What Are the Small Lumps I See on Some Plant Roots?

Abstract

Microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, can live together with plants in a tight relationship where they help each other to provide nutrients. Some groups of bacteria can turn nitrogen, an essential element, from a gas in the atmosphere into a form that plants can use. In return, plants provide carbon to the bacteria. This special relationship is called symbiosis. Researchers try to understand why some plants interact with these helpful bacteria and others do not. They do this by looking at how the symbiotic relationship was formed and how it evolved over a long period of time of several million years. If we can use symbiotic microorganisms to provide plants with nutrients instead of using fertilizers, we could reduce the negative effects caused by greenhouse gasses associated with their production.

Published in

Frontiers for Young Minds
2022, volume: 9, article number: 660425
Publisher: Frontiers Media {SA}

SLU Authors

• Berckx, Fede

  • Stockholm University

UKÄ Subject classification

Botany
Ecology

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/frym.2021.660425

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/129083