Genetic Diversity of Cercospora arachidicola Associated with Peanut Early Leaf Spot in Shandong Province of China

Abstract

Early leaf spot caused by Cercospora arachidicola is the major destructive foliar disease of cultivated peanut in Shandong province of China. Understanding the genetic variability of this pathogen is crucial for evolutionary comprehension and breeding strategies. The genetic diversity of C. arachidicola isolates obtained from different peanut growing regions of Shandong province were assessed using inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers. Thirteen ISSR primers generating polymorphic, clearly discernible and reproducible patterns were screened out for further analysis. A total of 113 distinct bands were amplified, of which 85.8% were polymorphic, suggesting high values of polymorphism among the isolates. Cluster analysis using UPGMA indicated that all the isolates tested were separated into three distinct generic groups. The genetic relatedness of C. arachidicola isolates roughly coincided with geographical origin. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that the observed genetic variation mainly existed within populations, and the variation among populations was weak. This study characterized the genetic diversity of C. arachidicola isolates for the first time, which will provide necessary genetic information for effective management practices. © 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers © 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers©