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Abstract Detail



Mycological Section

Lyon, Erika [1], Polashock, James [2], Hildebrand, Paul D. [3], Annis, Seanna [4].

Population genetic structure and spread of Valdensinia heterodoxa, an emergent plant pathogen in Maine and Eastern Canada.

Valdensinia heterodoxa, a fungal pathogen that attacks multiple plant species in the Ericaceae family, was found in Nova Scotia in 1997 and more recently in Maine in 2009 on lowbush blueberry hosts (Vaccinium angustifolium and Vaccinium myrtilloides). The fungus leads to leaf abscission in blueberry crops and causes substantial yield declines when outbreaks in fields are severe. This study examined genetic diversity and population structure of isolates of V. heterodoxa collected from 2003 to 2014 in Maine, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island to identify whether the fungus has spread between fields and whether human activity facilitated pathogen dispersal. Primer screening of 15 isolates from across Maine revealed 8 microsatellite loci with multiple alleles. These 8 loci were amplified in multiplex reactions in the remaining isolates from all regions. Microsatellite analysis revealed low genetic diversity within and between sampled fields in the three regions. Populations in Maine and Canada were also genetically similar to one another, with many fields in all regions sharing a single multilocus haplotype. Results indicate that populations of the fungus in the three regions are closely related.


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1 - University of Maine, School of Biology & Ecology, 11 Deering Hall, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
2 - USDA-ARS, Genetic Improvement for Fruits & Vegetables Laboratory, 125A Lake Oswego Rd, Chatsworth, NJ, 08019, USA
3 - 75 Murray St, Kentville, NS, B4N3V7, Canada
4 - University of Maine, School of Biology & Ecology, 13 Deering Hall, Orono, ME, 04469, USA

Keywords:
V. heterodoxa
plant diseases
Microsatellites
population genetics.

Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Sections
Session: P
Location: Hall D/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Monday, July 27th, 2015
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PMY029
Abstract ID:564
Candidate for Awards:None


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