\n Monthly Soil Seminar

\n \n < div class=\"event-details\">\n \n Date: \n 07 MAR 2022\n Time: \n 3:30 PM to\n 4:30 PM\n \n \n Location:\n\n Building 51 3 Learning Link Building\, Room 2.004. \n \n \n Website:\n \n Register here \n \n \n Add to Calendar:\n \n \n

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\n Securing Australia’s genetic resources for legume nitrogen fixation
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\n $\"Soil$ \n
Rhizobia are soil bacteria that fix nitrog en into plants and soils through their symbiosis within legume root nodule s. Rhizobia compatible with our exotic crop and pasture legumes aren&rsquo \;t naturally present in Australian soils. So\, many highly effective nitr ogen-fixing bacteria have been sourced from other parts of the world and i ntroduced as commercial inoculant strains. \;
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However\, \; it has become increasingly clear that the genetic diversity of strains nod ulating legumes far exceeds the diversity of strains introduced as inocula nts. This could partly be explained by horizontal transfer of symbiosis ge nes between inoculants and pre-existing soil bacteria\, creating new and n ot always effective hybrid rhizobia. It could also be due to the accumulat ion of mutations giving rise to newly evolved rhizobia. \; \;
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In both cases\, these novel symbionts can outcompete inoculants to nod ulate target legumes\, reducing the benefits of legume inoculation to grow ers. However\, we lack the genomic data on the more than 40 commercial leg ume inoculants needed to develop management strategies to combat suboptima l effectiveness. In this project\, we have developed an in-house complete genome sequencing\, assembly\, annotation\, and polishing pipeline to prov ide these critical baseline data and are using this resource to answer que stions of rhizobial evolution and function.
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About the Spea ker
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Dr Maclean Kohlmeier completed his PhD in Microbiolog y in 2020 at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg\, Manitoba\, Canada\, where he developed an interest in bacterial metabolism and symbiosis in ro ot nodule bacteria. He pursued this interest with the Legume Rhizobium Sci ences group at Murdoch University\, where he was offered a Postdoctoral re searcher position. He utilises genetic strategies as well as whole genome sequencing techniques to uncover the intricacies of metabolism\, symbiosis \, and gene transfer the rhizobia.
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Agenda
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3:30 - 4:15pm: Seminar
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4:15 - 4:30pm: Q &\; A
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Networking
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This event will be followed by networking drin ks and nibbles hosted by SoilsWest.
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More Soil Seminars
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This event is part of a series of free soil seminars\, held at Murdoch on the first Monday of every month. Other speakers include:
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- Monday 04 April - Dr Richard Bell (Murdoch)\, Dr Francesca Brailsfo rd (Murdoch)
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- Monday 02 May - Dr Yvette Hill (Murdoch)
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- Monday 06 June - Ed Barret-Lennard (DPIRD)\, Rushna Munir (DPIRD)
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To find out more about these events\, please visit the SoilsWest website or email soilswest@murdoch. edu.au. \;
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SoilsWest is a research alliance between academ ia\, government and industry for a more integrated approach to soil resear ch. You can find out more by visiting: soilswest.org.au

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