Abstract:
South Africa has an astounding plant species endemism, with a plethora of fynbos
adorning Table Mountain and thorn trees lining the African skyline. However, the
bacterial diversity associated with these plants remains largely unexplored. The
primary goal of this dissertation was to investigate the diversity of bacteria residing
within the root nodules of South African woody legumes, with the ability to fix
atmospheric nitrogen – a defining characteristic of rhizobia. The significance of this
investigation is underscored by the intersection of scientific curiosity and
environmental stewardship. South African legume-nodule systems have often been
overshadowed by research on crop legumes in the global scientific community. This
research sought to rectify this situation by focusing on the diversity of South African
nodule bacteria and the associations they form with woody legume hosts. In Chapter
1, an extensive literature review sheds light on the history of rhizobial systematics and
the prospects of this dynamic field. In the first research chapter (Chapter 2), soil
samples were collected from various geographic locations across South Africa while
focusing on the same legume host. Conversely, in Chapter 3, identical soil was used
for rhizobial trapping experiments, but with different host plants
