Diversity and spatial distribution of vegetative compatibility types and mating types of Cryphonectria parasitica in the Aydın Mountains, Turkey

Abstract

In this study, the population structure of the chestnut blight fungus Cryphonectria parasitica in the Aydin Mountains was investigated to make inferences about fungal reproduction and population diversity. A total of 213 C. parasitica isolates from eight subpopulations were used to determine vegetative compatibility (vc) and mating types of the population. Furthermore geostatistical analysis was performed to define the spatial structure of the population. The results showed that the isolates were vegetatively compatible with the European vc types of either EU-1 or EU-12. Both vc types were found in almost all subpopulations, but their frequencies varied depending on location. The results of a PCR assay showed that both mating types of C. parasitica (MAT-1 and MAT-2) exist in the population. MAT-1 comprised 65% of the total isolates, and the ratio of mating types was significantly skewed from 1:1. Genotyping based on combined vc and mating type data revealed four genotypes: EU-1/MAT-1 (28.6%), EU-1/MAT-2 (34.7%), EU-12/MAT-1 (36.2%) and EU-12/MAT-2 (0.5%). Geostatistatical analysis indicated that vc types, mating types and vc/mating genotypes were spatially autocorrelated and clustered in their distributions. Results suggested that C. parasitica could have a clonal population structure that is generated by asexual reproduction. Low vc-type diversity suggests that the C. parasitica population in the Aydin Mountains may be highly suitable to hypovirus invasion, thereby providing a high potential for successful biological control. However, co-occurrence of sexually compatible strains of EU-1 and EU-12 at the same locations in close proximity creates a high risk of increase in vc-type diversity.