Use of Lentil Nodule on an Antigen for Strain Identification of Rhizobium leguminosarum

Summary Crushed nodule of lentil ( Lens esculenta L.) were used as an antigenic material for agglutination. All the strains varied considerably in their ability to compete with native rhizobia to form nodules. Good competitor strains PL 29 and PL 36 of pea resulted in poor nodulation of lentil. Strain PL 39 proved the best competitor as it formed 76.4% of the total number of nodules. All the strains could be grouped into four serogroups.