The Centre for Rhizobium Studies, the Australian side of the project led by Dr Wayne Reeve, has the task of sequencing the genomes of rhizobia selected from distinct geographic regions across the globe.
The US side of the project will be run at the Joint Genome Institute, led by head of the microbial program Dr Nikos Kyrpides.
Dr Reeve said this was the first large-scale attempt to unravel the complexities of how genetics and environmental factors contributed to the success of rhizobia with legume crops and pastures.
Read more on The West Australian.