root and the fungal mycelium formed a morphologically independent organ, with
their being an interdependence of the growth of both parts which revealed a close
relationship of physiological functions existing between the plant and fungus. By my
translation, I would quote Frank as stating “The whole body is therefore neither tree
root nor fungus alone, but similar to the lichen thallus, a union of two different
beings into a single morphological organ, which can perhaps be aptly referred to as a
mushroom root, a ‘mycorhiza’”.
Frank’s opinion was that, in so far as the mycelium are concerned, the fungus
must undoubtedly be regarded as a parasite to the living root because of the manner
in which the fungus attaches and penetrates into the growing root. He believed that
the underlying nutritional needs of the fungus, as it applied to all parasitic fungi,
mainly would relate to assimilating carbon-containing nutrients which the tree prepares through its chlorophyll-containing organs. On the other hand, the fungus
would take its own mineral nutrients from the soil.
Frank mentioned that this type of relationship previously was only known from
the gonidia of lichens and some lower algae (cyanobacteria) enclosed in higher
plants. He did note that although there was a difference in character between the
symbiosis of lichens versus his discovered fungal-plant root interaction, the biological character of his observed mycorhiza was almost exactly parallel in biological
character to the lichens. That is to say, by my translation “ ... concerning both the
needs and services which this plant-fungal cooperative provides for the nourishment
of both parts, the root fungus is the lichens hyphae and the tree is analogous to the
lichens gonidia.”
14.9 “Ueber die biologische Bedeutung der
Wurzelknöllchen bei den Papilionaceen” by Franz
Schindler, 1885
Franz Friedrich Schindler (1885) identified that the root nodules of legumes are sites
where new formation of protein occurs. He also concluded that the produced protein
was formed within the nodules for the purpose of that protein later being consumed
in other parts of the plant. He believed that the more leafy a clover plant was in
general, the more and larger were the root nodules produced by that plant. Schindler
stated that while a potato tuber is a place of storage, the root nodules of legume plants
are with respect to proteins both a place of production and storage. We have since
come to learn that plant tubers actually do produce starch, and that plant tubers thus
are not just simply sites of carbohydrate storage.
Schindler modified the statements within his earlier publication (Schindler 1884)
by saying that root nodules were also occasionally observed when legume plants
grew in nitrogen-rich solutions.
Schindler indicated a belief that, together with his colleagues, they had proven the
root nodules are actually normal organs of leguminous plants. He also believed that
14 Discovering the Symbiotic Nature of Microbial Life: Summarizing Milestone. . .
221
their being an interdependence of the growth of both parts which revealed a close
relationship of physiological functions existing between the plant and fungus. By my
translation, I would quote Frank as stating “The whole body is therefore neither tree
root nor fungus alone, but similar to the lichen thallus, a union of two different
beings into a single morphological organ, which can perhaps be aptly referred to as a
mushroom root, a ‘mycorhiza’”.
Frank’s opinion was that, in so far as the mycelium are concerned, the fungus
must undoubtedly be regarded as a parasite to the living root because of the manner
in which the fungus attaches and penetrates into the growing root. He believed that
the underlying nutritional needs of the fungus, as it applied to all parasitic fungi,
mainly would relate to assimilating carbon-containing nutrients which the tree prepares through its chlorophyll-containing organs. On the other hand, the fungus
would take its own mineral nutrients from the soil.
Frank mentioned that this type of relationship previously was only known from
the gonidia of lichens and some lower algae (cyanobacteria) enclosed in higher
plants. He did note that although there was a difference in character between the
symbiosis of lichens versus his discovered fungal-plant root interaction, the biological character of his observed mycorhiza was almost exactly parallel in biological
character to the lichens. That is to say, by my translation “ ... concerning both the
needs and services which this plant-fungal cooperative provides for the nourishment
of both parts, the root fungus is the lichens hyphae and the tree is analogous to the
lichens gonidia.”
14.9 “Ueber die biologische Bedeutung der
Wurzelknöllchen bei den Papilionaceen” by Franz
Schindler, 1885
Franz Friedrich Schindler (1885) identified that the root nodules of legumes are sites
where new formation of protein occurs. He also concluded that the produced protein
was formed within the nodules for the purpose of that protein later being consumed
in other parts of the plant. He believed that the more leafy a clover plant was in
general, the more and larger were the root nodules produced by that plant. Schindler
stated that while a potato tuber is a place of storage, the root nodules of legume plants
are with respect to proteins both a place of production and storage. We have since
come to learn that plant tubers actually do produce starch, and that plant tubers thus
are not just simply sites of carbohydrate storage.
Schindler modified the statements within his earlier publication (Schindler 1884)
by saying that root nodules were also occasionally observed when legume plants
grew in nitrogen-rich solutions.
Schindler indicated a belief that, together with his colleagues, they had proven the
root nodules are actually normal organs of leguminous plants. He also believed that
14 Discovering the Symbiotic Nature of Microbial Life: Summarizing Milestone. . .
221