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Characteristics of rhizobia isolated from three legumes indigenous to the Canadian high arctic:Astragalus alpinus, Oxytropis maydelliana, andOxytropis arctobia

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Summary

Forty-eight strains of rhizobia were isolated from the root nodules ofAstragalus alpinus (21),Oxytropis maydelliana (19) andOxytropis arctobia (8), three species of arctic legumes found in the Melville Peninsula, Northwest Territories, Canada. On the basis of 74 characteristics (cultural, physiological, biochemical and host nodulation range) the 48 arctic rhizobia could be divided into 11 distinct groups by numerical analysis techniques. All 48 arctic rhizobia were able to nodulate the three arctic legume species and also sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia), however, milkvetch (Astragalus cicer) was only nodulated by 33 strains. In general, the arctic rhizobia showed properties found in both Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium. The adaptation of the arctic strains to low temperature is indicated by their ability to grow in liquid culture at 5°C.

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Contribution no 293 of Agriculture Canada Research Station at Sainte-Foy.

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Prévost, D., Bordeleau, L.M., Caudry-Reznick, S. et al. Characteristics of rhizobia isolated from three legumes indigenous to the Canadian high arctic:Astragalus alpinus, Oxytropis maydelliana, andOxytropis arctobia . Plant Soil 98, 313–324 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02378352

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02378352

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