Genetic diversity of Rhizoctonia solani associated with potato tubers in France

The soilborne fungus Rhizoctonia solani is a pathogen of many plants and causes severe damage in crops around the world. Strains of R. solani from the anastomosis group (AG) 3 attack potatoes, leading to great yield losses and to the downgrading of production. The study of the genetic diversity of the strains of R. solani in France allows the structure of the populations to be determined and adapted control strategies against this pathogen to be established. The diversity of 73 French strains isolated from tubers grown in the main potato seed production areas and 31 strains isolated in nine other countries was assessed by phylogenetic analyses of (i) the internal transcribed spacer sequences (ITS1 and ITS2) of ribosomal RNA (rRNA), (ii) a part of the gene tef-1α and (iii) the total DNA fingerprints of each strain established by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). The determination of the AGs of R. solani based on the sequencing of the ITS region showed three different AGs among our collection (60 AG 3 PT, 8 AG 2-1 and 5 AG 5). Grouping of the strains belonging to the same AG was confirmed by sequencing of the gene tef-1α used for the first time to study the genetic diversity of R. solani. About 42% of ITS sequences and 72% of tef-1α sequences contained polymorphic sites, suggesting that the cells of R. solani strains contain several copies of ITS and the tef-1α gene within the same nucleus or between different nuclei. Phylogenetic trees showed a greater genetic diversity within AGs in tef-1α sequences than in ITS sequences. The AFLP analyses showed an even greater diversity among the strains demonstrating that the French strains of R. solani isolated from potatoes were not a clonal population. Moreover there was no relationship between the geographical origins of the strains or the variety from which they were isolated and their genetic diversity.