GENETIC DIVERSITY AND POPULATION STRUCTURE OF MONILIOPHTHORA RORERI IN COCOA PRODUCING AREAS OF GUATEMALA

Authors

  • José Alejandro Ruiz-Chután Czech University of Life Sciences Prague https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3897-855X
  • Julio Ernesto Berdúo-Sandoval
  • Vera Alvarado
  • Marie Kalousová
  • Bohdan Lojka
  • Jana Žiarovská
  • Luis Montes
  • Amílcar Sánchez-Pérez
  • Eloy Fernández

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55251/jmbfs.5947

Keywords:

Frosty pod rot, AFLP, linkage disequilibrium, gene flow, clonal population

Abstract

Frosty pod rot (FPR) disease, caused by Moniliophthora roreri, is the most important cocoa disease in the Western Hemisphere. In Guatemala, the presence of the pathogen is attributed to a rapid and clonal dissemination throughout Central America after one or very few introductions of M. roreri from South America. We analyzed the genetic diversity of isolates from the main cocoa producing departments in Guatemala using AFLP. In total, 15 different multilocus genotypes were found among 119 isolates, indicating a low genetic diversity (percentage of polymorphic loci and Nei’s gene diversity, 12.28% and 0.321, respectively). The obtained linkage disequilibrium through the observed and standardized indexes of association (IA and d) confirmed clonality and asexual reproduction in the populations of M. roreri. The discriminant analysis of principal components suggested three genetic groups; nonetheless, the minimum spanning network and fixation index (ΦST = 0.043 P = 0.09) revealed a weak population structure, mainly attributed to high human-mediated gene flow (Nm = 11.13). Given the high mutation rate of M. roreri, constant monitoring of its evolution is suggested along with quarantine practices that limit its dispersal and evaluation of cocoa clones tolerant to the new genotypes of M. roreri, thus preventing increases in losses of Guatemalan cocoa production.

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Published

2024-02-28

How to Cite

Ruiz-Chután, J. A., Berdúo-Sandoval, J. E., Alvarado, V., Kalousová, M., Lojka, B., Žiarovská, J., Montes, L., Sánchez-Pérez, A., & Fernández, E. (2024). GENETIC DIVERSITY AND POPULATION STRUCTURE OF MONILIOPHTHORA RORERI IN COCOA PRODUCING AREAS OF GUATEMALA. Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Food Sciences, 13(6), e5947. https://doi.org/10.55251/jmbfs.5947

Issue

Section

Microbiology

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