Sub-Specific Populations of Verticillium dahliae and their Roles in Vascular Wilt Pathogsystems

Verticillium dahliae is an economically important pathogen causing vascular wilt on over 160 plant species. In North America, potato early dying is a significant disease of potato, especially in the midwest and Pacific northwest states. This disease is caused by the fungus Verticillium dahliae and in some cases involves a synergistic interaction with root-lesion nematodes, primarily Pratylenchus penetrans. In Israel, Verticillium wilt occurs in many regions and inflicts serious losses in potato, cotton, and other crops. Objectives of this project were to establish a large collection of isolates of Verticillium dahliae from potato (USA) and several host plants (Israel) and to characterize and compare the isolates with regard to morphology, vegetative compatibility group (VCG), and pathogenic capabilities on several hosts. Isolations were made from 224 commercial lots of certified potato seed tubers from across N. America and 87 potato fields located in the Columbia Basin of Oregon and Washington. A large collection of isolates from central U.S. states already existed. In Israel, 47 field sites were sampled and isolates of Verticillium dahliae were recovered from 13 host plant species and from soil. Potato isolates from N. America were tested for vegetative compatibility and all found to be in VCG 4 with about 2/3 in VCG 4A and the rest in VCG 4B. VCG 4A isolates were significantly more aggressive on potato than VCG 4B isolates and were more likely to interact synergistically with P. penetrans. The Israeli isolates fell into three vegetative compatibility groups. Nearly all (> 90%) VCG2B and VCG 4B isolates were recovered from the northern and southern parts of Israel, respectively, with some overlap in central areas. Several pathotypes were defined in cotton, using cotton and eggplant together as differentials. All VCG 2B isolates from cotton caused severe disease in cotton, while VCG 2A and VCG 4B isolates from several crops were much less aggressive to cotton. When Israeli isolates of VCGs 2A, 2B and 4B were inoculated to potato and tomato, VCG 4B isolates caused much more severe disease on potato and VCG 2A isolates caused much more severe disease in tomato. Differential patterns of pathogenicity and aggressiveness of these VCGs on potato and tomato were consistent regardless of the host plant of origin. Isolates of the same VCG resembled one another more than isolates from different VCGs based on colony and microsclerotial morphology, temperature responses and, partially, in pathogenicity. Vegetative compatibility grouping of V. dahliae in Israel appears closely associated with specific pathogenicity and other phenotypic traits. The absence of VCG 4A in Israel is significant. VCG patterns among Verficillium populations are useful to predict relatedness and pathogenic potential in both countries.