Genetic structure of the grapevine fungal pathogen Phaeomoniella chlamydospora in southeastern Australia and southern France

In this study, 18 microsatellite loci were used to examine the genetic structure and mode of reproduction of Phaeomoniella chlamydospora, the fungus that causes Petri disease of grapevine and is involved in another grapevine disease, esca. A total of 60 southeastern Australian isolates were tested and compared with 64 isolates from southern France. The French population possessed relatively high genotypic diversity (G = 29.2) whilst the Australian population showed low genotypic diversity (G = 11.1), consistent with a limited founder population. Haplotypes from four different grapevine cultivars were not significantly differentiated (Fpt values effectively zero). Likewise, genetic differentiation of haplotypes from different regions within each country was not significant, although small but significant genetic differentiation (9%) was identified between Australia and France. Based on bootstrapped cluster analysis, there did not appear to be any genetic groups within the overall sample of isolates. Significant linkage disequilibrium identified in both countries, together with overrepresented, widespread identical haplotypes, indicated limited genetic recombination and a largely clonal structure consistent with the absence of an observed sexual cycle in this species.