Skip to main content
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1988 Jul;54(7):1838–1841. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.7.1838-1841.1988

Effect of Root Agglutinin on Microbial Activities in the Rhizosphere

Wei-Liang Chao 1,*, Ren-Ki Li 1, Wen-Teh Chang 1
PMCID: PMC202754  PMID: 16347694

Abstract

A total of 220 bacterial isolates were obtained from pea rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere samples. Of these samples, 100 isolates were chosen randomly to test for their agglutinative reaction against pea root exudate. The percentage of positive agglutination of bacteria isolated from the nonrhizosphere sample was significantly lower than that of bacteria isolated from the rhizosphere sample. Moreover, this agglutinative reaction could not be blocked either by treating the bacterial cells or root exudate with different carbohydrates before they were mixed or by boiling the root exudate first. Bacteria that could be agglutinated by pea root exudate followed the downward growth of the pea root through the soil profile. The greater abilities of such bacteria to colonize the pea rhizosphere were indicated by their higher rhizosphere-colonizing (rhizosphere/nonrhizosphere) ratios, whether the bacteria were added alone or together with nonagglutinating bacteria. However, bacteria did show different agglutinative reactions toward root exudates obtained from different plants.

Full text

PDF

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Dazzo F. B., Hubbell D. H. Cross-reactive antigens and lectin as determinants of symbiotic specificity in the Rhizobium-clover association. Appl Microbiol. 1975 Dec;30(6):1017–1033. doi: 10.1128/am.30.6.1017-1033.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. James D. W., Suslow T. V., Steinback K. E. Relationship between Rapid, Firm Adhesion and Long-Term Colonization of Roots by Bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1985 Aug;50(2):392–397. doi: 10.1128/aem.50.2.392-397.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Lippincott B. B., Lippincott J. A. Bacterial attachment to a specific wound site as an essential stage in tumor initiation by Agrobacterium tumefaciens. J Bacteriol. 1969 Feb;97(2):620–628. doi: 10.1128/jb.97.2.620-628.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. PETERSON E. A. Seed-borne fungi in relation to colonization of roots. Can J Microbiol. 1959 Dec;5:579–582. doi: 10.1139/m59-070. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied and Environmental Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES