| Bradyrhizobium elkanii | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Bacteria |
| Phylum: | Proteobacteria |
| Class: | Alphaproteobacteria |
| Order: | Rhizobiales |
| Family: | Bradyrhizobiaceae |
| Genus: | Bradyrhizobium |
| Species: | B. elkanii |
| Binomial name | |
|
Bradyrhizobium elkanii Kuykendall et al., 1993 |
|
Bradyrhizobium elkanii is a species of legume-root nodulating, microsymbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacterium originally identified as DNA homology group II strains of B. japonicum . In 1988, it was discovered that only DNA homology group II strains caused a destructive bleaching of leaves, termed scientifically "microsymbiont-induced foliar chlorosis", which was widespread in soybean production fields of the southern United States . Whole cell fatty acid content together with antibiotic resistance profiles were major phenotypic differences that helped establish DNA homology group II strains as a new species, Bradyrhizobium elkanii .