Genetic analysis of the population structure of the rice false smut fungus,Villosiclava virens,in China using microsatellite markers mined from a genome assembly

Studies on population genetics of Villosiclava virens are limited because of the lack of polymorphic markers. Based on a draft genome sequence of isolate HWD‐2 produced in this study, 20 of 403 potential simple sequence repeats (SSR) loci showed polymorphisms in preliminary screening using eight diverse V. virens isolates. Among polymorphic loci, most of them with tetra‐ to hexanucleotide unit motifs showed higher levels of polymorphism than loci with smaller motifs. After testing with 20 polymorphic SSR markers, the 87 isolates of V. virens from eight populations in China showed a high level of genetic diversity, with each as a unique haplotype. This differs from some previous findings showing little to no genetic variation based on random amplified polymorphic DNA and amplified fragment length polymorphism analyses. Among eight populations from major rice production areas of China, the population from Guangxi province in south China showed the highest levels of polymorphism, which led to the speculation that it might be closer to the centre of origin of this pathogen. The northern, central and eastern populations (Jilin, Liaoning, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi and Zhejiang), when considered together as a group, showed significant molecular variation compared to the southern populations (Fujian and Guangxi) (Φ_PT = 0·043, P = 0·037). A significant relationship (Mantel test, P = 0·027) but with low correlation (R² = 0·23) was also found between geographic distance and genetic distance. The 20 polymorphic SSR primer pairs designed in this study provide a tool for further research on the population diversity of this emerging fungal pathogen of rice.     

黄淮麦区小麦全蚀病菌群体的遗传多样性分析

为了解小麦全蚀病病菌的群体组成和遗传多样性,采用8对多态性较好的微卫星标记,对我国黄淮麦区的116个小麦全蚀病菌株进行了分析。8个SSR标记的平均等位基因数为4.25个,多态性信息含量的平均值为0.66。供试菌株的平均有效等位基因数和基因遗传多样性指数分别为1.46和0.27,漯河群体的遗传多样性水平最高,周口群体最低。不同群体间遗传距离均较小,为0.0199~0.1153,其中徐州和周口群体间的遗传距离相对较大,而周口和驻马店群体间的遗传距离相对较小。分子方差分析结果显示,小麦全蚀病菌群体间和群体内均存在着一定的遗传分化,群体间的遗传变异占总变异的10%,群体内遗传变异占90%。6个群体间的基因流为3.5。根据SSR多态性,对来源不同菌株的UPGMA聚类分析结果显示,小麦全蚀病菌群体结构与地理来源有一定的关系。     

Pathogenicity variation and DNA polymorphism of Bipolaris sorokiniana infecting winter wheat in the Huanghuai floodplain of China

Wheat root rot, caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana, has led to severe losses of wheat products worldwide. To evaluate the pathogenicity and genetic variation of B. sorokiniana, diseased wheat samples were collected from 97 locations in the Huanghuai floodplain of China in 2014 and 2015 for analysis. A total of 673 isolates were obtained, 262 of which were identified as B. sorokiniana. Pathogenicity analysis of the isolates revealed variation in pathogenicity, which was not directly correlated with geographic region. Large variations in pathogenicity were also found within geographic groups. To determine the genetic structure of the populations, PCR was performed with universal rice primers (URP). Cluster analysis based on amplification patterns showed that the classified groups were correlated with geographical regions. Thus, analysis of the genetic diversity of the population indicated a negative correlation with geographic origin, that is, the greater the distance between sites, the lower the genetic variation similarity coefficient. Identification of wheat germplasm resistance showed that resistant cultivars accounted for a low percentage, while susceptible and highly susceptible cultivars were in the majority. Overall, these results are meaningful for developing strategies to prevent and control wheat root rot.     

