Bacillus thuringiensis Microbial Compositions for Plant Growth

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a lack of efficient selection procedures for microbial strains with high root-colonizing ability, which hinders the development and deployment of Plant Growth-Promoting Microorganisms (PGPM) in agriculture, and there is a need for new PGPM and compatibility testing with existing crop management products.

Innovation Solution

The development of microbial compositions and methods involving isolated Bacillus thuringiensis microbial strains, such as SGI-020-A01, and their use in enhancing plant growth, suppressing pathogens, and treating plant seeds, with the option of combining with fertilizers, pesticides, or other compounds in various formulations like emulsions, dusts, or seed coatings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If microbial inoculants are applied without human intervention in natural soil environment, then they can potentially promote plant growth, but their survival rate and efficacy are low due to insufficient colony forming units per gram of soil

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurvival rate and efficacy of microbial inoculantsVSAvoidcolony forming units per gram of soil
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-formulating microbial inoculants with protective carriers and optimal concentration ratios before field application. This ensures that sufficient colony forming units are delivered to the soil environment in advance, overcoming the natural dilution and survival challenges that would occur without human intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite materials by combining microbial cultures with protective carriers, adjuvants, and formulation ingredients to create stable inoculant products. This composite approach protects the microbes during storage and application, ensuring higher survival rates and efficacy when applied to soil.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Productivity

If chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used to control plant growth and pests, then agricultural productivity can be maintained, but negative impacts on human health and environment quality occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveagricultural productivityVSAvoidnegative impact on human health and environment quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces chemical systems with biological systems by using plant growth-promoting microbes and biological control agents instead of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This substitution maintains agricultural productivity through natural biological processes while eliminating the harmful chemical residues and environmental contamination associated with conventional chemical agriculture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies self-service by utilizing naturally occurring beneficial microbes and biological control agents that work autonomously in the ecosystem. These biological agents self-regulate pest populations and promote plant growth through natural mechanisms, eliminating the need for continuous chemical applications and reducing long-term environmental burden.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If selection procedures for microbial strains with high root-colonizing ability are not developed, then the study of plant-bacterial symbioses and deployment of PGPM in agriculture is slowed down

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed of studying plant-bacterial symbioses and deploying PGPMVSAvoidcomplexity of selection procedures
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by establishing specific selection criteria and measurable parameters for identifying microbial strains with high root-colonizing ability. This systematic approach to selecting and characterizing PGPM strains accelerates the study of plant-bacterial symbioses and facilitates the deployment of effective microbial products in agriculture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3598899B1Plant growth-promoting microbes and uses therefor
Publication Date: 2023.11.15 MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY LLC

AI summary

Microbial strains, compositions, and methods of use thereof to enhance the growth and/or yield of a plant are provided. Also provided are materials and methods for presenting, inhibiting, or treating the development of plant pathogens or phytopathogenic diseases. The disclosure also provides non-naturally occurring plant and derivatives thereof such as plants artificially infected with a microbial strain of the invention.