U.S. patent application number 13/663134 was filed with the patent office on 2013-03-14 for compositions and methods for improving rice growth and restricting arsenic uptake.
This patent application is currently assigned to University of Delaware. The applicant listed for this patent is University of Delaware. Invention is credited to Emily Alff, Harsh Bais, Darla Janine Sherrier.
Application Number | 20130065758 13/663134 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46048311 |
Filed Date | 2013-03-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130065758 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bais; Harsh ; et
al. |
March 14, 2013 |
COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR IMPROVING RICE GROWTH AND RESTRICTING
ARSENIC UPTAKE
Abstract
Methods according to the invention administering one or more
rice rhizosphere isolates to a plant, particularly a rice plant, to
the seed of the plant, or to soil surrounding the plant in an
amount effective to inhibit infection by a plant pathogen,
particularly rice blast, to increase the biomass of the plant,
and/or to decrease arsenic uptake by the plant.
Inventors: |
Bais; Harsh; (Newark,
DE) ; Sherrier; Darla Janine; (Hockessin, DE)
; Alff; Emily; (Royersford, PA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
University of Delaware; |
Newark |
DE |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
University of Delaware
Newark
DE
|
Family ID: |
46048311 |
Appl. No.: |
13/663134 |
Filed: |
October 29, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13037919 |
Mar 1, 2011 |
8318636 |
|
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13663134 |
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61414108 |
Nov 16, 2010 |
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61416043 |
Nov 22, 2010 |
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61414258 |
Nov 16, 2010 |
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61420372 |
Dec 7, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
504/117 ;
424/93.4; 424/93.47 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01N 63/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
504/117 ;
424/93.4; 424/93.47 |
International
Class: |
A01N 63/00 20060101
A01N063/00; A01P 21/00 20060101 A01P021/00; A01P 3/00 20060101
A01P003/00 |
Goverment Interests
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
[0002] This invention was made with government support under Grant
No. 0923806 awarded by the National Science Foundation. The
government has certain rights in the invention.
Claims
1. A method for inhibiting a fungal infection of a plant by a plant
pathogen comprises administering one or more rice rhizosphere
isolates to the plant, to the seed of the plant, or to soil
surrounding the plant, in an amount effective to inhibit infection
by the plant pathogen compared to an untreated plant.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plant is a rice plant and the
fungal pathogen is rice blast.
3. The method of claim 2, comprising administering the one or more
rice rhizosphere isolates to roots of the rice plant.
4. The method of claim 2, comprising administering the one or more
rice rhizosphere isolates to the seed of the rice plant prior to
planting.
5. The method of claim 3, comprising administering the one or more
rice rhizosphere isolates to the roots of the rice plant in an
amount of about 1.times.10.sup.7 to about
1.times.10.sup.9CFU/plant.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein symptoms of the rice blast are
reduced by about 5% to about 100% compared to an untreated
plant.
7. A method for producing a greater biomass in a plant comprising
administering one or more rice rhizosphere isolates to the plant,
to the seed of the plant, or to soil surrounding the plant, in an
amount effective to produce a greater biomass in the plant compared
to an untreated plant.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plant is a rice plant.
9. The method of claim 8, comprising administering the one or more
rice rhizosphere isolates to roots of the rice plant.
10. The method of claim 8, comprising administering the one or more
rice rhizosphere isolates to the seed of the rice plant prior to
planting.
11. The method of claim 9, comprising administering the one or more
rice rhizosphere isolates to the roots of the rice plant in an
amount of about 1.times.10.sup.7 to about
1.times.10.sup.9CFU/plant.
12. A method for producing a lower arsenic concentration in a plant
comprising administering one or more rice rhizosphere isolates to
the plant, to the seed of the plant, or to soil surrounding the
plant, in an amount effective to produce a lower concentration of
arsenic in the plant compared to an untreated plant.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the plant is a rice plant.
14. The method of claim 13, comprising administering the one or
more rice rhizosphere isolates to roots of the rice plant.
15. The method of claim 13, comprising administering the one or
more rice rhizosphere isolates to the seed of the rice plant prior
to planting.
16. The method of claim 14, comprising administering the one or
more rice rhizosphere isolates to the roots of the rice plant in an
amount of about 1.times.10.sup.7 to about
1.times.10.sup.9CFU/plant.
17. The method of claim 13, comprising administering the one or
more rice rhizosphere isolates in an amount effective to produce a
lower concentration of arsenic in the plant by about 5% to about
100% compared to an untreated plant.
18. The method of claim 13 wherein the rhizosphere isolate
comprises EA106.
19. An agricultural carrier comprising one or more rice rhizosphere
isolates.
