Citation. McKone, M. J.; Biesboer, D. D. 1986. Nitrogen fixation in association with the root systems of goldenrods (Solidago L.). Soil Biology and Biochemistry 18(5):543-545.   [1106  LTER]

Summary. The roots of seven species of goldenrod (Asteraceae: Solidago) were assayed for associative nitrogen fixation. We used the acetylene reduction method to measure N2 fixation rates in sampling jars that contained roots of sampled plants and soil. The rate of C2H2 reduction in jars with S. rigida (12.9 +/-1.2 nmol h^-1, mean +/-SE) and S. canadensis (6.0 +/-2.0 nmol h-1) was significantly higher than in soil-only control jars. There was measurable C2H2 reduction in jars of the other five species, but the rates were not significantly different from controls. The rates of C2H2 reduction per root dry weight and per total plant dry weight also were higher for S. rigida and S. canadensis than for the other species.