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Utility of Rhizobium in the phyllosphere of crop plants: two-way exchange of metabolites between Rhizobium and the host plant

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

A. S. Nandi
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, University of Kalyani, Kalyani-741235, India
S. P. Sen
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, University of Kalyani, Kalyani-741235, India

Summary

The nature of the ectosymbiotic association between Rhizobium and such legume leaves as Bengal gram and mung bean was investigated using radioactively labelled compounds. About 8% of the 14CO2 fixed photosynthetically in the 70% ethanol soluble fraction was leached out within 1 h of contact with water. The 14C-compounds leached out include sucrose, serine glycine, glutamic acid, malate, alanine and succinate. A part of the 14C-activity was incorporated by Rhizobium cells sprayed on leaves. Association with rhizobia increased the rate of photosynthesis and leaching by 129–240% and 134–281%, respectively. Bacterial metabolites are translocated along the midribs and veins to different plant parts. The beneficial effects are not restricted to members of the same cross-inoculation group.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

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References

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