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EP-3873215-B1 - BACTERTIAL COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING PLANT PESTS AND IMPROVING PLANT HEALTH

EP3873215B1EP 3873215 B1EP3873215 B1EP 3873215B1EP-3873215-B1

Inventors

  • GACHANGO, ESTHER

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20191029

Claims (19)

  1. A formulation comprising a biocontrol agent, wherein the biocontrol agent comprises a bacterial strain deposited as NRRL No. B-67653.
  2. The formulation of claim 1, wherein the formulation is a dry formulation or a liquid formulation.
  3. The formulation of claim 2, wherein the formulation is a cell paste, a wettable powder, a cell pellet, a dust, a granule, a slurry, a dry powder, or an aqueous or oil based liquid product.
  4. The formulation of claim 2, wherein said dry formulation is a wettable powder, in particular wherein the wettable powder is dried to a water activity of 0.3 or less.
  5. The formulation of claim 2, wherein the formulation is a dry formulation, and wherein the biocontrol agent is present in the dry formulation at about 10 5 CFU/gram to about 10 12 CFU/gram, in particular wherein the dry formulation is a cell paste, a wettable powder or a spray dried formulation.
  6. The formulation of claim 2, wherein the formulation is a liquid formulation, and wherein the biocontrol agent is present in the liquid formulation at about 10 5 CFU/ml to about 10 12 CFU/ml.
  7. The formulation of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the formulation further comprises a biocide, in particular wherein the biocide is a pesticide, a fungicide, an insecticide or a herbicide.
  8. A coated seed comprising a seed and a coating on the seed, wherein the coating comprises a formulation comprising a biocontrol agent, wherein the biocontrol agent comprises a bacterial strain deposited as NRRL No. B-67653.
  9. The coated seed of claim 8, wherein the coating further comprises a biocide, in particular wherein the biocide is a herbicide, an insecticide, a fungicide or a pesticide.
  10. A composition comprising a bacterial strain deposited as NRRL No. B-67653, wherein the bacterial strain is present in about 10 5 CFU/gram to about 10 12 CFU/gram or in about 10 5 CFU/ml to about 10 12 CFU/ml; and wherein an effective amount of said composition improves an agronomic trait of interest of a plant or controls a plant pest or a plant pathogen that causes a plant disease.
  11. The composition of claim 10, wherein the composition further comprises a biocide, in particular wherein the biocide is a pesticide, a fungicide, an insecticide, or a herbicide.
  12. A non-therapeutic method for controlling a plant pest population comprising contacting said population with an effective amount of the composition of claim 10 or 11, or the formulation of any one of claims 1-7, wherein said composition or said formulation controls said plant pest.
  13. A method for growing a plant susceptible to a plant pest comprising applying to a plant, a plant part, a seed, or an area of cultivation a biocontrol agent, wherein the biocontrol agent comprises an effective amount of a bacterial strain deposited as NRRL No. B-67653, wherein said effective amount controls a plant pest.
  14. The method of claim 13, wherein said effective amount of the bacterial strain comprises at least about 10 12 to 10 16 colony forming units (CFU) per hectare.
  15. A method for controlling or inhibiting growth of a plant pest comprising applying to a plant, a plant part, a seed, or an area of cultivation a biocontrol agent, wherein the biocontrol agent comprises an effective amount of a bacterial strain deposited as NRRL No. B-67653, wherein said effective amount controls or inhibits growth of the plant pest.
  16. The method of claim 15, wherein the biocontrol agent is applied to the plant or the plant part before or after harvest.
  17. The method of claim 15, wherein said effective amount of the bacterial strain applied to an area of cultivation comprises at least about 10 12 to 10 16 colony forming units (CFU) per hectare.
  18. A method of treating or preventing a plant disease comprising applying to a plant having a plant disease or at risk of developing a plant disease an effective amount of a biocontrol agent comprising a bacterial strain deposited as NRRL No. B-67653; wherein the effective amount controls a plant pest that causes the plant disease.
