Symbiotic effectiveness of phage-resistant mutants of two strains of Lotus rhizobia

Abstract

Phage-resistant mutants were obtained from a fast-growing (NZP2037) and a slow-growing (CC814s) strain of Rhizobium nodulating Lotus. All the mutants were stable and did not differ from the original parent strain in their cultural characteristics. OnLotus pedunculatus the mutants of NZP2037 were as effective in N-fixation as the parent strain but most mutants of CC814s were less effective. These mutants of CC814s were also less effective than the parent strain on several other host plants.