The presence of Rhizobium meliloti on pods of Medicago tribuloides

Abstract

Pods of a single line of barrel medic (Medicago tribuloides Desr.) collected from the field were examined for the presence of Rhizobium meliloti. It was found that 99 per cent of pods carried 15 nodule bacteria or less. The ability of such low numbers of Rh. meliloti to promote nodulation of seedlings from sown pods is doubtful, and inoculation of pods may be necessary where soil populations of appropriate Rh. meliloti are low.