Genetic diversity and symbiotic effectiveness of Phaseolus vulgaris -nodulating rhizobia in Kenya

G.M. Mwenda; G.W. O’Hara; S.E. De Meyer; J.G. Howieson; J.J. Terpolilli

doi:10.1016/j.syapm.2018.02.001

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Genetic diversity and symbiotic effectiveness of Phaseolus vulgaris -nodulating rhizobia in Kenya

Journal article

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Genetic diversity and symbiotic effectiveness of Phaseolus vulgaris -nodulating rhizobia in Kenya

G.M. Mwenda, G.W. O’Hara, S.E. De Meyer, J.G. Howieson and J.J. Terpolilli

Systematic and Applied Microbiology, Vol.41(4), pp.291-299

2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.syapm.2018.02.001

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Abstract

Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean) was introduced to Kenya several centuries ago but the rhizobia that nodulate it in the country remain poorly characterised. To address this gap in knowledge, 178 isolates recovered from the root nodules of P. vulgaris cultivated in Kenya were genotyped stepwise by the analysis of genomic DNA fingerprints, PCR-RFLP and 16S rRNA, atpD, recA and nodC gene sequences. Results indicated that P. vulgaris in Kenya is nodulated by at least six Rhizobium genospecies, with most of the isolates belonging to R. phaseoli and a possibly novel Rhizobium species. Infrequently, isolates belonged to R. paranaense, R. leucaenae, R. sophoriradicis and R. aegyptiacum. Despite considerable core-gene heterogeneity among the isolates, only four nodC gene alleles were observed indicating conservation within this gene. Testing of the capacity of the isolates to fix nitrogen (N2) in symbiosis with P. vulgaris revealed wide variations in effectiveness, with ten isolates comparable to R. tropici CIAT 899, a commercial inoculant strain for P. vulgaris. In addition to unveiling effective native rhizobial strains with potential as inoculants in Kenya, this study demonstrated that Kenyan soils harbour diverse P. vulgaris-nodulating rhizobia, some of which formed phylogenetic clusters distinct from known lineages. The native rhizobia differed by site, suggesting that field inoculation of P. vulgaris may need to be locally optimised.

Details

Title: Genetic diversity and symbiotic effectiveness of Phaseolus vulgaris -nodulating rhizobia in Kenya
Authors/Creators: G.M. Mwenda (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
G.W. O’Hara (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
S.E. De Meyer (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
J.G. Howieson (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
J.J. Terpolilli (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
Publication Details: Systematic and Applied Microbiology, Vol.41(4), pp.291-299
Publisher: Elsevier GmbH.
Identifiers: 991005541990507891
Copyright: © 2018 The Author(s)
Murdoch Affiliation: Centre for Rhizobium Studies
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.97 Plant Pathology; 3.97.892 Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis
Web Of Science research areas: Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology; Microbiology
ESI research areas: Microbiology