Project Number: 1275-21000-226-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: May 09, 2008
End Date: May 08, 2013

Objective:
Manage the genetic resources of the National Rhizobium Germplasm Resource Collection. This is a service component of this project that is part of "The Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN)" within the National Microbial Germplasm Program (NMGP). Use genomic and phylogenetic analyses to characterize microbes that interact symbiotically with higher plants, such as strains of Bradyrhizobium, that form symbioses with soybean, and the genetic interrelations of the rhizobia that infect Medicago species. Some parts of the technologies that have been developed will be applied to the genetic and phylogenetic analysis of phytopathogenic fungi with another laboratory at Beltsville.

Approach:
Rhizobial cultures will be managed by their preservation, quality control, and disbursement to ARS customers upon request. In some cases inoculum will be manufactured by special request for research purposes. Technical information about rhizobia, their isolation, their culturing, the symbiosis, data analysis and research advice will be given. New rhizobial cultures will be isolated from soil samples collected within the USA and from abroad. Characterization of microbes that interact symbiotically with higher plants and crops will use approaches based on genomic and phylogenetic analyses, predominantly achieved through sequence and analyses of ribosomal and housekeeping gene loci. This will include the development of several new technologies, and analysis of strains of Bradyrhizobium that form symbioses with soybean, and two projects examining the genetic interrelationships of the rhizobia that infect Medicago species.