20. The agricultural carrier of claim 19 wherein the rice
rhizosphere isolate comprises EA106.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 13/037,919, filed Mar. 1, 2011, which claims the benefit of
U.S. application Ser. No. 61/414,108, filed Nov. 16, 2010, U.S.
application Ser. No. 61/414,258, filed Nov. 16, 2010, U.S.
application Ser. No. 61/416,043, filed Nov. 22, 2010, and U.S.
application Ser. No. 61/420,372, filed Dec. 7, 2010, which are
incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and for all
purposes.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] This invention relates generally to the use of microbes
isolated from a rice rhizosphere to have an antifungal effect on
plant pathogens, improve plant growth, and to restrict arsenic
uptake by rice plants.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Rice (the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza
glaberrima) is the most important staple food for over two-thirds
the world's population, providing a significant proportion of the
calories consumed. Inducing greater rates of rice growth can help
ensure a greater availability of essential raw materials to the
world's growing population.
[0005] Rice blast (Magnaporthe oryzae) is a plant-pathogenic fungus
that causes a serious disease affecting rice and related plants. It
causes economically significant crop losses annually, contributing
to an estimated 40% loss in crop yield. Rice blast destroys enough
rice to feed millions of people throughout the world every growth
season. Since rice is an important food staple for much of the
world, the effects of rice blast have a broad impact on human
health and the environment. Rice shortfalls contribute directly to
human starvation. The rice blast further contributes to crop loss
and requires the use of additional resources to compensate for
reduced yield caused by disease. There continues to be a great need
for methods that reduce rice blast, as well as methods that
increase growth in rice plants.
[0006] Contamination of rice and other crops with arsenic affects
multiple regions of the world including Bangladesh, China, Chile,
India, Mexico, Europe and the United States. Inorganic arsenic is a
proven toxin and demonstrated carcinogen. In particular, rice
produced in the Bengal Delta Plain of Bangladesh, especially in the
arsenic hotspots, accumulates inorganic arsenic, and its
consumption contributes to large-scale mass poisoning of the
region's peoples. Severe arsenic intoxication is common in
Bangladesh and results in skin lesions and neurological injury.
Chronic low-level exposure increases incidence of multiple cancers
and causes disfigurement and recurring diarrhea. Making this
situation worse, elevated arsenic concentrations in soil are
phytotoxic and can contribute to decreased grain fill, lowered
yield and reduced food availability.
[0007] Fortunately, plants have evolved multiple mechanisms to
overcome the abiotic stresses encountered during growth, and these
inherent survival strategies can be utilized to reduce arsenic
assimilation. Currently, rice varieties with reduced arsenic
accumulation are in cultivation. In addition, engineering
approaches are being utilized to reduce arsenic availability within
the soil. Despite these important and substantial efforts, an
estimated 50 million people in this region are currently at risk of
debilitating arsenic poisoning. There continues to be a great need
for sustainable agronomic practices that reduce arsenic
concentrations in rice grain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] According to the present invention, a method for inhibiting
a fungal infection of a plant, particularly a rice plant or a
related crop (e.g., barley), by a plant pathogen comprises
administering one or more rice rhizosphere isolates to the plant,
to the seed of the plant, or to soil surrounding the plant, in an
amount effective to inhibit infection by the plant pathogen
compared to an untreated plant.
[0009] Another method according to the invention comprises
administering one or more rice rhizosphere isolates to a plant,
particularly a rice plant or a related crop (e.g., barley), to the
seed of the plant, or to soil surrounding the plant in an amount
effective to produce a greater biomass in the plant compared to an
untreated plant.
[0010] Another method according to the invention comprises
administering one or more rice rhizosphere isolates to a plant, to
the seed of the plant, or to soil surrounding the plant, in an
amount effective to produce a lower concentration of arsenic in the
plant compared to an untreated plant.
[0011] Additional embodiments provide agricultural carriers and
seed coatings comprising one or more rice rhizosphere isolates.
Plants may be inoculated with rice rhizosphere isolates by any
known method, including root, seed, or foliar inoculation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0012] FIG. 1: Rhizospheric microbes promote rice growth and
fitness, as evidenced by increased root and shoot length in rice
plants (Nipponbare) inoculated with the combined rice rhizosphere
isolates shown in Table 1 compared to untreated plants.
[0013] FIG. 2: Biomass dry weight of rice plants (Nipponbare) at
harvest following inoculation with the combined rice rhizosphere
isolates shown in Table 1 compared to untreated plants.
[0014] FIG. 3: Stomatal apertures in rice (Nipponbare) in response
to inoculation with a mixture of the rice rhizosphere isolates
shown in Table 1. The stomatal guard cells were observed after 4
weeks of treatment.
[0015] FIG. 4: Average diameters of M. oryzae growth in vitro after
treatment with the rice rhizosphere isolates.
[0016] FIG. 5: Effect of the rice rhizosphere isolates on M. oryzae
leaf lesion formation.
[0017] FIG. 6: Total iron (Fe) and phosphorous (P) content in rice
plants treated with a mixture of the ten rice rhizosphere isolates
shown in Table 1.
[0018] FIG. 7: Arsenic tolerance in rice supplemented with rice
rhizosphere isolate EA106.
