Anatomical analysis of the development and distribution of Rhizobium infections in soybean roots

Abstract

Roots of young soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) seedlings inoculated with Rhizobium japonicum Kirchner USDA 110 ARS were examined in serial sections by light microscopy to ascertain the extent of infection. The location of each infection site was established in relation to the zones of root and root hair development at the time of inoculation. Each infection locus was classified as to its relative state of differentiation using a developmental scale encompassing the first 10 days of nodule development. Both the initiation and maturation of Rhizobium infections were found to be governed by the acropetal development of host root hairs. Regions of the root where mature root hairs were present at the time of inoculation were not susceptible to Rhizobium infection. Infections developed most frequently in root hairs which emerged shortly after inoculation. Many infections formed on the root but relatively few developed into nodules. Most infection loci which formed infection threads stopped developing at stages prior to meristem formation. A high proportion of the infection loci were pseudoinfections, i.e., localized areas of cortical cell division without infection thread formation. The maturation of infections in younger regions of the root was suppressed by prior exposure of older regions of the root to rhizobia. Development was suppressed at stages after meristem formation but before nodule emergence.