Bacillus Subtilis Treatment for Cold-Stressed Crop Safety

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Solution Overview

Problem

Plants face challenges in cold stress tolerance and crop safety due to cold-induced dehydration and damage, leading to growth inhibition and reduced marketability, with existing mitigation methods being unsatisfactory or harmful to crops.

Innovation Solution

Application of Bacillus subtilis QST713 to plants, plant parts, or their habitat to enhance cold stress tolerance by improving germination, growth, and recovery from cold stress through various application methods and rates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If active ingredients are applied to control microorganisms, weeds or animal pests, then pest control efficacy is improved, but crop safety deteriorates due to growth distortion, necrotic areas, bleaching, oxidative damage, and stunting

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepest control efficacyVSAvoidcrop safety

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Bacillus subtilis QST713 acts as a mediator between the active ingredient and the crop. When applied together, the Bacillus strain mitigates the harmful effects of the active ingredient on the crop while allowing the active ingredient to maintain its pest control efficacy. The Bacillus strain appears to protect the crop from oxidative damage and other harmful effects caused by the active ingredient.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If higher concentrations of active ingredients are used to improve pest control, then pest control efficacy is improved, but crop safety deteriorates due to increased harmful effects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepest control efficacyVSAvoidcrop safety

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the biological parameter of the system by introducing Bacillus subtilis QST713, which alters the relationship between active ingredient concentration and crop harm. The Bacillus strain enables the use of higher active ingredient concentrations by mitigating their harmful effects, thus decoupling the relationship between dosage and crop safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If existing frost protection methods are applied, then cold stress tolerance is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple mitigation measures required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecold stress toleranceVSAvoidmethod complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the cold stress protection function from complex physical systems (heaters, plastic films, air circulation systems) and transfers it to a biological system (Bacillus subtilis QST713). This single biological agent provides the protection that previously required multiple complex mechanical and environmental controls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4007494B1Method of improving cold stress tolerance and crop safety

Publication Date: 2026.03.18 BAYER CROPSCIENCE LLC

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AI summary

The present invention relates to the use of Bacillus subtilis QST713, Bacillus subtilis var. amyloliquefaciens FZB24, and/or a mutant thereof for improving tolerance in a plant exposed to cold stress and to the use of Bacillus subtilis QST713 and/or a mutant thereof for improving crop safety in a plant.