What triggers the regulation of nitrogenase activity in forage legume nodules after defoliation?

The dramatic decrease in nitrogenase activity after the defoliation of forage legumes has been recognized for a long time; however, the underlying mechanisms are not understood yet. The impact of current photosynthesis can be excluded. The precise role of carbohydrate availability is still unclear and remains to be established. From current knowledge we can conclude that, after defoliation, nitrogenase activity in legume nodules is down-regulated by a variable oxygen diffusion resistance. The triggering elements are not known; there is, however, increasing evidence that the plant's demand for symbiotically fixed nitrogen plays an important role. The possibility is here discussed that, after defoliation, a nitrogen feedback mechanism regulates nitrogenase activity through a variable oxygen diffusion resistance in the nodules.