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Strain Variation and Host Specificity of Rhizobium Leguminosarum on New Pea Varieties¹

ABSTRACT

In the greenhouse four varieties of peas developed to meet the needs of canners and frozen pea packers were inoculated with eight strains of Rhizobium leguminosarum and the comparative efficiency in nitrogen-fixation of each of the strains determined for all four varieties of peas. In eight different fields in Illinois and Wisconsin the same strains of bacteria were used to inoculate Alaska, Thomas Laxton, Perfection, and Rogers 104, varieties of peas. Observations for visible differences in appearance and nodulation of the plants were made once or twice during the growing period.

1. In greenhouse and field some strains were more effective than others on all varieties of peas.

2. Some strains were highly effective on only one or two varieties and very poor on others. The various strains reacted differently on the four varieties of peas, that is, there were some good strains for all varieties and some poor ones.

3. The source of the organism was of little value in predicting its probable efficiency on a variety of host plant. A strain isolated from a hairy vetch nodule proved to be the most efficient on all varieties studied.

4. Nodulation studies alone in field or greenhouse failed to give conclusive evidence for evaluating relative efficiencies of strains of the root nodule organism.

5. These studies emphasize the importance of finding strains of bacteria which will work efficiently on new types or varieties of legumes to insure maximum performance.

¹ Contribution from research laboratory, Nitragin Company, Milwaukee, Wis.

² Director of Research and Production and Assistant Bacteriologist and Chemist, respectively.