NATURAL RHIZOBIAL POPULATIONS AND NODULATION STATUS OF WOODY LEGUMES GROWING IN DIVERSE KENYAN CONDITIONS

The rhizobial populations and nodulation status of both indigenous (ma inly Acacia species) and some introduced woody legume species were ass essed under glasshouse conditions in soils collected from 12 sites loc ated in different ecological zones of Kenya. The populations among the sites, as estimated by the MPN technique, varied from <3.6 to >2.3 x 10(5) cells g(-1) of soil. There were some intrasite variations in pop ulation estimates depending on the trap host species, date of soil col lection and the method used in sampling the soils. Nodulation in whole soil also varied across the sites with test species frequently showin g higher nodulation ability in native soils. Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr . was the most prolific nodulating species while Acacia tortilis (Fors skal) Hayne was very erratic in nodulation. Nodulation of most species showed interplant and intraspecific variability within a single soil source.