[0019] FIG. 8: Arsenic tolerance in rice root isolates.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] The present invention relates to the use of microbes
isolated from a rice rhizosphere to have an antifungal effect on
plant pathogens, particularly rice blast (e.g., Magnaporthe
oryzae), to induce greater plant growth and resulting biomass, and
to restrict arsenic uptake in plants, particularly rice plants.
[0021] The applicants identified, through 16S RNA sequencing,
various proteobacteria from the rice rhizosphere of healthy rice
grown in North America, and further isolated and established
cultures of twelve different rhizobacteria and identified them by
fatty acid analysis. The applicants also used rich and minimal
media as culturing techniques to culture the rhizospheric microbes
listed in Table 1. Briefly, rhizosphere samples were resuspended in
carbon-free minimal medium to a concentration of 0.1 g FW
mL.sup.-1. This suspension was used to inoculate serial 10-fold
dilution series in 96-well plates that contained minimal medium
with sodium benzoate (1 g L.sup.-1) as the sole carbon source.
Plates were incubated with humidified room air at room temperature
for five days prior to scoring for growth and interpretation by
standard MPN tables.
[0022] To characterize and distinguish species of bacteria isolated
from rice rhizosphere, the types and proportions of fatty acids
present in the cellular membrane and outer membrane (gram negative)
lipids of cells were analyzed by FAME. To perform this analysis,
individual strains were cultured in vitro, and the fatty acids were
extracted and used to form methyl esters. The volatile derivatives
were separated by gas chromatography. The fractionated samples were
measured as a pattern of the peaks or "fingerprint," which was
compared to an expansive microbial reference library to identify
the organism. This technique is widely used in characterizing
bacterial species, including new species of bacteria not present in
the reference library, and is useful for identifying pathogenic
bacterial strains. The results of the FAME analysis on ten of the
rice rhizosphere isolates are summarized in Table 1. The identities
of the remaining two isolates were not determined.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Isolate Name Sim Index Entry Name Confidence
level/comment EA101 0.682 Pedobacter-heparinus (Cytophaga heparina,
SPECIES Sphingobacterium) EA102 0.776 Chryseobacterium-balustinum
(Flavobacterium) SPECIES, closely related to C. indologenes 0.712
Chryseobacterium-indologenes (Flavobacterium) EA103 0.807
Gordonia-rubripertincta-GC subgroup A SPECIES, closely related to
R. erythropolis (Rhodococcus) 0.787 Rhodococcus- erythropolis/R.
globerulus/N. globerula EA104 0.761 Pseudomonas-corrugata species
inconclusive-P. fluorescens group 0.761 Pseudomonas-putida-biotype
B/vancouverensis 0.742 Pseudomonas-fluorescens-biotype B EA105
0.598 Pseudomonas- GENUS chlororaphis/aureofaciens/aurantiaca EA106
0.896 Pantoea-agglomerans-GC subgroup A (Entb. SPECIES agglom., Er.
EA107 0.77 Pseudomonas- SPECIES, closely related to P. putida
chlororaphis/aureofaciens/aurantiaca 0.769
Pseudomonas-putida-biotype B/vancouverensis EA108 0.785
Pseudomonas-putida-biotype B/vancouverensis SPECIES, closely
related P. fluorescens 0.725 Pseudomonas-fluorescens-biotype
G/taetrolens EA201 0.758 Arthrobacter-oxydans SPECIES, closely
related to A. globiformis 0.709 Arthrobacter-globiformis-GC
subgroup A (some 48 h) EA202 **No matches found in RTSBA6
Library-Gram NO MATCH-Gram(--) species (--) species
[0023] As used herein, "one or more rice rhizosphere isolates"
refers to one or more of the ten rice rhizosphere isolates provided
in Table 1.
