Nodulation and Nitrogen Fixation in Rice

Rhizobium-legume interactions. Genesis of root nodules and the of host genes. Developmental aspects of the rhizobium-legume symbiosis. Host genetics of the nodulation phenotype. Hormones and nodule formation: cytokinin induction of the Sesbania rostrata early nodulin Enod2. Regul?ation of nodulation genes. Oligosaccharins - oligosaccharides with regulatory functions. The lipo-oligosaccharidic nodulation signals of Rhizobium meliloti. Role of exopolysaccharides in nodulation. Bacterial entry into roots. Nonlegume N2-fixing asociations. Symbiosis with frankia. Exploring new soil bacteria. Rhizobium nodulation of nonlegumes. Nodulation genes and biosynthesis of inodule acetic acid (IAA) in Azospirillum brasilense. Ammonium excretion by NilflL mutants of Azotobacter vinelandii. Genetics of associative nitrogen fixation in wheat. Potential for development of novel N2-fixing associations. Potential andlimitations of developing new plant-microbe interactions. Application of present knowledge on rhizobial host specificity to obtain efficientnodulation and nitrogen fixation of rice. Genetic transformation of rice and molecular basic of agroinfection. Nitrogen fixation in para-nodulated wheat. Invasion of nonlegume plants by diazotrophic bacteria. Development of nodulelike structure on rice roots.