Genotypic, phenotypic and pathogenicity variation of Fusarium solani isolates, the causal agent of bean root rot in Zanjan province

Bean root rot caused by plant pathogenic fungus، Fusarium solani، is considered one of the most important diseases of bean in the world and in Iran. Because of economic importance of bean and the lack of information on population diversity of the pathogen in Zanjan province، a research was conducted to study phenotypic، genotypic and pathogenicity variation of pathogen isolates and to assess pathogen host range among several commonly cultivated crops in the studied region. Plants with disease symptoms were sampled from 11 fields of province and totally 30 isolates of F. solani were obtained. After disease proving، host range experiment and phenotypic investigations، polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted on total DNA by using RAPD and ERIC primers. The results showed no significant difference in pathogenicity of isolates، but there was phenotypic and genotypic diversity among them. Among 9 inoculated plants including wheat، alfalfa، white bean، red bean، pinto bean، sain foin، faba bean، lentils and chick pea، only wheat showed no disease symptoms. DNA fingerprinting patterns from both molecular markers demonstrated high genetic diversity of isolates on bean in Zanjan. However RAPD PCR based on using single primer (OPA 13) produced more reliable products، but grouping based on this marker was considerably consistent with grouping based on ERIC marker. There was no association between geographic regions and genetic groups. Also there was no consistency between phenotypic and genotypic diversity of isolates.