RAPD-PCR characterization of Beauveria bassiana isolates from the rice water weevil Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus

Abstract

Random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) was used to examine the genetic variability among Beauveria bassiana isolates from infected rice water weevil (RWW), Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus, collected in south-western Louisiana. Most of the B. bassiana isolates tightly clustered into one or the other of two groups that diverged at the 65% similarity level. Three soil isolates also clustered within the two groups while one soil isolate did not tightly cluster (mean similarity = 65%) with any of the RWW isolates. The results suggest that certain genotypes of B. bassiana commonly infect RWW while others do not.