Fungal endophytes for improved crop yields and protection from pests
First Claim
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1. A method for improving drought tolerance in a cotton plant, the method comprising:
- contacting a cotton seed with a formulation comprising purified filamentous, spore-forming, facultative fungal endophytes of at least one species, wherein the facultative fungal endophytes are of the sub-class Hypocreomycetidae, and of the Family, Incertae sedis, Nectriaceae, or Plectosphaerellaceae, wherein the facultative fungal endophytes are present in the formulation in an amount effective to improve drought tolerance of a cotton plant grown from the contacted seed compared to a reference cotton plant or a cotton plant grown from a reference cotton seed.
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Abstract
The invention provides a synthetic combination of a crop and at least one fungal endophyte, wherein the crop is a host plant of the endophyte. Provided are also methods and compositions for producing such synthetic combinations. The endophyte reproduces and enhances the agronomic characteristics of the crop. Methods for inoculating the host plant with the endophyte, for propagating the host-endophyte combination, and for detecting the presence of the endophyte and of its metabolites within a host plant are also described.
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59 Claims
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1. A method for improving drought tolerance in a cotton plant, the method comprising:
contacting a cotton seed with a formulation comprising purified filamentous, spore-forming, facultative fungal endophytes of at least one species, wherein the facultative fungal endophytes are of the sub-class Hypocreomycetidae, and of the Family, Incertae sedis, Nectriaceae, or Plectosphaerellaceae, wherein the facultative fungal endophytes are present in the formulation in an amount effective to improve drought tolerance of a cotton plant grown from the contacted seed compared to a reference cotton plant or a cotton plant grown from a reference cotton seed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 29)
- 21. A method of treating seeds of a cotton plant, comprising contacting a plurality of seeds with a formulation comprising fungal endophytes of the sub-class Hypocreomycetidae, and of the Family, Incertae sedis, Nectriaceae, or Plectosphaerellaceae, wherein the fungal endophytes are present in the formulation in an amount effective to improve drought tolerance of a cotton plant grown from the contacted seed compared to a reference cotton plant or a cotton plant grown from a reference cotton seed.
- 40. A synthetic combination of a cotton seed and purified filamentous, spore-forming, facultative fungal endophytes of at least one species, wherein the facultative fungal endophytes are of the sub-class Hypocreomycetidae, and of the Family, Incertae sedis, Nectriaceae, or Plectosphaerellaceae, wherein the facultative fungal endophytes are present in the combination in an amount effective to improve drought tolerance of a cotton plant grown from the synthetic combination compared to a cotton plant grown from a reference cotton seed.
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