METHOD AND COMPOSITION FOR IMPROVIING THE PRODUCTIVITY OF NON-LEGUMINOUS PLANTS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for improving the growth, development and productivity of non-leguminous plants using a composition comprising at least one mycorriza and at least one yeast extract, and optionally a substrate; the present invention also relates to such a composition and, when it comprises a substrate, to the process for the production thereof.

Claims

1. A method for improving the growth and/or development and the productivity of non-leguminous plants, comprising the step of providing a composition comprising at least one mycorriza and at least one yeast extract to said non-leguminous plants, thereby improving the growth and/or development and the productivity of said non-leguminous plants.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which said improving of the growth and/or development of non-leguminous plant crops includes improving at least one of the following parameters: the degree of mycorrization, the rooting, the growth of the plants, the height of the plants, the flowering, the fresh biomass, the dry biomass, the yield, the mineral nutrition, and the hydric nutrition or the resistance to abiotic stresses.

3. A method according to claim 1, in which said non-leguminous plants are chosen from the group consisting of grasses, dicotyledons, annual, biennial and perennial plants, vegetables, cereals, oil-producing plants, potatoes, sugar canes, bananas, pineapples, cocoa, coffee, tobacco, ligneous plants, fruit or non-fruit trees, vines, and ornamental plants.

4. A method according to claim 1, in which said mycorriza comprises an active strain of endomycorrizal fungus.

5. A method according to claim 1, in which said yeast extract is obtained by plasmolysis, autolysis, or a combination of plasmolysis and autolysis of yeasts.

6. A method according to claim 1, in which the yeast extract and the mycorriza are administered simultaneously or successively, by application to the soil, by root dipping, by seed treatment or by incorporation into a cultivation support or by any means which makes it possible to bring the composition into contact, immediately or in the future, with the roots to be inoculated.

7. A composition comprising at least one mycorriza and at least one yeast extract.

8. A composition according to claim 7, in which said mycorriza and said yeast extract are mixed in the same container or placed in two separate containers.

9. A composition according to claim 7, also comprising a substrate.

10. A composition according to claim 9, in which the amount of mycorrizae is between 0.1 and 15 kg/m.sup.3 of the composition.

11. A composition according to claim 9, in which the amount of yeast extract is between 0.1 and 10 kg/m.sup.3 of the composition.

12. A composition according to claim 9, in which the substrate comprises organic matter and inorganic matter.

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. A process for producing a composition according to claim 9, comprising simultaneously or successively incorporating at least one mycorriza and at least one yeast extract with a substrate.

17. A method according to claim 4, in which the active strain of endomycorrizal fungus is endomycorrizal fungus Sclerocystis sp.

18. A method according to claim 5, in which the yeast is of the genus Saccharomyces, Kluyveromyces, Candida, or Torula.

19. A method according to claim 18, in which the yeast is S. cerevisiae.

20. A composition according to claim 9, in which the amount of mycorrizae is between 0.5 and 8 kg/m.sup.3 of the composition.

21. A composition according to claim 9, in which the amount of mycorrizae is between 1 and 4 kg/m.sup.3 of the composition.

22. A composition according to claim 9, in which the amount of yeast extract is between 0.2 and 5 kg/m.sup.3 of the composition.

23. A composition according to claim 9, in which the amount of yeast extract is between 0.4 and 2 kg/m.sup.3 of the composition.

Description

DESCRIPTION

[0035] Thus, the present invention relates to a method for improving the growth and/or development and the productivity of non-leguminous plants, comprising the administration or the provision of a composition comprising at least one mycorriza and at least one yeast extract.

[0036] According to the invention, the improving of the growth and/or development and of the productivity of non-leguminous plant crops includes improving at least one of the following parameters: the degree of mycorrization, the rooting, the growth of the plants, the height of the plants, the flowering, in particular in terms of amount or in terms of earliness, the fresh biomass, the dry biomass, the yield, the mineral nutrition, the hydric nutrition or the resistance to abiotic stresses, in particular to hydric stress.

[0037] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method does not comprise the addition of compost or of compost extract.

