Nitric Oxide as a signal molecule in intra- and extra-cellular bacteria-plant interactions

ANDRES ARRUEBARRENA DI PALMA; LORENZO LAMATTINA; CECILIA M CREUS

Ecological aspects of plant nitrogen metabolism

Wiley-Blackwell

Año: 2011; p. 397 - 420

Soil complexity and dynamic changes in the rhizosphere determine the way plants will grow and develop. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) colonize plant roots and exert beneficial effects on plant health and development. The transformations produced by PGPR on N-soil will strongly influence root growth. Nitric oxide is a signaling molecule that regulates many cellular responses. Its action as an intermediary in auxin-regulated signaling cascades influencing root growth and developmental processes is an important function in plant biology. Azospirillum one of the most studied PGPR is capable of producing nitric oxide and modifying root architecture enhancing plant growth and development. The focus of this chapter is to review some rhizobacterial processes mediated by nitric oxide that influence plant growth and development.