Symbiosis between legumes and nitrogen-fixing bacteria promotes drought tolerance

Legumes have the unique ability to establish symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Bacteria of the genus Rhizobium form symbiotic nodules on different legumes, including pea and common vetch. Our studies indicate that these nodulated plants are more drought tolerant than non-nodulated plants supplemented with Nitrogen. Different biochemical, physiological and molecular analyses have helped us to understand the effect of symbiosis on the response to drought in legumes, supporting the potential use of inoculants as a strategy to mitigate the effects of drought with the current climate change scenario.