[0038] The invention is applicable to non-leguminous plants of any type, and in particular to grasses (graminaceous plant) and dicotyledons, to annual, biennial and perennial plants, to vegetables, to cereals, including wheat, barley, rice, maize, spelt, oats, fonio, rye, sorghum (in particular Friggo) and millet, to oil-producing plants, to potatoes, to sugar cane, to bananas, to pineapples, to cocoa, to coffee, to tobacco, to ligneous plants, to fruit or non-fruit trees, to vines, and to ornamental plants (in particular Zellino Rose Fluo geranium).

[0039] According to the invention, the mycorrizae comprise an active strain of endomycorrizal and/or ectomycorrizal fungi. Preferably, the mycorrizae used in the process of the invention comprise one or more active strains of an endomycorrizal fungus, more particularly of the endomycorrizal fungus of the order Glomerales. Among glomerals, mention may be made of the genus Glomus sp (newly named Sclerocystis sp; Schler and Walker, 2010), and more specifically the strain Glomus sp coded LPA Val1, which is the active principle of the Solrize product developed and sold by the company Agrauxine. The Solrize product is in granule form and contains the endomychorrizal fungus Sclerocystis sp (formerly Glomus sp) at a minimum concentration of 10 propagules per gram.

[0040] The yeast extract used in the present invention is obtained by plasmolysis or autolysis, or a combination of plasmolysis and autolysis of yeasts, in particular of the genus Saccharomyces, Kluyveromyces, Candida or Torula, preferentially S. cerevisiae.

[0041] According to another embodiment, the methods for extracting yeasts can be reinforced by the addition of additives such as enzymes, in particular proteolytic enzymes, or chemical compounds, in particular sulphites.

[0042] The yeast extracts used in the invention may come from all species of yeasts, in particular the yeasts of the genus Saccharomyces, in particular S. cerevisiae. More particularly, the yeast extracts are of the type of those sold by the company Agro-Levures et Drivs.

[0043] The invention also comprises a composition comprising at least one mycorriza and at least one yeast extract.

[0044] It is thus possible to envisage a composition consisting of a substrate supplemented with at least one mycorriza and at least one yeast extract, in which the non-leguminous plants can be directly planted.

[0045] According to one embodiment of the invention, the mycorriza/yeast extract weight ratio is between 0.01 and 100, preferentially between 0.05 and 20, more preferentially between 0.1 and 10. In another embodiment, the mycorriza/yeast extract weight ratio is equal to approximately 16, approximately 8, approximately 4 or approximately 2.

[0046] The amount of mycorrizae in the composition of the invention is between 0.1 and 15 kg/m.sup.3, preferentially between 0.5 and 8 kg/m.sup.3, more preferentially between 1 and 4 kg/m.sup.3 of the composition.

[0047] In another embodiment, the amount of mycorrizae in the composition is equal to approximately 2 kg/m.sup.3, approximately 4 kg/m.sup.3 or approximately 8 kg/m.sup.3.

[0048] The amount of yeast extract in the composition of the invention is between 0.1 and 10 kg/m.sup.3, preferentially between 0.2 and 5 kg/m.sup.3, more preferentially between 0.4 and 2 kg of dry matter per m.sup.3 of substrate. According to another embodiment, the amount of yeast extract is approximately 0.5 kg/m.sup.3 or approximately 1 kg/m.sup.3 of enriched substrate.

[0049] According to one particular embodiment, the composition of the present invention does not comprise compost or compost extract. According to one embodiment, the composition of the invention does not comprise a bacterium.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the composition according to the invention may be in wettable powder (WP), granule (WG) or liquid form.

[0051] According to another embodiment, the yeast extract and the mycorriza are administered simultaneously or successively, by application to the soil (spraying, spreading, sprinkling, fertigation, dropwise, in the seed drill or in the open field), by root dipping, by seed treatment or by incorporation into a cultivation support or by any means which makes it possible to bring the composition into contact, immediately or in the future, with the roots to be inoculated.

[0052] According to one embodiment, the mycorriza and the yeast extract used in the present invention are mixed in the same container or placed in two separate containers.

