Competition between plant and bacterial cells at the microscale regulates the dynamics of nitrogen acquisition in wheat (Triticum aestivum).

ABSTRACT: The ability of plants to compete effectively for nitrogen (N) resources is critical to plant survival. However, controversy surrounds the importance of organic and inorganic sources of N in plant nutrition because of our poor ability to visualize and understand processes happening at the root-microbial-soil interface. Using high-resolution nano-scale secondary ion mass spectrometry stable isotope imaging (NanoSIMS-SII), we quantified the fate of ¹⁵N over both space and time within the rhizosphere. We pulse-labelled the soil surrounding wheat (Triticum aestivum) roots with either ¹⁵NH₄⁺ or ¹⁵N-glutamate and traced the movement of ¹⁵N over 24 h. Imaging revealed that glutamate was rapidly depleted from the rhizosphere and that most ¹⁵N was captured by rhizobacteria, leading to very high ¹⁵N

SUBMITTER: Jones DL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3916831 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature