Characterization of Fusarium avenaceum from faba bean (Vicia faba) in Iran, genetic diversity, aggressiveness, and cultivar evaluation

Abstract

Fusarium avenaceum is an important Fusarium species and under mild climate, this fungus is one of the most important pathogenic species especially on grains and legumes. In this study, the genetic diversity and pathogenicity of this pathogen on faba bean, cultivar Barakat, was investigated under greenhouse conditions. The reaction of six cultivars of faba including Boroujerdi brown, Boroujerdi red, Balochi, Syria masses, Luzde otono and Histal against the pathogen was also investigated. Samples were collected during the spring of 2015 from faba bean fields in Tarom County. After isolation and purification of fungal isolates, 30 isolates of F. avenaceum were obtained. To survey the genetic diversity, two RAPD primers (P1 and UBC77) and three ISSR primers ((GACA)4, (GTG)5, (AAGC)4) were applied to DNA fingerprinting, and data analysis was performed in NTSYSpc-2.02e. The results showed relatively high genetic diversity among the isolates. Greenhouse test using two methods, infected wheat grains, and agar layer method was conducted as completely randomized design. Analysis of variance and Duncan multiple range tests were performed by SAS ver. 9.4. According to the results of infected wheat grains method, there was the significant difference among the isolates regarding their effects on disease percentage, shoot length, foliar dry and wet weight, but root length and root dry and wet weight. In agar layer method there was a significant difference among the isolates on disease percentage and root length (P ≤ 0.05). The results of the analysis of variance for cultivar reaction data indicated no significant difference in reaction among different cultivars.