How do soil bacteria affect agriculture and global climate?

Newly sequenced genomes of soil bacteria in the group Bradyrhizobium help researchers to understand its effects beyond soil.

Soils are teeming with bacteria whose effects we are just beginning to understand. One of the most abundant and active groups of bacteria in soils is called Bradyrhizobium. For the first time from European soils, scientists have sequenced the genome of Bradyrhizobium, giving a glimpse into their activity and revealing differences with strains from other parts of the world. The scientists sequenced two strains of Bradyrhizobium collected from soils with different conditions, and found that one of the strains could contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Working at the University of Reading and Rothamsted Research, which receives strategic funding from the BBSRC, the team of scientists last month published their findings in the journal Scientific Reports.