[0024] Interestingly, most of the cultured rhizobacteria isolated
from the rice rhizosphere belong to the proteobacteria class and
were predominantly pseudomonads indicating the abundance of these
proteobacteria in rice rhizosphere. The rice rhizosphere isolates
were most closely identified by FAME analysis as Pedobacter
heparinus ("EA101"), Chryseobacterium indologenes (Flavobacterium)
("EA102"), Rhodococcus erythropolis (actinomycete) ("EA103"),
Pseudomonas fluorescens group ("EA104"), Pseudomonas ("EA105"),
Pantoea agglomerans ("EA106"), Pseudomonas putida ("EA107"),
Pseudomonas fluorescens ("EA108"), Arthrobacter oxydans
(actinobacteria) ("EA201"), and Dyadobacter ("EA202"). In the cases
where the species was not represented in the bacterial reference
library, the closest species match was noted (Table 1). The rice
rhizosphere isolates described above (EA101-EA202) represent a
subset of rice-rhizospheric bacteria that were assessed for the
effect on the rice transcriptome. The complete set of analyzed
bacteria group into seven different genera, that are represented by
a total of 14 sequences as determined by sequencing of 16S rDNA
2514 clones, and the numbers of sequences are summarized in Table
2.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 16S rDNA sequence counts along strain
lineages Phylum Class Order Family Genus Strain # Bacteroidetes 119
Sphingobacteria 82 Sphingobacteriales 82 Cytophagaceae 14
Dyadobacter 0 EA202 Sphingobacteriaceae 9 Pedobacter 1 EA101
Flavobacteria 9 Flavobacteriales 9 Flavobacteriaceae 7
Chryseobacterium 0 EA102 Actinobacteria 43 Actinomycetales 21
Nocardiaceae 0 Rhodococcus 0 EA103 Micrococcaceae 9 Arthrobacter 9
EA201 Proteobacteria 1339 Gamma 111 Pseudomonadales 9
Pseudomonadaceae 4 Pseudomonas 4 EA104, Proteobacteria EA105,
EA107, EA108 Enterobacteriales 28 Enterobacteriaceae 28 Pantoea 0
EA106
[0025] From this it can be seen that for bacterial strain EA201
there are nine other 16S rDNA sequences which group within the same
genus (Arthrobacter), and 43 that are within the same phylum
(Actinobacteria). This is a relatively high representation within
the 16S rDNA sequences from one genus within the total isolated
population. In contrast, four sequences within one genus of
Pseudomonas strains (EA104, EA105, EA107, and EA108), and one
additional strain (1339) from the same phylum was represented in
the isolated population. The genus and species of strains EA102,
EA103, EA106, and EA202 are not represented by sequences within the
16S rDNA datasets, indicating that they are unique and previously
undescribed bacterial strains.
[0026] The applicants have demonstrated that the rice rhizosphere
isolates described above (i.e., microbes isolated from a rice
rhizosphere, such as from soil surrounding rice plants) elicit a
general stomatal closure response in plants, particularly rice
plants. They have shown that the growth of rice blast on rice and
barley is attenuated by the prior addition (by any inoculation
method) of one or more rice rhizosphere isolates. In addition, the
applicants have shown that inoculation with one or more rice
microbial isolates improves rice vegetative and grain growth, and
grain yield.
[0027] A method for inhibiting infection of a plant by a plant
pathogen, such as a fungal pathogen, according to the invention
comprises administering one or more rice rhizosphere isolates to a
plant, to the seed of the plant, or to soil surrounding the plant,
in an amount effective to inhibit infection by the plant pathogen
compared to an untreated plant. Examples of plants include rice and
barley plants, such as the rice cultivar Nipponbare. In a
particular embodiment, the present invention provides methods for
inhibiting infection of a rice plant rice blast, comprising
administering one or more of the rice rhizosphere isolates to the
rice plant, the seed of the rice plant, or soil surrounding the
rice plant or the seed in an amount effective to inhibit infection
of the rice plant by the rice blast compared to an untreated rice
plant. Suitable rice plants for use in the invention include Oryza
sativa, Oryza glaberrima, and all subspecies and cultivars thereof.
As used herein, "rice blast" refers to the plant-pathogenic fungus
Magnaporthe grisea or Magnaporthe oryzae.
[0028] Symptoms of rice blast include lesions or spots (which may
be, for example, white or gray) produced on any part of the plant,
particularly on aerial or aboveground parts of the plant, such as
the leaves. As used herein, "inhibiting infection" refers to the
production of a reduced fungal infection in the rice plant, as
measured by a reduction in the symptoms of the fungal infection,
for example, by a reduced number of lesions on the aerial portions
of the rice plant compared to an untreated plant, or a reduced size
of some or all of the lesions. For example, in particular
embodiments, one or more rice rhizosphere isolates are administered
to a rice plant, the seed of the rice plant, or soil surrounding
the rice plant or seed in an amount effective to reduce the number
of lesions on the rice plant caused by rice blast by at least about
5%, at least about 10%, at least about 20%, or between about 5% to
about 100%, about 10% to about 80%, about 20% to about 60%, or
about 30% to about 50%, compared to an untreated rice plant. As
shown, for example, in Table 4 and FIG. 5, the average number of
lesions observed per plant were reduced when the plants were
inoculated by EA103 (reduced by about 60%) , EA104 (reduced by
about 36%), EA105 (reduced by about 30%), EA106 (reduced by about
68%), and EA201 (reduced by about 40%), compared to control (i.e.,
no treatment with rice rhizosphere isolates).
[0029] In other embodiments, one or more rice rhizosphere isolates
are administered to a rice plant, the seed of the rice plant, or
soil surrounding the rice plant or seed in an amount effective to
reduce the radial growth of Magnaporthe oryzae in vitro by least
about 5%, at least about 10%, at least about 20%, or between about
5% to about 100%, about 10% to about 80%, about 20% to about 60%,
or about 30% to about 50%, compared to an untreated rice plant. As
shown, for example, in Table 3 and FIG. 4, EA105 and EA106 reduced
the radial growth of Magnaporthe oryzae by about 77% and about 50%,
respectively, compared to controls.
