QUALITATIVE STUDIES OF SOIL MICRO-ORGANISMS: IV. THE RHIZOSPHERE IN RELATION TO THE NUTRITIVE REQUIREMENTS OF SOIL BACTERIA

Abstract

Bacteria of the rhizospheres of flax and tobacco were found to possess more complex nutritive requirements than those in the corresponding control soils. The roots of even young seedlings favour the development of those types that are dependent upon a supply of thiamin, biotin, and amino nitrogen for their growth, thus suggesting that the roots may excrete significant amounts of these stimulative substances. The "rhizosphere effect" was more pronounced with susceptible than with resistant varieties of either flax or tobacco. A greater difference was found to exist between the rhizosphere and the control soil where the latter is poor than where it is richly supplied with organic matter, since liberation of growth substances by plant decomposition permits a limited development of the more typically rhizosphere forms, apart from the zone of influence of the growing plant.