Numbers of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria in the root zone of grassland plants

The results of Most Probable Number determinations applying low and high concentrations of nitrite reveal the presence of at least two different communities of potential nitrite-oxidizing bacteria in a number of soil types. The effect of plant roots on these two communities was studied in pot experiments with soil from natural grassland in the presence or absence of either Festuca rubra or Plantago lanceolata. Both plant species are dominant on the grassland soil used in this study. Plant roots had a stimulating effect on the numbers of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria determined with 0.05 mM nitrite in the enumeration medium as well as on the potential nitrite-oxidizing activity. On the other hand, plants roots, especially in younger plants, repressed the numbers of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria enumerated with 5.0 mM nitrite in the counting medium. Pure culture studies with organotrophically grown Nitrobacter species clearly showed that this type of potential nitrite-oxidizing bacteria could not have been responsible for the relatively high Most Probable Numbers observed in the root zones when applying 0.05 mM nitrite in the enumeration medium.