there was a connection between the formation of nodules, nutritional activity of the
plant, and development of the plants fruits.
Schindler noted that when the above ground parts of bean plants were covered to
the point of completely darkening the foilage, which would cause assimilatory work
of the green leaves to cease, then formation of root nodules by those covered plants
was remarkably limited as compared against the nodulation activity of similar plant
specimens that had remained exposed to sunlight. Although, if the foliage of the
darkened plants was again uncovered, then eventually those plants which had
experienced darkness would catch up with their unshaded plants in terms of number
and size of root nodules. Schindler believed that his observations from the shading
experiments indicated growth of the nodules to have been tied to an influx of
building material from the sunlight-assimilating leaves.
Schindler believed that the emergence of root nodules was not a pathological
appearance, and that it was important to share this conclusion with scientists who
believed that the nodules are caused by a parasitic infection with the nodule-bearing
plants then presumed ill because of the nodules.
Schindler mentioned that a great difficulty in assessing their own results was the
need to understand their observed symbiosis to be of a different nature than Frank’s
“Mycorhiza”. We since have come to learn that there are endomycorrhiza which
serve a similar purpose as do the symbiotic bacteria associated with the root nodules
of legumes.
Schindler stated, as per my translation, that “I have not yet spoken about one
point, namely about the bacterial-like organisms which, since Woronin’s [Voronin]
discovery, have become so regular [regularly noted] and general [generally found] in
the nodules that they must be regarded as an integral component of the latter.” By
reading further in this essay, you will learn that Jørgen Brunchorst had a very
opposite and empahtically negative opinion regarding the idea of bacterial organisms
being beneficially associated with legume root nodules.
14.10 “Ueber die Knöllchen an den Leguminosenwurzeln”
by Jørgen Brunchorst, 1885
Jørgen Brunchorst (1885) presented his observations regarding the root nodules of
leguminous plants. He began the text of that article by giving a summary of previous
studies regarding root nodules, mentioning that while many researchers had considered the contents of root nodules to represent a type of bile, some other people had
believed the nodules to represent a fungal association. Brunchorst thought that the
nodules might be organs for storing and organizing proteins.
By his assessment, Brunchorst noted that the root nodules contained structures
which he said looked as though ‘bacterial like bodies’, and we credit Brunchorst with
giving us the name ‘bacteroid’ as a descriptive term for those structures. Brunchorst
believed, however, that the contents of the bacteroids was not bacteria. He had
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C. J. Hurst
plant, and development of the plants fruits.
Schindler noted that when the above ground parts of bean plants were covered to
the point of completely darkening the foilage, which would cause assimilatory work
of the green leaves to cease, then formation of root nodules by those covered plants
was remarkably limited as compared against the nodulation activity of similar plant
specimens that had remained exposed to sunlight. Although, if the foliage of the
darkened plants was again uncovered, then eventually those plants which had
experienced darkness would catch up with their unshaded plants in terms of number
and size of root nodules. Schindler believed that his observations from the shading
experiments indicated growth of the nodules to have been tied to an influx of
building material from the sunlight-assimilating leaves.
Schindler believed that the emergence of root nodules was not a pathological
appearance, and that it was important to share this conclusion with scientists who
believed that the nodules are caused by a parasitic infection with the nodule-bearing
plants then presumed ill because of the nodules.
Schindler mentioned that a great difficulty in assessing their own results was the
need to understand their observed symbiosis to be of a different nature than Frank’s
“Mycorhiza”. We since have come to learn that there are endomycorrhiza which
serve a similar purpose as do the symbiotic bacteria associated with the root nodules
of legumes.
Schindler stated, as per my translation, that “I have not yet spoken about one
point, namely about the bacterial-like organisms which, since Woronin’s [Voronin]
discovery, have become so regular [regularly noted] and general [generally found] in
the nodules that they must be regarded as an integral component of the latter.” By
reading further in this essay, you will learn that Jørgen Brunchorst had a very
opposite and empahtically negative opinion regarding the idea of bacterial organisms
being beneficially associated with legume root nodules.
14.10 “Ueber die Knöllchen an den Leguminosenwurzeln”
by Jørgen Brunchorst, 1885
Jørgen Brunchorst (1885) presented his observations regarding the root nodules of
leguminous plants. He began the text of that article by giving a summary of previous
studies regarding root nodules, mentioning that while many researchers had considered the contents of root nodules to represent a type of bile, some other people had
believed the nodules to represent a fungal association. Brunchorst thought that the
nodules might be organs for storing and organizing proteins.
By his assessment, Brunchorst noted that the root nodules contained structures
which he said looked as though ‘bacterial like bodies’, and we credit Brunchorst with
giving us the name ‘bacteroid’ as a descriptive term for those structures. Brunchorst
believed, however, that the contents of the bacteroids was not bacteria. He had
222
C. J. Hurst