Agriculturally beneficial microbes, microbial compositions, and consortia

Abstract

The disclosure relates to isolated microorganisms-including novel strains of the microorganisms, microbial consortia, and agricultural compositions comprising the same. Furthermore, the disclosure teaches methods of utilizing the described microorganisms, microbial consortia, and agricultural compositions comprising the same, in methods for imparting beneficial properties to target plant species. In particular aspects, the disclosure provides methods of increasing desirable plant traits in agronomically important crop species.

IT IS CLAIMED: 
     
         1 . A synthetic composition, comprising:
 a a microbial cell, exudate therefrom, or culture broth therefrom, wherein the microbial cell is selected from the group consisting of:
 i a microbial cell comprising a 16S or ITS sequence sharing at least 97% identity with a sequence selected from SEQID NOs: 1-21; 
 ii a microbial cell obtained or derived from a microbe of Table 1 or Table 1A; and 
 iii a microbial cell obtained or derived from a microbe of any of the following taxa:  Arthrobotrys oligospora ,  Bacillus amyloliquefaciens ,  Bacillus megaterium ,  Bacillus methylotrophicus ,  Bacillus pumilus ,  Bacillus tequilensis ,  Lysinibacillus fusiformis ,  Microbacterium arabinogalactanolyticum ,  Orbilia auricolor ,  Paenibacillus alginolyticus ,  Paenibacillus ehimensis ,  Paenibacillus illinoisensis ,  Paenibacillus taichungensis ,  Talaromyces pinophilus ; 
and   b at least one heterologous composition selected from the group consisting of: a plant element, a formulation component, an agricultural composition, and any combination of the preceding;   wherein the microbe is present at a concentration of at least about 10^2 CFU/mL in a liquid formulation, or at least about 10^2 CFU/gram in a non-liquid formulation.   
     
     
         2 . The synthetic composition of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional microbe. 
     
     
         3 . The synthetic composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one additional microbe is  Bacillus velezensis . 
     
     
         4 . The synthetic composition of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one additional microbe is selected from Table 2. 
     
     
         5 . The synthetic composition of  claim 1 , wherein the plant element is selected from the group consisting of: a seed, a transgene, a leaf, a root, a whole plant, and any combination or plurality of the preceding. 
     
     
         6 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The synthetic composition of  claim 1 , wherein the formulation component is selected from the group consisting of: a compound that improves the stability of the microbe, a preservative, a carrier, a surfactant, an anticomplex agent, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The synthetic composition of  claim 1 , wherein the agricultural composition comprises a fungicide, a nematicide, a bactericide, an insecticide, an herbicide, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A plurality of synthetic compositions of  claim 1 , wherein said synthetic compositions are substantially confined within an object selected from the group consisting of: a tube, a bottle, a jar, an ampule, a package, a vessel, a bag, a box, a bin, an envelope, a carton, a container, a silo, a shipping container, a truck bed, and a case. 
     
     
         13 . The plurality of synthetic compositions of  claim 11 , wherein the synthetic compositions are at a temperature below zero degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         14 . The synthetic composition of  claim 1 , wherein the plant element is obtained from a plant selected from the group consisting of: maize, soybean, wheat, cotton, cucumber, tomato, pepper, potato, strawberry, orange, lemon, lime, apple, snap beans, zucchini, pea, lettuce, broccoli, celery, cauliflower, sorghum, and canola. 
     
     
         15 . The synthetic composition of  claim 1 , wherein the agricultural composition comprises a growth medium. 
     
     
         16 . The synthetic composition of  claim 15 , wherein the growth medium comprises soil wherein the plurality of synthetic compositions are placed in the soil in a regular pattern with substantially equal spacing between each of the synthetic compositions. 
     