基于DNA条形码技术的湖南省柑橘主产区实蝇幼虫分子鉴定

为明确湖南省柑橘主产区的实蝇入侵为害现状,从该省7个市(自治州)22个地点收集柑橘蛆果中的幼虫,利用DNA条形码技术对其进行分子鉴定,并以DNA条形码序列作为分子标记探究橘大实蝇Bactrocera minax的20个中国地理种群(湖南省6个组群共16个种群、其它3省市4个种群)以及1个印度地理种群间的亲缘地理关系,分析橘大实蝇在我国的遗传进化关系。结果表明,仅采集自邵阳市城步苗族自治县柑橘蛆果中的5头幼虫被鉴定为蜜柑大实蝇B. tsuneonis,其余21个地点采集的595头幼虫均被鉴定为橘大实蝇。21个橘大实蝇地理种群的平均单倍型多样性为0.75,核苷酸多样性为0.0032,核苷酸差异数为2.13,中国所有地理种群均具有较高的遗传多样性;单倍型网络进化图显示湖南、重庆、贵州种群共享的单倍型H3为原始单倍型,表明其为比较原始的种群;AMOVA分析结果显示种群内个体间遗传变异占总体变异的59.04%,是遗传变异的主要来源;遗传分化结果表明湖南省6个组群间均出现了中度至高度的遗传分化,FST在0.0521～0.7795之间。表明DNA条形码技术可用于蜜柑大实蝇和橘大实蝇幼虫的分子鉴定及其种群遗传进化分析。     

Genetic variability of Fusarium fujikuroi populations associated with bakanae of rice in Italy

The heterothallic ascomycete Fusarium fujikuroi (teleomorph: Gibberella fujikuroi) is the causal agent of bakanae of rice, a disease of increasing economic importance in the major rice‐producing areas in the world and a serious threat for Italian rice cultivation. A few studies have characterized F. fujikuroi isolates in America and the Philippines but no data are available on the genetic structure of Italian pathogen populations. Microsatellite SSRs are useful tools to study the intraspecific diversity at population level. In this study, 19 polymorphic SSRs have been identified and applied to characterize the genetic variation of 334 isolates of F. fujikuroi coming from eight Italian rice‐growing areas. A high degree of diversity at haplotype level has emerged: in the eight populations, 107 unique haplotypes were scored. Analysis of molecular variance (amova ) showed that 98% of genetic variability occurred within F. fujikuroi Italian populations, as confirmed by the allelic Shannon index ranging from 0.56 to 1.06. The presence of a 1:1 ratio of mating type alleles in six out of eight of the Italian fungal populations suggests a potential for sexual reproduction in the field. However, the high fraction of clonality (43%), confirmed by neighbour‐joining clustering analysis, and the high level of linkage disequilibrium observed, indicates that reproduction of F. fujikuroi is mostly clonal in Italy. All data suggest that the observed genetic variability was probably mediated by human activity and transmission by rice seeds.     

Pathotypic and genetic diversity in the population of Rhizoctonia solani AG1‐IA causing rice sheath blight in China

Sheath blight, caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG1‐IA, is one of the most serious diseases of rice. In this study, a total of 175 isolates of R. solani AG1‐IA were collected from five rice‐growing regions in China. Pathogenicity tests revealed that all isolates were virulent to five cultivars with different levels of resistance at the rice seedling stage in the greenhouse. There was considerable variation in aggressiveness, and the isolates were classified into three pathotypes based on disease severity, with moderately virulent isolates prevalent in the population. Forty‐three haplotypes were identified based on ITS sequencing, and 39 haplotypes were distinct among isolates. There were high levels of haplotype diversity and nucleotide diversity within the populations of R. solani AG1‐IA. High gene flow (Nm = 1·63–5·22) was detected, consistent with relatively low differentiation between pairs of populations. Five populations were divided into two distinct clusters by the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA), and no spatial population differentiation was discernible. The majority (97·8%) of genetic diversity was distributed among isolates within populations, with only 2·2% of the genetic diversity attributed to differences among populations. The star‐like shape of the haplotype network provided evidence of signatures of population expansion in recent history. No significant relationships were found between the genetic diversity and aggressiveness or geographic origin among populations of R. solani AG1‐IA. These results highlight that the population characteristics of R. solani AG1‐IA should be taken into account in evaluating the germplasm resistance of rice cultivars to sheath blight.     

