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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Food and Feed Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #321215
Title: Molecular diversity of seed-borne Fusarium species associated with maize in India

Author
item AIYAZ, M - University Of Mysore
item DIVAKARA, S - University Of Mysore
item VENKATARAMANA, M - Bharathiar University
item Moore, Geromy
item GUPTA, V - National University Of Ireland
item YLI-MATTILA, T - University Of Turku
item NAYAKA, S - University Of Mysore
item NIRANJANA, S - University Of Mysore

Submitted to: Current Genomics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/24/2015
Publication Date: 4/1/2016
Citation: Aiyaz, M., Divakara, S.T., Venkataramana, M., Moore, G.G., Gupta, V.K., Yli-Mattila, T., Nayaka, S.C., Niranjana, S.R. 2016. Molecular diversity of seed-borne Fusarium species associated with maize in India. Current Genomics. 17(2):132-144.

Interpretive Summary: Species within the genus Fusarium are agriculturally important due to their potential to infect important crops such as maize as well as produce mycotoxins. The Fusaria are often indistinguishable by morphological examination alone; therefore, this study aimed to evaluate and analyze the molecular diversity of seed-borne strains of Fusarium recovered from maize seeds sampled throughout India. Findings show the majority of sampled isolates were F. verticillioides, and most of them produced fumonisin. A portion of the F. verticillioides isolates were fumonisin-negative due to absence of FUM genes. Although genetic diversity was observed for the sampled isolates, it did not relate to geographic subdivision. This study underscores the importance of using molecular tools to help distinguish between species and strains of Fusarium.

Technical Abstract: A total of 62 Fusarium isolates were recovered from 106 maize seeds sampled across 13 states in India, 90% of which were identified as F. verticillioides. Our study included (1) species confirmation through PCR assay using the tef-1a gene, (2) a fumonisin cluster genotype assay using developed multiplex PCR, (3) confirmation of fumonisin production with the CD-ELISA method, and (4) analysis of molecular diversity among the F. verticillioides isolates using tef-1a and ISSR markers. Among the F. verticillioides isolates genotyped, 16 were found to exhibit deletion patterns for one or more fumonisin genes; of those, 10 were confirmed as fumonisin negative. Phylogenetic analysis showed no genetic segregation based on geography or toxicity, but segregation based on species could be observed.