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Geographical Distribution, Pathotype Characterization, and Molecular Diversity of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum in Greece and Resistance of Greek Bean Cultivars

Thirty-five Colletotrichum lindemuthianum isolates were obtained from bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) fields in 23 prefectures of Greece during a survey conducted in 2003 and 2004. Race characterization based on the standardized set of 12 differential cultivars demonstrated the presence of races 2, 6, and 22, which are reported for first time in Greece, while race 22 is reported for the first time in the world. In addition, pathotype diversity showed significant correlation with the geographical origin of these isolates. All three races caused disease symptoms only on cultivars of Andean origin, suggesting that Greek isolates originated from South American countries. Virulence spectrum of the same isolates was also examined on a set of 30 Greek bean cultivars showing seven types of virulence. Based on their reactions to the pathogen isolates, Greek cultivars were divided into nine groups. Among these cultivars, two (Ithomi FS60 and Larisa) were resistant to all tested isolates, including the reference isolates. Molecular diversity was detected using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers and the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacers, which revealed two main clusters of isolates. Thirty-two out of 35 isolates belonged to the same main cluster in both methods, indicating that Greek isolates have genotypic similarities. This study provides the information on population diversity of C. lindemuthianum, which can be useful in agricultural practices and in plant breeding programs.