Nonphotosynthetic CO2 Fixation by Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Roots and Nodules

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Abstract
The dependence of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) root and nodule nonphotosynthetic CO2 fixation on the supply of currently produced photosynthate and nodule nitrogenase activity was examined at various times after phloem-girdling and exposure of nodules to Ar:O2. Phloem-girdling was effected 20 hours and exposure to Ar:O2 was effected 2 to 3 hours before initiation of experiments. Nodule and root CO2 fixation rates of phloem-girdled plants were reduced to 38 and 50%, respectively, of those of control plants. Exposure to Ar:O2 decreased nodule CO2 fixation rates to 45%, respiration rates to 55%, and nitrogenase activities to 51% of those of the controls. The products of nodule CO2 fixation were exported through the xylem to the shoot mainly as amino acids within 30 to 60 minutes after exposure to 14CO2. In contrast to nodules, roots exported very little radioactivity, and most of the 14C was exported as organic acids. The nonphotosynthetic CO2 fixation rate of roots and nodules averaged 26% of the gross respiration rate, i.e., the sum of net respiration and nonphotosynthetic CO2 assimilation. Nodules fixed CO2 at a rate 5.6 times that of roots, but since nodules comprised a small portion of root system mass, roots accounted for 76% of the nodulated root system CO2 fixation. The results of this study showed that exposure of nodules to Ar:O2 reduced nodule-specific respiration and nitrogenase activity by similar amounts, and that phloem-girdling significantly reduced nodule CO2 fixation, nitrogenase activity, nodule-specific respiration, and transport of 14C photoassimilate to nodules. These results indicate that nodule CO2 fixation in alfalfa is associated with N assimilation.