THE NOMENCLATURE OF THE COWPEA GROUP OF ROOT-NODULE BACTERIA

Abstract
Since it is here shown that certain strains of soybean bacteria can produce nodules on cowpea roots, and since others have shown that certain strains of cowpea bacteria can produce nodules on soybean roots, it is suggested that the root-nodule bacteria of soybeans and cowpeas be combined in 1 sp. now generally designated Rhizobium japonicum (Kirchner) Baldwin and Fred (p.224). Different strains of this sp. exhibiting differences in their abilities to produce nodules on certain plants within the cross-inoculation group may well be considered as biological variations within the sp.