Figure 6

Schematical figure showing results in wild-type and ABA-deficient mutant plants when are inoculated with Bacillus megaterium . In wild-type plants, ABA concentration as well as ethylene didn’t show significant differences (compared to the non-inoculated ones). However, ABA biosynthesis-related enzyme NCED gene expression increased and ethylene biosynthesis-related enzyme ACS gene expression, decreased. In ABA-deficient mutant plants, ABA concentration as well as the enzyme involved in ABA biosynthesis gene expression, decreased. On the contrary, both ethylene and ACS gene expression increased with respect to non inoculated plants. Sl-PR1b gene expression was opposite in both kinds of plants. While in wild-type Sl-PR1b gene expression decreased, in ABA-deficient mutant plants increased significatively. In conclusion, wild-type plants inoculated with Bacillus megaterium showed a growth promotion while inoculated ABA-deficient mutant plants showed an inhibition of growth.