Novel bradyrhizobium japonicum strain having excellent plant growth-promoting ability and use thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a novel Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain having excellent plant growth-promoting ability and use thereof.

Description

Novel Bredyrhizobium japonicum strain with excellent plant growth-promoting ability and uses thereof

[0001] Cross-citation with related application(s)

[0002] The present disclosure claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2025-0049117 filed April 15, 2025, and all contents disclosed in the documents of said Korean patent application are incorporated as part of the present disclosure.

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a novel strain of *Brédyrhizobium japonicum* with enhanced plant growth-promoting ability and its uses.

[0004]

[0005] Bacteria of the genus *Brédirhizobium* are one of the major soil-dwelling organisms that form root nodules on soybean roots and live in symbiosis with plants. Plants provide energy through the products of photosynthesis, and *Brédirhizobium* facilitates plant growth by supplying atmospheric nitrogen to the plants in the form of ammonium nitrogen. Therefore, bacteria of the genus *Brédirhizobium* hold significant ecological and economic importance in soybean agriculture due to their ability to form nitrogen-fixing symbiosis (US 2002-0142451 A1).

[0006] Domestic soybean farmers currently use chemical nitrogen fertilizers utilizing strains naturally present in the soil without applying Bredyrhizobium separately; however, with the recent shift toward eco-friendly cultivation methods, the need for microbial fertilizers is emerging. Therefore, there is a need to develop bacteria of the genus Bredyrhizobium with enhanced plant growth-promoting activity for use in microbial fertilizers.

[0007]

[0008] One example of the present disclosure provides a novel Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain having excellent plant growth-promoting activity and the use thereof.

[0009] The above-mentioned Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain provides the Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain deposited under accession number KCCM13423P. The strain may have plant growth-promoting activity.

[0010] Another example is,

[0011] A composition for promoting plant growth is provided, comprising the strain, a culture of the strain, or a combination thereof.

[0012] Another example is,

[0013] (1) A fertilizer composition comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of the strain, (2) a culture of the strain, and (3) a composition for promoting plant growth comprising the strain, the culture of the strain, or a combination thereof.

[0014] Another example provides a method for cultivating a plant or a method for promoting plant growth, comprising the step of treating a plant, soil, and / or both of the following: (1) the strain, (2) a culture of the strain, (3) a composition for promoting plant growth comprising the strain, the culture of the strain, or a combination thereof; and (4) a fertilizer composition comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of the strain, the culture of the strain, and the composition for promoting plant growth comprising the strain, the culture thereof, or a combination thereof.

[0015] Another example provides a plant growth-promoting use of a composition comprising (1) the strain, (2) a culture of the strain, and (3) the strain, the culture of the strain, or a combination thereof, or a plant growth-promoting composition (e.g., fertilizer).

[0016] Each description and embodiment disclosed in this disclosure may be applied to each other description and embodiment. That is, all combinations of the various elements disclosed in this disclosure fall within the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the scope of this disclosure is not to be limited by the specific descriptions provided below. Additionally, a person skilled in the art can recognize or identify numerous equivalents to the specific embodiments of this disclosure described herein using only ordinary experimentation. Moreover, such equivalents are intended to be included in this disclosure.

[0017]

[0018] One example of the present disclosure provides a strain of Bradyrhizobium japonicum deposited under accession number KCCM13423P.

[0019] The Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain deposited under accession number KCCM13423P may have the 16S rRNA sequence of SEQ ID NO. 1, but is not limited thereto. For example, the Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain may have 16S rRNA consisting of a sequence having sequence identity of 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, 98.5% or more, 99% or more, or 99.5% or more, with respect to the sequence of SEQ ID NO. 1, but is not limited thereto. The Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain deposited under accession number KCCM13423P may be used in combination with the CP02-0015 strain or the GG-2 strain.

[0020]

[0021] The strain of *Bredirizovium japonicum* deposited under accession number KCCM13423P is characterized by having plant growth-promoting activity.

