Open Journal of Soil Science, 2022, 12, 193-215 https://www.scirp.org/journal/ojss ISSN Online: 2162-5379 ISSN Print: 2162-5360 DOI: 10.4236/ojss.2022.126008 Jun. 17, 2022 193 Open Journal of Soil Science Resistance to Abiotic Stress and Effectiveness of Native Rhizobia on Bambara Groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.] in Benin Mahougnon Carmelle Charlotte Zoundji 1,2,3* , Agassin Martinien Arcadius Ahoglé 3,4 , Tobi Moriaque Akplo 3 , Sèmèvo Oslo Gangnon 3 , Diorel Montéiro 3 , Yves Zanvo 5 , Félix Kouelo Alladassi 3 , Pascal Houngnandan 1,3 1 Laboratoire des Sciences Végétales, Horticoles et Forestières, Université Nationale d’Agriculture, Kétou, Benin 2 Ecole de Gestion et de Production Végétale et Semencière, Université Nationale d’Agriculture, Kétou, Benin 3 Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Sols et d’Ecologie Microbienne, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin 4 Department of Spatial and Environmental Planning, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya 5 Faculté d’Agronomie, Université de Parakou, Parakou, Benin Abstract Bambara groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.], as a legume, can estab- lish relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as Rhizobium. However, Rhizobium efficacy is not always optimal due to the lack or poor efficient strains in the soil. This study aimed to evaluate symbiotic efficiency of endo- genous Rhizobia nodulating Bambara groundnut and their resistance to abi- otic conditions. Root nodules were randomly sampled from three agroeco- logical zones across the country, surface sterilized, ground and paste plated on YEMA media. After 24 hours, the bacterial colonies were purified. The pure cultures were further characterized using morphological and biochemi- cal methods and their resistance to antibiotics and heavy metals was eva- luated. Lastly, the symbiotic efficiency of the isolates was assessed through a greenhouse experiment. A total of eighty-five presumptive strains were iso- lated from Bambara groundnut roots nodules obtained from the farms. The physiological characterization of the isolated showed a decrease in isolates growth when NaCl concentration was more than 7%. In addition, 47% of the isolates were tolerant to a temperature of 40˚C. Most of the isolates were highly resistant to Erythromycin in all its concentration levels and to Kana- mycin, Spectinomycin, Neomycin and Ampicillin at 10 µg·mL −1 . Most of them showed resistance to Cu and Zn at 10 µg·mL −1 . Results of the effective- ness test on two Bambara groundnut varieties yielded dry shoot matter vary- ing from 3.33 g·plant −1 to 7.21 g·plant −1 for variety 1 and from 4.38 g·plant −1 How to cite this paper: Zoundji, M.C.C., Ahoglé, A.M.A., Akplo, T.M., Gangnon, S.O., Montéiro, D., Zanvo, Y., Alladassi, F.K. and Houngnandan, P. (2022) Resis- tance to Abiotic Stress and Effectiveness of Native Rhizobia on Bambara Groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.] in Benin. Open Journal of Soil Science, 12, 193-215. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojss.2022.126008 Received: April 7, 2022 Accepted: June 14, 2022 Published: June 17, 2022 Copyright © 2022 by author(s) and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY 4.0). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Open Access