Population genetic structure of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhizoctonia solani</Emphasis> AG1IA from rice field in North India

Rhizoctonia solani AG1IA is an important fungal pathogen causing significant yield and quality losses in rice production. However, little is known about the levels of genetic diversity and structure of this pathogen in North India. Out of 240 samples collected from different rice-growing regions of North India, 112 isolates were identified as R. solani AG1IA subgroups using species-specific primers. All 112 isolates were organized into four groups on the basis of percent disease index (PDI). The majority of the isolates were weakly virulent. Population genetic analysis was performed within and between populations using inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. A total of 8249 alleles were identified from the 112 isolates of R. solani AG1IA through analysis of the ten inter simple sequence repeat markers. All the ten ISSR markers were polymorphic. The average number of bands per primer was 7.3 which ranged in size from 250 to 1500 bp. Genetic structure of the isolates using inter simple sequence repeat primers showed high degree of polymorphism (PIC ≥0.81). The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated that most of the genetic diversity occurred within populations (60%), while the variability among populations and among regions contributed 25 and 15%, respectively. Overall, the present study reveals that a large variation exists among rice-infecting isolates of R. solani AG1IA in North India. Fingerprinting of the isolates using ISSRs along with phenotypic characterization and virulence analysis will help epidemiological studies that can provide new insights into pathogen biology and disease spread.     

Genetic Structure of Mycosphaerella graminicola Populations from Iran, Argentina and Australia

Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers were used to assess the genetic structure of populations of Mycosphaerella graminicola collected from wheat fields. A total of 585 isolates representing 10 field populations were sampled from Iran, Argentina and Australia. The genetic structure of M. graminicola populations from Iran and Argentina is described for the first time. Results were compared to previously investigated populations from Israel, Uruguay and Australia. Populations from Iran exhibited high clonality and low gene diversity, suggesting an inoculation event. Populations from uninoculated fields in Argentina had gene and genotype diversities similar to previously described European and North American populations. Genotype diversity was high for populations from Australia and tests for multilocus associations were consistent with sexual recombination in these populations. Gene diversity was low and fixed alleles were found for several loci. These findings are consistent with a relatively small founding population for Australia. These 10 new populations were integrated into a genetic distance comparison with 13 global populations that were characterized earlier.     

甘肃省二斑叶螨地理种群的遗传分析

为探讨甘肃省二斑叶螨Tetranychus urticae种群遗传多样性及遗传分化,通过mtDNA-COI基因DNA条形码技术对采自甘肃省8个不同生境35个二斑叶螨地理种群的582个样品进行序列分析及地理种群的遗传分化分析。结果表明,获得二斑叶螨mtDNA-COI基因片段大小为424 bp,其中保守序列336个,变异位点66个,简约信息位点45个,单突变位点21个;碱基(A+T)含量明显高于(C+G)含量,有明显的A/T碱性偏倚性;在35个地理种群中共检出16个单倍型,单倍型指数为0.906;Mantel检测结果表明种群间的遗传距离与地理距离无显著相关性;35个地理种群间的遗传分化指数Fst为0.012,种群间变异为1.200。表明二斑叶螨的遗传变异主要来自于种群内部,种群间还未发生明显的遗传分化。     

Diversity in genetic structure and chemotype composition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium graminearum</Emphasis> sensu stricto populations causing wheat head blight in individual fields in Germany