[0030] The present invention also provides methods for producing a
greater biomass in a plant comprising administering one or more of
the rice rhizosphere isolates to a plant, the seed of the plant, or
soil surrounding the plant or the seed in an amount effective to
produce a greater biomass in the plant compared to an untreated
plant. As used herein, the biomass in a plant refers to the total
mass of the plant's matter. Unless specified otherwise, biomass
comprises both aboveground biomass (i.e., aerial biomass, including
but not limited to stem, leaves, and/or grain) and belowground
biomass (i.e., roots). The biomass of a plant that has been
administered one or more rice rhizosphere isolates can be measured
according to known methods. In one embodiment, the biomass of the
plant is measured according to the dry weight (DW) of the plant in
grams.
[0031] The biomass of a plant that has been administered one or
more of the rice rhizosphere isolates can be measured at a
timepoint that is between about 3 days to about 100 days, about 5
days to about 85 days, or about 15 days to about 35 days following
administration of one or more of the rice rhizosphere isolates to
the plant. Alternatively, the biomass of a crop plant that has been
administered one or more of the rice rhizosphere isolates can be
measured at the time that the plant is harvested to collect its
grain or produce, i.e., at the time that the mature plant is
gathered from a field (e.g., at 80 days post inoculation of a rice
plant). As an example, a crop plant that has been administered one
or more of the rice rhizosphere isolates according to a method of
the present invention produces a greater amount of biomass as
measured in grams of dry weight of aboveground and belowground
biomass, in an amount determined by standard statistical analysis
to be greater than an untreated plant. For example, in one
embodiment, a method comprises administering one or more of the
rice rhizosphere isolates to the plant seed in an amount effective
to produce a greater biomass in the plant in an amount between
about 5% to about 100% greater than an untreated plant, following
the administration of said one or more of the rice rhizosphere
isolates.
[0032] The applicants have further discovered that inoculation of
rice with rice rhizosphere isolates (i.e., microbes isolated from
soil surrounding rice plants) restricts As uptake and reduces As
accumulation in the rice grain. In particular, the applicants have
identified non-pathogenic, naturally occurring microbes from
healthy rice roots and have shown that they promote healthy rice
growth and enhance the oxidizing potential of the rhizosphere. This
creates a microenvironment where As is less available for plant
assimilation in the immediate vicinity of the root. The microbial
inoculants identified by the applicants can be used to reduce As
uptake in rice as a means to improve food quality. The present
invention has the potential to reduce the intake of As via food and
thereby offer near-immediate and low-cost improvement to human
health and quality of life for millions of people. Moreover, As in
rice at high soil concentrations is known to reduce rice grain
yield, and the present invention may offer the additional benefit
of improved rice grain harvests. As contamination of soil and food
affects multiple regions of the world including Bangladesh, China,
Chile, India, Mexico, Europe and the United States, the present
invention can have broad reaching applications for food quality and
human health throughout the developing and industrialized regions
of the world.
[0033] Additional embodiments of the present invention provide
methods for producing a lower arsenic concentration in a plant
comprising administering one or more rice rhizosphere isolates to a
plant, particularly a rice plant, to the seed of the plant prior to
planting, or to soil surrounding the plant, in an amount effective
to produce a lower concentration of arsenic in the plant compared
to an untreated plant. In particular, the rice microbial isolate
EA106, described above in Tables 1 and 2, bears a surprisingly
strong Fe-siderophore activity that may facilitate Fe-plaque
formation on roots. This is illustrated, for example, in FIGS. 7
and 8.
[0034] The concentration of arsenic in a plant can be measured by
known methods. For example, ICP along with ICP MS can be utilized
to measure As in planta. Utilization of ICP MS also leads to
quantification of As species in planta. In particular embodiments,
one or more rice rhizosphere isolates are administered to a rice
plant, the seed of the rice plant prior to planting, or soil
surrounding the rice plant or the seed in an amount effective to
reduce the arsenic concentration in the rice plant by at least
about 5%, at least about 10%, at least about 20%, or between about
5% to about 100%, about 10% to about 80%, about 20% to about 60%,
or about 30% to about 50%, compared to an untreated rice plant.
[0035] The present invention further provides agricultural carriers
comprising EA106, which can be applied to plants (e.g., roots), to
soil surrounding the plants, or to seeds prior to planting, as well
as seed coatings comprising EA106, which can be applied to plant
seeds. The present invention also provides a plant seed, preferably
a rice plant seed, that is coated with EA106, such that all or part
of the seed has a coating or film comprising EA106. The
agricultural carrier may comprise EA106 in an amount about
1.times.10.sup.7 CFU/ml to about 1.times.10.sup.9 CFU/ml, more
preferably about 1.times.10.sup.8 CFU/ml. The seed coating may
comprise EA106 in an amount of between about 1.times.10.sup.7
CFU/seed to about 1.times.10.sup.9 CFU/seed, more preferably about
1.times.10.sup.8 CFU/seed. The agricultural carrier and seed
coating may each consist essentially of EA106 in a growth medium
without any additional additives or materials. Alternatively, the
agricultural carrier and seed coating may each comprise EA106 in a
growth medium, such as water, an aqueous solution, or a powder. The
growth medium, aqueous solution, or powder may contain additional
additives, such as an insecticide or fungicide.
