LECTINS AND THEIR ROLE IN FORMATION AND FUNCTIONING OF LEGUME-RHIZOBIAL SYMBIOSIS

The paper covers the role of lectins of legumes in the establishing of nitrogen fixing symbiosis with nodule bacteria. The positive influence of these proteins in initiation of rhizobia binding to the roots of legume plants was proved. It was established that level of hemagglutination activity of lectins of soybean and lupine nodules directly relate on the activity of nitrogen fixation. Treatment of soybean seeds with the rhizobial suspension combined with homologous lectin promoted nitrogen fixation in nodules and has considerably increased crop yield thus indicating perceptiveness of use of legumes lectins in compositions of bacterial fertilizers for legume plants.