[0022] The Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain deposited under accession number KCCM13423P may have plant growth-promoting activity, or may have increased plant growth-promoting activity. The strain of the present disclosure may have increased plant growth-promoting activity compared to other Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains. The above other Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains refer to any strain that can be classified as a Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain other than the Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain deposited under accession number KCCM13423P, for example, the known strains Bradyrhizobium japonicum SEMIA5079, Bradyrhizobium japonicum DJ-B-2-1, Bradyrhizobium japonicum GG-5, Bradyrhizobium japonicum DJ-B-1-1, Bradyrhizobium japonicum GB-2-1, or Bradyrhizobium japonicum CN-1-1, but are not limited thereto.

[0023]

[0024] The term “plant growth” as used in this disclosure may be interpreted as the process in which a plant seed germinates to produce roots, stems, and leaves, or subsequently gradually increases in size and weight.

[0025] The term “plant growth promotion” as used in the present disclosure includes all of promoting (increasing, improving) the length growth, volume growth, weight increase, etc. of a plant body, and can be interpreted as encompassing all of increasing the biomass (biological mass or bioweight) or content of the plant body as a result thereof.

[0026] The above-mentioned plant growth promotion may be due to the production of plant growth hormones or the promotion of plant root nodule formation, but is not limited thereto.

[0027]

[0028] The Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain deposited under accession number KCCM13423P may possess root nodule-forming ability or may have enhanced root nodule-forming ability. It has been confirmed that the strain of the present disclosure has superior root nodule-forming ability compared to other Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains, and can significantly promote plant growth. The above other Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains refer to any strain that can be classified as a Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain other than the Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain deposited under accession number KCCM13423P, for example, the known strains Bradyrhizobium japonicum SEMIA5079, Bradyrhizobium japonicum DJ-B-2-1, Bradyrhizobium japonicum GG-5, Bradyrhizobium japonicum DJ-B-1-1, Bradyrhizobium japonicum GB-2-1, or Bradyrhizobium japonicum CN-1-1, but are not limited thereto.

[0029] The term “root nodule” as used in this disclosure can be interpreted as a structure (part) that develops into a nodule shape and forms on the roots of a plant.

[0030] As used in this disclosure, the term “root nodule-forming ability” may be interpreted as the ability of a plant to form root nodules on its roots, and root nodule-forming ability may be measured by known methods, such as counting the number of root nodules formed on a plant root, separating root nodules from a plant root and measuring their weight, measuring the activity of the nitrogenase enzyme responsible for nitrogen fixation in the root nodules, or measuring the nitrogen content within the plant body, but is not limited thereto.

[0031]

[0032] As used in this disclosure, the term “plant” refers to an organism that possesses a cell wall and chlorophyll and performs photosynthesis. It may be interpreted broadly to encompass not only multicellular eukaryotic organisms that perform photosynthesis but also unicellular organisms that perform photosynthesis, such as algae, or narrowly to refer specifically to multicellular eukaryotic organisms that perform photosynthesis. The crops to which the strains of this disclosure, compositions containing the same, and / or methods using the same can be applied are not particularly limited as long as they are plants that grow using carotenoids. For example, as a specific example, the plants include food crops such as rice, wheat, barley, corn, soybeans, potatoes, red beans, oats, and sorghum; vegetable crops such as napa cabbage, radish, chili pepper, strawberry, tomato, watermelon, cucumber, cabbage, Korean melon, pumpkin, green onion, onion, and carrot; and specialty crops such as ginseng, tobacco, cotton, fodder, pasture grass, sesame, sugarcane, sugar beet, perilla, peanut, rapeseed, grass, and castor oil plant. The plants may be one or more selected from the group consisting of fruit trees including apple trees, pear trees, jujube trees, peaches, kiwifruit, grapes, citrus fruits, persimmons, plums, apricots, and bananas; woody plants including pine trees, palm oil plants, and eucalyptus; flowering plants including roses, gladiolus, gerberas, carnations, chrysanthemums, lilies, and tulips; and fodder crops including ryegrass, red clover, orchardgrass, alfalfa, tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass, but are not limited thereto. As another example, the plants may be dicotyledonous plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana, potatoes, eggplants, tobacco, chili peppers, tomatoes, burdock, crown daisies, lettuce, balloon flower roots, spinach, Swiss chard, sweet potatoes, celery, carrots, water celery, parsley, Chinese cabbage, cabbage, mustard greens, watermelons, Korean melons, cucumbers, pumpkins, gourds, strawberries, soybeans, mung beans, kidney beans, or peas; One or more selected from the group consisting of monocotyledonous plants such as rice, wheat, barley, corn, and sorghum may be cited, but are not limited thereto.