[0036] As used herein, an "untreated plant" refers to a plant of
the same species and grown under substantially the same conditions
(e.g., for the same amount of time, in the same climate, and
cultivated according to the same methods using the same materials,
with biomass, pathogen tolerance, arsenic concentration, and other
characteristics being measured according to the same methods) as a
plant which has been administered one or more rice rhizosphere
isolates according to a method of the present invention, except
that the untreated plant has not been administered one or more rice
rhizosphere isolates, but was instead treated with a mock
inoculation consisting of a carrier medium minus the bacteria. As
used herein, a greater biomass, reduced fungal infection, or
reduced arsenic concentration in a plant which has been
administered one or more rice rhizosphere isolates compared to an
untreated plant refers to a greater biomass, reduced fungal
infection, or reduced arsenic concentration as measured at the same
timepoint, respectively.
[0037] In particular embodiments of the methods described herein
relating to producing greater biomass, reducing fungal infection by
pathogens, and restricting arsenic uptake, the one or more rice
rhizosphere isolates are administered to a plant's roots in an
amount of between about 1.times.10.sup.7 CFU/plant to about
1.times.10.sup.9 CFU/plant, more preferably about 1.times.10.sup.8
CFU/plant, and the plant is subsequently planted in soil or grown
in a standardized hydroponic growth medium. In alternative
embodiments, one or more rice rhizosphere isolates are administered
to a seed which will subsequently be planted in an amount of
between about 1.times.10.sup.7 CFU/seed to about 1.times.10.sup.9
CFU/seed, more preferably about 1.times.10.sup.8 CFU/seed. For
example, one or more rice rhizosphere isolates can be administered
to a rice plant's seed prior to planting the seed in soil and prior
to germination.
[0038] The methods of the present invention can be used to treat
many types of plants (as well as their seeds or surrounding soil)
to inhibit pathogenic infection, produce greater biomass, and/or
restrict arsenic uptake by the plants. The plants may include
monocots or dicots. The methods of the present invention are
particularly directed to rice or barley plants, most particularly
to rice plants.
[0039] According to the invention, one or more rice rhizosphere
isolates may be administered to a plant by any known method wherein
all or part of the plant is treated, such as by root, seed, or
foliar inoculation. For example, one or more rice rhizosphere
isolates can be administered to the aerial portions of a plant,
such as the leaves and stem, to the roots of the plant, to the seed
of the plant prior to planting the seed in soil, or to the soil
surrounding the plant or plant seed. Methods of administration
include drenching, spraying, coating, injection, or other methods
known to those of ordinary skill in the art. As used herein,
administering one or more rice rhizosphere isolates refers to
either one-time administration, repeated administration (i.e.,
administering one or more rice rhizosphere isolates more than one
time), or continuous administration. The one or more rice
rhizosphere isolates can be administered at any point in the life
cycle of the plant (e.g., before or after germination). For
example, one or more rice rhizosphere isolates can be administered
to a rice plant's seed prior to planting the seed in soil and prior
to germination. Alternatively, one or more rice rhizosphere
isolates can be administered to the plant, the seed of the plant,
or the soil surrounding the plant after germination has occurred.
Once treated with one or more rice rhizosphere isolates, seeds can
be planted in soil and cultivated using conventional methods for
generating plant growth.
[0040] According to embodiments of the present invention, one or
more rice rhizosphere isolates can be administered to a plant,
plant seed, or soil either alone or in a mixture with other
materials. For example, one or more rice rhizosphere isolates can
be administered in a composition that consists essentially of one
or more rice rhizosphere isolates in a growth medium without any
additional additives or materials. Alternatively, one or more rice
rhizosphere isolates can be administered in a composition that
comprises one or more rice rhizosphere isolates in a growth medium,
a carrier, such as water, an aqueous solution, or a powder. The
growth medium, carrier, aqueous solution, or powder may contain
additional additives, such as an insecticide or fungicide.
Alternatively, one or more rice rhizosphere isolates can be
administered separately with other additives or materials being
applied at different times.
