Application of molecular techniques to studies in Rhizobium ecology: a review

摘要: The symbiosis between legumes and their specific root-nodule bacteria, rhizobia, has been employed to improve agricultural productivity for most of the 20th century. During this time, great advances have made in our knowledge both plant bacterial genomes, biochemistry symbiosis, signaling measurement nitrogen fixation. However, ecology symbiont lagged behind, largely due a lack practical techniques that can be used monitor assess performance these bacteria field. Most developed last few decades relied on somehow 'marking' individual strains allow us follow fate field environment. Such techniques, while providing success or failure range environments, not allowed insight into nature pre-existing rhizobial populations sites, nor interaction marked background population. advent molecular revolutionised study Rhizobium by allowing flux variety ecotypes within particular site examine how introduced rhizobia interact with genetically diverse background. In addition, increased understanding respond changes environment genetic diversity evolves sites over time. This review focuses recently hold promise continuing develop address applied problems yield new insights life soil as legume symbionts.