Short-term effects of nitrate on nitrate reductase activity and symbiotic dinitrogen fixation in faba bean and pea

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Abstract
The effects of a short-term supply of combined nitrogen (N) on the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis were studied in faba bean (Vica faba L.) and pea (Pisum sativum L.) nodulated by R. leguminosarum biovar viceae isolate 175F5 or 175F19 and subjected to increasing levels of NO3--N (0, 5, 10, or 20 mol .cntdot. m-3) from 28 to 36 days after planting. Trends in N2-fixing activity (acetylene reduction) showed that faba bean was more tolerant to NO3--N than pea with isolate 175F5 but not with isolate 175F19. Nitrite reductase activities in the leaf, root, and nodule cytosol fractions were severalfold higher than nitrate reductase activities for both hosts. The levels of these enzymes in the nodule cytosol, the absence of bacteroid nitrate reductase and the lack of induction of bacteroid nitrite reductase in response to NO3--N addition are consistent with the lack of NO2- accumulation in nodules of both hosts. Therefore, it is unlikely that the inhibitory effects of NO3--N on N2 fixation are due to NO2- inhibition of nitrogenase. The relative levels of nitrate reductase activity in the root and nodule cytosol fractions were, respectively, higher and lower in the two faba bean symbioses (NO3- tolerant) and in the pea-175F5 symbiosis (NO3- sensitive) than in the pea-175F19 symbiosis (NO3- tolerant).