[0053] According to one embodiment of the invention, the amount of mycorrizae provided per hectare is between 0.1 and 100 kg/ha, preferentially between 0.3 and 50 kg/ha, more preferentially between 0.5 and 20 kg/ha.

[0054] In another embodiment, the amount of yeast extract provided per hectare according to the invention is between 0.1 and 50 kg/ha, preferentially between 0.5 and 20 kg/ha, more preferentially between 1 and 10 kg of dry matter per hectare.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the composition according to the invention comprises at least one mycorriza and at least one yeast extract and a substrate.

[0056] In this embodiment, the composition is preferentially in solid form, in particular in particulate solid form, and, in certain embodiments, in powder form.

[0057] Advantageously, said substrate comprises, in a non-limiting manner, pure clay and/or peat, sand, pozzolan, perlite, wood fibre, coconut fibre, blonde peat, black peat, heath earth, barks, vermiculite, magnesia, lime, wool. Said substrate may be an organic amendment, a planting substrate, a flowering substrate, or any other agricultural substrate. According to one embodiment, the substrate is a culture support of the type of those sold by specialists for professional horticulturists.

[0058] A subject of the invention is thus a medium for planting or cultivating a non-leguminous plant, comprising at least one mycorriza and at least one yeast extract and, optionally, substrate.

[0059] The invention also relates to a process for producing a composition comprising at least one mycorriza and at least one yeast extract, in which said mycorriza and said yeast extract are mixed. The invention also relates to a process for producing an enriched substrate according to the invention, which comprises simultaneously or successively incorporating mycorrizae and yeast extracts into the substrate.

[0060] The invention also relates to a process for producing an enriched substrate according to the invention, comprising, in a first step, mixing mycorrizae with a substrate, and then adding at least one yeast extract.

[0061] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the improvement in the degree of mycorrization of the plants placed in the enriched substrate means that the mycorrization is increased by 10% to 150%, preferably by 12% to 90%, more preferentially by 15% to 70% relative to the mycorrization obtained if the plant is placed in a non-enriched substrate.

[0062] According to another embodiment, the improvement in the height of the plants placed in the enriched substrate means that the height of the plants is increased by 10% to 150%, preferably by 12% to 110%, more preferentially by 15% to 80% relative to the height of the plant observed if said plant is placed in a non-enriched substrate.

[0063] According to another embodiment, the improvement in the fresh and dry biomass of the plants placed in the enriched substrate means that the fresh or dry biomass is increased by 5% to 250%, preferably by 20% to 200%, more preferentially by 30% to 160% relative to the fresh or dry biomass obtained if the plant is placed in a non-enriched substrate.

[0064] According to another embodiment, the improvement in the floriferous quality of the plants placed in the enriched substrate means that the number of flower buds is increased by 10% to 150%, preferably by 15% to 100%, more preferentially by 20% to 80% relative to the number of flower buds observed if the plant is placed in a non-enriched substrate.

EXAMPLES

[0065] The present invention will be understood more clearly on reading the following examples which illustrate the invention in a non-limiting manner.

1. Materials and Methods

[0066] The materials and methods are common to the four examples presented.

[0067] Number of Trials:

[0068] Four trials were carried out, one on geranium (example 1), two on sorghum (examples 2 and 3) and one on chrysanthemum (example 4).

[0069] Site:

[0070] The trials were carried out in a greenhouse, in Angers, France.

[0071] Plant Material:

[0072] The tests were carried out on three types of plants: Friggo sorghum, Zellino Rose Fluo geranium and chrysanthemum.

[0073] Yeast Products: [0074] Yeast extracts: Lev1 extract and Lev2 extract [0075] Inactive yeasts: INACT1

[0076] Mycorriza:

[0077] The mycorrizae used correspond to the Solrize Pro product sold by the company Agrauxine. They contain an active strain of the endomycorrizal fungus Glomus sp.

[0078] Substrate:

[0079] The substrate used has the following composition: pure clay, sand, pozzolan, perlite, peat.

