PAPER-401

Agroecology
and
Agroforestry
Topic from Unit-II
Role of microbes
in agriculture-
Beneficial root-
microbial
interaction
 Contents

Role of microbes in agriculture.

Beneficial root-microbial interaction.
 Role of microbes in agriculture

Agriculture: The practice of planting crops on
a large scale is called agriculture.

Microorganisms play an important role in
agriculture:
Increases soil fertility: Microorganisms
helps in increasing soil fertility. Some
microorganisms such as bacteria are very good
decomposers. They decompose dead organic
matter. This substance when mixed with the soil
will make it fertile.
 Role of microbes in agriculture
Fix atmospheric nitrogen: Some
microorganisms like Rhizobium form symbiotic
associations with plants and form root nodules.
These organisms fix atmospheric nitrogen and
supply it to plants.
Improves soil quality and fertility:
Biological fertilizers obtained from
microorganisms are very good for improving
soil quality and fertility. They are also
environmentally friendly and do not cause any
toxic or dangerous effects.
 Role of microbes in agriculture
Nutrient Cycling: Microorganisms play an
important role in the nutrient cycle.
Growth and development: Some bacteria
(Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria) secrete
phytochemicals and organic acids that are
helpful in the growth and development of plants.
Maintaining pH: Microorganisms help
maintain soil pH but balance nutrients and
minerals.
Soil agglomeration: Microorganisms such
as filamentous fungi play an important role in
soil agglomeration.
 Role of microbes in agriculture
Biofertilizers: Rhizobium, Azotobacter,
Azospirillum, and Mycorrhiza act as
biofertilizers. agriculture beneficial micro-
organisms are called bio-fertilizers.
Bio-fertilizers can be defined as “a substance
which contains living micro-organisms which
colonizes the rhizosphere or the interior of the
plant and promotes growth by increasing the
supply or availability of primary nutrient and/or
growth stimulus to the target crop, when applied
to seed, plant surfaces, or soil.
Role of microbes in agriculture
Beneficial root-microbial interaction
Many microbes (bacteria, fungi) have important
symbioses with plants
Rhizosphere = thin layer of soil immediately
attached to root hairs of plants. Typically
contains 109 microbes/g of soil.
Many rhizosphere organisms are
ectosymbionts, living outside the roots.
Others are endosymbionts, living inside or
penetrating into plant roots.
Many of these bacteria contribute Nitrogen
fixation, obtain plant nutrients in return.
Beneficial root-microbial interaction
Rhizobia: is a symbiotic nitrogen fixing
bacteria belong to family Rhizobiaceae
(Rhizobia) and includes different genera like
Rhizobium, Bradyrhizobium, Sinorhizobium,
Azorhizobium, Mesorhizobium, and
Allorhizobium.
Figure below shows the root nodules of
rhizobia on vigna unguiculata. The bacteria
infect the legume root and form root nodules
within which they reduce molecular nitrogen to
ammonia which is really utilized by the plant to
produce valuable proteins, vitamins and other
nitrogen containing compounds.
Rhizobium root nodules on vigna unguiculata
Beneficial root-microbial interaction
Beneficial root-microbial interaction

Rhizobia: the above figure shows:
Soybean roots contain (a) nitrogen-fixing
nodules. Cells within the nodules are infected
with Bradyrhyzobium japonicum, a rhizobia or
“root-loving” bacterium.
The bacteria are encased in (b) vesicles inside
the cell, as can be seen in this transmission
electron micrograph.
Beneficial root-microbial interaction

PLANT GROWTH PROMOTING
RHIZOBACTERIA (PGPR):
Rhizobacteria are usually referred to as Plant
Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria.
Rhizobacteria are root-colonizing bacteria that
form symbiotic relationships with many plants.
The PGPRs enhance the plant by fixing
nitrogen by nitrogen fixation.
Some of the PGPRs are Rhizobacteria,
Pseudomonas, Azotobacter, Azospirillum etc.
Beneficial root-microbial interaction
Diatomic nitrogen is abundant in the
atmosphere and soil, but plants are unable to
use it because they do not have the necessary
enzyme, nitrogenase, to convert it into a form
that they can use to make proteins.
Soil bacteria, or rhizobia, are able to perform
biological nitrogen fixation in which atmospheric
nitrogen gas (N2) is converted into the ammonia
(NH3) that plants are able to use to synthesize
proteins.
Beneficial root-microbial interaction
Both the plants and the bacteria benefit from
the process of nitrogen fixation; the plant
obtains the nitrogen it needs to synthesize
proteins, while the bacteria obtain carbon from
the plant and a secure environment to inhabit
within the plant roots.
Beneficial root-microbial interaction

