Population genetics of Phytophthora species based on short sequence repeat (SSR) marker: a review of its importance and recent studies

Abstract

Phytophthora is a genus of oomycete (water molds) whose member species mostly live as plant pathogens and have been reported to cause enormous economic losses on crops worldwide. In recent years, population genetics of Phytophthora pathogens have been broadly studied to evaluate their adaptive evolution. Population genetic studies focus on analyzing the level of genetic diversity and the structure of the pathogen population. A population’s genetic diversity is proportional to its evolutionary potential. The generation and maintenance of genetic variation in pathogen populations are influenced by the biology of the pathogen and its host, environments, agricultural practices, and human activities. Understanding the population genetics of plant pathogens allows us to track the dynamic of the pathogen population and their adaptive ability, assisting the development of sustainable disease management strategies. This review presents the importance of population genetics, short sequence repeat (SSR) marker utilization in population genetic studies, and recent population genetics studies of Phytophthora pathogens related to agricultural practices.