Trial Device and Modes:

[0080] four repeats per mode with one plant per pot/repetition, i.e. four plants per mode. [0081] The mycorrizae used (Solrize Pro) were tested at 1, 2 or 3 doses: DN (8 kg/m.sup.3), DN/2 (4 kg/m.sup.3, DN/3 (2.7 kg/m.sup.3). [0082] The yeast extracts (Lev1 extract and Lev2 extract) were tested at 1 kg/m.sup.3. [0083] The inactive yeast (INACT1) was tested at 1 kg/m.sup.3.

Evaluation of the Trials:

[0084] The trials will be evaluated by measuring the following quantitative parameters: [0085] Degree of mycorrization of the root system; [0086] Measurement of the height of the plants (except example 1); [0087] Weight of the total biomass, fresh and dry (except example 1); [0088] Number of flower buds (only example 4).

2. Results

[0089] The mycorrizae are mixed manually with the substrate at concentrations of 8, 4 or 2.7 kg/m.sup.3 of substrate. The yeast extracts (Lev1 extract and Lev2 extract) or the inactive yeasts (INACT1) are then added to the substrate inoculated.

Example 1 (Geranium): Yeast Extract Vs Inactive Yeasts Comparison

Effect on the Degree of Mycorrization (DM) as %

[0090]

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1A Evaluation of the degree of mycorrization of geranium Solrize dose: DN DN/2 Solrize Pro alone 26.9 21.0 Solrize Pro + Lev1 extract (1 kg/m.sup.3) 37.0 27.6 Solrize Pro + INACT1 (1 kg/m.sup.3) 18.5 12.8 Lev1 extract 1 kg: Increase 37% 31% DM/Solrize INACT1 1 kg: Increase DM/Solrize 31% 39%

[0091] Table 1A shows that the combination of yeast extracts (Lev1 extract) and mycorrizae significantly increases the degree of mycorrization of geranium (+31-37%). Conversely, the inactive yeasts show a negative effect on the degree of mycorrization of geranium. No mycorrization is observed when a yeast extract alone is used.

Example 2 (Sorghum): Comparison Between Yeast Extract and Inactive Yeasts

Effect on the Degree of Mycorrization (DM) as %

[0092]

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2A Evaluation of the degree of mycorrization of sorghum Solrize dose: DN DN/2 Solrize Pro alone 28.8 21.2 Lev1 extract alone (1 kg/m.sup.3)* 0 0 Solrize Pro + Lev1 extract (1 kg/m.sup.3) 48.4 34.4 Solrize Pro + Lev1 extract 38.5 29.8 (0.5 kg/m.sup.3) Solrize Pro + INACT1 (1 kg/m.sup.3) 10.6 14.2 Lev1 extract 1 kg: Increase 68% 62% DM/Control INACT1 1 kg: Increase DM/Control 63% 33% *this line corresponds to the results observed for the yeast extract alone without Solrize Pro.

[0093] Table 2A confirms the results observed on geranium: the combination of yeast extracts (Lev1 extract) and mycorrizae significantly increases the degree of mycorrization of sorghum (+62-68%). Conversely, the inactive yeasts show a negative effect on the degree of mycorrization of sorghum.

[0094] The yeast extract alone (or the absence of product, negative control) does not enable any mycorrization to be observed. An increase in mycorrization is also observed when lower doses of yeast extract are used.

Effect on the Height of the Plants (HP) in Cm, at 6 Weeks and at 10 Weeks

[0095]

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 2B Evaluation of the height of the sorghum plants, 6 weeks and 10 weeks after sowing 6 weeks after 10 weeks after sowing sowing Solrize dose DN DN/2 DN DN/2 Solrize Pro 29.8 33.2 48.9 46.8 Lev1 extract alone 53.5 53.5 (1 kg/m.sup.3)* Solrize Pro + Lev1 41.3 41.0 64.8 58.2 extract (1 kg/m.sup.3) Soirize Pro + 36.0 38.7 50.9 49.9 INACT1 (1 kg/m.sup.3) Lev1 extract 1 kg: 38% 24% 33% 24% Increase DM/Solrize INACT1 1 kg: 21% 17% 4% 7% Increase DM/Solrize *this line corresponds to the results observed for the yeast extract alone without Solrize Pro.

