Genetic relatedness among and within different Rhizoctonia solani anastomosis groups as assessed by RAPD, ERIC and REP-PCR

The genetic relatedness among 41 isolates of Rhizoctonia solani belonging to 11 AGs was assessed based on the fragment pattern analysis obtained by the amplification of genomic DNA by 3 RAPD primers (P14, R28 and RC09), ERIC (ERICIR-I/ERIC2) and REP (REP1R-I/REP2-I) gene sequences. Based on the banding patterns of PCR-amplified products, seven putative groups among the 41 isolates were recognized. RAPD-PCR generated multiple distinct products showing considerable variability among the isolates of different AC types. Isolates originated from the same geographical origin or host plants were not always genetically related. Amplification with ERIC and REP elements enabled detection of AGs/subgroup-conserved and isolate-polymorphic variants, respectively. Though pattern types generated by ERIC and REP in general, were distinctly variable among different subgroups, less variable fingerprint patterns were produced within the isolates of each subgroup.