Endophytic microbial symbionts in plant prenatal care

• US 10,104,862 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2015
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University Of Saskatchewan
• Original Assignee: University Of Saskatchewan
• Inventors: Vujanovic, Vladimir, Germida, James J., Hubbard, Michelle
• Primary Examiner(s): Kruse, David H
• Application Number:
  US14/614,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20150230478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01H 17/00 Symbiotic or parasitic combinations including one or more new plants, e.g. mycorrhiza lichens A01H15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01H 3/00 Processes for modifying phenotypes , e.g. symbiosis with bacteria A01H4/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/00 Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators, characterised by their forms, or by their non-active ingredients or by their methods of application , e.g. seed treatment or sequential application; Substances for reducing the noxious effect of the active ingredients to organisms other than pests
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 63/00 Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing microorganisms, viruses, microbial fungi, animals or substances produced by, or obtained from, microorganisms, viruses, microbial fungi or animals, e.g. enzymes or fermentates containing compounds of determined constitution A01N27/00 - A01N59/00; unicellular algae A01N65/03
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 63/28 Streptomyces
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 63/30 Microbial fungi; Substances produced thereby or obtained therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: B09C 1/105 using fungi or plants
• CPC Class Codes: B09C 2101/00 In situ
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/145 Fungal isolates
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/205 Bacterial isolates
• CPC Class Codes: C12R 2001/465 Streptomyces
• CPC Class Codes: C12R 2001/645 Fungi ; Processes using fungi
• CPC Class Codes: C12R 2001/80 Penicillium

Abstract

The present disclosure provides compositions comprising novel endophytes capable of promoting germination endophytes that have a symbiotic relationship with plants. The present disclosure further provides methods of improving seed vitality, biotic and abiotic stress resistance, plant health and yield under both stressed and unstressed environmental conditions, comprising inoculating a seed with the novel endophyte strains and cultivating a plant therefrom.

Claims

1. A method of reducing the effects of drought stress in wheat, said method comprising manually or mechanically inoculating a wheat seed with a composition comprising at least one endophyte and a carrier, wherein the at least one endophyte is of genus Streptomyces and comprises a 16S rDNA sequence with 100% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:

6 or is deposited as IDAC 081111-06 and is capable of causing populations of inoculated seeds from both cereal and pulse crops to reach 50% germination earlier under drought stress conditions compared to control seeds.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the endophyte is deposited as IDAC 081111-06.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the endophyte comprises a 16S rDNA sequence with 100% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:

6.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the drought stress conditions are germinating seeds on potato dextrose agar (PDA) comprising 8% polyethylene glycol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the effects of drought stress are reduced by at least 10%.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein manually or mechanically inoculating the seed comprises coating the seed with the endophyte.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the carrier is a liquid carrier.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the endophyte colonizes at least 1% of the cortical cells of an agricultural plant grown from the inoculated seed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the endophyte is a spore.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the inoculated seed is coated with at least 100 CFU endophytes per seed.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the wheat seed is a durum wheat cultivar AC Avonlea.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising cultivating the inoculated seed into a first generation wheat plant.