Mixed Nodule Infection in Sinorhizobium meliloti-Medicago sativa Symbiosis Suggest the Presence of Cheating Behavior.

ABSTRACT: In the symbiosis between rhizobia and legumes, host plants can form symbiotic root nodules with multiple rhizobial strains, potentially showing different symbiotic performances in nitrogen fixation. Here, we investigated the presence of mixed nodules, containing rhizobia with different degrees of mutualisms, and evaluate their relative fitness in the Sinorhizobium meliloti-Medicago sativa model symbiosis. We used three S. meliloti strains, the mutualist strains Rm1021 and BL225C and the non-mutualist AK83. We performed competition experiments involving both in vitro and in vivo symbiotic assays with M. sativa host plants. We show the occurrence of a high number (from 27 to 100%) of mixed nodules with no negative effect on both nitrogen fixation and plant growth. The estimation of the relat

SUBMITTER: Checcucci A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4904023 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature