Nitrogen fixation package
A nitrogen fixation package is a piece of research equipment for studying nitrogen fixation in plants. One product of this kind, the Q-Box NF1LP made by Qubit Systems, operates by measuring the hydrogen (H2) given off in the nitrogen-fixing chemical reaction enabled by nitrogenase enzymes. Principle of operation Nitrogen is produced by bacteria, which have an endo-symbiotic relationship with the legume host. In this relationship, the plant shares its carbohydrates with the bacteria so that the bacteria can thrive, and the plant benefits by having excess nitrogen made available. The bacteria's creation of nitrogen also creates hydrogen, which is what the unit measures to determine the nitrogen produced. Measurement of H2 evolution as a means of determining nitrogenase activity is an alternative technique to acetylene reduction assay, and allows real-time monitoring of changes in nitrogenase activity. Product description Q-Box NF1LP is an experimental package using an open-flow gas exchange system for measurement of nitrogen fixation in H2-producing legume symbioses. A flow-through H2 sensor (Q-S121) measures the production rate of H2 from N2-fixing tissues, allowing in vivo measurement of nitrogenase activity in real time. Measurements of nitrogenase activity on up to three plants is possible, i.e. a four-channel system including a