INFLUENCE OF BACTERIA IN THE PHYLLOSPHERE OF CAMELINA SATIVA (L.) CRANTZ ON GERMINATION OF LINUM USITATISSIMUM L.

Abstract

SUMMARYIn a series of experiments, aqueous washings of the leaves of Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz consistently stimulated the growth in length of radicles of germinating seeds of Linurn usitatissimum L. The presence of free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the Came/z>?a phyllosphere was necessary for the production of the stimulation.

ALLELOPATHIC ACTIVITY OF CAMELINA SATIVA (L.) CRANTZ IN RELATION TO ITS PHYLLOSPHERE BACTERIA

“…Trenbath and Silander (1978) have commented on the role which insects may play as intermediary organisms in potentially allelopathic relationships. The essential role of bacteria as intermediaries in the relationship between Camelina sativa and Linum usitatissimum was confirmed in these experiments, carried out in a geographic location remote from that of the original work of Lovett and Sagar (1978). The bacterium differed from that isolated by those workers but was of a type common in the phyllosphere (Ruinen, 1974).…”

“…Washings of Camelina foliage were prepared in the manner described by Lovett and Sagar (1978), phyllosphere bacteria being removed when necessary by passing leaf washings through a 0-2 jLim. Millipore filter.…”

“…The rate at which Camelina leaf washings affect the early growth of Linum Lovett and Sagar (1978) noted that Camelina leaf washings underwent a rapid change in odour, suggesting that bacterial activity quickly commenced to change the chemical nature of washings. An experiment was conducted in which washings were pre-incubated for different intervals before commencing the experiment (time 0).…”

“…Experiments conducted by Lovett and Sagar (1978) in Wales and the experiments described herein utilized a common seed source of Camelina but Linum seed came from different sources. The stimulatory effect of Camelina leaf washings containing bacteria upon radicle length of Linum was, however, confirmed (Table 1).…”

“…Aqueous washings of leaves of Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz have been found to stimulate the early growth of radicles of Linum usitatissimum L. provided that the bacterium Enterobacter cloacae (Jordan) Hormaeche and Edwards is present in the washings (Lovett and Sagar, 1978). It has been argued that chemical relationships between these three species can be termed allelopathic but several aspects of their relationships require further investigation.…”