Co-Authors:
Tsror, L., Department of Plant Pathology, Agricultural Research Organisation, Gilat Experiment Station, MP Negev, Israel, Department of Plant Pathology, Agricultural Research Organization, Gilat Experiment Station, MP Negev, 85280, Israel
Levin, A.G., Department of Plant Pathology, Agricultural Research Organisation, Gilat Experiment Station, MP Negev, Israel, Department of Plant Pathology, Agricultural Research Organization, Gilat Experiment Station, MP Negev, 85280, Israel, Department of Life Sciences, Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel
Abstract:
Fifty-two isolates of Verticillium dahliae from olive trees grown at different locations in Israel were assigned to vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs), using nitrate non-utilizing (Nit) mutants. A higher frequency of nit1/nit3 mutants (95%) was obtained compared with NitM (5%), with 81% of the isolates being assigned to VCG4B and 19% to VCG2A. The pathogenicity of 14 randomly selected isolates (seven of each VCG) was tested on olive twigs (cv. Picual) and tomato. VCG4B and VCG2A isolates were similarly aggressive on olive. However, VCG2A isolates were more aggressive on tomato (line 139) than the VCG4B isolates as indicated by a higher colonization index.