Short Communication:Significance for pasture production in the southern Cape coastal region of naturalized rhizobia nodulating the strain specific Medicago polymorpha.

Abstract

Most strains of Rhizobium meliloti isolated from Medicago sativa are also effective on Medicago truncatula and Medicago littoralis but ineffective on Medicago polymorpha. Effective strains isolated from M. polymorpha are also effective on M. sativa and M. truncatula, but are only partially effective or completely ineffective on M. littoralis. The significance of naturalized strains of M. polymorpha in the production of medic pastures in some soils of the southern Cape coastal region is discussed.

Keywords: medicago littoralis; medicago polymorpha; medicago sativa; medicago truncatula; pasture production; pastures; rhizobia; rhizobium meliloti; soils; south africa; southern cape