A symbiont, isolated from root nodules of Crotalaria saltiana Andr., was identified as Rhizobium sp. It produced large amount of extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) in broth culture in yeast extract mannitol (YEM) medium. The EPS production and growth started simultaneously, though they have different stationary phases. The symbiont produced maximum EPS (16 μg/mL) when the medium was supplement...

Most plant lectins exhibit other properties. Some also bind plant growth regulators, the cytokinins, which are small hydrophobic molecules derivate from adenine [5,6]. They are secreted proteins and are found in vacuoles, cell walls, or intercellular spaces, of just about every plant organ [7]. Legume root lectins, are involved in the recognition and binding of Rhizobium and Brudyrhizobium sp. ...

Two transposon Tn5-induced mutants of wild-type broad-host-range Rhizobium sp. GRH2 were isolated and found to harbour different alterations in surface polysaccharides. These mutants, designated GRH2-14 and GRH2-50, induced a few, empty nodules on Acacia and lost the ability to nodulate most host herbaceous legumes. Whereas mutant GRH2-14 produces an acidic exopolysaccharide (EPS) similar to th...

The prominent feature of rhizobia is their molecular dialogue with plant hosts. Such interaction is enabled by the presence of a series of symbiotic genes encoding for the synthesis and export of signals triggering organogenetic and physiological responses in the plant. The genome of the Rhizobium sullae type strain IS123T nodulating the legume Hedysarum coronarium, was sequenced and resulted i...

Erythrina velutina ("mulungu") is a legume tree from Caatinga that associates with rhizobia but the diversity and symbiotic ability of "mulungu" rhizobia are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to characterize "mulungu" rhizobia from Caatinga. Bacteria were obteined from Serra Talhada and Caruaru in Caatinga under natural regeneration. The bacteria were evaluated to the amplification o...

Total microbial count was highly affected (up to 61% at 1000 micrograms level) in presence of hexaconazole and persisted up to 21 days. Bacteria were more susceptible than actinomycetes. Carbofuran and ethion were moderately toxic to soil microflora. Inhibitory effects of all the three pesticides gradually decreased after 21 days as was evident by increase in total microbial count except in car...

The phylogenetic positions of four rhizobial strains obtained from nodules of common bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown in an Austrian soil and of the Mexican bean isolate FL27 are described. Analysis of the 16S rRNA genes revealed sequences almost identical to that of the Rhizobium gallicum type strain, R602sp, with a maximum of two nucleotide substitutions. Comparison of the 16S rRNA g...

A greenhouse experiment was performed to evaluate the effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on nodulation, biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) and growth of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Tenderlake). Single and dual inoculation treatments of bean with Rhizobium and/or PGPR were administered to detect possible changes in the levels of and interactions between the phy...

Ten fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled lectins were tested on the roots of the tropical legume Macroptilium atropurpureum Urb. Four of these (concanavalin A, peanut agglutinin, Ricinis communis agglutinin I [RCA-I], wheat germ agglutinin) were found to bind to the exterior of root cap cells, the root cap slime, and the channels between epidermal cells in the root elongation zone. One of these l...