Significance for pasture production in the southern Cape coastal region of naturalized rhizobia nodulating the strain specific Medicago polymorpha

Abstract

Most strains of Rhizobium meliloti isolated from Medicago sativa arc also effective on Medicago truncatula and Medicago littoralis but ineffective on Medicago polymorpha. Effective strains isolated from M. polymorpha are also effective on M. sativa and M. truncatula, but are only partially effective or completely ineffective on M. littoralis. The significance of naturalized strains of M. polymorpha in the production of medic pastures in some soils of the southern Cape coastal region is discussed.