Method for Increasing Plant Growth Using the Fungus Trichoderma Harzianum

• US 20120178624A1
• Filed: 09/16/2010
• Published: 07/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University Of Saskatchewan
• Original Assignee: University Of Saskatchewan
• Inventors: Kaminskyj, Susan Gail Willets, Basinger, James Frederick, Bao, Xiaohui, Rodriguez, Russell John, Redman, Regina Soon
• Granted Patent: US 8,598,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 504/117
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 63/30 Microbial fungi; Substances produced thereby or obtained therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 11/08 Organic fertilisers containing added bacterial cultures, mycelia or the like
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/145 Fungal isolates
• CPC Class Codes: C12R 2001/885 Trichoderma

Abstract

A novel strain of Trichoderma harzianum called TSTh20-1 is described. TSTh20-1 is useful in promoting plant growth, increasing water use efficiency of plants and in remediation of soil or water.

Claims

1. A Trichoderma harzianum strain TSTh20-1, which has been deposited at America Type Culture Collection under Patent Deposit Designation number PTA-10317 on Sep. 2, 2009 and its progeny and spores thereof, or a mutant thereof having the ability to promote plant growth.

6. A method of promoting plant growth, comprising inoculating a plant with isolated TSTh20-1 of claim 1.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein plant growth occurs under conditions of abiotic stress.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the conditions of abiotic stress comprise the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), napthenic acids (NAs), or high pH.

9. A method of increasing water use efficiency of a plant, comprising inoculating a plant with the isolated TSTh20-1 of claim 1.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising growing said plant in soil or water.

11. A method of remediation of soil or water, comprising inoculating a plant with isolated TSTh20-1 of claim 1.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the soil or water comprises the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), napthenic acids (NAs), or high pH.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein plant growth occurs on oil tailing sands.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the plant inoculated is an agricultural plant.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the agricultural plant is selected from the group of plants comprising of:

tomato plants, rice plants, maize plants, watermelon plants, squash plants, turf and wheat.

16. The method of claim 6, wherein said fungus is applied to ungerminated seeds that will give rise to said plants.

2. A composition comprising a Trichoderma harzianum fungus TSTh20-1 and its progeny and spores thereof, or a mutant thereof having the ability to promote plant growth, and, optionally, a carrier.

3. The composition of claim 2, which is in a fluid form suitable for spray application dip application or for coating seeds.

4. The composition of claim 2, which is in a paste-like form.

5. The composition of claim 2, which is in a substantially dry and powdered form for dusting.