Endophyte compositions and methods for improvement of plant traits

• US 10,640,783 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Indigo Ag, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Indigo Ag, Inc.
• Inventors: Riley, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Vinod
• Application Number:
  US15/829,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20180251776A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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: 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 15/8202 by biological means, e.g. cell mediated or natural vector
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8262 involving plant development
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/146 Genetically Modified [GMO] plants, e.g. transgenic plants

Abstract

This invention relates to methods and materials for modulating the characteristics of a plant, said plant having been heterologously disposed to an endophyte or a plurality of endophytes, or derived from a plant reproductive element heterologously disposed to an endophyte or a plurality of endophytes.

Claims

1. A method of improving a trait of agronomic importance in a soybean plant, comprising mechanically or manually inoculating a soybean plant seed with a treatment formulation, the treatment formulation comprising an agriculturally compatible carrier and a purified fungal population comprising a seed fungal endophyte of the genus Acremonium that is heterologous to the soybean plant seed and comprises a polynucleotide sequence having 100% nucleotide sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:

51, wherein the endophyte is heterologously disposed to the soybean plant seed in an amount effective to colonize a soybean plant germinated from the inoculated soybean plant seed and to improve a trait of agronomic importance, wherein said trait of agronomic importance is selected from the group consisting of increase in dry shoot biomass, increase in root area, and increase in yield in the soybean plant germinated from the inoculated soybean seed as compared to a control soybean plant germinated from a control soybean plant seed lacking the colonized endophyte of the genus Acremonium comprising a polynucleotide sequence having 100% nucleotide sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO;

51, wherein said trait of agronomic importance further comprises increase in root length in said soybean plant germinated from said inoculated soybean seed as compared to said control soybean plant, and wherein the effective amount is effective to increase average root length by at least 10% as measured by an in vitro seedling germination paper assay in a soybean plant seedling germinated from said inoculated soybean seed as compared to a soybean plant seedling germinated from said control soybean plant seed lacking the colonized endophyte of the genus Acremonium comprising the polynucleotide sequence having 100% nucleotide sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO;

51.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the trait of agronomic importance is increase in yield, and the soybean plant is variety Pfister 38R25.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the in vitro germination paper assay comprises incubating the inoculated soybean plant seed in moistened germination paper at 60% relative humidity, 22°

C. day temperature, 18°

C. night temperature, and with 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark periods for 4 days.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the incubating further comprises incubating within a covered sterile glass jar, and wherein incubation period comprises an additional seven days following uncovering of said glass jar.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment formulation further comprises one or more of the following:

a stabilizer, a preservative, a surfactant, a fungicide, a nematicide, a bactericide, an insecticide, an herbicide, or any combination thereof.