Effect of methabenzthiazuron on growth and nitrogenase activity in Vicia faba

The effects of the herbicide methabenzthiazuron (175 and 220 g ha^-1) on vegetative and reproductive growth, nodulation and nitrogenase activity of Vicia faba were studied in the field under Mediterranean conditions. Nitrogenase activity of excised nodules was estimated using the acetylene reduction assay four times during the developmental period. Leaf area index, dry weight and nitrogen content of the different parts of the plants were measured. Methabenzthiazuron-treated plants showed an increase in nodulation, nitrogenase activity and vegetative growth at early pod fill. Methabenzthiazuron also caused an increase in leaf N content and fruits. These were transient effects found during early and mid pot fill. Nevertheless, plants treated with these sublethal doses of herbicide improved seed production and nitrogen content of seeds at harvest time. The stimulatory effect of methabenzthiazuron on N₂ fixation and vegetative growth seems not be related with the transient stimulatory effect on photosynthetic capacity, also caused by the herbicide, since the stimulatory effect on N₂ fixation was apparent during pod fill, when photosynthetic capacity declined and was not modified by methabenzthiazuron.     

Influence of plant nutrient concentration on growth rate: Use of a nutrient interruption technique to determine critical concentrations of N,P and K in young plants

A method is described for determining the way in which growth rate varies with plant nutrient concentration using a simple nutrient interruption technique incorporating only 2 treatments. The method involves measuring the changes in growth and nutrient composition of otherwise well-nourished plants after the supply of one particular nutrient has been withheld. Critical concentrations are estimated from the relationship between the growth rate (expressed as a fraction of that for control plants of the same size which remained well-nourished throughout) and the concentration of the growth-limiting nutrient in the plants as deficiency developed. Trials of the method using young lettuce plants showed that shoot growth rate was directly proportional to total N (nitrate plus organic N) concentration, and linearly or near-linearly related to K and P concentration over a wide range; the corresponding relationship for nitrate was strongly curvi-linear. Critical concentrations (corresponding to a 10% reduction in growth rate) determined from these results were similar to critical values calculated from models derived from field data, but were generally higher than published estimates of critical concentration (based on reductions in shoot weight) for plants of a similar size. Reasons for these discrepancies are discussed. Nitrate, phosphate or potassium concentrations in sap from individual leaf petioles were highly sensitive to changes in shoot growth rate as deficiency developed, with the slope of the relationships varying with leaf position, due to differences both in their initial concentration and in the rates at which they were utilized in individual leaves. Each nutrient was always depleted more quickly in younger leaves than in older ones, providing earlier evidence of deficiency for diagnostic purposes. Although the plants were capable of accumulating nitrate, phosphate and potassium well in excess of that needed for optimum dry matter production during periods of adequate supply, the rate of mobilization of these reserves was insufficient to prevent reductions in growth rate as the plants became deficient. This brings into question the validity of the conventional concept that luxury consumption provides a store of nutrients which are freely available for use in times of shortage. The implications of these results for the use of plant analysis for assessing plant nutrient status are discussed.     

Divergent selection for dinitrogen fixation and yield in soybean

Summary Nitrogen fixation is generally considered to be a major parameter of productivity in soybean (Glycine max). The aim of the investigations reported here was to analyse the genetic behaviour of this trait in view of its possible use as an indirect criterion of selection for productivity. Divergent selection for nitrogen fixation rate was carried out on F₂ populations obtained from crosses between high-yielding cultivars that are well adapted to French climatic conditions. The genetic component of nitrogen fixation and yield was isolated through the analysis of (1) the nitrogen fixation potentials of the genotypes under controlled conditions and (2) the field yields under favourable conditions. Divergent selection resulted in two groups of genotypes whose nitrogen fixation abilities are significantly different. The F₆ filial progeny obtained by single seed descent from the two groups displayed significantly different abilities for nitrogen fixation and for field productivity. The gain achieved for the nitrogen fixation activity with respect to the mean value of the parents ranged from 20% to 33% for the positive selection, depending on the crosses. The occurrence of positive and significant correlations between the level of nitrogen fixation activity in F₂ plants and N₂ fixation or yield in the F₆ generation corroborates the relatively high heritability of this trait and suggests its possible use as an indirect selection criterion for yield.     