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the most destructive diseases of wheat. Twelve small commercial wheat fields (size 1–3 hectares) were sampled in Germany for Fusarium populations at three spots per field with 10 heads each. PCR assays using generic primers confirmed 338 isolates as F.graminearum sensu stricto (s.s.) (64.9%) out of 521 Fusarium spp. that were further analyzed. Populations of F. graminearum s.s. in Germany contain three types of trichothecenes with a dominancy of 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol chemotype (92%) followed by 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol chemotype (6.8%) and a few isolates of nivalenol chemotype (1.2%). All these isolates were genotyped using 19 microsatellite loci. The 12 populations showed a high genetic diversity within the small scale sampling areas resulting in 300 different haplotypes. Genetic diversity within populations (71.2%) was considerably higher than among populations (28.8%) as shown by analysis of molecular variance. Gene flow (Nm) between populations ranged from 0.76–3.16. Composition of haplotypes of one population followed over 2 years changed considerably. No correlation between genetic and geographical distance was found. In conclusion, populations of F. graminearum s.s. in Germany display a tremendous genetic variation on a local scale with a restricted diversity among populations.     

云南省小麦条锈菌不同地理亚群体的遗传结构分析

为明确云南省小麦条锈菌（Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici,Pst）在不同地理环境下的群体遗传结构,通过3种不同地理亚群体划分方式,即以县域（Group C）、区域（Group R）和海拔（Group E）对云南省537个Pst单孢系进行不同层次的群体划分,并利用12对SSR引物对其进行遗传多样性和群体遗传结构分析。结果显示,云南省Pst的遗传多样性水平在Group C的亚群体之间差异最大,且来自滇中及滇东北地区的Pst群体的遗传多样性较高。Group R和Group E的亚群体基因流及遗传分化结果表明,云南省Pst菌源交流频繁、遗传分化较小。系统进化树分析结果显示,滇东北与滇中Pst群体类似,滇东南与滇西Pst群体类似。Pst遗传组分呈现出由东向西、由北向南和自低海拔向高海拔变化的趋势,与云南省自东南向西北逐渐攀升的地形及地势吻合。Mantel检验结果表明地理距离与遗传距离不存在相关性,在8个县域亚群体、2个区域亚群体检测到有性生殖。表明来自滇中和滇东北地区的Pst群体具有更高的遗传多样性,地理隔离可能是滇西地区遗传多样性较低的成因,遗传分化发生在...     

西双版纳自然保护区球孢白僵菌的遗传多样性

为了解西双版纳自然保护区球孢白僵菌Beauveria bassiana的遗传多样性,采用SSR分子标记技术对西双版纳自然保护区的240株球孢白僵菌的遗传结构、基因流、菌株分化以及遗传变异相关性进行了测定和分析。结果表明,9条引物扩增240株球孢白僵菌菌株多态位点数为77个,多态位点比率为97.40%。采集的240株球孢白僵菌的总体等位基因数、有效等位基因数、Nei’s基因多样性指数和Shannon信息多样性指数分别为1.97、1.31、0.18和0.29。从寄主居群来看,鞘翅目昆虫球孢白僵菌群体遗传多样性最高,螳螂目最低,其Nei’s基因多样性指数和Shannon信息多样性指数分别为0.20和0.30、0和0;总遗传变异的29.27%存在于寄主居群间。从生境水平来看,五十五生境中球孢白僵菌群体遗传多样性最高,丫口寨生境中最低,其Nei’s基因多样性指数和Shannon信息多样性指数最高分别为0.19和0.31、0.06和0.09;总遗传变异的14.92%存在于生境居群间。从季节水平来看,球孢白僵菌秋季居群的遗传多样性最高,夏季最低,其Nei’s基因多样性指数和Shannon信息多样性指数分别为0.20和0.32、0.17和0.26;总遗传变异的3.45%存在于季节居群间。表明西双版纳自然保护区球孢白僵菌在寄主昆虫、生境分布和季节间存在明显的遗传多样性,与寄主昆虫类群的关系密切。     

Population structure of the rice sheath blight pathogen <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhizoctonia solani</Emphasis> AG-1 IA from India

