Hydrogen-uptake genes improve symbiotic efficiency in common beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Hydrogen-uptake (Hup) activity is implicated in the mitigation of energy losses associated with the biological nitrogen fixation process, and has been related to productivity increases in some legume hosts. However, in common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) the expression of hydrogenase is rare. In this study an 18-kb hup gene cluster from Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae encoding a NiFe hydrogenase was successfully transferred to three common bean rhizobial strains lacking hydrogenase activity (Hup − ) but symbiotically very effective and used in commercial inoculants in Brazil: one strain originally from Colombia ( Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899), and two strains from Brazil ( R. tropici H 12 and Rhizobium freirei PRF 81). The inclusion of NiCl 2 in the nutrient solution did not increase hydrogenase activity, indicating that common bean plants allow efficient nickel provision for hydrogenase synthesis in the bacteroids. The symbiotic performance—evaluated by nodulation, plant growth, N accumulation and seed production—of wild-type and Hup + derivative strains was compared in experiments performed with cultivar Carioca under greenhouse conditions, in sterile substrate and in non-sterile soil. Statistically significant increases in one or more parameters were observed for all three Hup + derivatives when compared to the respective wild-type strain. Differences were found mainly with the Brazilian strains, reaching impressive increases in nodule efficiency and seed total N content. The results highlight the potential of using Rhizobium Hup + strains for the design of more energy-efficient inoculants for the common bean crop.