Symbiosis of Leguminous Plants and Nodule Bacteria

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Abstract
Nodulated plants of soya-bean have been grown in culture solutions lacking combined nitrogen and in continuous contact with oxygen/nitrogen gas mixtures containing 21, 12, and 5 per cent. oxygen respectively. Reductions of oxygen content led to reductions in dry weight and in fixation of nitrogen. Somewhat similar but smaller effects on dry weight were observed with non-nodulated plants supplied with ammonium-nitrogen, but such plants supplied with nitrate-nitrogen grew equally vigorously at all three oxygen levels, a result regarded with some reservation. The weight of nodules per plant was markedly reduced by curtailment of oxygen, but the number was unaffected, indicating that the earlier stages in nodule formation are not specially sensitive to oxygen supply. The greater effect of oxygen reduction on nodulated plants appears to be exerted on the process of fixation or on associated processes such as nodular respiration.

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