Abstract
Sinorhizobium morelense sp. nov. is described to designate a group of bacteria isolated from root nodules of Leucaena leucocephala. S. morelense shows 98% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to some Sinorhizobium species and to Ensifer adhaerens. This novel species is distinguished from other Sinorhizobium species and from E. adhaerens by DNA--DNA hybridization, 16S rRNA gene restriction fragments and sequence and some distinctive phenotypic features. Strains of this species are highly resistant to some antibiotics, such as carbenicillin (1 mg ml(-1)), kanamycin (500 microg ml(-1)) and erythromycin (300 microg ml(-1)). They do not form nodules, but a nodulating strain, Lc57, is closely related to the novel species. Strain Lc04(T) (=LMG 21331(T)=CFN E1007(T)) is designated as the type strain of this novel species.