Summary
A method has been described for the determination of the rate of nitrogen fixation when peas are grown in a soil from which they can take up combined nitrogen. This method is based on an earlier observation that previous nodule formation by an ineffective strain of the peaRhizobium H VIII prevents later nodulation by effective strains. Parallel pot experiments (muddy clay soil) in which pea plants were inoculated either with the ineffective strain VIII or with the effective strain H 47, showed that no effective nodules were produced by the former within a period of 2 months. Differences between the nitrogen contents of the peas in the two cultures can therefore be assumed to indicate the amount of atmospheric nitrogen fixed. Two successive oat crops were grown after the peas in order to determine the after-effect of the peas.
The oats took up from the soil much more nitrogen than did the peas.
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References
Virtanen, A. I. and Linkola, H., Über die Aktivität verschiedener Stamme der Leguminosebakterien. Suomen Kemistilehti B17, 22 (1944).
Virtanen, A. I., Symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Nature155, 747 (1945).
Virtanen, A. I. and Linkola, H., Competition ofRhizobium strains in nodule-formation. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek12, 65 (1947).
Virtanen, A. I., Jorma, J., Linkola, H. and Linnasalmi, A., On the relation between nitrogen fixation and leghaemoglobin content of leguminous root nodules. Acta Chem. Scand.1, 90 (1947).
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Virtanen, A.I., Hausen, S.SV. A method for determining in peacultures, the amount of molecular nitrogen fixed and the amount of combined nitrogen taken up from the soil. Plant Soil 4, 171–177 (1952). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01373646
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01373646