Technologies in Environment-
Microbe Promotes Plant Growth
Introduction
Klebsiella pneumoniae, a microbe that
takes in nitrogen from the air and fixes to the plant,
has been discovered to promote plant growth. Chiba Institute
of Technology has discovered it and developed a new
technology that could help make deserts green and also
helps replace chemical fertilizers, which have been
blamed for pollution. In a series of experiments, a
research team led by Professor Tatsuaki Yamaguchi in
the department of industrial chemistry and Yasuyuki
Takiguchi, associate professor raised rice sprouts in
a test tube for two weeks.
When 100 ppm of a polysaccharide that helps the microbe
to multiply and Klebsiella pneumonia were applied to
the roots, it was discovered that rice fixed about six
times more nitrogen than a control sample. The amount
of chlorophyll was 10 to 15 times the usual figure and
the height was two to four times of the normal. The
researchers also found that combining Klebsiella Pneumoniae
with polysaccharide was more effective than using them
separately. The enzyme, which the microbe uses to fix
nitrogen, is sensitive to oxygen. But when combined
with Polysaccharide, the enzyme is protected against
oxygen, increasing its ability to fix nitrogen, according
to the researchers. Legumes, such as peas and beans,
have a symbiotic relationship with root nodule bacteria
that can fix nitrogen and grow without nitrogenous fertilizer.
However, other agricultural products including rice
lack a symbiotic relationship with such bacteria.
Contact for
more information Science & Technology Wing Embassy of India
2-2-11, Kudan Minami, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 102-0074, Japan
Tel: +81-3-3262-2391 to 97,
Fax: +81-3-3234-4866
E-mail: tandonus@hotmail.com
