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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] article by Allan Balliett

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  • From: Bill Scheffler <pureprairie AT gmail.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] article by Allan Balliett
  • Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:05:33 -0600

photosynthesis - The most important living function along with nitrogen
fixing by our microbial friends. Here's a sine qua non function for life
via the idiosyncratic nitrogenase protein.  Maybe some day dicots and
monocots will be engineered or naturally uptake this protein's genes, or
maybe just incorporate these microbes as an organelle, much like how
chloroplasts and mitochondria have been incorporated from a microbial
ancestor.
Regards,
Johnathan Yelenick




Already been tried Jonathan!

It didn't work.  They put N fixing nodules on wheat and maybe oats and grew it
out.  The plants were beautiful but no grain.

The explanation the article gave was that the N fixers pulled so much carbs
that the plant had no extra energy to set flower or grain.

Similar to how synthetic nitrogen takes a huge amount of energy to make,
it seems our N fixing friends also draw a lot of energy from the plant.

If this explanation is true then for our legume crops to both fix N *and* fruit or bear seed,
well, this has to be one the great accomplishments/creations of all time and to do it for
free is worthy of religious admiration.

Bill

PS; I tried to find the article but I was not successful.  Sorry!



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