing phosphate, as well as compositions and methods of using those strains to increase the amount/concentration of soluble phosphate in a medium that comprises insoluble phosphate.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . A non-naturally occurring composition comprising the isolated  Penicillium bilaiae  strain having the deposit accession number NRRL 67154 and/or the isolated  Penicillium bilaiae  strain having the deposit accession number NRRL 67155 and/or the isolated  Penicillium bilaiae  strain having the deposit accession number NRRL 67156 and/or the isolated  Penicillium bilaiae  strain having the deposit accession number NRRL 67157 and/or the isolated  Penicillium bilaiae  strain having the deposit accession number NRRL 67158 and/or the isolated  Penicillium bilaiae  strain having the deposit accession number NRRL 67159 and/or a modified microbial strain derived from one of the aforementioned  Penicillium bilaiae  strains in a synthetic carrier. 
     
     
         2 . The non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 1 , wherein said synthetic carrier is aqueous. 
     
     
         3 . The non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 1 , wherein said synthetic carrier is non-aqueous. 
     
     
         4 . The non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 1 , wherein said synthetic carrier comprises one or more hygroscopic polymers. 
     
     
         5 . The non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 1 , wherein said synthetic carrier comprises one or more maltodextrins. 
     
     
         6 . The non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 1 , wherein said synthetic carrier comprises one or more monosaccharides. 
     
     
         7 . The non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 1 , wherein said synthetic carrier comprises one or more disaccharides. 
     
     
         8 . The non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 1 , wherein said synthetic carrier comprises one or more sugar alcohols. 
     
     
         9 . The non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 1 , wherein said synthetic carrier comprises one or more humic acids. 
     
     
         10 . The non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 1 , wherein said synthetic carrier comprises one or more fulvic acids. 
     
     
         11 . The non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 1 , wherein said synthetic carrier comprises one or more vinylpyrrolidone polymers. 
     
     
         12 . The non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 1 , wherein said synthetic carrier comprises one or more alcohol ethyoxylates. 
     
     
         13 . The non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 1 , wherein said synthetic carrier comprises one or more naphthalene sulfonates. 
     
     
         14 . The non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 1 , wherein said synthetic carrier comprises one or more peats and/or peat extracts. 
     
     
         15 . The non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more lipo-chitooligosaccharides. 
     
     
         16 . The non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more chitin oligomers. 
     
     
         17 . The non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 1 , comprising at least 1×10 4  colony-forming units of said  Penicillium bilaiae  strain having the deposit accession number NRRL 67154 and/or  Penicillium bilaiae  strain having the deposit accession number NRRL 67155 and/or  Penicillium bilaiae  strain having the deposit accession number NRRL 67156 and/or  Penicillium bilaiae  strain having the deposit accession number NRRL 67157 and/or  Penicillium bilaiae  strain having the deposit accession number NRRL 67158 and/or  Penicillium bilaiae  strain having the deposit accession number NRRL 67159 and/or modified microbial strain per gram and/or milliliter of said composition. 
     
     
         18 . The non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 1 , comprising at least 1×10 7  colony-forming units of said  Penicillium bilaiae  strain having the deposit accession number NRRL 67154 and/or  Penicillium bilaiae  strain having the deposit accession number NRRL 67155 and/or  Penicillium bilaiae  strain having the deposit accession number NRRL 67156 and/or  Penicillium bilaiae  strain having the deposit accession number NRRL 67157 and/or  Penicillium bilaiae  strain having the deposit accession number NRRL 67158 and/or  Penicillium bilaiae  strain having the deposit accession number NRRL 67159 and/or modified microbial strain per gram and/or milliliter of said composition. 
     
     
         19 . A non-naturally occurring composition comprising a plant propagation material that is at least partially coated with the non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         20 . The non-naturally occurring composition of  claim 19 , wherein said plant propagation material is a seed.