Abstract
MICROORGANISMS seem to be responsible for the occurrence of ethylene in anaerobic soils at concentrations which can affect the root extension of cereals1–4, for little ethylene is formed in sterilized soil. Evolution of the gas is unaffected by drying the soil at 35° C for two days and subsequently wetting under anaerobic conditions, so spore-forming organisms are probably responsible. The storage of soil at field capacity for an extended period inhibited the production of ethylene but this did not occur if plants had been grown in the soil or if the soil had been dried and heated to moderate temperatures, suggesting that substrates produced by plants or released during drying are important for the production of ethylene. Here we report an examination of the organisms responsible and the nature of the substrates.
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LYNCH, J. Identification of Substrates and Isolation of Microorganisms responsible for Ethylene Production in the Soil. Nature 240, 45–46 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/240045a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/240045a0
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