Methods for controlling plant pests are disclosed. In particular, insecticidal proteins having toxicity to Spodoptera insect pests are provided. Polynucleotides comprising codons optimized for expression in plants encoding the insecticidal proteins are also provided. Methods of making the insecticidal proteins and methods of using the insecticidal proteins and polynucleotides encoding the insecticidal proteins of the invention, for example in transgenic plants to confer protection from insect damage, are also disclosed.

A synthetic microbial community (SynCom) agricultural crop fertilizer composition comprises a microbial stabilizing buffer and bacterial strains configured to mimic the natural diversity of the bacterial community found in the crop phyllosphere microbiome, but at a reduced complexity, yet sufficient to effectively provide increased plant productivity and/or disease protection.

A synthetic microbial community (SynCom) agricultural crop fertilizer composition comprises a microbial stabilizing buffer and bacterial strains configured to mimic the natural diversity of the bacterial community found in the crop phyllosphere microbiome, but at a reduced complexity, yet sufficient to effectively provide increased plant productivity and/or disease protection.

A synthetic microbial community (SynCom) agricultural crop fertilizer composition comprises a microbial stabilizing buffer and bacterial strains configured to mimic the natural diversity of the bacterial community found in the crop phyllosphere microbiome, but at a reduced complexity, yet sufficient to effectively provide increased plant productivity and/or disease protection.

Methods and compositions for increasing one or more plant growth characteristics in a plant are disclosed. The compositions comprise one or more microbial isolates that promote plant growth. Methods include providing an effective amount of a composition comprising one or more microbial isolates that promote one or more plant growth characteristics. Aspects of the disclosure are directed to microbial isolates obtained from root nodules of T. aestivum.

Methods and compositions for increasing one or more plant growth characteristics in a plant are disclosed. The compositions comprise one or more microbial isolates that promote plant growth. Methods include providing an effective amount of a composition comprising one or more microbial isolates that promote one or more plant growth characteristics. Aspects of the disclosure are directed to microbial isolates obtained from root nodules of T. aestivum.

A plant growth promoter production method includes: preparing a modified cyanobacterium in which a function of a protein involved in binding between an outer membrane and a cell wall of cyanobacterium is suppressed or lost; and causing the modified cyanobacteria to secrete a secretion involved in promoting growth of a plant.

A plant growth promoter production method includes: preparing a modified cyanobacterium in which a function of a protein involved in binding between an outer membrane and a cell wall of cyanobacterium is suppressed or lost; and causing the modified cyanobacteria to secrete a secretion involved in promoting growth of a plant.

A plant growth promoter production method includes: preparing a modified cyanobacterium in which a function of a protein involved in binding between an outer membrane and a cell wall of cyanobacterium is suppressed or lost; and causing the modified cyanobacteria to secrete a secretion involved in promoting growth of a plant.

The present application relates to plant growth promoting microbes (PGPMs), compositions comprising these PGPMs and methods of using these PGPMs and/or compositions for enhancing plant health, plant growth and/or plant yield, and/or for preventing, inhibiting, or treating the development of plant pathogens or the development of phytopathogenic diseases. This application also provides non-naturally occurring plant varieties that are artificially infected with a PGPM descried herein, as well as seed, reproductive tissue, vegetative tissue, regenerative tissues, plant parts, or progeny thereof.