Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Eric V Stabb

Jo E Handelsman

Sandra J Stewart

Lynn M Jacobson

Robert M Goodman

David W Johnson

Kevin P Smith

Larry J Halverson

Jocelyn Louise Milner

Benjamin Lethbridge

Elizabeth A Stohl

Laura Silo

A novel strain of Bacillus cereus, designated W35 is useful as a biocontrol agent to combat fungal damping off disease in field crop plants. W35 produces the antibiotic zwittermicin A. Strain W35 is distinguished from other zwittermicin-producing Bacillus cereus strains by resistance to phage P7, antibiotic resistance, and colony morphology.

Bacillus cereus strain W35

A novel strain of Bacillus cereus, designated Z8 is useful as a biocontrol agent to combat fungal damping off disease in field crop plants. Z8 produces the antibiotic zwittermicin A. Strain Z8 is distinguished from other zwittermicin-producing Bacillus cereus strains by resistance to phage P7, antibiotic resistance, and colony morphology.

Bacillus cereus strain Z8

A novel strain of Bacillus cereus, designated SOY130 ATCC 202076 is useful as a biocontrol agent to combat fungal damping off disease in field crop plants. SOY130 produces the antibiotic zwittermicin A. Strain SOY130 is distinguished from other zwittermicin-producing Bacillus cereus strains by resistance to streptomycin and neomycin.

Disease suppression by novel Bacillus cereus strain soy130

A novel strain of Bacillus cereus, designated DGA34, has been isolated from the environment. The strain DGA34 is one of a number of B. cereus strains which are useful as biocontrol agents to combat fungal damping off disease in field crop plants, in part because of their production of the antibiotic zwittermicin A. Strain DGA34 has exhibited the best performance among a large number of natural isolates in producing the highest titer of zwittermicin A production.

Bacillus cereus strain DGA34

A novel strain of Bacillus cereus, designated MS1-9, has been isolated from the environment. The strain MS1-9, ATCC 55812, is one of a number of B. cereus strains which are useful as biocontrol agents to combat fungal damping off disease in field crop plants, and strain MS1-9 has exhibited good performance under high disease pressure among a large number of natural isolates in fostering the emergence and growth of alfalfa plants under normal field conditions in the upper midwestern U.S.

Bacillus cereus strain MS1-9, ATCC 55812

A new gene from Bacillus cereus has been characterized which codes for a protein conferring resistance to the antibiotic zwittermicin A produced by some strains of the bacteria. The resistance gene, designated zmaR, is found to be present in almost all strains of the bacteria which are known to natively have the ability to synthesize zwittermicin A, and thus allows tests for the presence of the gene to serve as a test to be used with new strains to assay for zwittermicin A production. The gene also has use in increasing production of the antibiotic by producing strains.

Zwittermicin resistance gene and biocontrol bacteria with the gene

A novel strain of Bacillus cereus, designated AS4-12, has been isolated from the environment. The strain AS4-12 is one of a number of B. cereus strains which are useful as biocontrol agents to combat fungal damping off disease in field crop plants, and strain AS4-12 has exhibited the best performance among a large number of natural isolates in fostering the emergence and growth of alfalfa plants under normal field conditions in the upper midwestern U.S.

Bacillus cereus strain AS4-12

The invention includes a substantially pure preparation of Bacillus cereus antibiotic. The invention further includes a seed inoculum for application to seeds to be protected from damping off and root rot including a non-interfering carrier and an effective quantity of Bacillus cereus antibiotic, and a method for protecting plants in a growing medium from damping off and root rot including the step of placing in the growing medium in the immediate vicinity of the plant to be protected an effective quantity of Bacillus cereus antibiotic.

Growing community of inventors

Madison, WI, United States of America

Eric V Stabb