An extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) was produced by a Rhizobium sp. isolated from the root nodules of Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper. Maximum EPS production (346 mg 1(-1)) was when the yeast extract basal medium was supplemented with mannitol (1%), biotin (1.5 mg 1(-1)) and asparagine (0.3%). Ribose (53%) and mannose (47%) were the principle monomers of the EPS. Chemical, chromatographic and spectroscopic analysis showed that this polymer, which has Man(4)Rib(1) as an oligomeric subunit, has an apparent molecular mass of 750 kDa.