Figure 4.

ORS285 nifV deletion affects the symbiotic interaction with Aeschynomene nilotica (IRRI 014040). (A) Comparison of the growth of A. nilotica plants inoculated with ORS285 and ORS285 ΔnifV at 28 days post infection (dpi). Non-inoculated plants (ni) were used as control. (B) Mature nodules on A. nilotica plants inoculated with ORS285 and ORS285 ΔnifV. Note the presence of green colored nodules (black arrow) on A. nilotica plants inoculated with the ORS285 ΔnifV strain. (C) Number of root nodules on A. nilotica plants inoculated with Bradyrhizobium ORS285 and Bradyrhizobium ORS285 ΔnifV, respectively. The mean number of nodules per plant (n = 5) at 28 dpi is presented. (D) Acetylene reducing activity of A. nilotica plants inoculated with Bradyrhizobium ORS285 and ORS285 ΔnifV at 28 dpi. The mean amount of produced ethylene per hour and per plant (n = 5) is indicated. In (C) and (D) error bars represent standard errors of the mean and letters represent conditions with significant difference according to the Tukey’s test (P < 0.05).