Skip to main content
Log in

Changes in bacterial populations along roots of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings

  • Published:
Biology and Fertility of Soils Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

In this study the bacterial populations on root tips (1–2 days old) of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were compared with the populations on root segments about 1 week older (root base). The isolates were characterized with a set of physiological tests and the test results were used to group the bacteria by means of cluster analysis. Some clusters contained bacteria that occurred mainly on the root tips and were characterized by the ability to produce acid from different sugars and by the presence of the enzymes nitrate reductase, lipase, and oxidase; they were sensitive to high salt concentrations in the media. Another cluster included significantly more isolates from the root-base segments; these bacteria were characterized by a negative reaction to most of the physiological tests; the colonies formed by these bacteria had yellow pigmentation. Possiblemechanisms for the changes in the bacterial populations are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bowen GD, Rovira AD (1973) Are modelling approaches useful in rhizosphere biology? Bull Ecol Res Commun (Stockholm) 17: 443–450

    Google Scholar 

  • Deacon JW, Lewis SJ (1982) Natural senescence of the root cortex of spring wheat in relation to susceptibility to common root rot (Cochliobolus sativus) and growth of a free-living nitrogen fixing bacterium. Plant and Soil 66: 13–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Debette J, Blondeau R (1980) Presence de Pseudomonas maltophilia dans la rhizosphere de quelques plantes cultivées. Can J Microbiol 26: 460–463

    Google Scholar 

  • Gehlen M, Trampisch HJ, Dott W (1985) Physiological characterization of heterotrophic bacterial communities from selected aquatic environments. Microb Ecol 11: 205–219

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerhardt P (1981) (ed. in chief) Manual of methods for general bacteriology. American Society for Microbiology, Washington DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Gould WD, Hagedorn MK, Bardinelli TR, Zablotowicz RM (1985) New selective media for enumeration and recovery of fluorescent pseodomonads from various habitats. Appl Environ Microbiol 49: 28–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Gower JC (1974) Maximal predictive classification. Biometrics 30: 634–654

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrigan WF, McCance ME (1966) Laboratory methods in microbiology. Academic Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill MO (1979) Iwinspan: A Fortran program for arranging multivariate data in an ordered two-way table by classification of the individuals and attributes. Section of Ecology and Systematics, Cornell Un9versity, Ithaca, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Katznelson H, Bose B (1959) Metabolic activity and phosphate-dissolving capability of bacterial isolates from wheat roots, rhizosphere, and non-rhizosphere soil. Can J Microbiol 5: 79–85

    Google Scholar 

  • King EO, Ward MK, Raney DE (1954) Two simple methods for the determination of pyocyanin and fluorescin. J Lab Clin Med 44: 301–304

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleeberger A, Castoph H, Klingmuller W (1983) The rhizosphere microflora of wheat and barley with special reference to gram-negative bacteria. Arch Microbiol 136: 306–311

    Google Scholar 

  • Lambert B, Leyns F, Van Rooyen L, Gossele F, Papon Y, Swings J (1987) Rhizobacteria of maize and their antifungal activities. Appl Environ Microbiol 59: 1866–1871

    Google Scholar 

  • McCullagh P, Nelder JA (1983) Generalized linear models. Chapman and Hall, London

    Google Scholar 

  • McDougall BM, Rovira AD (1970) Sites of exudation of 14C-labelled compounds from wheat roots. New Phytol 69: 999–1003

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller HJ, Henken G, Van Veen JA (1989) Variation and composition of bacterial populations in the rhizospheres of maize, wheat and grass cultivars. Can J Microbiol 35: 656–660

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller HJ, Liljeroth E, Henken G, van Veen JA (1990) Fluctuations in the fluorescent pseudomonad and actinomycete populations of rhizosphere and rhizoplane during the growth of spring wheat. Can J Microbiol 36: 254–258

    Google Scholar 

  • Neal JL, Larson RI, Atkinson TG (1973) Changes in rhizosphere populations of selected physiological groups of bacteria related to substitution of specific pairs of chromosomes in spring wheat. Plant and Soil 39: 209–212

    Google Scholar 

  • Newman EI, Watson A (1977) Microbial abundance in the rhizosphere: A computer model. Plant and Soil 48: 17–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Olsson S (1987) Effects of root exudation on growth of bacteria and fungal pathogens in the rhizosphere. PhD dissertation, Lund University, Sweden

  • Olsson S, Bååth E, Söderström B (1987) Growth of Verticillium dahlie Kleb. and of bacteria along the roots of rape (Brassica napus L.) seedlings. Can J Microbiol 33: 916–919

    Google Scholar 

  • Rovira AD (1973) Zones of exudation along plant roots and spatial distribution of microorganisms in the rhizosphere. Pestic Sci 4: 361–366

    Google Scholar 

  • Rovira AD, Newman EI, Bowen HJ, Campbell R (1974) Quantitative assessment of the rhizosphere microflora by direct microscopy. Soil Biol Biochem 6: 211–216

    Google Scholar 

  • Scher FM, Ziegle JS, Kloepper JW (1984) A method for assessing the root-colonizing capacity of bacteria on maize. Can J Microbiol 30: 151–157

    Google Scholar 

  • Sierra G (1957) A simple method for the detection of lipolytic activity of microorganisms and some observations on the influence of the contact between cells and fatty substrates. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek J Microbiol Serol 23: 15–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Tarand JJ, Krieg NR, Döbereiner J (1978) A taxonomic study of the Siprillum lipoferum group with description of a new genus, Azospirillum gen. nov. and two species, Azospirillum lipoferum comb. nov. and Azospirillum brasiliense sp. nov. Can J Microbiol 24: 967–980

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner SM, Newman EI, Campbell R (1985) Microbial population of ryegrass root surfaces: Influence of nitrogen and phosphorus supply. Soil Biol Biochem 17: 711–715

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Elsas JD, Dijkstra AF, Goevert JM, Van Veen JA (1986) Survival of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis introduced into two soils of different texture in field microplots. FEMS Microb Ecol 38: 151–160

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Vuurde JWL, Schippers B (1980) Bacterial colonization of seminal wheat roots. Soil Biol Biochem 12: 559–565

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Liljeroth, E., Burgers, S.L.G.E. & Van Veen, J.A. Changes in bacterial populations along roots of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings. Biol Fert Soils 10, 276–280 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00337378

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00337378

Key words

Navigation