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. 1979 Mar;37(3):373–378. doi: 10.1128/aem.37.3.373-378.1979

Nitrogen Fixation Associated with the Rice Plant Grown in Water Culture

Iwao Watanabe 1, Delfin R Cabrera 1
PMCID: PMC243224  PMID: 16345351

Abstract

Acetylene reduction activity of intact rice plants was measured in closed assay chambers with plants grown in water culture. Acetylene was added to the liquid medium, and the ethylene formed was measured from both gas and liquid phases. After cutoff of mineral nitrogen supply and inoculation of fresh soil, rice plants grown from the seedling stage in water culture exhibited acetylene reduction activity after a lag period. However, rice plants grown in a paddy field and transferred to water culture were more suitable for N2 fixation studies because of their higher, less variable acetylene reduction activity. The time course of acetylene reduction was monitored by continuous circulation of gas between the gas phase and the liquid phase, and the result showed an initial 2- or 3-h period of lower activity, followed by increased and almost constant activity up to 24 h. The effects on acetylene reduction activity of aeration, ammonium, chloramphenicol, and 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea addition are reported. Ammonium was inhibitive at 0.33 mM, and its depressive effect was alleviated by ammonium uptake by the plants.

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Selected References

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

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