Identification of Native Root Nodulating Bacteria from Mucuna (Mucuna pruriens L.)

Background: Mucuna (Mucuna pruriens L.) is an annual herbaceous climber, grown as a medicinal, green manure, cover and smothering crop. The mucuna seeds contains L-DOPA (L-3, 4 dihydroxy phenylalanine), a non-protein amino acid, extensively used for Parkinson and hypertensive drug. Injudicious application of nitrogenous fertilizers leads to deterioration of soil quality which results into loss of crop yield and quality. The application of microbial inoculant containing efficient native rhizobia enhances the nodular properties, N2-fixation and soil quality. Therefore, Rhizobium strain associated with mucuna was isolated, biochemically characterized and identified. The 16SrRNA sequencing revealed that Sinnorhizobium mililoti, a gram negative symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria is present in root nodules of mucuna. Methods: Root nodules were extracted from mucuna grown at ICAR- Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Doddaballapura Taluk, Bengaluru Rural District, Karnataka, then cultured, screened and characterized in the laboratory. The 16SrRNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis was done to identify the native rhizobial strain. Result: Identification of native root nodulating bacteria through 16SrRNA sequencing concluded that Sinnorhizobium mililoti strain associated with the root nodules of Mucuna (Mucuna pruriens L.).