[0033] The above plant may be a legume.

[0034] In the present disclosure, “leguminous plant” may refer to a plant belonging to the Fabaceae family of the Fabales order that has the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen by forming a symbiotic relationship with root nodule bacteria, and in the present disclosure, said leguminous plant may be interpreted as a plant having the ability to form root nodules.

[0035] In one example, the above legume may be one or more selected from soybeans, flat beans, black soybeans, Seomoktae, black soybeans, green soybeans, yellow soybeans, fence beans, kidney beans, speckled kidney beans, red beans, large beans, Shinhwa beans, and mung beans, but is not limited thereto.

[0036] In the present disclosure, “soybean” may be used interchangeably with “bean,” and in one example, may be the Korean variety Seonhong or the CJ Happy No. 1 variety, but is not limited thereto.

[0037] Specifically, the strain of the present disclosure has the advantage of excellent root nodule formation ability and enhanced plant growth-promoting effect.

[0038]

[0039] Another example of the present disclosure provides a composition for promoting plant growth comprising a strain of Bradyrhizobium japonicum deposited under accession number KCCM13423P, a culture of said strain, or a combination thereof.

[0040] Another example is,

[0041] (1) a Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain deposited under accession number KCCM13423P, (2) a culture of said strain, and (3) a composition for promoting plant growth comprising said strain, said strain culture, said strain, said strain culture, or a combination thereof, and one or more selected from the group consisting of (1) a Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain deposited under accession number KCCM13423P, (2) a culture of said strain, and (3) a composition for promoting plant growth comprising said strain, said strain culture, or a combination thereof.

[0042] In the above-mentioned composition for promoting plant growth and fertilizer composition, the strain and / or culture of the strain are included as an active ingredient that exhibits the desired effect / activity (promoting plant growth), and may be included at an effective concentration to exhibit the said effect / activity.

[0043]

[0044] The Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain and plant deposited under the above accession number KCCM13423P are as described above.

[0045] The above strain may be interpreted to include one or more selected from the group consisting of the cell itself as well as derivatives derived therefrom, such as biomass derived from the cell and / or dried product of the cell and / or biomass, and crushed product of the cell, biomass, or dried product.

[0046] The above “culture of a strain” refers to a product obtained by culturing the strain in a medium (liquid, solid, semi-solid) using a conventional culture method, and may or may not contain the strain, and is not limited to its form. In one example, the “culture of a strain” may include both the medium and the strain (a culture containing the strain); may include only the medium from which the strain has been removed (a culture from which the strain has been removed; for example, if the medium is liquid, it may be expressed as “culture supernatant,” which means the culture supernatant from which the strain has been removed from the culture (culture medium)); or may include one or more selected from the group consisting of a concentrate or dried product of the culture containing the strain and / or the culture from which the strain has been removed, or a crushed product of the dried product.

[0047] The above composition for promoting plant growth may contain preservatives, stabilizers, wetting agents or emulsifiers, cryoprotectants, or excipients. The above preservatives, stabilizers, or excipients may be included in the composition in an effective amount sufficient to reduce the deterioration of the composition. The term “deterioration” as used in this disclosure may include a decrease in the number, decrease in activity, or a combination thereof of the Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain deposited under accession number KCCM13423P included in the composition, etc. For example, by including an effective amount of preservatives, stabilizers, or excipients sufficient to reduce the deterioration of the composition, the Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain deposited under accession number KCCM13423P may survive for a longer period or maintain its activity within the composition, unlike the Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain deposited under accession number KCCM13423P existing in a natural state.

[0048] The above preservatives, stabilizers, or excipients may be used without limitation if they are commonly used in the art, provided that they can reduce the deterioration of the quality of the above composition. For example, the above stabilizer may be one or more selected from the group consisting of alginate, sodium alginate, casein, sodium casein, cellulose, methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, pectin, gelatin, gum arabic, xanthan gum, dextran, cyclodextrin, and starch.

