Table 4.

Nodulation competitiveness of the S. meliloti wild-type strain and bdhA, phaC and phaZ mutants co-inoculated in the described ratios on M. sativa plants

Strain (%) in inoculum	No. nodules tested	Nodule occupancy (%)
		Strain 1	Strain 2	Both
Rm11430 (60) + Rm1021 (40)	18.0	61.1	22.2	16.7
Rm11430 (91) + Rm1021 (9)	15.0	93.3	6.7	0
Rm11430 (54) + Rm11105 (46)	16.0	100	0	0
Rm11105 (59) + Rm1021 (41)	15.0	6.70	93.3	0
Rm11105 (88) + Rm1021 (12)	20.0	5.00	75.0	20.0
Rm11430 (51) + Rm11107 (49)	20.0	65.0	35.0	0
Rm11107 (49) + Rm1021 (51)	14.0	21.4	78.6	0
Rm11107 (77) + Rm1021 (23)	15.0	86.7	0	13.3
Rm11107 (44) + Rm11144 (56)	19.0	94.7	0	5.30