Soils in arid and infra-arid regions of Tunisia (where rainfall does not exceed 180 mm) suffer from rapid degradation of vegetation cover and loss of biodiversity. To limit the progress of desertification, it is necessary to promote the cultivation of autochthonous plants and particularly legumes, pioneer plants used for the restoration of poor soils. 50 strains were isolated from soils of five locations throughout arid areas in Tunisia using Anthyllis henoniana, a woody Saharan legume. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and multilocus phylogenetic analysis using recA and dnaK genes grouped rhizobial isolates into six clades, three of them related to the genus Rhizobium (36%), particularly R. leguminosarum, R. sullae and R. radiobacter, two related to Ensifer (56%), E. meliloti and E. numidicus, and one related to Neorhizobium (8%). Twelve selected strains were assayed for symbiotic efficiency using A. henoniana. Strains related to Ensifer and R. sullae were symbiotically efficient; demonstrating for the first time that they are natural symbionts of A. henoniana in Tunisian arid soils. Strains Ensifer sp. AZ2.5 and Rhizobium sp. AE4.7 were the most efficient in nitrogen fixation, suggesting that these strains could be interesting inoculants to enhance A. henoniana adaptation and growth in poorly vegetated regions.

突尼斯的干旱和干旱地区（降雨量不超过180毫米）的土壤遭受植被覆盖迅速退化和生物多样性丧失的困扰。为了限制荒漠化的进展，必须促进种植土生植物，特别是豆科植物，这些豆科植物是用于恢复贫瘠土壤的先锋植物。使用Anthyllis henoniana（一种木质的撒哈拉豆类植物）从突尼斯整个干旱地区的五个位置的土壤中分离出50个菌株。使用recA和dnaK基因进行16S rRNA基因测序和多基因座系统发育分析，将根瘤菌分离株分为六个进化枝，其中三个与根瘤菌属（36％）有关，尤其是豆科植物豆科。R. sullae和R.放射形中，两个相关Ensifer（56％），E.根瘤菌和E. numidicus，和一个相关的Neorhizobium（8％）。十二株菌株进行了共生效率的使用A. henoniana。与Ensifer和R. sullae有关的菌株具有共生效率。首次证明它们是突尼斯干旱土壤中A. henoniana的天然共生体。菌株Ensifer sp。AZ2.5和根瘤菌sp。AE4.7是最有效的固氮方法，表明这些菌株可能是增强贫瘠地区A. henoniana适应性和生长的有趣接种剂。