Effect of Micro-Organisms on the Development of Roots and Root Hairs of Subterranean Clover (T. subterraneum)

Abstract

ALTHOUGH considerable information is available on the rhizosphere microflora and the influence of plants on this population, relatively little is known, of the effects of these micro-organisms on the host plant apart from organisms such as Rhizobium spp., plant pathogens and mycorrhizas. It has been shown that root growth can be affected by the filtrates of cultures of rhizosphere organisms¹ and some antibiotic substances (polymyxin², streptomycin and griseofulvin³); however, in all these cases the products of microbial growth rather than the micro-organisms themselves have been added to the roots.