Advances in Nitrogen Fixation Research pp 370-370 | Cite as
Stem-Nodulating Legumes
Chapter
Abstract
Only a few legumes form aerial nitrogen-fixing nodules on their stem. Typical stem nodulated legumes belong to three genera: Sesbania, Aeschynomene and Neptunia. All of them are characterized by predetermined stem nodulation sites which always include a dormant root primordium. The rhizobial infection starts at the base of this primordium provided it can be reached by the bacteria. Depending on the host plant, the primordia either pierce the stem cortex, sometimes through a lenticel, or remain embedded in the cortical tissues of the stem. Stem nodulated legumes can be divided, into three groups:
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group 1 with protruding primordia, readily infected by just spraying the stems with a Rhizobium culture. E.g.: Sesbania rostrata, Aeschynomene afraspera.
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group 2 with slightly protruding primordia, less readily infected. E.g.: A. scabra, A. indica and A. sensitiva.
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group 3 with embedded primordia, nodulating only when the dormancy is broken (especially by immersion). There are two subgroups: plants with nodulation sites distributed all along the stems, e.g. A. elaphroxylon, like plants from group 1 and 2, and Neptunia oleracea, with nodulation sites restricted to the vicinity of stem nodes.
Keywords
Cortical Tissue Root Primordia Stem Node Nodulation Site Soybean Nodule
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
References
- Schaede, R. 1940. Planta (Berlin) 31: 1–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Tsien, H.C., B.L. Dreyfus, and E.L. Schmidt, 1983. J. Bacteriol (in press).Google Scholar
Copyright information
© Martinus Nijhoff/Dr W. Junk Publishers, The Hague and Pudoc, Wageningen 1984