Frankia : Frankia is the genus of nitrogen
fixing mycelial bacterium (actinomycetes) that is
symbiotically associated with non-leguminious
actinorhizal plants. Frankia is responsible for
the formation of root nodules.
The bacteria can supply most or all of the
nitrogen requirements of the host plant. As a
result, actinorhizal plants colonise and often
thrive in soils that are low in plant nutrients.
Beneficial root-microbial interaction

Azotobacter: This is free living nitrogen
fixing aerobic bacteria used as biofertilizer for
non-leguminous plants. It occurs in the roots of
Paspalum notatum (tropical grasses).
It also promotes the growth substances like
vitamins, IAA (indole-3-acetic acid) and
gibberlic acids.
It increases the crop yield by 10-15 % and also
help in maintaining the soil fertility.
Beneficial root-microbial interaction

Cyanobacteria:
Besides paddy fields, cyanobacteria are also
found inside vegetative part of Cycas.
Cycas has coralloid roots which are irregular,
negatively geotropic, dichotomously branched
coral like roots. They do not possess root hairs
and root caps.
 Cyanobacteria like Nostoc and Anabaena are
present in coralloid roots. They have a
symbiotic relationship with these roots.
Beneficial root-microbial interaction

Azospirillum: species promote plant growth
through production of
growth phytohormones (auxins, cytokinins, gibb
erellins).

Due to these phytohormones root hairs expand
to occupy larger area and better acquire water
and nutrients.

Affected roots frequently grow more branches
and fine root hairs, which may help the plants
acquire water and nutrients more efficiently.
Beneficial root-microbial interaction

MYCORRHIZAE:
 A mycorrhiza is a symbiotic association between a
fungus and the roots of a vascular host plant.
 Their major role is to enhance nutrient and water
uptake by the host plant by exploiting a larger
volume of soil than roots alone can do.
 The plant captures the energy coming from the sun
by means of chlorophyll and supplies it to the
fungus in the form of carbohydrates, and fungus
feeds water and mineral nutrient taken from the
soil to the plant.
 This union takes place in the roots of the plant.
Beneficial root-microbial interaction
Most plant species are capable of entering in
this society, though some families like
Brassicaceae and Chenopodiaceae are not.
Mycorrhizae come in a number of forms,
dependent upon both host plant and fungal
taxonomy.
Mycorrihza are commonly divided into:
Ectomycorrhizas and Endomycorrhizas.
The two types are differentiated on the basis of
penetration of hyphae in root cells.
Beneficial root-microbial interaction
Ectomycorrhizae : The hyphae of
ectomycorrhizal fungi do not penetrate
individual cells within the root.
These consist of a hyphal sheath, or mantle,
covering the root tip and a harting net of hyphae
surrounding the plant cells within the root
cortex.
E.g. ectomycorrhizal (Laccaria sp., Pisolithus
sp., Boletus sp., etc.) and orchid mycorrhiza
(Rhizoctonia solani).
Beneficial root-microbial interaction
Endomycorrhizae/Arbuscular Mycorrhizae :
The hyphae of endomycorrhizal fungi penetrate
the cell wall and invaginate the cell membrane.
These are characterized by the formation of
unique structures such as arbuscles and
vesicles by the fungi.
E.g. Phosphorus mobilizing arbuscular
mycorrhiza (like Glomus sp., Gigaspora Sp.,
Acaulospora sp., etc.)
Beneficial root-microbial interaction

Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (VAM)
Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza (VAM) is
formed by the symbiotic association between
certain phycomycetous fungi and angiosperm
roots.
The fungus colonizes the root cortex forming a
mycelial network and characteristic vesicles
(bladder-like structures) and arbuscules
(branched finger-like hyphae).
Beneficial root-microbial interaction
The mycelia are aseptate or septate ramifying
intercellularly thus causing little damage to
tissues. The arbuscules are the most
characteristic structures, formed intracellularly
and probably having an absorptive function.
The vesicles are terminal swellings of hyphae
formed inter and intracellularly having a storage
function.
Beneficial root-microbial interaction
This fungus captures important nutrients from
the soil such as sulfur, nitrogen, phosphorus,
and other micronutrients for the host plants.
The host plants, on the other hand, provide
nutrition by performing photosynthesis.
Role of microbes in agriculture
Beneficial root-microbial interaction
 Above figure shows Schematic representation of brief
function of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF):
 At the left portion (A),the zone around the plant root
without AM colonization represents the limited absorptive
surface area for nutrient and water for plant;
 In contrast, right side (B) the zone around the plant root
with extensive AM network (mycorrhizosphere) represents
the extended absorptive surface for nutrient and water for
plant;
 In the rightmost part of the figure representing the
comparative exploration pattern of plant root and the
fungal hyphae into the soil (C). Plant root with larger
diameter unable to access through fine pores into the soil
particles, AMF hyphae being finer able to explore through
finer soil pores (i) and absorb water from lower water
potential (ii).
 Role of microbes in agriculture

Orchid mycorrhiza are symbiotic
relationship between fungi and
Orchidasease family plant roots.