Rhizobia seem to have large degradative and metabolic capabilities that allow them to grow on diverse soil and rhizospheric substances, many of which are still unknown. Rhizobial genome sequences encode numerous transporters for unknown substrates, and transcriptomic studies have revealed genes with unknown functions that are highly expressed in roots or rhizospheres. It is proposed here that s...

Legumes develop symbiotic interactions with rhizobial bacteria to form nitrogen-fixing nodules. Bacterial Nod factors (NFs) and plant regulatory pathways modulating NF signalling control rhizobial infections and nodulation efficiency. Here we show that gibberellin (GA) signalling mediated by DELLA proteins inhibits rhizobial infections and controls the NF induction of the infection marker ENOD1...

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is a major source of dietary protein and essential component of the cropping systems in semi-arid regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. However, yields are very low due to lack of improved cultivars, poor management practices, and limited inputs use. The objectives of this study were to assess the effects of rhizobia inoculant and P on nodulation, N accumulation and yield of...

The transcriptomics approach to study gene expression in root hairs from M. truncatula has shed light on the developmental events during rhizobial infection and the underlying hormone responses. This approach revealed the induction of several cyclins and an aurora kinase which suggests that the cell-division machinery plays a role in rhizobial infection. Changes in the cell cycle in plants are ...

Rhizobial bacteria are known for their capacity to fix nitrogen for legume hosts. However ineffective rhizobial genotypes exist and can trigger the formation of nodules but fix little if any nitrogen for hosts. Legumes must employ mechanisms to minimize exploitation by the ineffective rhizobial genotypes to limit fitness costs and stabilize the symbiosis. Here we address two key questions about...

The aim of the experiment was to determine the effect of different dry matter content and addition of silage inoculant on the ruminal protein degradability. Alfalfa herbage was collected from two cuts and the fresh matter was sampled two times during each cut (with different dry matter content). During the preparation of experimental micro-silages, the chopped forage was treated with a microbia...

Survival of Rhizobium trifolii on white clover seed before sowing is adversely affected by both drying and a water-soluble toxin which di f fuses f rom the seed coat dur ing the inocula t ion process . Survival of rhizobia is increased by removal of the toxin by seed washing or the suppress ion of i t s inhib i tory ef fec t by t rea tment of seed wi th phenol ic adsorbents . Surv iva l o f rh ...

Rhizobia induce root nodules and fix atmospheric N2 for most legume species in exchange for carbon. However, the diverse endophytic non-rhizobial bacteria in legume nodules that co-exist with rhizobia are often ignored because they are difficult to cultivate using routine cultivation approaches. To enhance our understanding of the incidence and diversity of legume-bacteria associations, a high-...