Influence of acid soil on nodule numbers in relation to polyamine and tannin concentrations in roots of Phaseolus vulgaris

The relationship between soil acidity and polyamine (putrescine, spermidine, spermine) concentrations in roots was evaluated and compared to (1) nodule numbers in common beans and (2) tannin concentrations in roots. Six Phaseolus vulgaris cultivars were grown in pots in a greenhouse in soil at pH 4.5 or 5.5 and inoculated with Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseoli strains. At pH 4.5 nodule numbers were strongly reduced but polyamine concentrations were 50% higher than at pH 5.5. At both pH levels putrescine and spermidine were the dominant polyamines, while the concentration of spermine was less than half of the other two. There was also a cultivar effect on the polyamine concentration, but this was much less pronounced than the pH effect. By 22 days after planting the uninoculated control plants had about 13% lower levels of polyamines than the inoculated plants. The concentrations of putrescine, spermidine, and spermine were negatively correlated with nodule numbers, but positively correlated with the root tannin content. There were no significant correlations with either root or plant dry weight.