[0096] Table 2B shows that the combination of yeast extracts (Lev1 extract) and mycorrizae significantly increases the growth (height) of sorghum (+24-38%). This surprising effect observed is much greater than that observed with the combination of inactive yeasts and mychorrhizae.

[0097] Moreover, a synergistic effect is observed when the yeast extract is used in combination with the mycorriza.

Effect on the Height of the Plants (HP) in Cm, at 10 Weeks

[0098]

TABLE-US-00004 10 weeks after sowing Solrize dose: DN DN/2 Negative control 49.3 49.3 Solrize Pro 48.9 46.8 Lev1 extract alone 48.0 48.0 (0.5 kg/m.sup.3)* Solrize Pro + Lev1 55.1 46.5 extract (0.5 kg/m.sup.3)

[0099] A synergistic effect is also observed when the yeast extract is used at a lower dose, in combination with the mycorriza at the usual dose (DN).

Weight of Fresh Biomass (FB) and Dry Biomass (DB), in g

[0100]

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 2C Evaluation of fresh and dry sorghum biomass, 10 weeks after sowing FB DB Solrize dose: DN DN/2 DN DN/2 Solrize Pro alone 3.4 3.9 0.7 0.8 Lev1 extract alone 6.0 6.0 1.1 1.1 (1 kg/m.sup.3)* Solrize Pro + Lev1 8.0 8.4 1.6 1.8 extract (1 kg/m.sup.3)* Solrize Pro + 5.7 6.5 1.2 1.2 INACT1 (1 kg/m.sup.3) Lev1 extract 1 kg: 139% 118% 129% 124% Increase DM/Solrize INACT1 1 kg: 62% 67% 71% 50% Increase DM/Solrize *this line corresponds to the results observed for the yeast extract alone without Solrize Pro.

[0101] Table 2C shows that the combination of yeast extracts (Lev1 extract) and mycorrizae very significantly increases the fresh and dry sorghum biomass (+118-145%). This surprising effect observed is much greater than that observed with the combination of inactive yeasts and mycorrizae (+59-71%).

Example 3 (Sorghum): Comparison of Two Yeast Extracts

Effect on the Degree of Mycorrization (DM) as %

[0102]

TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 3A Evaluation of the degree of mycorrizatian of sorghum Solrize dose: DN Solrize Pro 27.9 Solrize Pro + Lev1 extract 38.5 (1 kg/m.sup.3) Solrize Pro + Lev2 extract 35.6 (1 kg/m.sup.3) Lev1 extract 1 kg: Increase 38% DM/Control Lev2 extract 1 kg: Increase 28% DM/Control

[0103] Table 3A confirms the results observed in examples 1 and 2: the combination of yeast extracts (Lev1 extract or Lev2 extract) and mycorrizae significantly increases the degree of mycorrization of sorghum (+28-38%).

Effect on the Height of the Plants (HP) in Cm, at 10 Weeks

[0104]

TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 3B Evaluation of the height of the sorghum plants, 10 weeks after sowing 6 weeks after sowing Solrize dose: DN Solrize Pro 54.4 Solrize Pro + Lev1 extract 68.4 (1 kg/m.sup.3) Solrize Pro + Lev2 extract 66.1 (1 kg/m.sup.3) Lev1 extract 1 kg: Increase 26% HP/Control Lev2 extract 1 kg: Increase 22% HP/Control

[0105] Table 3B confirms the results observed in example 2:

[0106] the combination of the yeast extracts (Lev1 extract or Lev2 extract) and mycorrizae significantly increases the growth (height) of sorghum (+22-26%).

Weight of Fresh Biomass (FB) and Dry Biomass (DB), in g

[0107]

TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 3C Evaluation of fresh and dry sorghum biomass, 10 weeks after sowing Fresh Dry biomass biomass (FB) in (DB) in g g Solrize dose: DN DN/2 Solrize Pro 7.7 1.9 Solrize Pro + Lev1 extract 13.1 3.1 (1 kg/m.sup.3) Solrize Pro + Lev2 extract 12.4 2.9 (1 kg/m.sup.3) Lev1 extract 1 kg: Increase 70% 63% FB & DB/Control Lev2 extract 1 kg: Increase 61% 53% FB & DB/Control

[0108] Table 3C confirms the results observed in example 2: the combination of the yeast extracts (Lev1 extract or Lev2 extract) and mycorrizae significantly increases the fresh and dry sorghum biomass (+53-70%).

