Plant, Microbial and Soil Factors, Determining Nitrogen Fixation in the Rhizosphere

Abstract

Abstract A genotype effect on associative (rhizosphere) N 2 ‐fixation was observed with two cultivars of Sorghum bicolor (nutans) with a maximum rate of 8 μmol C 2 H 4 · h −1 · plant −1 in one genotype compared to 0.9 μmol in the other. Characteristics of the high fixing genotype were a reduced transpiration rate, a lower number of stomata and increased root exudate production per gram root dry weight with higher concentration of dicarboxylic acids. The bacterial rhizosphere composition revealed a three times higher number of N 2 ‐fixing bacteria, a tenfold reduction of actinomycetes and a threefold reduction of Arthrobacter associated with the high fixing cultivar compared to the low fixing genotype. From these and other plant rhizospheres two new nitrogen fixing bacteria, Pseudomonas stutzeri and Erwinia herbicola , were characterized. With the N 2 ‐fixing bacteria Azospirillum brasilense and Klebsiella pneumoniae an enhancement of specific nitrogenase activity by aromatic compounds, for example phenolics, the herbicide alachlor and the insecticide carbofuran was demonstrated. An oscillating nitrogenase activity in Azospirillum brasilense under microaerobic conditions was found, resulting from an encystation and deencystation under those conditions. Experiments with wheat roots demonstrated that reduced oxygen tensions, essential for a maximum rhizosphere N 2 ‐fixation, reduced root growth significantly and altered the N‐metabolism of the roots.