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Low levels of ferredoxin, ATP and leghemoglobin contribute to limited N2 fixation of peas (Pisum sativum L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under S deficiency conditions

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Abstract

Sulphur (S) has become a major limiting factor for plant production in industrial as well as in remote industrial rural areas. Limitation of S can reduce legume N2 fixation by affecting nodule development and function. In pot experiments with pea (Pisum sativum L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), we investigated the influence of S on growth, ferredoxin, ATP and leghemoglobin concentrations. Addition of 200 mg S pot−1 increased yield of shoots, roots and nodules of both plant species significantly. However, the influence of S on nodule yield formation was most pronounced. Pea and alfalfa roots were found to have higher S concentrations than shoots and being up to 2.9 times the S concentration in the shoots of peas under S-sufficient conditions. Sulphur addition also increased N2 fixation significantly. The ferredoxin concentration in bacteroids of root nodules of pea was increased significantly by S only 10 weeks after planting and in bacteroids of root nodules of alfalfa 10 and 17 weeks after planting, while on per pot base the amounts of ferredoxin were higher throughout the experimental period of time. The ATP concentration of bacteroids of root nodules of both plant species as well as of mitochondria of root nodules of pea were significantly higher with optimum S supply. The effects of S deficiency on N2 fixation are likely to be caused by the shortage of ferredoxin and ATP. The amount of leghemoglobin was reduced in comparison to nodules of the S-sufficient plants.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are much indebted to the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) for financial support and Fa. Jost for providing Rhizobium bacteria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INRES—Institute of Plant Nutrition, Karlrobert-Kreiten-Strasse 13, 53115, Bonn, Germany

    Heinrich W. Scherer, Svea Pacyna & Katrin R. Spoth

  2. Institute of Molecular Biotechnology and Physiology of Plants, Karlrobert-Kreiten-Strasse 13, 53115, Bonn, Germany

    Margot Schulz

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  1. Heinrich W. Scherer
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  2. Svea Pacyna
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  3. Katrin R. Spoth
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  4. Margot Schulz
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Correspondence to Heinrich W. Scherer.

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Scherer, H.W., Pacyna, S., Spoth, K.R. et al. Low levels of ferredoxin, ATP and leghemoglobin contribute to limited N2 fixation of peas (Pisum sativum L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under S deficiency conditions. Biol Fertil Soils 44, 909–916 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-008-0273-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-008-0273-7

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