Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences, 21(4):323–378 (2002) Advances in Rhizobium Research A. Sessitsch,1* J.G. Howieson,2 X. Perret,3 H. Antoun,4 and E. Martínez- Romero5 1ARC Seibersdorf research GmbH, Division of Environmental and Life Sciences, A-2444 Seibersdorf, Austria; 2Centre for Rhizobium Studies, Murdoch University, Murdoch 6150, Western Australia; 3Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes Supérieures, Université de Genève, 1292 Chambésy, Geneva, Switzerland; 4Recherche en Sciences de la Vie et de la Santé, Université Laval, Quebec, Canada; 5Centro de Investigacion Sobre Fijacion de Nitrogeno, UNAM, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico Referee: Prof. Dr. Dietrich Werner, FG Zellbiologie und Angewandte Botanik, Fachbereich Biologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse, D-35032 Marburg, Germany * Author for correspondence. (Tel: +43 50550 3509; fax: +43 50550 3444; e-mail:
[email protected]) ABSTRACT: Rhizobia are well known for their capacity to establish a symbiosis with legumes. They inhabit root nodules, where they reduce atmospheric nitrogen and make it available to the plant. Biological nitrogen fixation is an important component of sustainable agriculture, and rhizobial inoculants have been applied frequently as biofertilizers. In this review we present recently developed technologies and strategies for selecting quality inoculant strains by taking into consideration the complex interaction between the edaphic environment with the genotypes of both the legume and its microsymbiont. Enhanced competitive ability in an inoculant strain is a key requirement for successful colonization of plant roots, nodule formation, and subsequent N2-fixation. We discuss several avenues for the management and manipulation of rhizobial competition as well as genes that influence competition in the rhizosphere.