Genetic Diversity of Toxigenic Fusarium Verticillioidesassociated with Maize Grains in India
Abstract Genetic diversity of Fusarium species associated with maize grains were analyzed from ten states of India. Fusarium verticillioides (88.52%), F. coffeatum (6.55%), F. foetens (3.27%) and F. euwallaceae (1.63%) were recovered from the maize samples. A phylogenetic analysis was performed based on the translation elongation factor 1 alpha (TEF1-α) gene sequence formed five evolutionary lineages (EL) that showed both inter- and intra-species variability. A In-vitro pathogenicity study confirms that among the 61 strains, 51% exhibited high to moderate virulence to the maize, and produced one or more mycotoxins. The genetic diversity of F. verticillioides were evaluated using Inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) fingerprints. The ISSR fingerprints (AG)8C and (AG)8G shown 252 and 368 microsatellites sites, respectively, in the genome of F. verticillioides. The (AG)8C fingerprints differentiated the pathogenic and non-pathogenic clustering of F. verticillioides. However, Simpson’s (SID), and Shannon’s (H) index showed a wide range of diversity within the F. verticillioides. The pleomorphic nature of these strains role in host pathogen interactions and adoptive potential to develop disease to crop plants. Toxigenic potential of F. verticillioides was evaluated for the presence of FUM1and FUM13 genes involved in fumonisins B1 (FB1) biosynthesis, and further confirmed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) showed 91% strains were FB1 producers. The current finding demonstrated that most F. vertcillioides strains showed a wide range of genetic diversity with varied toxigenic and pathogenic potentials. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop an effective resistant breeding program in maize, and further monitoring is necessary for the post-harvest losses of grains.