[0041] The present invention further provides agricultural carriers
comprising one or more rice rhizosphere isolates, which can be
applied to plants (e.g., roots), to soil surrounding the plants, or
to seeds prior to planting, as well as seed coatings comprising one
or more rice rhizosphere isolates, which can be applied to plant
seeds. The present invention also provides a plant seed, preferably
a rice plant seed, that is coated with one or more rice rhizosphere
isolates, such that all or part of the seed has a coating or film
comprising one or more rice rhizosphere isolates. The agricultural
carrier may comprise one or more rice rhizosphere isolates in an
amount about 1.times.10.sup.7 CFU/ml to about 1.times.10.sup.9
CFU/ml, more preferably about 1.times.10.sup.8 CFU/ml. The seed
coating may comprise one or more rice rhizosphere isolates in an
amount of between about 1.times.10.sup.7 CFU/seed to about
1.times.10.sup.9 CFU/seed, more preferably about 1.times.10.sup.8
CFU/seed. The agricultural carrier and seed coating may each
consist essentially of one or more rice rhizosphere isolates in a
growth medium without any additional additives or materials.
Alternatively, the agricultural carrier and seed coating may each
comprise one or more rice rhizosphere isolates in a growth medium,
such as water, an aqueous solution, or a powder. The growth medium,
aqueous solution, or powder may contain additional additives, such
as an insecticide or fungicide.
[0042] Deposits of the rice rhizosphere isolates described above in
Table 1 have been available since prior to Nov. 16, 2010, at the
Delaware Biotechnology Institute, 15 Innovation way, Room #145,
Newark, Del. 19711. A deposit of one or more of the rice
rhizosphere isolates described above in Table 1 will be made with
the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University
Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209 USA. Access to this deposit
will be available during the pendency of the application to the
Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks and persons determined by
the Commissioner to be entitled thereto upon request. The deposit
will be maintained in the ATCC Depository, which is a public
depository, for a period of 30 years, or 5 years after the most
recent request, or for the enforceable life of the patent,
whichever is longer, and will be replaced if it becomes nonviable
during that period. The deposit will be available as required by
foreign patent laws in countries wherein counterparts of the
subject application, or its progeny are filed.
[0043] Further, the subject deposit will be stored and made
available to the public in accord with the provisions of the
Budapest Treaty for the Deposit of Microorganisms, i.e., it will be
stored with all the care necessary to keep it viable and
uncontaminated for a period of at least five years after the most
recent request for the furnishing of a sample of the deposit, and
in any case, for a period of at least thirty (30) years after the
date of deposit or for the enforceable life of any patent which may
issue disclosing the culture.
[0044] The following examples are provided to describe the
invention in greater detail and are intended to illustrate, not
limit, the invention.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
[0045] Rice plants (Nipponbare) were inoculated with about 10.sup.8
CFU/ml of a combination of the rice rhizosphere isolates described
above in Table 1. As illustrated in FIG. 1 (in which RBI refers to
rhizobacteria inoculated and RBU refers to rhizobacteria
uninoculated), the rice rhizosphere isolates promoted rice growth,
as measured at 0 days post inoculation (dpi), 7 dpi, and 15 dpi.
FIG. 2 illustrates the average biomass values in rice treated with
a mixture of the rice rhizosphere isolates shown in Table 1 at 80
dpi (i.e., at harvest), at which time approximately 50% increase in
shoot biomass was observed compared to control.
Example 2
[0046] To evaluate if rice rhizosphere isolates colonize rice
roots, the applicants inoculated rice plants (cultivar Nipponbare)
with the rice microbial isolates described above and examined the
roots of the rice plants 96 hrs post-inoculation by confocal
scanning laser microscopy. Observations confirmed that the
beneficial rice microbial isolates form biofilm on the root
surface. In particular, the data suggest that rice microbial
isolates efficiently colonize the rice roots post 96 hrs of
treatment, indicating that rice roots support the colonization of
beneficial microbes. Applicants previously demonstrated that
rhizobacteria intervene with a plant's guard cell functioning to
restrict foliar pathogen entry. The entry of a foliar pathogen
through the stomatal pores present in leaves is restricted due to
root colonization by the beneficial microbe. To evaluate if
treatment of rice plants with rice microbial isolates inflicts any
changes in stomatal aperture, the applicants analyzed rice plants
treated with rice microbial isolates. A mixture of 10 different
microbial isolates shown in Table 1 were added to the rice plants
(Nipponbare). The stomatal guard cells were observed after 4 weeks
of treatment. Results showed that treatment of rice (cultivar
Nipponbare) with rice microbial isolates closed stomata in the
treated rice plants, as illustrated in FIG. 3.
