Diversity in native legumes of the Indian Thar Desert and a look into Socio-economic aspect

The arid and semi arid regions of Rajasthan are characterized by low precipitation, high and hot summer winds, high thermal load and saline tracts. More than 60% of the hot and arid regions of India are in the state of Rajasthan. This region harbors several nodulating native as well as exotic legumes and associated diverse rhizobia. Beside their role in soil fertility and sand stabilization, these legumes are sources of food, fodder, medicine, shelter and firewood for the local inhabitants

Endophytic bacterial diversity in root nodules of native legumes from Indian Thar Desert

Arid and semi arid regions of the Indian Thar Desert possess several nodulating native legumes important to the local inhabitants for food, fodder, shelter and medicines. These legumes are useful in dry land Cultivation and soil improvement for rain-fed crops in arid and semi arid areas, The present study was aimed to characterize the genetic diversity of thirty one root nodule bacterial endophytes strains from Tephrosia purpurea and Tephrosia villosa growing in Jodhpur and surrounding districts of Rajasthan (India), These two plants are widely distributed in degraded and waste land in the arid and semi arid regions of many states of India