RAPD based diagnosis and diversity analysis of Fusarium wilt pathogen of pulse crops

RAPD analysis of four isolates each of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lentis and Fusarium udum were done using random primes of OPI, OPA and OPX series from Operon Technologies. The isolates grouped into two major cluster, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceriand Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lentis forming one cluster, further divided in two subclusters according to their formae speciales, while Fusarium udum isolates grouped into a separate cluster and showed maximum homogeneity among isolates. Specific bands which correspond to a particular Fusarium species or formae specials have also been identified. A 600 bp band generated by OPI 09 primer is specific only to Fusarium udum. Similarly, a 2 kb fragment generated by OPI 12 and an 800 bp fragment generated by OPI 14 identify Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lentis and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri, respectively. These markers can be developed into potential diagnostic markers for identification of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri, Fusarium udum and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lentis.