Rhizobium population genetics: Effect of clover variety and inoculum dilution on the genetic diversity sampled from natural populations

Strains ofRhizobium leguminosarum biovartrifolii were isolated from nodules formed on white clover plants (Trifolium repens) following inoculation with soil suspensions, and examined for allozyme variation. A similar spectrum of genetic variants was recovered from each of four different clover cultivars, and over a 104-fold range of soil dilutions. The frequency of allozyme variants was not significantly affected by the choice of cultivar or dilution.