UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., May 4 -- Pennsylvania State University issued the following news release:
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Legumes like soybeans, alfalfa, peas, beans, peanuts and many more have a remarkable ability: They can partner with soil bacteria called rhizobia to capture nitrogen from the air in a biological process called nitrogen fixation. It is a mutualistic relationship - both the plant and bacteria benefit - that provides nitrogen in an accessible form that is essential for plant growth and sustainable agriculture.
Not just any rhizobia will do, however, as specific rhizobia match with specific plants for the best crop outcome, according to a team led by Penn State researchers, who wanted to learn how specific plant genes determi...