Genetic Diversity of Ralstonia solanacearum Infecting Potato in Kerman Province Using rep-PCR Analysis

Ralstonia solanacearum affects more than 30 plant families, including crops and wild species. Highly susceptiblecrops are potato, tobacco, tomato, eggplant and peanut. Bacterial wilt, caused by Ralstonia solanacearum, is one of the most important diseases of potato (Solanum tuberosum) in world. Strains of Ralstonia solanacearum were isolated from the wilted stems of potato cultivars from the major poato-growing areas, Jiroft, Sardueyeh and Soghan in Kerman province, using TTC medium. The strains were differentiated into biovars using biochemical tests and their pathogenicity was confirmed on tomato Cv. Red Cloud. Possible genetic diversity of R. solanacearum strains recovered from different areas was evaluated by rep-PCR, using REP, ERIC and BOX primers. A phylogenetic tree generated by NTSYS-pc2.0 software placed the strains into two major clusters, with some variations within each cluster. The genetic diversity of R. solanacearum strains infecting potato in Kerman province has probably arisen from the importation of latently infected seed tubers.