Abstract
Biological N2 fixation requires large amounts of energy based on either in vitro biochemical studies of nitrogenase or in vivo studies of root nodulated legume plants. For example, calorimetric experiments with effectively root nodulated soybeans suggest that the aerobic metabolism of the equivalent of about 12 g of carbohydrate to CO2 and H2O is required to fix 1 g of N2 by the rhizobial-legume process (11). This carbohydrate is provided through foliar photosynthesis by the legume macrosymbiont and is used by the rhizobial microsymbiont. A photosynthetic rhizobium that could meet directly its energy needs for biological N2 fixation could be advantageous since the legume plant might use the saved fixed carbon to produce additional harvestable plant product.
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Eaglesham, A.R.J., Ellis, J.M., Evans, W.R., Fleischman, D.E., Hungria, M., Hardy, R.W.F. (1990). The first photosynthetic N2-fixing Rhizobium: Characteristics. In: Gresshoff, P.M., Roth, L.E., Stacey, G., Newton, W.E. (eds) Nitrogen Fixation. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-6432-0_69
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