Genetic diversity of Magnaporthe grisea isolates from Rice, Finger millet, Buffel grass and Para grass in Tamil Nadu, India

The genetic variability among isolates of Magnaporthe grisea collected from rice (Oryza sativa), buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris), finger millet (Eleusine coracana) and para grass (Brachiaria mutica) were analyzed by using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method. Analysis of the genetic coefficient matrix derived from the scores of RAPD profiles showed that minimum and maximum % similarities among the tested M. grisea isolates were in the range of 19.1 to 95.9% respectively. The phylogenetic analysis by the unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means (UPGMA) identified two main clusters. Cluster A contained only one isolate (CBECC1 isolated from C. ciliaris) and all the other isolates were placed in Cluster B confirming high genetic diversity among the isolates of M. grisea.