Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology (2014) 36, 475-481

Nora Allioui, Ali Siah, Louhichi Brinis, Philippe Reignault and Patrice Halama (2014)
Mating type distribution provides evidence for sexual reproduction of Mycosphaerella graminicola in Algeria
Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology 36 (4), 475-481
Abstract: Septoria tritici blotch caused by Mycosphaerella graminicola is currently the most frequently occurring and economically damaging disease on wheat crops worldwide. A total of 120 single-conidial isolates of this fungus (60 from bread wheat and 60 from durum wheat) were sampled in 2012 from five distinct geographical locations of Algeria and analyzed for mating type distribution to provide insight into the potential of sexual reproduction. The mating type of each isolate was identified using a multiplex PCR that amplifies either a MAT1-1 or a MAT1-2 fragment from mating type loci. Both idiomorphs were scored at equal frequencies according to the chi² test at different scales. They were found to occur at equal proportions at the whole country level (46 % MAT1-1 vs. 54 % MAT1-2) and at the level of each sampled location. The two mating types were also found at equal frequencies on both host species at the country scale (47 % MAT1-1 vs. 53 % MAT1-2 on bread wheat and 45 % MAT1-1 vs. 55 % MAT1-2 on durum wheat) and irrespective of the sampled locations. This equal mating type distribution at both geographic and host species levels suggests a large potential for sexual reproduction of M. graminicola in Algeria and indicates a lack of specificity between mating types and host species in the case of the wheat-M. graminicola pathosystem.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Philippe Reignault, Patrice Halama

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Zymoseptoria tritici	Wheat (Triticum)	Algeria