Janet Sprent, OBE, Emeritus Professor of Plant Biology, University of Dundee, Scotland, UK.

"This book by Janet I. Sprent, a leading world authority on nitrogen fixation, is a comprehensive review of current knowledge. It starts with an up-to-date review of nodulation in a taxonomic context, with details of nodulating genera and species. There are extensive descriptions of the tribes, genera and species of the three sub-families of the Leguminosae involved, with good further descriptive and detailed texts on their reported nodulation characteristics." (The Cambridge Press, August 2010)"This book provides a comprehensive review of the world's leguminous plants and their symbiotic bacteria. It is intended for plant scientists, agronomists, ecologists and microbiologists." (Food Science and Technology Abstracts, July 2010)"Summarizes current knowledge … and provides details on aspects that have not been covered in depth in other volumes. A more global perspective on legume nodulation." (Book News, December 2009)

• 1. Nodulation in a Taxonomic Context 1.1 Caesalpinioideae1.2  Mimosoideae1.2.1 Acacieae1.2.2 Ingeae1.2.3 Mimoseae1.3 Papilionoideae1.3.1 Non-nodulation in the Papilionoideae1.3.2 Nodulating papilionoids with primitive nodule structure1.3.3 Tribes with the 50kb inversion1.3.4 The Dalbergioid clade1.3.5 The Mirbelioid clade1.3.6 The Millettioid clade1.3.7 The Robinioid clade1.3.8 The Inverted Repeat Lacking Clade (IRLC)2. Global Distribution of Legumes2.1 Deserts2.2 Savannas2.2.1 African savannas2.2.2 Neotropical savannas2.2.3 Australian savannas2.3 Seasonally dry tropical forests (succulent biome)2.3.1 Caatinga2.3.2 Other areas2.4 Rainforests2.4.1 Atlantic forest2.4.2 Temperate rainforests2.4.3 Tropiucal rainforrests2.5 Temperate regions2.5.1 Mediterraqnean ecosystems2.5.2 Temperate, boreal and high altitude legumes2.6 Invasive legumes3. Evolution of Nodulation3.1 When did nodulation first occur?3.2 Where did nodulation first occur? Where are nodulated legumes going?3.2.1 Madagascar as a special case3.2.2 Recent evolution3.3 How was the information for nodulation acquired?3.3.1 Ancient genes that have been recruited for symbiotic purposes3.3.2 Gene duplication3.4 Why was nodulation necessary?3.5 Model legumes4. Bacteria Nodulating Legumes4.1 α-Proteobacteria4.4.1 Rhizobium4.1.2 Sinorhizobium and  Ensifer4.1.3 Other members of Rhizobiaceae4.1.4 Bradyrhizobium4.1.5 Azorhizobium and Devosia4.1.6 Methylobacterium4.1.7 Ochrobactrum4.1.8 Mesorhizobium4.1.9 Phyllobacterium4.2 β-Proteobacteria4.3 Other bacterial nodule occupants4.4 Specificity4.5 Competition4.6 Stability and genetic exchange5. Development and Functioning of Nodules5.1 Root hair infection5.2 The role of hormones5.3 Autoregulation5.4 Formation of symbiosomesBacteroid size and shapeThe role of polyβhydroxybutyrate (PHB)5.5 Nodules lacking root hair infection5.5.1 Dalbergioid legumes5.5.2 Genisteae and Crotalarieae5.5.3 The special case of Sesbania5.6 Other variations on nodule structure5.7 Functioning nodules. The critical role of oxygen5.8 Nitrogen fixation and export of products5.8.1 The hydrogen enigma5.9 Nodule effectiveness5.10 The bacteria within the nodules- control by the bacteria, plant or both?5.11 Constraints on nitrogen fixation in agriculture and the environment5.11.1 Waterlogging drought and salinity5.11.2 Temperature5.11.3 Edaphic factors5.12. Legumes, pests and pathogens6. Some Legumes for the Future?6.1 Human food6.1.1 Vigna spp6.1.2 Other phaseoloid legumes6.2 Forage legumes6.3 Pharmaceutical uses6.4 Other uses