An experiment was carried out with "santa-rosa, "viçoja", and "IAC-2" soybean varieties (Glycine max (L.) Merril), in nutrient solution (Leonard jars) with the objectives of pre-selection of thirteen Rhizoblum japonicum strains, and verification of the degree of specificity of the soybean varieties. After a fifty eight days growth period it was observed, from the nitrogen fixed, that strains n.° SMS-64, SMS-65, SMS-68, SMS-309, and SMS-310 were equally efficient on the three varieties. Some strains were efficient in two, and others in only one variety. Strain SMS-333 did not form nodules on "IAC-2", but was efficient on the other varieties. The total plant dry weight was not as good criteria as the total nitrogen, for the strain differentiation, although total nitrogen and dry weight were correlated. Nodulation (nodule number, or dry weight) was not a good criterion for strain selection.