Comparison of hup trait and intrinsic antibiotic resistance for assessing rhizobial competitiveness axenically and in soil.

The competitiveness of dual-strain inocula of cowpea rhizobia for nodulation of Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. was studied axenically between one slow-growing strain (P132, HP147, 401, or 22A1) and one fast-growing strain (176A26 or 176A28) at logarithmic inoculum ratios ranging from 10 to 10. Nodule infectivity was determined by multiple intrinsic antibiotic resistance, since both fast-growing strains were sensitive. Different hydrogen uptake (Hup) efficiencies of dual-strain inocula allowed for the comparison of an indirect rapid method. Infectivity data based on antibiotic resistance and Hup efficiency were fit to linearized fractile plots of log-normal distributions to determine C(AB) (percent infectivity at a 1:1 inoculum density) or I(50) (inoculum ratio at 50% infectivity). The slow growers were always better competitors and had I(50) values which ranged from 7 to 160,000 and C(AB) values which ranged from 62 to 97%. P132 was the best competitor of all those tested. Antibiotic resistance and Hup efficiency methods were in agreement with 401 (Hup) and 176A26 (Hup), but the Hup efficiency method overestimated the I(50) index with 22A1 (Hup) and 176A28 (Hup). The competition of each of the four slow-growing strains with indigenous rhizobia was examined in Cajanus cajan from three tropical soils. Nodule infectivity for all strains ranged from 42 to 96%, and P132 was the best competitor in all the soils. Hup efficiency overestimated infectivity by about 2-fold when Hup inocula (P132 and HP147) were used but underestimated infectivity by more than 100-fold when Hup inocula (401 and 22A1) were used. Although the Hup trait has limited quantitative usage axenically, it is only qualitative in soil competition studies and can only be used with Hup inocula.