STRAIN-SPECIFIC FINGERPRINTS OF RHIZOBIUM-GALEGAE GENERATED BY PCR WITH ARBITRARY AND REPETITIVE PRIMERS

Strain-specific genomic patterns of Rhizobium galegae were generated b y PCR using both arbitrary and repetitive (BOX, ERIC and REP) primers. The identification of the strains was achieved also by RFLP analysis. However, the PCR genomic fingerprinting has significant advantages: i t is not only simpler and faster, but it is also much more discriminat ive because it deals with the full bacterial genome and not only with parts of it as is the case with RFLP. In addition, both kinds of PCR f ingerprinting (using arbitrary or repetitive primers) generated highly specific and reproducible patterns when parallel reactions with total bacterial DNA, extracted from independent liquid cultures were perfor med. The latter shows that AP- and rep-PCR are convenient for controll ing the production and application of Rhizobium inoculants.