Multi-Strain Microbial Compositions for Crop Yield and Drought Tolerance

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing microbial products exhibit inconsistent performance and provide minimal crop benefits in improving plant yield and drought tolerance, necessitating the development of novel microbial compositions and methods for enhancing agricultural productivity under various field conditions.

Innovation Solution

The use of specific microbial strains, including Flavobacterium hawaineses nov sp. H492, Bacillus megaterium H491, Pseudomonas protegens CL45A, Enterobacter sp. nov 638, Bacillus safensis R950, Streptomyces sp. R518, Trichoderma sp. S089, Burkholderia megapolitana O437, Flavobacterium sacchrophilum R129, Ramularia sp. R223, and Streptomyces laurentii R914, in the form of whole cell broths or modified forms, applied with carriers or adjuvants, to treat plant seeds or parts, promoting yield and drought tolerance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If existing microbial products are used to improve plant yield and drought tolerance, then some crop benefits are achieved, but the performance is inconsistent and minimal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplant yieldVSAvoidperformance consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple microbial strains (Flavobacterium hawaineses nov sp. H492, Bacillus megaterium H491, Pseudomonas protegens CL45A, Enterobacter sp. nov 638, Bacillus safensis R950, Streptomyces sp. R518, Trichoderma sp. S089, Burkholderia megapolitana O437, Flavobacterium sacchrophilum R129, Ramularia sp. R223, and Streptomyces laurentii R914) into a single composition to achieve synergistic effects that improve both consistency and magnitude of crop benefits

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite microbial product containing diverse bacterial and fungal strains with complementary functions, including nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, drought tolerance induction, and pathogen suppression, thereby achieving reliable and consistent performance across varying environmental conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If existing microbial products are used to increase drought tolerance, then some stress tolerance is achieved, but the effect is minimal under various field conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrought toleranceVSAvoidfield condition adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The microbial composition is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: promoting plant growth through nutrient fixation and solubilization, inducing systemic drought tolerance, suppressing soil-borne pathogens, and enhancing root development, making it effective across diverse field conditions and crop types

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12414568B2Microbes, compositions, and uses for increasing plant yield and/or drought tolerance

Publication Date: 2025.09.16 PRO FARM GRP INC

AI summary

The present invention includes modified and unmodified microbes, compositions comprising these microbes, and methods of using these microbes and/or compositions for enhancing plant health, plant growth plant yield and/or drought tolerance. This disclosure also provides non-naturally occurring plant varieties that are artificially infected with microbes descried herein, as well as seed, reproductive tissue, vegetative tissue, regenerative tissues, plant parts, or progeny thereof.