The Effect of Simazine, Kinetin, and Rhizobium Phaesoli on Legume Nodulation and Morphogenesis in Phaseolus Vularis

The growth responses of Phaseolus vulgaris L., cv. "Red Kidney" plants to simazine at 5 x 10~M and 5 x 10^M, kinetin at 9 x 10~M and 9 x 10~M, and the presence or absence of Rhizobium phaseoli ATCC14482, in factorial combination, were measured. The plants were analyzed with respect to the lengths of the primary-through-quaternary leaves, stem height, fresh and dry weights, number of flowers, and number and size of nodules. An analysis of variance showed that simazine significantly depressed all parameters at both concentrations. Kinetin did not affect the lengths of the primary-through-tertiary leaves, but depressed the quaternary, and also decreased dry weights at the higher concentration. Kinetin had no effect on stem height; it decreased flowering, but enhanced modulation. The presence of Rhizobium had a significant effect only on flowering and nodulation, increasing both.