Effects of micro‐organisms on the absorption of inorganic nutrients by plants

Micro-organisms concentrated in the rhizosphere can influence the absorption of inorganic nutrients by plants. The effects were investigated by comparing uptake of nutrients in plants grown in the presence and absence of micro-organisms in both water culture and soil. In water culture, at phosphate concentrations below about 1.0 part/million competition occurs between barley plants and a microflora of casual laboratory contaminants resulting in reduced absorption and translocation of phosphate. In the presence of micro-organisms nitrogen uptake from nitrate was increased and from ammonium ions decreased; uptake of metal from solutions of ferric, zinc and manganous salts and EDTA chelates was enhanced. The results for plants grown in specific soils confirmed that competition from micro-organisms can reduce uptake of phosphate and molybdenum by the plants. The direct effect of rhizosphere micro-organisms can be demonstrated only in special circumstances but such studies aid our understanding of plant nutrition.