diazotrophs
dy-AZ-uh-trohfs
Definition
A type of microorganism, such as certain bacteria, that is capable of transforming atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, which can then be used by plants.
Etymology
The word is derived from the Greek 'diazōstos' meaning 'surrounded' or 'girded' (relating to the nitrogen gas molecule) and 'trophe' meaning 'nourishment' or 'food'.
In the news
The article identifies rhizobium bacteria as diazotrophs that provide a biological service to legumes. The students investigated whether this nitrogen-fixing capacity could be applied to cereals to improve food security.
Three schoolgirls in Kinsale pulled up a pea plant covered in warts and, instead of binning it, spent three years testing 13,000 seeds in a spare bedroom — the bacteria living in those warts made barley germinate 50% faster, and the adults who said it wouldn't
Read the full article ↗ScienceBlog.com