The present invention relates to methods for enhancing at least one growth parameter of a leguminous plant via co-inoculation of a leguminous plant with at least one rhizobial microorganism together with at least one actinobacterial microorganism. In further aspects, the present invention also relates to leguminous plants co-inoculated with at least one rhizobial microorganism together with at least one actinobacterial microorganism, as well as specific actinobacterial strains and inoculant compositions which are useful in accordance with the present invention.

Disclosed herein are bacterial strains and products thereof, and uses thereof for example to increase, improve or facilitate plant growth. Also disclosed herein are method to increase or improve plant tolerance or resistance to one or more abiotic stress conditions.

The present invention relates to a substantially purified or isolated endophyte strain from a plant, wherein said endophyte is a strain of Curtobacterium laccumfaciens and/or Arthrobacter sp., and wherein said endophyte provides improved environmental stress tolerance to plants into which it is inoculated. The present invention also relates to plants infected with the endophytes and related methods.

The present invention relates to an endophyte strain isolated from a plant of the Poaceae family, wherein said endophyte is a strain of Erwinia gerundensis which provides bioprotection and/or biofertilizer phenotypes to plants into which it is inoculated. The present invention also discloses plants infected with the endophyte and related methods.

The present invention relates to an endophyte strain isolated from a plant of the Poaceae family, wherein said endophyte is a strain of Erwinia gerundensis which provides bioprotection and/or biofertilizer phenotypes to plants into which it is inoculated. The present invention also discloses plants infected with the endophyte and related methods.

The present invention is directed to plants that display an improved oil quantity phenotype or an improved meal quality phenotype due to altered expression of an IMQ nucleic acid. The invention is further directed to methods of generating plants with an improved oil quantity phenotype or improved meal quality phenotype.

The present invention is directed to plants that display an improved oil quantity phenotype or an improved meal quality phenotype due to altered expression of an IMQ nucleic acid. The invention is further directed to methods of generating plants with an improved oil quantity phenotype or improved meal quality phenotype.

Derivatives of Agrobacterium vitis strain F2/5 are disclosed. These derivatives were generated following homologous recombination with an internal fragment of targeted genes resulting in gene disruption by insertion of a copy of suicide vector pVIK165. The genes disrupted were F-avi5813 encoding a phosphopantetheinyltransferase, F-avi4329 encoding an aminotransferase and F-avi0838 (rirA) encoding an iron responsive transcriptional regulator. Such derivatives control crown gall on grapevines. In addition, these derivatives did not induce roots necrosis but enhanced root development and callus formation. On young stem explants, it was shown as well that the F2/5 derivatives are necrosis-negative.

Derivatives of Agrobacterium vitis strain F2/5 are disclosed. These derivatives were generated following homologous recombination with an internal fragment of targeted genes resulting in gene disruption by insertion of a copy of suicide vector pVIK165. The genes disrupted were F-avi5813 encoding a phosphopantetheinyltransferase, F-avi4329 encoding an aminotransferase and F-avi0838 (rirA) encoding an iron responsive transcriptional regulator. Such derivatives control crown gall on grapevines. In addition, these derivatives did not induce roots necrosis but enhanced root development and callus formation. On young stem explants, it was shown as well that the F2/5 derivatives are necrosis-negative.

The present invention provides novel phosphate-solubilizing fungal strains, compositions comprising novel phosphate-solubilizing fungal strains, and methods of using novel phosphate-solubilizing fungal strains to increase the availability of phosphate for plant uptake in soil. In some embodiments, one or more of the novel phosphate-solubilizing fungal strains is coated onto a seed.