Delivery of beneficial clavibacter microorganisms to seeds and plants

• US 5,415,672 A
• Filed: 12/22/1993
• Issued: 05/16/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thermo Trilogy Corp (Mitsui & Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Crop Genetics International Corporation (Biosys Inc.)
• Inventors: Fahey, Jed W., Anders, Joanna
• Primary Examiner(s): Fox, David T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KEMMERER, ELIZABETH
• Application Number:
  US08/171,774
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 47/57.605, 47/57.613, 47/57.614, 47/57.615, 47/57.618, 47/57.6, 435/172.3, 424/93.4
• US Class Current: 47/57.6
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 1/06 Coating or dressing seed
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/00 Microorganisms, e.g. protozoa; Compositions thereof medicinal preparations containing material from protozoa, bacteria or viruses A61K35/66, from algae A61K36/02, from fungi A61K36/06; preparing medicinal bacterial antigen or antibody compositions, e.g. bacterial vaccines, A61K39/00; Processes of propagating, maintaining or preserving microorganisms or compositions thereof; Processes of preparing or isolating a composition containing a microorganism; Culture media therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/205 Bacterial isolates
• CPC Class Codes: C12R 2001/01 Bacteria or Actinomycetales ; using bacteria or Actinomycetales
• CPC Class Codes: C12R 2001/41 Rhizobium

Abstract

A seed containing beneficial microorganisms, which, upon germination gives rise to a plant colonized by the microorganisms, and a method for producing the seed are provided. The seed is produced by adding the microorganisms to a biologically compatible liquid carrier to form a suspension of the microorganisms in the carrier, impregnating the seeds with the suspension, and removing the excess carrier from the seeds, whereby the viability of the microorganisms and the seeds is maintained. Plants colonized by beneficial microorganisms and methods of producing such plants are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for introducing a Clavibacter microorganism into the embryo of a graminaceous, leguminous, or malvaceous seed, comprising the steps of:

adding a Clavibacter microorganism to a biologically compatible liquid carrier to form a suspension of said microorganism in said carrier,

imbibing said seed for a time sufficient to allow introduction of said microorganism below the pericarp and into the embryo of said seed,

impregnating said imbibed seed with said suspension under conditions sufficient to introduce said microorganism into said embryo, wherein said impregnation is accomplished by a method selected from vacuum infiltration, pressure infiltration, injection, injection followed by vacuum infiltration, and injection followed by pressure infiltration, and

removing any excess carrier from said seed while maintaining the viability of said microorganism and said seed.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein said seed is a corn, soybean, wheat, rice or cotton seed.

2. A method for obtaining a plant colonized by a Clavibacter microorganism systemically throughout the plant, wherein the plant and the microorganism co-exist symbiotically, comprising the steps of:

adding a Clavibacter microorganism to a biologically compatible liquid carrier to form a suspension of said microorganism in said carrier,

imbibing a graminaceous, leguminous or malvaceous seed for a time sufficient to allow introduction of said microorganism below the pericarp and into the embryo of said seed,

impregnating said imbibed seed with said suspension under conditions sufficient to introduce said microorganism into said embryo, wherein said impregnation is accomplished by a method selected from vacuum infiltration, pressure infiltration, injection, injection followed by vacuum infiltration, and injection followed by pressure infiltration, and

growing said seed to obtain a plant.

3. A method of claim 2, wherein said seed is a corn, soybean, wheat, rice or cotton seed.