Ribotyping of rhizobia nodulating Acacia mangium and Paraserianthes falcataria from different geographical areas in Indonesia using PCR-RFLP-SSCP (PRS) and sequencing

Acacia mangium and Paraserianthes falcataria are leguminous tree species wi dely grown for timber in Indonesia and other tropical countries, yet little is known about the identity of their rhizobial symbionts, Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism-single-strand conformati onal polymorphism (PRS) analysis of the 16S rRNA gene was used along with s equencing to assess the diversity of 57 rhizobia isolated from nodules of A . mangium and P. falctaria in indonesia, In total, 26 rhizobia isolated fro m A. mangium were analysed by PRS and sequencing. The PRS patterns indicate d that 12 (46%) clustered with Bradyrhizobium elkanii, 13 (50%) with B, lia noningense/japonicum and one (4%) with Mesorhizobium loti, Thirty-one isola tes were analysed from P, falcataria: five (16%) clustered with B, elkanii and 26 (84%) with S, lianoningense/ japonicum. These results were confirmed by phylogenetic analysis of sequences. Intraspecific diversity of the 16S rRNA genes from rhizobia nodulating A. mangium and P, falcataria revealed b y PRS was low, only one genotype was found within the isolates that cluster ed with B. elkanii and two within the S, liaoningense/japonicum group. Thes e Bradyrhizobium species are apparently ubiquitous throughout the Indonesia n archipelago and it is clear why the two tree species are able to successf ully establish outside their native range without the need for inoculation with indigenous rhizobia.