[0109] In conclusion, the two yeast extracts tested both showed very advantageous effects in combination with mycorrizae.

Example 4 (Chrysanthemum)

Effect on the Degree of Mycorrization (DM) as %

[0110]

TABLE-US-00009 TABLE 4A Evaluation of the degree of mycorrization of chrysanthemum Solrize dose: DN DN/2 DN/3 Solrize Pro + 29.0 22.1 18.8 Solrize Pro + Lev1 extract 39.5 31.9 28.0 (1 kg/m.sup.3) Lev1 extract 1 kg: Increase 36% 44% 49% DM/Control

[0111] Table 4A confirms the results observed on geranium and sorghum: the combination of yeast extracts (Lev1 extract) and mycorrizae significantly increases the degree of mycorrization of chrysanthemum after 14 weeks (+36-49%), and makes it possible to reduce the mycorriza dose to DN/3 while at the same time retaining a good degree of mycorrization. The use of the yeast extract alone does not enable any mycorrization to be observed.

Effect on the Height of the Plants (HP) in Cm, at 10 Weeks

[0112]

TABLE-US-00010 TABLE 4B Evaluation of the height of the chrysanthemum plants, at 10 weeks Solrize dose: DN DN/2 DN/3 Solrize Pro 12.3 10.5 11.3 Solrize Pro + Lev1 extract 17.5 14.8 17.3 (1 kg/m.sup.3) Lev1 extract 1 kg: Increase 42% 41% 53% DM/Control

[0113] Table 4B confirms the results observed on geranium and sorghum: the combination of yeast extracts (Lev1 extract) and mycorrizae significantly increases the growth (height) of chrysanthemum (+41-53%) after 14 weeks.

Weight of Fresh Biomass (FB) and Dry Biomass (DB), in g

[0114]

TABLE-US-00011 TABLE 4C Evaluation of fresh and dry chrysanthemum biomass, at 10 weeks Fresh biomass (FB) in g Dry biomass (DB) in g Solrize dose: DN DN/2 DN/3 DN DN/2 DN/3 Solrize Pro 29.6 29.0 26.3 5.7 5.5 4.9 Lev1 extract (1 kg/m.sup.3) 29.6 29.6 29.6 7.1 7.1 7.1 Solrize Pro + Lev1 31.3 31.8 30.2 7.6 7.2 6.8 extract (1 kg/m.sup.3) Lev1 extract 1 kg: 6% 10% 15% 33% 31% 39% Increase FB & DB/Control

[0115] Table 4C confirms the results observed on geranium and sorghum: the combination of yeast extracts (Lev1 extract) and of mycorrizae significantly increases the fresh and dry chrysanthemum biomass (+6-39%).

Effect on Flowering (Number of Flower Buds)

[0116]

TABLE-US-00012 TABLE 4D Evaluation of the number of chrysanthemum flower buds Solrize dose: DN DN/2 DN/3 Solrize Pro 2 2.5 1.5 Solrize Pro + Lev1 extract 3 3.8 3.5 (1 kg/m.sup.3) Lev1 extract 1 kg: Increase 50% 52% 133% DM/Control

[0117] Table 4D shows that the combination of yeast extracts (Lev1 extract) and mycorrizae significantly increases the number of chrysanthemum flower buds (more than 50%).

Example 5: Hibiscus

Effect on Flowering (Number of Flower Buds)

[0118]

TABLE-US-00013 TABLE 5 Evaluation of the number of hibiscus flower buds Solrize dose (in kg/m.sup.3) 1.2 1.0 Solrize Pro 3.7 3.3 Lev1 extract (1 kg/m.sup.3) 5.3 5.3 Solrize Pro + Lev1 extract 8 6.7 (1 kg/m.sup.3)

[0119] Table 5 shows that the combination of yeast extracts (Lev1 extract) and mycorrizae significantly increases the number of hibiscus flower buds.