1.

NITROGEN FIXATION IN PLANTS

Why fix nitrogen in plants?

Plants need ammonia (NH3) to build amino acids, but
most of the nitrogen is in the atmosphere in the form of N2.

Plants lack the biochemical pathways (including the

enzyme nitrogenase) necessary to convert gaseous N2 to
NH3, but some bacteria have this capacity.

Some of these bacteria live in close association with the

roots of plants.

Root nodules on soybean. The nodules are

a result of infection by Rhizobium japonicum.
(© WallyEberhart/Visuals Unlimited.)
Others end up being housed in plant tissues created
especially for them called nodules.

Only legumes are capable of forming root nodules and

there is a very specific recognition required by a bacteria
species and its host.

How about the plant energy budget?

Hosting these bacteria costs the plant in terms of energy,

but is well worth it when there is little ammonia in the soil.

An energy conservation mechanism has evolved in the

legumes so that the root hairs will not respond to bacterial
signals when nitrogen levels are high.
 Composition of the atmosphere

 The atmosphere is primarily composed of nitrogen (N2,

78%), oxygen (O2, 21%), and argon (Ar, 1%).

 A number of other very influential components are also

present: the water (H2O, 0 to 7%), carbon dioxide (CO2,
0.03 to 0.1%).
Healthy Chlorine

Copper Zinc
BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN FIXATION

• Nitrogen fixation is the conversion of atmospheric

nitrogen to plant available nitrogen.

• Fixation of elemental nitrogen in the atmosphere by

the micro organism through a reductive process into
ammonia is called as BNF.

•The ability to reduce atmosphere N2 is restricted only

to bacteria, belonging to the diverse groups.

•
•Rhizobia are the first group of organism realized for
its potential of nitrogen fixation

N2 + 3H2 ----------------------- 2NH3

There are two types of biological nitrogen fixation:

i. Symbiotic
ii. Non-symbiotic
Non - Symbiotic nitrogen fixation
• This biological nitrogen fixation is carried out by
organisms which live freely in soil as represented by two
groups of microorganisms; bacteria and blue-green algae
(cyanobacteria).

• These nitrogen fixers add between 0.2 and 5 kg

N/ha/annum, whereas most crop plants require 50 – 200 kg
N. This process is therefore thought to be of little
significance agronomically.
 Bacteria

Aerobes Facultative Anaerobes

Require free oxygen for They can grow optimally
their respiration they anaerobes
They can survive either only in the absence of
cannot survive in the molecular oxygen.
absence of oxygen. in the presence or
absence of oxygen. Examples: Clostridium
Examples: Azotobacter
& Beijerickia Examples: Bacillus spp

Blue-green algae or
cyanobacteria

Nostoc
Plectonema
Anabaena
Symbiotic nitrogen fixation
• This is the production of plant available N from
atmospheric nitrogen by organisms that live in association
with plant roots.
• These bacteria reside in the roots of legumes causing
swellings known as nodules in legume roots. They derive
their food and nutrients from the legumes and in turn
supply the legumes with nitrogen fixed from the
atmosphere.

• This symbiotic relationship is most common between

legumes and Rhizobium species.

• Grain legumes are capable of fixing about 150 kg

N/ha/annum, an amount that meets the nitrogen
requirement of many crop plants.
FORMATION OF ROOT NODULE
STAGES IN ROOT NODULE FORMATION

The stages in the infection and development of root nodules

are not fairly well understood. They include:
1. Recognition of the correct parameter on the part of both
plant and bacterium and attachment of the bacterium to the
root hairs.
2. Excretion of nod factors by the bacterium.
3. Invasion of the root hairs by the bacterial formation of
an infection thread.
4. Travel to main root via the infection thread.
5. Formation of deformed bacterial cells, bacteroids,
within the plant cells and development of the
nitrogen fixing state.
6. Continued plant and bacterial division and
formation of the mature root nodule.
Factors affecting N2 fixation
1. Presence of nitrate or ammonium : More N2, No, N2 fixation
2. Presence of certain inorganic substances Ca, Co, Mo – influence N2 fixation
along with P
3. Availability of energy source – addn. of C source increase N2 fixation
4. pH : Neutral – favours Azotobacter – Acidic- Beijerinkia
5. Soil moisture : Adequate is good for fixation
6. Temperature: Mesophilic – 30°C.
The energy requirement for BNF is very high and it is a major factor
determines the amount of N2 fixed. In, Azotobacter the rate depends on amount
of available carbon. In symbiotic N2 fixers since photosynthesis is the ultimate
source of energy the rate of N2 fixation is influenced by the factors that effect
photosynthesis and rate of translocating photosynthates to the N2 fixing system.