Fig. 6: Symbiotic properties of the P. phymatum wild-type, nodS mutant and nodS complemented mutant strains in plant hosts.

Number of nodules, dry weight per nodule and relative normalized nitrogenase activity to the wild-type nitrogenase activity induced by the strains is illustrated for a common bean and b Mimosa pudica. At least three biological replicates per strain, a minimum of four plants per replicate were assayed. Error bars indicate the standard error of the mean (SEM). Significant difference between the mutant or complemented strain in comparison with the P. phymatum wild-type was analyzed with one-way ANOVA (p-value ≤ 0.05). Statistically significant differences are indicated with different letters (a–c).