Surprising research reveals that soil bacteria play a key role in making flowers more attractive to pollinators, boosting plant reproduction. Discover how this symbiotic relationship benefits both plants and the ecosystem.
Bacteria’s Floral Makeover
Picture a world where the color of flowers is changed by soil bacteria, to attract pollinators.
And a legume called Chamaecrista latistipula is indeed one plant that seems to be doing exactly this, as reported in the American Journal of Botany. By promoting nitrogen-fixing bacteria near plant roots, these researchers found that the insects pollinating a plant’s flowers became more attracted to it.
It partially relies on a type of give-and-take relationship called mutualism, which is where the plant and the microorganisms both benefit from working together. The bacteria in turn supply the plant with vital nutrients, while extracting the sugary fuel they require to flourish.
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The investigation by the Center for Natural and Human Science of Brazil’s Federal University of the ABC sought to elucidate these intriguing processes.
The researchers planted out 60 C. latistipula plants in two different soils, a nutrient-poor sandy soil and an organic-rich high-nutrient soil. Half of the plants in each group were also infected with a type of nitrogen-fixing bacteria known as rhizobia.
The results were striking. For example, the plants that were planted in poor, sandy soil only benefited from added rhizobia to fix their nitrogen and grew nearly twice as tall and three times larger than those planted in good soil that had no bacteria. Further, this attractive floral anther arrangement Narcissus seemed to be preferred by bumblebees that resulted from these introduced bacteria.
The pollen in the anthers is trapped until it is vibrated out — a peculiar task that only bumblebees are capable of. The researchers propose that the increased floral attractiveness may be due to plants producing higher levels of proteins and amino acids, motivated by efficient nitrogen fixation by the bacteria.
Conclusion
The study exposes a dynamic web of interactions that depends on pollinators, bacteria, and plants. These unsung microbial heroes therefore help to maintain the fragile balance of an ecosystem while securing the reproduction of valuable plant species by improving flower attractiveness. As we continue to unweave the web of relations, it seems likely that there will be more ways in which these modest bacteria beneath our feet are mycorrhizal and far-reaching even more across.
