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Microbial Factor in Short-term Phosphate Uptake Studies with Plant Roots

Abstract

IN most investigations of the mechanisms of nutrient uptake by plant roots no attempt has been made to grow plants under sterile conditions. A prolific microflora develops on the root surface even in very young plants unless stringent precautions are taken to grow them aseptically1. It could be envisaged that such a population may affect the results of nutrient uptake experiments either by influencing plant metabolism or by adding its own uptake to that of the root. Krasil'nikov8 has shown that rhizosphere organisms can affect the amino-acid composition of barley.

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BOWEN, G., ROVIRA, A. Microbial Factor in Short-term Phosphate Uptake Studies with Plant Roots. Nature 211, 665–666 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1038/211665a0

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