Systemic Non - PDF

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Description: This invention relates to nitrogen fixation and in particular, but not exclusively, to nitrogenfixation in non-leguminous and leguminous plants, to a method of establishing nitrogen fixation in non-leguminous and leguminous plants and to a plant, without nodules, obtained by way of such a method. Although nitrogen gas (N.sub.2) makes up 78% of the atmosphere, it is unavailable for use by plants and most other organisms because there is a triple bond between the two nitrogen atoms, making the molecule almost inert. In order for nitrogengas to be used for growth it must first be fixed (i.e., reduced by hydrogen to ammonia) and be available in the combined form of ammonium (NH.sub.4.sup.+) or nitrate (NO.sub.3.sup.-); certain types of bacteria can carry out this biological nitrogenfixation by reducing gaseous nitrogen to ammonia (NH.sub.3) enzymatically utilizing the enzyme nitrogenase. The availability of fixed nitrogen is often the limiting factor for plant growth and biomass production in environments where there is a suitableclimate and availability of water to support life. Chemically most ammonia is produced industrially by the Haber-Bosch process by catalytically combining atmospheric nitrogen with hydrogen to form ammonia, using an iron-based catalyst at high temperature and very high pressure. A relativelyvery small amount of ammonia is produced as a result of lightning discharges in the atmosphere. The demand for increased crop yields in the 20th Century and into this Century has required biological nitrogen fixation by bacteria to be supplemented increasingly by the use of fixed nitrogen from chemical fertilisers. Biological nitrogen fixation can be represented by the following equation, in which two molecules of ammonia are produced from one molecule of nitrogen gas, at the expense of 16 molecules of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and a supply of electronsand protons (hydrogen ions):-- N.sub.2+8H.sup.++8e.sup.-+16ATP2NH.sub.3+H.sub.2+16ADP+16Pi This react