Abstract
Arachis hypogaea. L is a legume of economic importance, which is nodulated by Bradyrhizobium, a slow-growing bacteria. However there is no well characterization of this rhizobia in many areas of China. In the present study, cross-inoculation experiments were performed in cowpea and soybean. The isolated bacteria strains were characterized physiologyically, biochemically and identified through 16S rDNA sequence analysis showing that it belongs to Bradyrhizobium japonicum. The genetic diversity of the seventeen isolated strains were assessed through PCR-RFLP of 16S rDNA and 16S-23S rDNA IGS region. Cross inoculation test indicated that isolates could nodulate cowpea but not soybean. The cluster analysis based on physiological and biochemical characteristics showed the lower correlation between isolates and sites. The isolates were grouped into four clusters based on 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis. Thirteen polymorphisms were variable across all observations in 16S rDNA RFLP and six different IGS types from isolates. The results implies that there was some association between geographical factor and phylogenetic diversity of indigenous Bradyrhizobium isolates.