Determination of the most frequent N₂-fixing bacteria in a rice rhizosphere

Abstract

Representative N 2 -fixing bacteria have been isolated from the rhizosphere of rice using the "spermosphere model." They have been characterized using conventional biochemical tests, DNA composition, and DNA–rRNA hybridization studies. In addition to a large number of Enterobacteriaceae, the most commonly encountered isolates belong to the genus Azospirillum and to Pseudomonas paucimobilis, a taxon related to Flavobacterium capsulatum. A nonmotile Azospirillum has been found.