Three replicate pots of five plants per pot were then transferred to a hydroponic cultivation system. Leaf nitrogen
levels in rice were estimated weekly from 7 to 35 days after inoculation using a chlorophyll meter (Minolta SPAD502).
Root and shoot lengths of inoculated plants were monitored at 7 and 35 days after inoculation. Thirty-five days after planting,
shoot and root dry weight and%nitrogen were measured. The growth rate (GR) was calculated as followed, GR
(cm day−1) = (W2–W1)/(T2–T1), where W1 is the length of rice plant after 7 days fromseedling emergence (T1) andW2 is
the length of rice plant at the end of the experiment (T2 : 35 days) (Medany et al. 2007).