Example 3
[0047] To evaluate if the rice microbial isolates described above
attenuate the growth of rice blast (i.e., Magnaporthe oryzae or
Magnaporthe grisea) the applicants exposed M. oryzae to rice
microbial isolate cultures. Qualitative compartment plates and
quantitative data showed that rice microbial isolates attenuated
the growth of M. oryzae as shown by reduced radial growth in the
rice microbial isolate-exposed fungal cultures. Comparison with the
control (TY) demonstrates the extent to which the pathogen would
grow with no treatment. These results are summarized in table 3 and
FIG. 4. Pseudomonas ("EA105") and Pantoea agglomerans ("EA106")
reduced the radial growth of Magnaporthe oryzae by about 77% and
about 50%, respectively. Applicants therefore observed rice
microbial isolate-mediated induced systemic resistance in rice to
Magnaporthe oryzae.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Effect of rice microbial isolates on growth
of Magnaporthe oryzae in vitro. Avg Diameter (cm) % of control TY
Control 3.175 100 EA101 3.342 105.25 EA102 3.266 102.86 EA103 3.102
97.71 EA104 2.81 88.51 EA105 0.746 23.49 EA106 1.578 49.71 EA107
2.972 93.61 EA108 3.084 97.15 LB Control 3.098 100 EA201 3.068
99.03 EA202 2.87 92.65 EA303 2.968 95.79
Example 4
[0048] In a whole plant pathogenicity assay, 18 day Maratelli rice
plants were inoculated with rice microbial isolates (2 ml of 0.5 OD
per plant) by root drenching. Rice isolates were grown overnight in
LB and TY media to an optical density of 0.5 at 600 nm. Post 48
hours of treatment, plants were sprayed with 1.times.10.sup.5
spores/ml of M. oryzae. Morphometric data taken 2 weeks post
infection are illustrated in Table 4 and FIG. 5. For example, the
average number of lesions observed per plant were reduced when the
plants were inoculated by EA103 (reduced by about 60%), EA104
(reduced by about 36%), EA105 (reduced by about 30%), EA106
(reduced by about 68%), and EA201 (reduced by about 40%), compared
to control (i.e., no treatment with rice rhizosphere isolates).
TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 # Leaves Avg # lesions Infected per plant
Control 7/22 21.4 EA101 7/18 18.55 EA102 8/19 37.25 EA103 6/23 8.6
EA104 5/19 13.6 EA105 6/23 15 EA106 6/18 6.8 EA107 4/13 22.75 EA108
5/22 29 EA201 6/23 12.8
Example 5
[0049] To evaluate the impact of isolated and cultured
proteobacteria strains on rice plants, roots were inoculated with
mixed inoculum of the ten species shown in Table 1. Plant growth
and total chlorophyll and carotenoid content of rice plants grown
in controlled hydroponic experimental conditions were enhanced by
rhizobacterial inoculation. These data indicate that the microbiota
facilitate an increase in plant biomass.
[0050] The applicants examined the roots of rice (cultivar
Nipponbare) 96 hrs post inoculation by mixed rhizobacteria
inoculations. Roots were viewed by confocal scanning laser
microscopy and observations showed that rice roots support the
colonization of beneficial microbes.
[0051] To evaluate if co-cultivation of rice with beneficial
microbes influenced iron content in planta, the applicants
evaluated Fe content by ICP-MS. Bacteria (.about.10.sup.8
cells/plant) were supplemented in hydroponically grown rice plants.
Total Fe and P content was evaluated post 60 days of treatment in
rice grains. The data show that rice plants treated with mixtures
of ten rice rhizosphere isolates in Table 1 increased overall Fe
content in the rice grains, but not the overall phosphorous (P)
grain content, as illustrated in FIG. 6. These data suggest that
microbial supplementation to rice plants can increase Fe content,
which may be critical for increasing the overall nutritional
quality of rice.
Example 6
[0052] A number of studies have shown that iron plaques form on the
roots of aquatic plants including rice, and this is also influenced
by the plant root. It is thought that the iron (hydr)oxide
precipitates from radial oxygen diffusion from aerenchyma and
oxidation of ferrous iron. Iron (hydr)oxides are major sorbents of
toxic metal(loids) such as arsenate (As[V]) and thus the iron
forming plaques can be important in sequestering As such that it
may be less available for uptake into roots and other plant parts.
And since it is likely that arsenite (As[III]) is oxidized to
arsenate (As[V]) in the narrow aerobic zones of rhizosphere because
of oxygen release from the arenchyma, the plaques are hypothesized
to play an important role in limiting As sequestration. Studies
have suggested that the plaques function as bulk scavengers of
arsenate (As[V]) from the rhizosphere, even under normal agronomic
conditions.
[0053] The data shown in FIG. 7 illustrate the tolerance in rice
plants against As (V) post EA106 treatment. Rice plants were
supplemented with iron and co-inoculated with both the As species
(As(V) and As(III)) and EA106. The data shown in FIG. 7 depict that
EA106 supplementation leads to tolerance in rice plants against
As(V) compared to As(III). This data is critical as As(V) is the
predominant specie which accumulates in rice plaques and may be
detrimental for overall As uptake in rice plants. The data in FIG.
8 illustrate tolerance of EA106 against As species (As(V) and
As(III)). The data show that EA106 is more tolerant against
arsenate compared to arsenite.
[0054] Although the present invention has been described in
connection with specific embodiments, it should be understood that
the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such
specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications and variations
of the described compositions and methods of the invention will be
apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art and are intended to
be within the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *