Use of Bacillus Subtilis as an endophyte for the control of diseases caused by fungi

• US 5,994,117 A
• Filed: 12/29/1995
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Inventors: Hinton, Dorothy M., Bacon, Charles W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenschenk, Frank C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zeman, Mary K
• Application Number:
  US08/580,664
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 424/93.4, 435/253.3, 435/32, 435/252.1, 435/252.5, 435/754.7, 435/252.31, 435/767, 435/822, 435/839
• US Class Current: 435/252.5
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 63/22 Bacillus
• CPC Class Codes: C07G 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/205 Bacterial isolates
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8282 for fungal resistance
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/10 Enterobacteria
• CPC Class Codes: C12R 2001/01 Bacteria or Actinomycetales ; using bacteria or Actinomycetales
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/822 using bacteria or actinomycetales
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/839 Bacillus subtilis

Abstract

Agricultural methods of biological control and organisms useful in such methods are disclosed, such as novel endophytic symbiotic Bacillus subtilis and methods of biologically controlling fungal diseases of plants. These strains are useful vectors for the delivery of their beneficial gene products to plants.

Claims

1. A bacteria-containing agricultural inoculum suitable for inoculating plant seeds comprising

(a) an endophytic symbiotic Bacillus subtilis selected from the group consisting of ATCC 55732, a rifampicin-resistant strain of ATCC 55732, and mixtures thereof, wherein said strain is an endophytic symbiont in plants and suppresses growth of plant pathogenic fungi, and

(b) a suitable carrier that is non-phytotoxic, non-bacteriostatic, and non-bacteriocidal.

2. A composition of matter comprising a plant seed inoculated with an isolated strain of a plant endophytic symbiotic Bacillus subtilis selected from the group consisting of ATCC 55732, a rifampicin-resistant strain of ATCC 55732, and mixtures thereof, wherein said strain suppresses growth of plant pathogenic fungi.

3. A Bacillus subtilis selected from the group consisting of ATCC 55732, a rifampicin-resistant strain of ATCC 55732, and mixtures thereof, wherein said strain is an endophytic symbiont in plants and suppresses growth of plant pathogenic fungi.

4. A method of protecting a plant from disease caused by a plant pathogenic fungus comprising inoculating seeds from said plant with a symbiotic endophytic strain of Bacillus subtilis selected from the group consisting of ATCC 55732, a rifampicin-resistant strain of ATCC 55732, and mixtures thereof, wherein said strain is an endophytic symbiont in plants and suppresses growth of plant pathogenic fungi.

5. A plant colonized with an isolated culture of an endophytic symbiotic stain of Bacillus subtilis selected from the group consisting of ATCC 55732, a rifampicin-resistant strain of ATCC 55732, and mixtures thereof, wherein said strain is an endophytic symbiont in plants and suppresses growth of plant pathogenic fungi.