[0049] The cryoprotectant may be included in the composition in an effective amount sufficient to reduce quality degradation of the composition when the composition is in a freeze-dried state. For example, unlike the strain of *Brédirhizobium japonicum* deposited under accession number KCCM13423P existing in its natural state, the composition may contain an effective amount of cryoprotectant sufficient to reduce quality degradation of the composition when freeze-dried, thereby allowing the strain of *Brédirhizobium japonicum* deposited under accession number KCCM13423P to survive or maintain its activity for a longer period within the freeze-dried composition.

[0050] The above cryoprotective agent may be used without limitation if it is intended to reduce the quality degradation of the composition in a freeze-dried state, and is commonly used in the art. For example, the above cryoprotective agent may be one or more selected from the group consisting of glycerol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), glucose, trehalose, maltodextrin, dextrin, skim milk, and starch.

[0051] The above composition can be prepared according to methods generally applied in all fertilizer and pesticide chemistry, and preferably, the composition of the present disclosure may be prepared using conventional methods, such as centrifugation, filtration, anion exchange chromatography, crystallization, and HPLC, and may further include a purification process, and may be formulated to be used with a plant growth-promoting agent, i.e., a conventional fertilizer, by methods such as concentration or drying of strains or cultures known in the art, and the scope of application of the above composition to plants or soil on which plants are grown may vary depending on the type of plant, age, climatic conditions, etc.

[0052] The above composition may be applied to plants by conventional methods such as immersion or drenching (spraying), and may be applied to plants alone or mixed with fertilizer, but is not limited thereto.

[0053] The above fertilizer composition is not limited in its properties and may be in liquid or solid form, but is not limited thereto.

[0054] In the above fertilizer composition, the strain of *Bredirizobium japonicum* deposited under accession number KCCM13423P or a culture thereof may be included as a main component of the fertilizer (microbial fertilizer) itself, or added to and / or mixed into the fertilizer in the form of a fertilizer additive.

[0055] The above “fertilizer” is a general term for nutrient substances applied to plants and / or soil to promote plant growth. Fertilizers may be manufactured by manufacturing methods commonly used in the art. For example, the fertilizer may further include excipients or carriers commonly used in the art and may be manufactured into conventional fertilizer formulations known in the art.

[0056] The above fertilizer may be an eco-friendly fertilizer that can replace chemical fertilizers (e.g., microbial fertilizer).

[0057] The strain of the present disclosure or its culture solution is 10 per weight of fertilizer 5 It is preferable to contain at least CFU / ml, but is not limited thereto.

[0058] The above fertilizer may be intended to promote plant growth.

[0059]

[0060] Another example provides a method for cultivating a plant, comprising the step of treating a plant, soil, or both with one or more selected from the group consisting of a plant growth-promoting composition comprising a Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain deposited under accession number KCCM13423P, a culture of said strain, or a combination thereof, and a plant growth-promoting composition comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of said strain, a culture of said strain, or a combination thereof.

[0061]

[0062] Another example provides a method for promoting plant growth comprising the step of treating a plant, soil, or both of the following: (1) a Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain deposited under accession number KCCM13423P, (2) a culture of said strain, (3) a composition for promoting plant growth comprising said strain, said culture of said strain, or a combination thereof, and (4) a fertilizer composition comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of said strain, said culture of said strain, and said strain, said culture of said strain, or a combination thereof.

[0063] The Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain, culture, composition for promoting plant growth, and plant deposited under the above accession number KCCM13423P are as described above.

[0064] The step of treating the plant, soil, or both thereof may be performed by a method of treating the strain, culture, and / or composition to the plant (e.g., whole plant, root, stem, leaf, seed, etc.), soil, or both thereof. For example, the step may be performed without limitation in any conventional manner, such as spraying (spraying) the strain, culture, and / or composition onto the plant, soil, or both thereof, or drenching or applying it to the plant.

[0065]

[0066] Another example provides (1) a Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain deposited under accession number KCCM13423P, (2) a culture of said strain, and (3) a composition comprising said strain, said culture of said strain, or a combination thereof, for use in promoting plant growth or for use in preparing a composition for promoting plant growth (e.g., a fertilizer).

[0067] The Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain, culture, composition, and plant deposited under the above accession number KCCM13423P are as described above.

