Characterization of Rhizobium strain isolated from the roots of Aeschynomene americana

The soil bacteria Rhizobium species in association with leguminous plants play vital role in agriculture. The amount of nitrogen fixation by rhizobia depends upon the inoculants rhizobia to fix the nitrogen and the ability of plants to provide energy to rhizobia in the nodules. The main objective of the study is to evaluate the nitrogen fixing capacity and characterization of Rhizobium from Aeschynomene americana. The organism belongs to genus Rhizobium is Gram negative shortrods 0.3-0.9µwide1.0to2.0µ long polar and subpolar flagella, producing extracelluar polysaccharide saline. It was found sensitive to temperature, pH and antibiotics. The Rhizobium species isolated from Aeschynomene americana was found to produce alpha-amylase and cellulase and was identified as Rhizobium massiliae (LT560374) on the basis of 16S rRNA sequencing.