Summary
Studies on the tolerance ofAeschynomene americana L. to periods of flooding or soil moisture deficit were conducted in an attempt to elucidate nitrogen fixation as affected by soil moisture. Nitrogenase activity was not reduced significantly in pot-grown Aeschynomene plants subjected to flooding in greenhouse conditions. After 20 days of withholding water from the soil, nitrogenase activities of the drought-stressed plants were much lower than those of either the well-watered or flooded plants. Leaf water potentials were similar in flooded and control plants; however, the droughted plants had leaf water potentials that were 4 bars lower than those of the control plants. Aeschynomene plants were tolerant to long-term periods of flooding, but exhibited a reduction in nitrogenase activity and leaf water status when subjected to soil moisture deficits.
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Albrecht, S.L., Bennett, J.M. & Quesenberry, K.H. Growth and nitrogen fixation ofAeschynomene under water stressed conditions. Plant Soil 60, 309–315 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02374115
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02374115