The population structure of Rhizoctonia solani AG-1 IA causing rice sheath blight from India was evaluated for 96 isolates using seven RFLP loci. Nineteen of the isolates did not hybridise to R. solani AG-1 IA RFLP probes and rDNA analyses subsequently confirmed that they were either Ceratobasidium oryzae-sativae isolates or another Rhizoctonia sp. The population structure of the remaining 77 R. solani AG-1 IA Indian isolates was similar to that of a previously characterized Texas population. Clonal dispersal of R. solani AG-1 IA in India was moderate within fields and no clones were shared among field populations. Low levels of population subdivision and small genetic distances among populations were consistent with high levels of gene flow. Frequent sexual reproduction was indicated by the fact that most populations were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). The two loci (R68 and R111) that deviated significantly from HWE showed an excess of heterozygosity. Although Texas and Indian populations were geographically very distant, they exhibited only moderate population subdivision, with an F_ST value of 0.193.     

Genetic diversity of the weed species,Stellera chamaejasme,in China inferred from amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis

Stellera chamaejasme is a perennial weed with a wide geographic range that is found from the Altai of eastern Russia, northern China and Mongolia southwards as far as the western Himalayas of the Qinghai–Tibet and Yungui Plateaus. The genetic diversity and population structure of 17 populations of S. chamaejasme, represented by 349 individuals, were assessed by using amplified fragment length polymorphism markers. The results showed a relatively high level of genetic variation at the species level. The proportion of total diversity among populations was 0.4370, suggesting significant genetic differentiation and a low gene flow among the populations of this species. The Mantel test indicated that genetic differentiation among populations was significantly correlated with geographic distance. Genetic drift through range expansion and a low gene flow among populations might result in a lower diversity in peripheral populations, compared to central populations. A Bayesian analysis revealed two potential gene pools in S. chamaejasme, which was confirmed by neighbor‐joining clustering and principal coordinate analysis. These results demonstrate that it is necessary to develop suitable biocontrol agents for populations with different gene pools.     

Genotypic Diversity of the Wheat Leaf Blotch Pathogen Mycosphaerella Graminicola (anamorph) Septoria Tritici in Germany

The population structure and genotypic diversity of Mycosphaerella graminicola from six natural field populations in Germany were studied with molecular markers. To reveal the potential effects of plant host resistance on the pathogen population, hierarchical samples were taken from susceptible and resistant cultivars. A total of 203 single spore isolates was subjected to molecular marker analysis using the amplified fragment length polymorphism technique (AFLP). Among the 203 isolates analyzed, 142 different multilocus haplotypes (MLH) were identified revealing a high degree of genotypic diversity of the M. graminicola population. On average, a F _ST value of 0.04 was found, indicating a low genetic differentiation with only 4% of the genetic variation between the local populations but leaving 96% of the genetic variation within the populations. According to the low F _ST value, a high migration rate of Nm 12 was found. The observed high within-population diversity, and the significant migration between populations, prevented genetic isolation and differentiation of putative geographically separated populations. Furthermore, plant host resistance had no obvious effect on the population structure and diversity of M. graminicola. Genotypic variability can be attributed to sexual recombination which appears to have a considerably larger influence on the population structure. Gene flow on this scale could have significant implications for plant breeding and fungicide spraying programmes.     

北京及周边地区九个地理种群的亚洲小车蝗mtDNA ND6基因及其部分侧翼序列分析

为明确北京地区亚洲小车蝗Oedaleus asiaticus Bey-Bienko的迁飞来源,选取包含完整线粒体DNA的ND6、tRNA-Thr基因及侧翼ND4L、CYTB基因部分序列作为目的片段,采用DNA序列法分析来自北京及周边省市9个地理种群155个亚洲小车蝗样本的序列碱基组成、种群遗传多样性、种群结构及单倍型网络进化等。结果表明:在目的序列中共检测到多态性位点16个,鉴定出单倍型20种,分别占碱基总数和总样品量的1.88%和12.90%;核苷酸多样性为0.0012,单倍型多样性为0.66,种群间遗传分化系数绝对值≤0.51,种群内个体间遗传变异占总变异的86.88%,各种群遗传变异与空间距离间无显著相关性,供试样本总体上遗传变异程度相对较低。北京密云种群鉴定出的独享单倍型H14由单倍型H10经2次突变获得,H10被锡林郭勒和乌兰察布种群共享;北京密云与河北滦平、围场及内蒙古乌兰察布种群间基因流Nm绝对值分别为3.749、1.387和0.912,均高于密云种群与其它种群间的Nm绝对值;结合亚洲小车蝗在北京及周边地区出现的先后时序可知,内蒙古锡林郭勒、乌兰察布及河北滦平、围场是北京地区亚洲小车蝗的最主要迁飞来源。     

