Genetic Variation of Puccinia triticina Populations in Iran from 2010 to 2017 as Revealed by SSR and ISSR Markers

Zahra Nemati; Ali Dadkhodaie; Reza Mostowfizadeh-Ghalamfarsa; Rahim Mehrabi; Santa Olga Cacciola

doi:10.3390/jof9030388

Genetic Variation of Puccinia triticina Populations in Iran from 2010 to 2017 as Revealed by SSR and ISSR Markers

J Fungi (Basel). 2023 Mar 22;9(3):388. doi: 10.3390/jof9030388.

Authors

Zahra Nemati¹, Ali Dadkhodaie², Reza Mostowfizadeh-Ghalamfarsa¹, Rahim Mehrabi³, Santa Olga Cacciola⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Plant Protection, School of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz 71441-65186, Iran.
² Department of Plant Production and Genetics, School of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz 71441-65186, Iran.
³ Department of Biotechnology, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 81431-53784, Iran.
⁴ Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Di3A), University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.

Abstract

Puccinia triticina is a major wheat pathogen worldwide. Although Iran is within the Fertile Crescent, which is supposed to be the center of origin of both wheat and P. triticina, the knowledge of the genetic variability of local populations of this basidiomycete is limited. We analyzed 12 inter simple sequence repeats (ISSRs) and 18 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) of 175 P. triticina isolates sampled between 2010 and 2017 from wheat and other Poaceae in 14 provinces of Iran. SSRs revealed more polymorphisms than ISSRs, indicating they were more effective in differentiating P. triticina populations. Based on a dissimilarity matrix with a variable mutation rate for SSRs and a Dice coefficient for ISSRs, the isolates were separated into three large groups, each including isolates from diverse geographic origins and hosts. The grouping of SSR genotypes in UPGMA dendrograms was consistent with the grouping inferred from the Bayesian approach. However, isolates with a common origin clustered into separate subgroups within each group. The high proportion of heterozygous alleles suggests that in Iran clonal reproduction prevails over sexual reproduction of the pathogen. A significant correlation was found between SSR and ISSR genotypes and the virulence phenotypes of the isolates, as determined in a previous study.

Keywords: Basidiomycota; ISSR; Poaceae; SSR; brown rust; genotypes; molecular markers; virulence; wheat leaf rust.

Grants and funding

This research was partly funded by the International Foundation for Science (IFS) [grant number C/5315-1], the project of the University of Catania, Italy “Investigation of phytopathological problems of the main Sicilian productive contexts and eco-sustainable defense strategies (MED-IT-ECO)” “PiaCeRi—PIAno di inCEntivi per la Ricerca di Ateneo 2020–22 linea 2” (5A722192155), the project “Smart and innovative packaging, postharvest rot management and shipping of organic citrus fruit (BiOrangePack)” under Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranea Area (PRIMA)-H2020 (E69C20000130001) and by the project “PROMETEO—Un village transfrontalier pour protéger la culture des arboricoles méditerranéennes en partageant les connaissances” Rif. n° C-5_2.1-36, Strategic project ENI Italy-Tunisia 2014–2020.