# US 10,368,547 B2 · Compositions and methods for improving tomato production

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- Number: US 10,368,547 B2
- Document ID: US10368547B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/126,483
- Filed: 2014-12-04
- Published: 2017-03-30
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-03-17
- Assignees: New Leaf Symbiotics, Inc.
- Applicants: NewLeaf Symbiotics, Inc.
- Inventors: Rachel DiDonato Floro; Justin Lee; Gregg Bogosian
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10368547B2

## CPC

- A01N 63/20: Bacteria; Substances produced thereby or obtained therefrom
- A01N 25/04: Dispersions, {emulsions, suspoemulsions, suspension concentrates} or gels (foams A01N25/16)
- A01N 25/08: containing solids as carriers or diluents
- C12N 1/20: Bacteria; Culture media therefor
- C12N 1/205: Bacterial isolates
- C12R 2001/01: Bacteria or Actinomycetales {; using bacteria or Actinomycetales}
- Y02E 50/30: Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
- A01N: PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTS THEREOF (preservation of food or foodstuff A23); BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES OR AS HERBICIDES (preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes which kill or prevent the growth or proliferation of unwanted organisms A61K); PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS
- C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00)
- C12R: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES C12C - C12Q, RELATING TO MICROORGANISMS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

The present invention provides both compositions comprising Methylobacterium and compositions comprising Methylobacterium that are depleted of substances that promote growth of resident microorganisms on a tomato plant or seed. Also provided are methods for improving tomato production, methods of making the compositions, and methods of treating a tomato plant, plant part, or seed with the compositions comprising Methylobacterium.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for improving tomato production, said method comprising: (i) treating a tomato plant, a part thereof, or a tomato seed by spraying, coating, partially coating, immersing, and/or imbibing the plant, plant part or seed with a composition comprising the Methylobacterium strain NLS0017 which has been deposited under NRRL B-50931 or the Methylobacterium strain NLS0066 which has been deposited under NRRL B-50940, wherein the composition comprising the Methylobacterium strain NLS0017 or NLS0066 has a Methylobacterium titer of at least 1×106 colony forming units per gram (CFU/gm) or at least 1×106 CFU per milliliter (CFU/mL); and (ii) growing the treated tomato plant, plant part, or the treated seed to produce a plant;
wherein said tomato plant or tomato plant grown from said seed exhibits a trait improvement selected from the group consisting of an increased rate of root growth, leaf growth, seedling growth, seed production, fruit production, scion production, rootstock production, and increased total biomass when compared to an untreated control tomato plant or a control tomato plant grown from an untreated seed, thereby improving tomato production.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said composition comprises Methylobacterium at a titer of about 1×106 CFU/gm to about 1×1014 CFU/gm for a solid composition or at a titer of about 1×106 CFU/mL to about 1×1011 CFU/mL for a liquid composition.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said composition coats or partially coats said tomato plant or a part thereof, or said seed.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: (iii) harvesting seedlings, rootstock, scions, fruit, or seed from said tomato plant or tomato plant grown from said seed.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises an agriculturally acceptable adjuvant and/or excipient.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said composition is applied to said tomato plant, part thereof, or seed in a hydroponic solution.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said composition is depleted of substances that promote growth of resident microorganisms on said plant or seed.

### Claim 8

A tomato plant part or tomato seed that is coated or partially coated with a composition comprising the Methylobacterium strain NLS0017 which has been deposited under NRRL B-50931 or the Methylobacterium strain NLS0066 which has been deposited under NRRL B-50940, wherein the composition is a solid composition comprising the Methylobacterium at a titer of at least 1×106 CFU/gm.

### Claim 9

A tomato plant part or tomato seed that is coated or partially coated with a composition comprising the Methylobacterium strain NLS0017 which has been deposited under NRRL B-50931 or the Methylobacterium strain NLS0066 which has been deposited under NRRL B-50940, wherein the composition is a liquid composition comprising the Methylobacterium at a titer of at least 1×106 CFU/mL.