Interaction between Colletotrichum lindemuthianum races and gene pool diversity in Phaseolus vulgaris

Sixty-two genetically diverse modern and traditional Phaseolus vulgaris L. cultivars from Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the the United States, representative of the Andean and Middle American gene pools, were selected to study the interaction with distinct races of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum (Sacc. & Magnus) Lams.-Scrib. Principal component and phenetic analyses were conducted on the disease reaction to inoculation with 34 races of C. lindemuthianum from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, and the United States. The principal component analysis revealed four clusters in which only one cluster consisted of cultivars from both gene pools. Bean genotypes clustered based on the gene pool origin of the resistance genes present, regardless of the actual gene pool of the host genotype. Middle American genotypes in cluster A carried Andean resistance genes. Further grouping of genotypes based on overall level of resistance within each gene pool was observed. Clusters A and C consisted of the most resistant genotypes from both gene pools. The distribution of genotypes generated by the phenetic analysis, placed the most resistant and susceptible genotypes of the anthracnose differential series at the extremities of the phenogram, providing support for the range in genotypic resistance exhibited by members of the differential series. Races of C. lindemuthianum isolated from Middle American genotypes showed broad virulence on germplasm from both gene pools, whereas races with Andean reaction showed high virulence only on Andean germplasm. The reduced virulence of Andean races on Middle American genotypes suggests selection of virulence factors congruent with diversity in P. vulgaris. In addition, races of C. lindemuthianum formed two clusters corresponding to the Middle American and Andean reaction groups based on the phenetic analysis. In the principal component analysis, most races with the Andean reaction were observed in the clusters C and D, except races 15 and 23 which clustered with Middle American races in cluster B. Only races 38, 39 and 47 from the Dominican Republic showed high similarity in both multivariate analyses and clustered based on geographic origin. Races from other countries showed no geographic effect. The overlapping of specific races, however, with races from different reaction groups might indicate that this group of isolates possesses factors of virulence to both host gene pools. Data based on virulence supports variability in C. lindemuthianum structured with diversity in P. vulgaris.