Figure 4. DH5α-triggered stomatal closure is disguised by darkness or drought treatment.

A and B, Stomatal aperture and conductance in V. faba leaves dip-inoculated with mock or DH5α at 10⁸ CFU/ml under light/dark transition; C and D, Stomatal aperture and conductance in V. faba leaves dip-inoculated with mock or DH5α at 10⁸ CFU/ml under different field water content (FWC). Data from the epidermal bioassay are means of 120 stomatal aperture measurements from three replicates ±SEM. Data from the stomatal conductance experiment are means of measurements from 8–12 leaves (n = 4). Asterisks denote significant differences as analyzed by two-tailed t-test (***, P<0.001; *, P<0.05; ns, no statistical difference).