Phenotypic and molecular characterization of chickpea rhizobia isolated from different areas of Morocco.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the biodiversity of rhizobial strains nodulating Cicer arietinum L. in representative soils from various areas of Morocco.


RESULTS
Symbiotic traits, utilization of 49 carbohydrate sources, resistance to antibiotics and heavy metals, tolerance to salinity, to extreme temperatures and pH were studied as phenotypic markers. In addition, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of PCR-amplified 16S rDNAs were compared with those of reference strains. Numerical analysis of the phenotypic characteristics showed that the 48 strains studied fell into three distinct groups. RFLP analysis of 16S rRNA genes revealed an additional heterogeneity and four ribotypes were identified.


CONCLUSIONS
Chickpea rhizobia isolated from Moroccan soils are both phenotypically and genetically diverse. Most of these rhizobia belong to the Mesorhizobium genus. However, some strains originating from a particular soil appeared to have 16S rRNA genes similar to Sinorhizobium as well as very distinct auxanographic characteristics compared with Mesorhizo- bium isolates.


CONCLUSIONS
A well characterized collection of chickpea-nodulating rhizobia in representative soils of Morocco has been generated, which can be used to develop efficient inoculants for this crop. This is the first report evidencing that chickpeas may be nodulated by bacteria from the Sinorhizobium genus.
Maâtallah
J
J
Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Biologie Moléculaire, Université Mohammed V, Faculté des Sciences B. P. 1014, Rabat, Maroc.
Berraho
E B
EB
Muñoz
S
S
Sanjuan
J
J
Lluch
C
C
D020561:Alphaproteobacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D029863:Cicer / Q000382:microbiology*; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D020459:Genes, rRNA / Q000235:genetics; D009018:Morocco; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012230:Rhizobiaceae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020579:Sinorhizobium / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013559:Symbiosis
D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S