主权项 |
1. A method for improving tomato production, said method comprising applying a composition comprising Methylobacterium to a tomato plant, a part thereof, or to a tomato seed, wherein said composition comprises: (i) a solid substance with adherent Methylobacterium grown thereon; (ii) an emulsion having Methylobacterium grown therein; (iii) a Methylobacterium that has at least one gene encoding at least one protein that is orthologous to a protein having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1-4594; or (iv) a Methylobacterium selected from the group consisting of NLS0017 (NRRL B-50931), NLS0037 (NRRL B-50941), NLS0066 (NRRL B-50940), and derivatives thereof; and wherein said tomato plant or tomato plant grown from said seed exhibits a trait improvement selected from the group consisting of an increased rate of root growth, leaf growth, seedling growth, seed production, fruit production, scion production, rootstock production, and/or increased total biomass when compared to an untreated control tomato plant or a control tomato plant grown from an untreated seed, thereby obtaining improved tomato production. |