Abstract
NITRATE appears to have an influence on the action of indolyl-3-acetic acid (IAA) in the initiation and development of the symbiosis between legumes and bacteria of the genus Rhizobium. For example, it is often suggested that IAA is responsible for the curling of root hairs that is taken to be a prelude to the bacterial invasion of the legume root1, and Thornton2 noted that the percentage of lucerne root hairs that were deformed in the presence of Rhizobium meliloti culture filtrates was reduced if the plants were simultaneously supplied with NaNO3. IAA is likewise proposed to be involved in the nodulation process itself3, the nodule biogenesis likewise being repressed by nitrate. Recently, Tanner and Anderson4 suggested that the inhibition may be attributable to a destruction of auxin by the nitrite produced from the bacterial reduction of nitrate. In this communication, it is demonstrated that not only may nitrate influence the lAA-induced changes but also that IAA may, conversely, mitigate the inhibition of nodulation by nitrate.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Nutman, P. S., Biol. Rev., 31, 109 (1956).
Thornton, H. G., Proc. Roy. Soc., B, 119, 474 (1936).
Kefford, N. P., Brockwell, J., and Zwar, J. A., Austral. J. Biol. Sci., 13, 456 (1960).
Tanner, J. W., and Anderson, I. C., Nature, 198, 303 (1963).
Hoagland, D. R., and Arnon, D. I., Calif. Agr. Expt. Sta. Circular, 347, Berkeley, Calif. (1950).
Raggio, M., Raggio, N., and Torrey, J. G., Amer. J. Botany, 44, 325 (1957).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
VALERA, C., ALEXANDER, M. Reversal of Nitrate Inhibition of Nodulation by Indolyl-3-acetic Acid. Nature 206, 326 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1038/206326a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/206326a0
This article is cited by
-
Mechanism of Nitrate Tolerance in Tn5 Mutants of Cicer-Rhizobium Strains
Journal of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology (1993)
-
Nitrate effects on the nodulation of legumes inoculated with nitrate-reductase-deficient mutants of Rhizobium
Planta (1977)
-
Nodulation ofMedicago sativa in solution culture
Plant and Soil (1968)
-
Nodulation ofMedicago sativa in solution culture
Plant and Soil (1968)
-
Ecological Significance of Anthocyanins in the Seed Coats of the Phaseoleae
Nature (1966)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.