     
         17 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method of modulating a trait of agronomic importance in a plant obtained or derived from a plant element, comprising treating said plant element with a formulation comprising a microbial cell, exudate therefrom, or culture broth therefrom, wherein the microbial cell is selected from the group consisting of:  Bacillus velezensis   a a microbial cell comprising a 16S or ITS sequence sharing at least 97% identity with a sequence selected from SEQID NOs: 1-21;   b a microbial cell obtained or derived from a microbe of Table 1 or Table 1A; and   c a microbial cell obtained or derived from a microbe of any of the following taxa:  Arthrobotrys oligospora ,  Bacillus amyloliquefaciens ,  Bacillus megaterium ,  Bacillus methylotrophicus ,  Bacillus pumilus ,  Bacillus tequilensis ,  Lysinibacillus fusiformis ,  Microbacterium arabinogalactanolyticum ,  Orbilia auricolor ,  Paenibacillus alginolyticus ,  Paenibacillus ehimensis ,  Paenibacillus illinoisensis ,  Paenibacillus taichungensis ,  Talaromyces pinophilus .   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising at least one additional microbe. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising  Bacillus velezensis . 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the trait of agronomic importance is selected from the group consisting of: disease resistance, drought tolerance, heat tolerance, cold tolerance, salinity tolerance, metal tolerance, herbicide tolerance, chemical tolerance, improved water use efficiency, improved nitrogen utilization, improved nitrogen fixation, pest resistance, herbivore resistance, pathogen resistance, increase in yield, increase in yield under water-limited conditions, health enhancement, vigor improvement, growth improvement, photosynthetic capability improvement, nutrition enhancement, altered protein content, altered oil content, increase in biomass, increase in shoot length, increase in root length, improved root architecture, increase in seed weight, altered seed carbohydrate composition, altered seed oil composition, increase in radical length, number of pods, delayed senescence, stay-green, altered seed protein composition, increase in dry weight of mature plant reproductive elements, increase in fresh weight of mature plant reproductive elements, increase in number of mature plant reproductive elements per plant, increase in chlorophyll content, increase in number of pods per plant, increase in length of pods per plant, increase in number of seeds per plant, increase in seed weight per plant, reduced number of wilted leaves per plant, reduced number of severely wilted leaves per plant, increase in number of non-wilted leaves per plant, or improved plant visual appearance. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the microbial cell, exudate therefrom, or culture broth therefrom, is present in an amount capable of providing a benefit to a plant derived from the plant element, as compared to a plant derived from a plant element not treated with said microbial cell or exudate therefrom. 
     
     
         26 . A method of cultivating a plant, comprising introducing to a plant element of said plant a microbial cell, exudate therefrom, or culture broth therefrom, wherein the microbial cell is selected from the group consisting of:
 a a microbial cell comprising a 16S or ITS sequence sharing at least 97% identity with a sequence selected from SEQID NOs: 1-21;   b a microbial cell obtained or derived from a microbe of Table 1 or Table 1A; and   c a microbial cell obtained or derived from a microbe of any of the following taxa:  Arthrobotrys oligospora ,  Bacillus amyloliquefaciens ,  Bacillus megaterium ,  Bacillus methylotrophicus ,  Bacillus pumilus ,  Bacillus tequilensis ,  Lysinibacillus fusiformis ,  Microbacterium arabinogalactanolyticum ,  Orbilia auricolor ,  Paenibacillus alginolyticus ,  Paenibacillus ehimensis ,  Paenibacillus illinoisensis ,  Paenibacillus taichungensis ,  Talaromyces pinophilus ; 
 and wherein said microbial cell is heterologous to the plant element. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising at least one additional microbe. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising  Bacillus velezensis . 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said introducing to the plant element is accomplished by an indirect method selected from the group consisting of: in-furrow application, soil drench application, and side-dress application. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said introducing to the plant element is accomplished by coating said plant element with a liquid formulation of the microbe or exudate therefrom. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said introducing to the plant element is accomplished by coating said plant element with a substantially non-liquid formulation of the microbe or exudate therefrom. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said plant element is selected from the group consisting of: a seed, a leaf, a root, a whole plant, and any plurality and/or combination of the preceding. 
     
     
         33 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A method of modulating a trait of agronomic importance in a harvested product, comprising introducing to the harvested product a microbial cell, exudate therefrom, or culture broth therefrom, wherein the microbial cell is selected from the group consisting of:
 a a microbial cell comprising a 16S or ITS sequence sharing at least 97% identity with a sequence selected from SEQID NOs: 1-21;   b a microbial cell obtained or derived from a microbe of Table 1 or Table 1A; and   c a microbial cell obtained or derived from a microbe of any of the following taxa:  Arthrobotrys oligospora ,  Bacillus amyloliquefaciens ,  Bacillus megaterium ,  Bacillus methylotrophicus ,  Bacillus pumilus ,  Bacillus tequilensis ,  Bacillus velezensis ,  Lysinibacillus fusiformis ,  Microbacterium arabinogalactanolyticum ,  Orbilia auricolor ,  Paenibacillus alginolyticus ,  Paenibacillus ehimensis ,  Paenibacillus illinoisensis ,  Paenibacillus taichungensis ,  Talaromyces pinophilus .   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising at least one additional microbe. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising  Bacillus velezensis . 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the harvested product is selected from the group consisting of: a fruit, a vegetable, a seed, a fiber, and any plurality and/or combination of the preceding. 
     
     
         41 - 49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . A microbial cell comprising a 16S or ITS sequence sharing at least 97% identity with a sequence selected from SEQID NOs: 1-21, and a plant element; wherein the microbial cell is heterologously disposed to the plant element. 
     
     
         51 . (canceled)