ISSR primers for analysis of genetic variability of Stenocarpella maydis

Abstract

Although stalk and ear rot is a major disease affecting corn plants, little is known regarding the genetic variability of Stenocarpella maydis, its main causal agent. In this study, we evaluated inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) primers for analysis of genetic variability of the pathogen. For DNA analysis, six isolates of S. maydis were amplified using 42 ISSR primers. Polymorphic information content (PIC), marker index (MI), and resolving power (RP) were calculated for all primers. Of the 42 primers, 50 % showed high-quality amplification products. The average polymorphism was 90.4 %, and the average similarity among the isolates was 33 %. The PIC, MI, and RP values ranged from 0.31 to 0.45, 4.84 to 18.46, and 0.40 to 10.00, respectively. The primers UBC 848, 873, 808, 811, 807, 827, 861, 868, 809, and 835 were found to be the most informative for genetic variability analysis. Considerable genetic variation was observed in S. maydis, with a core set of 10 primers.