The effect of turbulent motion on the diffusion of microorganisms

The effect of turbulent fluid motion on the diffusion of simple organisms is discussed. The net reproduction rate and the turbulent flow are assumed to be Gaussian-correlated random variables. For homogeneous istropic turbulence, simple equations for the average concentration of the organisms are derived in terms of the energy density of the fluid. It is shown that the effective diffusivity generated by the motion is positive-definite, and is independent of the helicity of the flow.     

Geosiphon pyriforme,an Endosymbiotic Consortium of a Fungus and a Cyanobacterium (Nostoc), Fixes Nitrogen

The bladders of Geosiphon pyriforme, an endosymbiotic consortium of a fungus and the cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme, show nitrogenase activity. This suggests that the organism is capable of nitrogen fixation.     

Genetic analysis of X-linked mutagen-sensitive mutants of Drosophila melanogaster

Mutants at 2 new loci which control mutagen-sensitivity are described. Mutants at both loci are female-sterile and are hypersensitive to killing by MMS; neither increases the frequency of sex-linked recessive lethals. A screen of previously described female-sterile and meotic mutants has revealed that a number of these are also sensitive to mutagens. In addition, several new mutants have been identified on the basis of sensitivity to either HN2 or MMS. An anlysis of complementation data suggests that all of the X-linked genes controlling sensitivity to MMS may now have been identified. Among the new mei-41 alleles are mutants which show verly little meiotic nondisjunction or loss. Cytogenetic mapping of previously known mutants is also described. The mutants mus(1)104^D1 and mei-41^D5 are located in th eregion 14B13±?14D1,2 on the polytene chromosome map, and they map very close to each other genetically. Cytogenetically mus(1)101^D1 is between salivary chromosome bands 12A6,7 and 12D3, mus(1)103^D1 is between bands 12A1,2 and 12A6,7, and mus(1)-109^A1 is in section 8F3-9A2.     

Ectomycorrhizae in coastal miombo woodland of Tanzania

Summary Ectomycorrhizae were found in root samples of the treesAfzelia quanzensis Welw. andBrachystegia spiciformis Benth. (Caesalpiniaceae), collected in the coastal miombo type woodland 50 km west of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. Root nodules with a structure resembling that of nitrogen-fixing root nodules of other leguminous plants were observed in theA. quanzensis material. The climate of the locality is rather dry, and strongly seasonal. In the tropics, ectomycorrhizae have previously been found only in humid or rain forest climate zones.     

Respiration and nitrogen fixation in nodulated roots of soya bean and pea

Summary Oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide evolution and nitrogenase activity, measured either as hydrogen evolution (under argon 80%, oxygen 20%) or as the reduction of acetylene to ethylene, were assayed over the same time period by a direct mass-spectrometric method. When carbon dioxide evolution was used to estimate carbohydrate consumption, the results agreed with other work on whole plants. The RQ values obtained in these experiments were always less than 1.0 and thus the carbohydrate consumption calculated from oxygen uptake suggests that previous estimates, using carbon dioxide evolution as a measure of the cost of nitrogen fixation may be underestimates. Lag periods observed in the reduction of acetylene to ethylene suggest that there is a resistance to diffusion of gases in the root nodules.     

A pellet method to demonstrate nitrogen fixation by free-living rhizobia

Summary A method is described to demonstrate nitrogen fixation by free-living Rhizobium cells. After aerobic growth in a nutrient solution, the bacteria are centrifuged. Acetylene reduction by the rhizobial cells in the pellet can be measured within a few days. Hydrogen gas frequently stimulates acetylene reduction.