TECHNICAL FIELD

The presently disclosed subject matter relates to compositions comprising an isolatedBacillus amyloliquefaciensFCC1256 strain for application to plants or the soil surrounding plants to treat plant diseases caused by plant pathogens.

BACKGROUND

Fungal plant pathogens (phytopathogens), including but not limited toBotrytisspp.,Fusariumspp.,Rhizoctoniaspp. are one type of plant pest that can cause severe economic losses in the agricultural and horticultural industries. Chemical agents can be used to control fungal phytopathogens, but the use of chemical agents suffers from disadvantages including high cost, lack of efficacy, emergence of resistant strains of the fungi, and undesirable environmental impacts. In addition, such chemical treatments tend to be indiscriminant and may adversely affect beneficial bacteria, fungi, and arthropods in addition to the plant pathogen at which the treatments are targeted. A second type of plant pest are bacterial plant pathogens, including but not limited toErwiniaspp.,Xanthomonasspp., andPseudomonasspp. that cause severe economic losses in the agricultural and horticultural industries. Similar to pathogenic fungi, the use of chemical agents to treat these bacterial pathogens suffers from disadvantages. Thus, microorganisms that can be applied as biopesticides to control pathogenic fungi and bacteria in plants are desirable and in high demand to improve agricultural sustainability.

Some members of the speciesBacillushave been reported as biocontrol strains, and some have been applied in commercial products. For example, strains currently being used in commercial biocontrol products include:Bacillus velezensisQST713, used as the active ingredient of Serenade®, produced by Bayer Crop Science, andBacillus amyloliquefaciensD747, used as the active ingredient in Double Nickel produced by Certis. In addition,Bacillusstrains currently being used in commercial biostimulant products include:Bacillus velezensisFZB42 used as the active ingredient in RhizoVital® 42, produced by ABiTEP GmbH.

Moreover, WO 2016/109396 A1 disclosesBacillus amyloliquefaciensRTI472 for use in benefiting plant growth and for treating plant diseases like fungal and bacterial infections.

Further, WO 2016/109395 A1 disclosesBacillus amyloliquefaciensRTI301 for use in benefitting plant growth and for treating plant diseases like fungal and bacterial infections.

Also, WO 2015/023662 A1 discloses, i.a., aBacillus amyloliquefaciensstrain for inhibiting the growth and/or activity of fungal plant pathogens.

However, despite the availability of certain biological pesticides, there is a need in the art to improve specificity against the target diseases and their respective causal pathogens. Further, there is a need to improve efficacy and potency of biological pesticides which may be impacted by various biotic and abiotic factors. The present invention addresses the need in the art by providing novel microbial compositions and methods for their use to control the growth of plant pathogens and thereby alleviate or prevent plant diseases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention resides in the isolation of a newBacillus amyloliquefaciensstrain from strawberry plant soil. The strain ofBacillus amyloliquefaciensFCC1256 has been deposited at the ATCC under Patent Accession No. PTA-122162, cf. Example 1.

In at least one embodiment, the present invention is directed to methods of controlling plant pathogen(s) on a plant, the methods comprising the step of applying a composition comprisingBacillus amyloliquefaciensFCC1256 to the plant, to a part of the plant and/or to a locus at which the plant or plant part grows or is to be planted.

In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a method of controlling fungal plant pathogen(s) and/or bacterial plant pathogen(s) on a plant, the method comprising the step of applying a composition comprisingBacillus amyloliquefaciensFCC1256 to over-ground parts of the plant.

In one embodiment, an agricultural composition is provided comprising a)Bacillus amyloliquefaciensFCC1256, and b) an agriculturally suitable formulation medium, e.g. comprising a suitable carrier, a surface-active agent, and optionally a buffer. The agricultural composition is particularly useful for application to protect plants against pathogens or treat a pathogenic infection in a susceptible plant, e.g. according to the methods described herein. In some embodiments, the composition comprises iturin and fengycin in a relative ratio of in the range of from 1.3:1.0 to 3.0:1.0, such as from 1.5:1.0 to 2.8:1.0, respectively.

In further embodiments, a concentrate for an agricultural composition is provided, the concentrate comprising: a)Bacillus amyloliquefaciensFCC1256, and b) an agriculturally suitable formulation medium, e.g. a medium comprising a suitable carrier, a surface-active agent, and optionally a buffer.

