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Frankia in acid soils of forests devoid of actinorhizal plants
Author(s) -
Smolander Aino,
Sundman Veronica
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
physiologia plantarum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.351
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1399-3054
pISSN - 0031-9317
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3054.1987.tb06147.x
Subject(s) - frankia , actinorhizal plant , biology , botany , alnus glutinosa , soil water , betulaceae , symbiosis , root nodule , alder , ecology , genetics , bacteria
The capacity of some acid forest soils to induce nodulation on a hybrid between Alnus incana (L.) Moench and A. glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. was investigated. Soil was sampled from tree stands devoid for decades of actinorhizal hosts. Seven‐week‐old Alnus seedlings growing m liquid culture were inoculated with soil dilutions. The nodules were counted after 6 weeks and classified as Sp − , if they lacked spores, or as Sp + . if spores were present, according to microscopy of microtome sections. Frankia was found in all the forest soils studied, apart from a soil from a Betula swamp. The highest nodulation capacities on Alnus , caused predominantly by Frankia of the Sp − type. were observed in mineral soil sites with Betula stands — even higher than in soil from an A. incana stand. A positive correlation was found between the pH and the noduiation capacity of the soil.