[0068]

[0069] The present disclosure relates to a novel strain of the genus Bradyrhizobium with excellent plant growth-promoting ability and its uses. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain deposited under accession number KCCM13423P has excellent plant growth-promoting ability and can therefore be usefully used for plant growth promotion as a substitute for chemical fertilizers.

[0070]

[0071] Figure 1 is a graph showing the results of evaluating the root nodule formation ability of soybeans after treating soybeans with diluted culture solutions of six types of Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains, including the Bradyrhizobium japonicum CP02-0015 strain (GG-2) of the present disclosure.

[0072] Figure 2 is a graph showing the results of measuring the above-ground biomass of soybeans after treating the domestic soybean variety Seonhong with a diluted culture of the Bradyrhizobium japonicum CP02-0015 strain (GG-2) of the present disclosure, compared with the untreated group.

[0073] Figure 3 is a graph showing the results of measuring the above-ground biomass of soybeans after treating a domestic soybean variety, CJ Happy No. 1, with a diluted culture of the Bradyrhizobium japonicum CP02-0015 strain (GG-2) of the present disclosure, compared with the untreated group.

[0074]

[0075] The present disclosure is to be explained more specifically below by the following examples. However, these are merely illustrative of the present disclosure, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited by these examples.

[0076]

[0077] Example 1. Isolation and identification of novel microorganisms of the genus Bradyrhizobium

[0078] Samples with root nodules were collected from soybean cultivation sites in four regions in Korea (Suwon, Gyeonggi-do; Daejeon Metropolitan City; Iksan, Jeollabuk-do; and Nonsan, Chungcheongnam-do), and strains of the genus Bradyrhizobium were isolated and identified by the following method.

[0079] Specifically, root nodules from each sample collected from the four aforementioned regions were surface-sterilized in 70% ethanol for 2 minutes and washed three times with distilled water. The washed root nodules were placed in a 1.5 ml tube containing 500 µl of PBS in a clean bench, and incisions were made using a sterile 100 µl tip. Then, the mixture was homogenized using a vortex machine and diluted 1 / 10 with PBS. The diluted suspension was plated onto YMA (Yeast Mannitol Agar) plates and incubated at 30°C. After 4 days, individual colonies were obtained on the medium, and a total of six Bradyrhizobium strains shown in Table 1 were isolated and identified.

[0080] Results of Isolation and Identification of Bradyrhizobium Strains from Soybeans No. Strain Species Source Region 1 GG-2 Bradyrhizobium japonicum Soybean Suwon (Greenhouse) 2 GG-5 Bradyrhizobium japonicum Soybean Suwon (Greenhouse) 3 DJ-B-1-1 Bradyrhizobium japonicum Soybean Daejeon (Field) 4 DJ-B-2-1 Bradyrhizobium japonicum Soybean Daejeon (Field) 5 GB-2-1 Bradyrhizobium japonicum Soybean Iksan (Field) 6 CN-1-1 Bradyrhizobium japonicum Soybean Nonsan (Field)

[0081] Example 2. Evaluation of root nodule formation ability of isolated Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains

[0082] The plant root nodule formation ability of the six strains of the genus Bradyrhizobium isolated and identified in Example 1 above was evaluated.

[0083] Specifically, soybeans were surface-sterilized in 70% ethanol for 2 minutes, washed three times with distilled water, sown, and cultivated for approximately 8 days. Individuals (cotyledons) that affected growth were excluded from the experiment during cultivation. Then, six strains were inoculated into 50 ml of YM (Yeast Mannitol) medium in 250 ml flasks and cultured for 48 hours. The culture solution was diluted to an OD value of 1, and after diluting it 200-fold, 1 ml was inoculated into each pot. At this time, the treatment volume of each dilution was 5 x 10⁶ 6 It was cfu / ml / pot. After 5 weeks, each pot was harvested and the root nodules were counted and shown in Figure 1.

[0084] As a result, it was confirmed that the strain *Bredirizovium japonicum* GG-2 formed the most root nodules, with 19.3 nodules, and the GG-2 strain was named CP02-0015 (Table 2 and Figure 1). The CP02-0015 strain selected as above was deposited with the Korean Culture Collection of Microorganisms, an international depositary institution under the Treaty of Budapest, on November 16, 2023, and was assigned accession number KCCM13423P.

