title: The major Nod factor of Bradyrhizobium japonicum promotes early growth of soybean and corn.
abstract: Greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of Nod factor Nod Bj-V (C18:1, MeFuc) of Badyrhizobium japonicum on the growth of soybean and corn. Three-day-old seedlings of soybean and corn were grown in hydroponic solutions containing four concentrations (0, 10(-7), 10(-9) or 10(-11) M) of Nod factor. After 7 d of treatment, Nod factor enhanced soybean and corn biomass. Nod factor elicited profound effects on root growth resulting in 34-44% longer roots in soybean. More detailed analyses of the roots, using a scanner based image analysis system, revealed that Nod factor increased the total length, projected area and surface area of the roots and decreased the diameter of soybean roots, while it increased the total length of corn roots. Stem injection of soybean plants with 10(-7) M Nod factor resulted in increased dry matter accumulation. These results suggest that Nod factor, besides mediating early stages of nodulation, has more general plant growth-promoting effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Science, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore Road, Ste Anne de Bellevue, QC, Canada H9X 3V9.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Souleimanov
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Prithiviraj
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D020369:Bradyrhizobium / Q000254:growth & development; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018527:Hydroponics; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D013025:Glycine max / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology; D013559:Symbiosis; D003313:Zea mays / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C091899:Nod factor V, Bradyrhizobium japonicum