Figure 6

Analysis of in vitro functional traits of bacterial endophytes cultured from Z. mays plants. Shown are (A-C) select examples of trait assays and (D) the complete summary of observed traits organized by host genotype and substrate treatment. Examples of assays are: (A) the ability of microbes to solubilise tricalcium phosphate (indicated by a clear halo); (B) acetoin and butanediol production (indicated by red colour); (C) growth promotion of tissue cultured potato one month after inoculation with (from L-R) Klebsiella pneumoniae, sterile buffer or Methylobacterium oryzae. For panel (D), isolates were scored as either having activity (1) or not (0) and hence the numbers indicate the number of isolates from that cultured community that express the trait noted. Light yellow shading indicates that <25% of isolates exhibited the trait, deep yellow indicates 25-50%, orange indicates 50-75%, and red indicates 75-100%. The scale bars on the top equal 10 mm.