[0085] In addition, analysis of the 16S rRNA base sequence of the selected CP02-0015 strain confirmed that it has the 16S rRNA base sequence of SEQ ID NO. 1.

[0086] Strain Name Number of Root Nodules (Pieces) DJ-B-2-17GG-219.3GG-515DJ-B-1-17.3GB-2-110.7CN-1-16.3

[0087] Example 3. Confirmation of the soybean growth-promoting effect of the culture solution of *Brédyrhizovium japonicum* strain CP02-0015 on domestic soybean varieties

[0088] The growth-promoting effect on domestic soybean varieties for tofu (Seonhong) and vegetables (CJ Haengbokhan 1ho) was confirmed by evaluating the above-ground biomass using the strain of *Bredirizovium japonicum* CP02-0015 (GG-2), which exhibited the best root nodule-forming ability in Example 2 above.

[0089] Specifically, each soybean variety was surface-sterilized in 70% ethanol for 2 minutes, washed three times with distilled water, sown, and cultivated for approximately 8 days. Individuals (cotyledons) that affected growth were excluded from the experiment during cultivation. Then, the strain *Brédyrhizobium japonicum* CP02-0015 was inoculated into 50 ml of YM (Yeast Mannitol) medium in a 250 ml flask and cultured for 48 hours. The culture medium was diluted to an OD value of 1, and after diluting it 200-fold, 1 ml was inoculated into each pot. At this time, the treatment volume of the diluted solution was 5 x 10⁶ 6 It was cfu / ml / pot. After 2 weeks, roots were cut from each pot and the biomass of the above-ground parts was evaluated.

[0090] As a result, it was confirmed that root nodules were formed in the roots of the Seonhong and CJ Happy No. 1 soybean varieties treated with the culture solution of the Bradyrhizovium japonicum CP02-0015 (GG-2) strain. It was also confirmed that the above-ground biomass of the Seonhong variety, a domestic soybean for tofu, increased by approximately 74.2% compared to the untreated group, and the above-ground biomass of the CJ Happy No. 1 variety, a soybean for vegetable sprouts, increased by approximately 146.1% compared to the untreated group (Figs. 2 and 3).

[0091] Based on the above results, it was found that the strain *Bredirizovium japonicum* CP02-0015 (GG-2) has a plant growth-promoting effect, and in particular, an effect that promotes the growth of soybeans.

[0092]

[0093] From the foregoing description, those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains will understand that this disclosure may be implemented in other specific forms without altering its technical concept or essential features. In this regard, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of this disclosure should be interpreted as including all modifications or variations derived from the meaning and scope of the claims set forth below and their equivalents, rather than from the detailed description above.

[0094]

[0095] [Consignment Number]

[0096] Depository Name: Korean Culture Collection Center (KCCM)

[0097] Trustee Number: KCCM13423P

[0098] Date of Deposit: 20231116

[0099]

[0100]

Claims

1. A strain of Bradyrhizobium japonicum deposited under accession number KCCM13423P.

2. In paragraph 1, the strain is a strain having plant growth-promoting activity.

3. In paragraph 2, the strain in which the plant is a soybean.

4. A composition for promoting plant growth comprising the strain of claim 1, a culture of said strain, or a combination thereof.

5. The strain of paragraph 1, A culture of the above strain, and A fertilizer composition comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of a plant growth-promoting composition comprising the strain, a culture of the strain, or a combination thereof.

6. The strain of paragraph 1, Culture of the above strain, A composition for promoting plant growth comprising the above strain, a culture of the above strain, or a combination thereof, and A fertilizer composition comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of the strain, a culture of the strain, and a composition for promoting plant growth comprising the strain, a culture of the strain, or a combination thereof. A method for cultivating plants, comprising the step of treating a plant, soil, or both of one or more selected from a group consisting of 7. The strain of paragraph 1, Culture of the above strain, A composition for promoting plant growth comprising the above strain, a culture of the above strain, or all of the same, and A fertilizer composition comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of the strain, a culture of the strain, and a composition for promoting plant growth comprising the strain, a culture of the strain, or a combination thereof. A method for promoting plant growth comprising the step of treating a plant, soil, or both of one or more selected from the group consisting of

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