National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS)
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PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692
Online ISSN : 2319-7706 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com submit@ijcmas.com Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39 NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38 |
Tree legumes, which are mainly found in the Caesalpinioideae, Mimosoideae, and Papilionoideae subfamilies of the Leguminosae family, are widely used in the restoration of degraded lands. As nitrogen-fixing trees, they are widely regarded as essential components of sustainable agroforestry systems, and their rhizobial symbionts can help revive severely degraded soils by accelerating natural ecological succession. Rhizobial biofertilizers offer a cost-effective, environmentally responsible alternative, reducing dependence on synthetic inputs while supporting ecosystem repair. A biofertilizer is broadly defined as a formulation of viable living microorganisms that improves soil fertility and plant growth, performing a role comparable to chemical fertilizers, making region-specific microbial strains an important research priority. This review examines the taxonomy and diversity of rhizobia associated with tropical and sub-tropical tree legumes, synthesizes existing literature on rhizobia and their plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits. Particular attention is given to studies characterizing rhizobial isolates from tree legume nodules across diverse agro-climatic regions and their potential application as commercial biofertilizers under regulatory quality standards. Considerable variation exists among rhizobial strains in terms of host range and symbiotic effectiveness; however, region-specific characterization of rhizobia associated with many tree legume species remains inadequate. Filling this knowledge gap is essential for the development of efficient, locally adapted biofertilizer formulations in the long run.
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