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Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
School of Biological Sciences
Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology
Biological Nitrogen Fixation
Symbiotic root nodulating bacteria, commonly known as rhizobia, have great environmental and agricultural importance since their symbiosis with legumes supplies the plant partner with biologically fixed nitrogen. Therefore effectively leguminous plants may show increased yields without the application of costly industrially produced nitrogen fertiliser. The Primary aim of this research is to increase the application of biological nitrogen fixation in South African agriculture. To achieve this aim two main research areas have been identified: Taxonomy and inoculant development. A taxonomic characterisation of bacterial symbionts from agronomically and ecologically important legumes is necessary to determine the extent of the diversity of rhizobial populations. Such data can subsequently be used for the systematic selection of suitable rhizobia as inoculants.
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