Isozyme and RAPD-PCR analyses of Fusarium avenaceum strains from Finland

Differences in isozyme and RAPD-PCR polymorphisms amongst 33 isolates of Fusarium avenaceum were compared using native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and agarose gel electrophoresis. The isolates were collected From different regions of Finland. Amongst eight enzymes analysed clear isozyme polymorphism was detected in five enzymes which could be grouped into 20 different electrophoretic phenotypes and three main groups al the similarity level of 70% in unweighted pair group method with arithmetic average (UPGMA) analysis. RAPD-PCR analysis differentiated all F. avenaceum strains from each other. The phenotypes resulting from RAPD-PCR analysis were grouped into five main groups by UPGMA analysis at the similarity level of 55%. These main groups had several similarities with the main groups from isozyme analysis. RAPD-PCR patterns of 16 isolates of Fusarium graminearum, F. culmorum, F. equiseti, F. oxysporum and F. redolens were also studied and strains from each Fusarium species formed individual groups in UPGMA and principal components analyses. Thus, the extent of isozyme and RAPD-PCR polymorphisms found in Fusarium strains potentially provides a method for identifying the fungi both at strain and species level.