[Nitrogenase, hydrogenase and nitrate reductase activities, oxygen consumption, and ATP content in nodules formed by strains of Rhizobium leguminosarum 128C53 and 300 in symbiosis with pea plants].

The nitrogenase activity, nitrate reductase activity and oxygen uptake as well as the hydrogen incorporation and ATP content were examined in the root nodules and bacteroids, respectively, formed by Rhizobium leguminosarum strains 128C53 (hydrogenase positive) and 300 (hydrogenase negative) in symbiosis with Pisum sativum plants grown in the presence of 2 mM KNO3. The strain 128C53 showed the greatest values for all parameters analyzed, except for the nitrate reductase activity, which was higher for the strain 300. Similarly, nodule nitrate reductase activity in strain 300 was greater than that in strain 128C53 when plants grew in the absence of combined nitrogen. In general, the highest values were obtained when determinations were made after 7 hours of plant illumination. However, the hydrogenase activity of strain 128C53 and the nitrate reductase activities of both strains increased with the light period, reaching a maximum after 14 hours of illumination. These results suggest that the benefits derived from the superior symbiotic properties and from the presence of hydrogenase activity in strain 128C53 could be counteracted by the higher rates of the nodule nitrate reductase activity in strain 300.