  19. The method of claim 18, wherein said effective amount of the bacterial strain comprises at least about 10 4 to 10 16 CFU per hectare.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to bacterial strains and populations for controlling plant pests and/or improving an agronomic trait of interest in a plant. BACKGROUND Damage and diseases caused by plant pests are responsible for significant agricultural losses. Effects can range from mild symptoms to catastrophic plant damage, which can lead to major economic and social consequences. Methods are needed to effectively control plant pests. In the past, bacterial biocontrol agents have been described. For example, Lee et al. (Curr Microbiol, 2011, 62(3):746-51) reported that a nonpathogenic biocontrol bacterium, Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6, has nematicidal activity. Anderson et al. (Crop Protection, 2018, 105:62-69) disclosed biopesticides produced by plant-probiotic Pseudomonas chlororaphis isolates. Palumbo et al., (Phytopathology, 2010, 100(6):532-8) reported that the inhibition of Aspergillus flavus in soil by antagonistic Pseudomonas strains reduced the potential for airborne spore dispersal. Lastly, EP 1 241 247 disclosed isolated bacteria for the protection of plants against phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria. SUMMARY Compositions and methods for controlling plant pests and/or for improving at least one agronomic trait of interest in a plant are provided. Such compositions and methods comprise bacterial strains that control one or more plant pests, and/or improve at least one agronomic trait of interest. The bacterial strains can be used as an inoculant for plants. Also provided herein are methods for growing a plant susceptible to a plant pest or plant disease caused by a plant pest and for treating or preventing a plant disease or damage caused by a plant pest. Further provided but not claimed are methods and compositions for making a modified bacterial strain having resistance to a biocide of interest. DETAILED DESCRIPTION I. Overview Compositions and methods for controlling one or more plant pests and/or improving at least one agronomic trait of interest are provided. A biological agent, biocontrol agent, bacterial strain, modified bacterial strain, modified biological agent, or modified biocontrol agent or active variant thereof are used herein to describe a microorganism that is used to control plant pests and/or improve at least one agronomic trait of interest. II. Bacterial Strains Various biocontrol agents or bacterial strains are disclosed which can be used to control one or more plant pest and/or improve at least one agronomic trait of interest. Such bacterial strains include AIP045885 (a Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain), AIP075655 (a Pseudomonas chlororaphs strain), AIP009474 (a Bacillus subtilis strain), AIP0024525 (a Bacillus thurinigiensis strain), AIP033287 (a Bacillus subtilis strain), AIP0093798 (a Bacillus subtilis strain), AIP061639 (a Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain), AIP082862 (a Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain), AIP058187 (a Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain), AIP059286 (a Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain), and AIP036706 (a Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain). Cell populations comprising one or more of AIP045885, AIP075655, AIP09474, AIP024525, AIP033287, AIP093798, AIP061639, AIP082862, AIP058187, AIP059286, and AIP036706 are disclosed, as well as, populations of spores derived from each of these strains, or any preparation thereof. According to the present invention, the biocontrol strain is AIP059286. Thus, various bacterial strains and/or the pesticidal compositions disclosed herein comprise as an active ingredient a cell population comprising one or more of AIP045885, AIP075655, AIP09474, AIP024525, AIP033287, AIP093798, AIP061639, AIP082862, AIP058187, AIP059286, and AIP036706, or an active variant of any thereof. AIP045885 was deposited with the Patent Depository of the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1815 North University Street, Peoria, Illinois 61604 U.S.A. on August 3, 2018 and assigned NRRL No. B-67650. AIP075655 was deposited with the Patent Depository of the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1815 North University Street, Peoria, Illinois 61604 U.S.A. on August 3, 2018 and assigned NRRL No. B-67651. AIP009474 was deposited with the Patent Depository of the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1815 North University Street, Peoria, Illinois 61604 U.S.A. on August 3, 2018 and assigned NRRL No. B-67657. AIP024525 was deposited with the Patent Depository of the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1815 North University Street, Peoria, Illinois 61604 U.S.A. on August 3, 2018 and assigned NRRL No. B-67661. AIP033287 was deposited with the Patent Depository of the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research Agricultural Research Service