Molecular characterization of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense isolates from banana

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (FOC) is the causal agent of banana wilt or Panama disease. In the present study, 24 isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense of banana from Tamilnadu and Karnataka were characterized. Molecular detection of F. oxysporum was carried out using species specific primers and toxin analysis was carried out using PCR and HPTLC analysis. Diversity of the F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense isolates were undertaken using ISSR molecular typing and ITS-RFLP analysis. Morphological identifications were well correlated with the molecular detection method. Among the isolates 6 isolates were stayed as mycotoxin fumonisin positive by PCR as well as HPTLC method. A tree inferred from ISSR analysis revealed the polyphylitic nature of the FOC isolates, and 10 genotypic groups could be identified. The results indicate that ISSR molecular typing is a powerful tool to perform detailed analysis of genetic diversity F. oxysporum.