Sinorhizobium meliloti (Dangeard, 1926) De Lajudie et al., 1994
Ensifer meliloti (formerly Rhizobium meliloti and Sinorhizobium meliloti)[10] are an aerobic, Gram-negative, and diazotrophic species of bacteria. S. meliloti are motile and possess a cluster of peritrichous flagella.[11]S. meliloti fix atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia for their legume hosts, such as alfalfa. S. meliloti forms a symbiotic relationship with legumes from the genera Medicago, Melilotus and Trigonella, including the model legume Medicago truncatula. This symbiosis promotes the development of a plant organ, termed a root nodule. Because soil often contains a limited amount of nitrogen for plant use, the symbiotic relationship between S. meliloti and their legume hosts has agricultural applications.[12] These techniques reduce the need for inorganic nitrogenous fertilizers.[13]
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^León-Barrios M, Lorite MJ, Donate-Correa J, Sanjuán J (September 2009). "Ensifer meliloti bv. lancerottense establishes nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with Lotus endemic to the Canary Islands and shows distinctive symbiotic genotypes and host range". Systematic and Applied Microbiology. 32 (6): 413–20. Bibcode:2009SyApM..32..413L. doi:10.1016/j.syapm.2009.04.003. PMID19477097.
^Villegas Mdel C, Rome S, Mauré L, Domergue O, Gardan L, Bailly X, Cleyet-Marel JC, Brunel B (November 2006). "Nitrogen-fixing sinorhizobia with Medicago laciniata constitute a novel biovar (bv. medicaginis) of S. meliloti". Systematic and Applied Microbiology. 29 (7): 526–38. Bibcode:2006SyApM..29..526V. doi:10.1016/j.syapm.2005.12.008. PMID16413160.
^Mnasri B, Mrabet M, Laguerre G, Aouani ME, Mhamdi R (January 2007). "Salt-tolerant rhizobia isolated from a Tunisian oasis that are highly effective for symbiotic N2-fixation with Phaseolus vulgaris constitute a novel biovar (bv. mediterranense) of Sinorhizobium meliloti". Archives of Microbiology. 187 (1): 79–85. doi:10.1007/s00203-006-0173-x. PMID17019605. S2CID24133146.
^Gubry-Rangin C, Béna G, Cleyet-Marel JC, Brunel B (October 2013). "Definition and evolution of a new symbiovar, sv. rigiduloides, among Ensifer meliloti efficiently nodulating Medicago species". Systematic and Applied Microbiology. 36 (7): 490–6. Bibcode:2013SyApM..36..490G. doi:10.1016/j.syapm.2013.06.004. PMID23871297.