# US 12,108,765 B2 · Methylobacterium treated corn plants, plant parts, and seeds > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,108,765 B2 - Document ID: US12108765B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/173,759 - Filed: 2021-02-11 - Published: 2021-11-18 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2013-12-04 - Assignees: NewLeaf Symbiotics, Inc. - Applicants: NewLeaf Symbiotics, Inc. - Inventors: Rachel DiDonato Floro; Justin Lee; Gregg Bogosian - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12108765B2 ## CPC - A01N 63/20: Bacteria; Substances produced thereby or obtained therefrom - 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 ## Abstract The present invention provides compositions comprising Methylobacterium and depleted of substances that promote growth of resident microorganisms on a plant or seed, methods for improving fruit production, methods of making the compositions, and methods of treating a plant or seed with a composition comprising Methylobacterium. Also provided are methods and compositions comprising Methylobacterium that provide for improved fruit production. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A plant, plant part, or seed that is coated or partially coated with a Methylobacterium containing composition, wherein said composition comprises a carrier and a Methylobacterium fermentation product that is essentially free of contaminating microorganisms, wherein the Methylobacterium is NLS0017 (NRRL B-50931), and wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of apple, pear, grape, melon, pepper, berry, kiwi, Brassica sp., alfalfa, rice, rye, sorghum, millet, sunflower, safflower, soybean, tobacco, potato, cotton, sweet potato, cassava, coffee, coconut, pineapple, citrus trees, cocoa, tea, banana, avocado, fig, guava, mango, olive, papaya, cashew, macadamia, almond, sugar beets, sugarcane, oats, barley, green beans, lima beans, peas, cucurbits, ornamentals, tomatoes, lettuce, turfgrass, and conifers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The plant, plant part, or seed of claim 1, wherein said carrier comprises a component selected from the group consisting of calcium bentonite, kaolin, china clay, talc, perlite, mica, vermiculite, silicas, quartz powder, montmorillonite clay, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The plant, plant part, or seed of claim 1, wherein said composition further comprises an agriculturally acceptable adjuvant, excipient, or combination thereof that enhances efficacy or enhances ease of application of said composition to said plant. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The plant, plant part, or seed of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises the Methylobacterium at a titer of about 1×106CFU/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 5 (depends on 3) The plant, plant part, or seed of claim 3, wherein the agriculturally acceptable excipient is selected from the group consisting of woodflours, clays, activated carbon, diatomaceous earth, fine-grain inorganic solids, and calcium carbonate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The plant, plant part, or seed of claim 3, wherein said agriculturally acceptable adjuvant is a wetter, a sticker, a penetrant, an extender, or a humectant. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The plant, plant part, or seed of claim 6, wherein said agriculturally acceptable adjuvant promotes coating and is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl acetates, polyvinyl acetate copolymers, hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetates, polyvinylpyrrolidone-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl alcohols, polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, polyvinyl methyl ether, polyvinyl methyl ether-maleic anhydride copolymer, waxes, latex polymers, celluloses including ethylcelluloses and methylcelluloses, hydroxy methylcelluloses, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxymethylpropylcelluloses, polyvinyl pyrrolidones, alginates, dextrins, malto-dextrins, polysaccharides, fats, oils, proteins, karaya gum, jaguar gum, tragacanth gum, polysaccharide gums, mucilage, gum arabics, shellacs, vinylidene chloride polymers and copolymers, soybeanbased protein polymers and copolymers, lignosulfonates, acrylic copolymers, starches, polyvinylacrylates, zeins, gelatin, carboxymethylcellulose, chitosan, polyethylene oxide, acrylimide polymers and copolymers, polyhydroxyethyl acrylate, methylacrylimide monomers, alginate, ethylcellulose, polychloroprene, and syrups or mixtures thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The plant, plant part, or seed of claim 3, wherein said agriculturally acceptable adjuvant comprises a surfactant, dispersant, anticaking-agent, foam-control agent, or dye. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The plant, plant part, or seed of claim 1, wherein said composition further comprises a population of one or more plant beneficial microorganisms other than Methylobacterium. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The plant, plant part, or seed of claim 9, wherein said plant beneficial microorganism is selected from Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Coniothyrium sp., Pantoea sp., Streptomyces sp., and Trichoderma sp. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The plant, plant part, or seed of claim 1, wherein said composition further comprises a pesticide. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The plant, plant part, or seed of claim 11, wherein said pesticide is selected from the group consisting of an insecticide, a fungicide, a nematocide, and a bacteriocide. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The plant, plant part, or seed of claim 11, wherein said pesticide does not inhibit growth of the Methylobacterium by more than 50% when the composition is applied to a plant or plant part in comparison to when a composition lacking the pesticide is applied to a plant or plant part. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The plant, plant part, or seed of claim 1, wherein said composition comprises said Methylobacterium in a hydroponic solution. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The plant, plant part, or seed of claim 1, wherein said composition provides for a crop improvement selected from the group consisting of enhanced seedling growth, increased plant yield, enhanced insect or fungal disease control, and enhanced fruit production. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The plant, plant part, or seed of claim 1, wherein said plant is an agricultural crop plant.