Korolev, N., Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, ARO, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Pérez-Artés, E., Instituto de Agricultura Sostenible (IAS), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Apartado 4084, Córdoba 14080, Spain
Mercado-Blanco, J., Instituto de Agricultura Sostenible (IAS), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Apartado 4084, Córdoba 14080, Spain
Bejarano-Alcázar, J., CIFA Alameda del Obispo, IFAPA, Apartado 3092, Córdoba 14080, Spain
Rodríguez-Jurado, D., CIFA Alameda del Obispo, IFAPA, Apartado 3092, Córdoba 14080, Spain
Jiménez-Díaz, R.M., Instituto de Agricultura Sostenible (IAS), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Apartado 4084, Córdoba 14080, Spain, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos Y Montes, Universidad de Córdoba, Apartado 3048, Córdoba 14080, Spain
Katan, T., Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, ARO, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Katan, J., Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Hebrew University, Rehovot 76100, Israel

Verticillium dahliae isolates recovered from a new focus of severe Verticillium wilt of cotton in the northeast of Israel were tested for vegetative compatibility using nitrate non-utilizing (nit) mutants and identified as VCG1, which is a new record in Israel. Other cotton isolates of V. dahliae from the northern and southern parts of the country were assigned to VCG2B and VCG4B, respectively. VCG1 isolates induced severe leaf symptoms, stunting and defoliation of cotton cv. Acala SJ-2, and thus were characterized as the cotton-defoliating (D) pathotype, whereas isolates of VCG2B and VCG4B were confirmed as the earlier described defoliating-like (DL) and non-defoliating (ND) pathotypes, respectively. This is the first record of the D-pathotype in Israel. The host range of representative isolates of each VCG-associated pathotype was investigated using a number of cultivated plants. Overall, the D isolates were more virulent than DL isolates on all tested host plants, but the order of hosts (from highly susceptible to resistant) was the same: okra (Hibiscus esculentus local cultivar), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum cv. Acala SJ2), watermelon (Citrullus lanatus cv. Crimson Sweet), safflower (Carthamus tinctorius cv. PI 251264), sunflower (Helianthus annuum cv. 2053), eggplant (Solanum melongena cv. Black Beauty), and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. Rehovot 13). The pattern of virulence of ND isolates differed from that of D and DL isolates, so that the former were highly virulent on eggplant but mildly virulent on cotton. Tomato was resistant to all cotton V. dahliae isolates tested. RAPD and specific PCR assays confirmed that the D isolates from Israel were similar to those originating from other countries. © 2008 KNPV.