..::Molecular Biology of Rhizobia::..


Laboratory of Soil Microbiology-Institute of Mediterranean Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Department of Biology - University of Évora - Portugal Group leader: Solange Oliveira


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	The symbiosis between soil bacteria (rhizobia) and leguminous plants (beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc) provides nitrogen to the plant by nitrogen fixation, thus increasing yields and reducing the need of environmentally damaging chemical N-fertilisers. Rhizobia can thus be used as safe seed inoculants in sustainable and ecological agriculture. Molecular biology approaches on rhizobia are important for elucidation of the symbiosis relationship and development of improved inoculants.

Our group is interested in the study of the biodiversity and phylogeny of natural populations of rhizobia from chickpea and other leguminous plants, using a molecular biology approach.
We are also interested in the selection of native rhizobia, both efficient and adapted to local conditions, crucial for the improvement of inoculants. For that purpose we are evaluating the phenotypic characteristics of rhizobia strains, mainly symbiotic efficiency and tolerance to environmental stress including high temperature, salinity or pH extremes.

Presently, several students are working in the lab:

-Ana Alexandre “Functional analysis of chaperone genes in rhizobia”. Post-Doc Researcher. FCT fellow since April 2011.

-Clarisse Brígido "Interactions between different beneficial endophytic (rhizobial and non-rhizobial) bacteria in chickpea: mechanisms and applications". Post-Doc Researcher. FCT fellow since April 2014.

-Rodrigo Silva "Improvement of rhizobia strains by genetic transformation with symbiosis genes". PhD student since September 2013.

-Anupoma Troyee "Impact of soil treatments in the conservation of native rhizobia populations". Master student since September 2016.

-Maria Tavares "Exploiting beneficial associations with chickpea: the role of nonrhizobial endophytic bacteria in the rhizobialegume symbiosis". Master fellow since December 2016.

-Francisco Nascimento "Modulating plant inhibitory 1-aminocyclopropane -carboxylate (ACC) and ethylene levels using ACC deaminase-producing bacteria". Visiting PhD student since November 2016.

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