Asymbiotic association of Rhizobium with pea epicotyls treated with a plant hormone.

Treatment of epicotyls of dark-grown pea (Pisum sativum L.) seedlings with indole-3-acetic acid causes swelling of the tissue. Application of Rhizobium to the cut surface of the swollen tissue results in the development of an "infection". The infection spreads in the cortical cells and proceeds 2-3 mm deep into the stem within 3-4 days. An acetylene reduction assay used for detecting nitrogen-fixation capacity of the infected tissue was negative at 10% [O2]; however, if [O2] was reduced to below 1%, some activity could be detected. Ultrastructural observations indicate that the cytoplasmic contents of the infected cells are destroyed and no membrane structure around the bacteria is formed during this infection. Rhizobium does not appear to have developed any symbiotic relationship with the host. Failure to develop symbiosis appears to result in a parasitic or saprophytic association and the nitrogen fixed under such conditions may not be of any use to the plant.