Biosynthesis of Soil Polysaccharides: I. Glucose and Alfalfa Tissue Substrates 1

Glucose, galactose, mannose, arabinose, xylose, rhamnose, fucose, ribose (trace), uronic acid, and five unidentified sugars were chromatographically separated from hydrolysates of polysaccharides extracted from soil which had been incubated with glucose-1-C-14 or C-alfalfa tissue. All sugars in the polysaccharide became labeled during the incubation period, but glucose, galactose, and mannose contained more carbon-14 than other sugars. Xylose was present in greatest concentration. Concentrations of glucose, galactose, mannose, arabinose, and rhamnose were similar. The data suggested that soil polysaccharides were products of microbial activity and that constituent sugars underwent continual degradation and resynthesis. During the peak rate of substrate utilization, decomposition of soil organic matter was markedly reduced. View complete article To view this complete article, insert Disc 2 then click button8