Montana State University

Ag/bio Con, Inc.

The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of

Nutribiotech, LLC

David C Sands

Kanat S Tiourebaev

Alice L Pilgeram

Mohamed E El-Megeed

Timothy W Anderson

William J Connick, Jr

Paul C Quimby, Jr

Clyde D Boyette

Duane L Johnson

Anthony J Caesar

Jennifer L Birdsall

Roger V Miller

Eugene Ford

Bettie C Stanislao

Gregory Kennett

Mohamed Eid Megeed

T Can Caesar

Mohamed Eid A Megeed

The present invention discloses novel methods of usingspp. seeds, especially Timothy grass (L.) seeds, for making gluten-free food products and the food products produced using such methods.

Production of gluten-free food products using timothy grass

Disclosed are novel methodologies for virulence enhancement of fungal and bacterial pathogens for biological control of target plants. Described is a selection process for phytopathogenic microorganisms that excrete selected amino acids. Pathogenicity studies demonstrate that these amino acid-excreting plant pathogens show greater virulence against target plants than do corresponding wild type strains. Host range evaluations of these mutants did not reveal any increase of virulence towards non-target plants. This novel approach to enhancement of microbial herbicides can be used across a broad spectrum of microbial groups to improve the efficacy of bio-control. Also disclosed is the use of selected mutants of plant pathogenic microorganisms that overproduce one or more inhibitory amino acids to enhance control of target plants.

Virulence enhancement of bioherbicides

We herein reveal a methodology for the dispersal of bioherbicides intended for control of target plants. The methodology can be used for dispersal of various bioactive agents in addition to bioherbicides, for instance to disseminate bioassistive agents such as Rhizobium cultures. We describe a process for selection of live seed carriers, bioherbicide coating of selected seed, and aerial dispersion of live seed formulation. Aerial dispersion of bioherbicide with live seed carriers demonstrates a vast improvement in bioherbicide establishment, including penetration throughout the soil profile and into the target root zone. In addition, the active concentration of the bioherbicide is increased within the root zone of the carrier plant. This novel approach for dispersal of bioherbicides can be used across a wide spectrum of target plants and should greatly improve the efficacy of bioherbicides.

Carrier methodology for aerial dispersal and soil penetration of bioactive agents

The extent of fermentation of a food product by a microorganism can be controlled by using a selected quantity of a nutrient for which the microorganism is auxotrophic. For example, an improved sourdough bread product was produced using a bread dough made with a starter that included a Lactobacillus fermentum strain that is auxotrophic for methionine and a quantity of whey, a source of methionine, that was selected to stop fermentation when the bread dough reached a desired acidity level.

Methods and compositions for making fermented cereal products

A broad spectrum biological herbicide comprises a mammal-sparing bioherbicide fungal mutant, e.g., a S. sclerotiorum mutant, of limited survival time and geographical dissemination characteristics under standard agricultural conditions. The invention also relates to a method of obtaining herbicides of the invention comprising obtaining viable wild type bioherbicide fungal spores, subjecting these to UV light to reduce the number of viable fungi to less than 5% the initial number of spores, selecting mutants which differ from the wild type in at least one characteristic such as altered phenotype or morphology, and further selecting a mammal-sparing bioherbicide fungal mutant of reduced survival time and geographical dissemination characteristics under agricultural conditions when compared with the wild type. The invention also relates to a method of using the broad spectrum biological herbicide to reduce the number of weeds in an area. The invention also relates to a limited plant spectrum mammal-sparing bioherbicide. The invention further relates to a method for obtaining the bioherbicides according to the invention.

Self-delimiting fungal mutants, bioherbicidal compositions thereof,

Granules of encapsulated living organisms for controlling agricultural pests are provided having a coating of an invert oil that forms a water-in-oil emulsion and an adsorbent for the oil to make the coated granules free-flowing. The oil slows drying of the organisms to maintain vitality of the organisms. The coated granules are produced by encapsulating bacteria, fungi or nematodes that control agricultural pests in alginate, starch or wheat gluten to form granules, coating the granules with a water-in-oil emulsion of the invert oil, coating the granules with the adsorbent for the oil and drying the coated granules to about 1-10% moisture. The adsorbent can be hydrated silica, fumed silica, clay, bran, diatomaceous earth, zeolite, absorbent starch or mixtures thereof.

Oil and absorbent coated granules containing encapsulated living

Mutant microorganisms comprising Lactobacillus fermentum Lex.sup.+ which are obtained from Lactobacillus fermentum produce lysine in a significantly greater quantity than the wildtype microorganism. The microorganism is added to a sourdough starter to produce bread of increased nutritive content, such as flat bread. Freeze-dried cultures of the microorganism may be added to cereal grains such as wheat in bulk to increase the basic nutritive protein quality of the wheat, whereby foodstuffs produced from the cereal grains have increased protein values. Cultures of the microorganisms in admixture with yeast may be used as a bread starter.

Methods and compositions for improving the nutritive value of foods

Mutant microorganisms comprising Lactobacillus ferementum Lex.sup.+ which are obtained from Lactobacillus fermentum produce lysine in a significantly greater quantity than the wildtype microorganism. The microorganism is added to a sourdough starter to produce bread of increased nutritive content, such as flat bread. Freeze-dried cultures of the microorganism may be added to cereal grains such as wheat in bulk to increase the basic nutritive protein quality of the wheat, whereby foodstuffs produced from the cereal grains have increased protein values.

Growing community of inventors

Bozeman, MT, United States of America

David C Sands