VCG and AFLP analyses identify the same groups in the causal agents of mango malformation in Brazil

The causal agents of mango malformation disease in Brazil are a new Fusarium lineage in the Gibberella fujikuroi species complex and Fusarium sterilihyphosum; however information on the genetic and geographical diversity of these pathogens in Brazil is missing. Vegetative compatibility group (VCG) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analyses were used to measure the genetic diversity within these populations. Both techniques identified the same genetic groups. Six VCG and AFLP groups were identified amongst isolates of the new lineage from Brazil. FB-VCG 1/AFLP I was the most widespread group, found in seven of the 13 sites sampled. The second most frequent group was recovered from three sites. The remaining four groups were recovered from single-sites. We think that this lineage represents a genetically and geographically diverse indigenous population that reproduces clonally. In F. sterilihyphosum, group FS-VCG 1/AFLP VII was found at three sites in the southeast region of Brazil. FS-VCG 2/AFLP VIII contained isolates from South Africa but not from Brazil. Fusarium mangiferae isolates from India and South Africa formed one group, while isolates from Egypt and the USA formed a second group. F. sterilihyphosum at present is represented by a small population that might have been introduced only once into a restricted area. The clonal nature of the observed populations suggests that these fungi either occur naturally on indigenous hosts and have jumped to the introduced mango host (introduced in Brazil) or that they originated with mango and went through a severe population bottleneck when they were introduced to Brazil from India or Southeast Asia.     

辽宁省稻曲病菌遗传多样性和致病力分析

为有效防治辽宁省稻曲病菌Ustilaginoidea virens,利用重复序列PCR(repetitive elementbased PCR,rep-PCR)分子指纹技术,对2017年自辽宁省8个市8个主产稻区采集的51株稻曲病菌菌株进行遗传多样性和致病力分析。结果显示,在3对引物中,以BOX1/BOX2和ERIC1/ERIC2为引物扩增的DNA指纹图谱的遗传多样性值分别为0.764、0.707,均大于0.7,故选择这2种引物扩增的DNA指纹图谱进行遗传多样性分析;当DNA指纹相似系数为0.78时,以BOX1/BOX2为引物和以ERIC1/ERIC2为引物扩增的DNA指纹图谱分别将供试菌株划分为12个和10个遗传类群;供试菌株致病力可划分为弱致病型、中等致病型和强致病型3个致病型,所占比例分别为33.33%、58.82%和7.85%,强致病型菌株仅在沈阳市、鞍山市和大连市出现;所有优势类群均包含3种致病型菌株。表明辽宁省稻曲病菌遗传结构复杂,不同地理来源的稻曲病菌菌株致病力存在一定差异,相同致病型的稻曲病菌菌株分属于不同的遗传类群,同一遗传类群中包含不同的致病型菌株。     

西南地区稻瘟病菌群体遗传多样性分析

为明确西南地区稻瘟病菌Magnaporthe grisea(Hebert)Barr群体遗传结构及其多样性水平,选用13对SSR引物对来自18个县(市)的221个稻瘟病菌单孢菌株进行PCR扩增,利用最长距离法和生物学软件进行聚类分析和群体遗传多样性分析。结果显示,13对SSR引物均能扩增出一条大小相同且清晰的条带,多态位点百分率高达100%。221个菌株在0.16相异水平上可划分为13个遗传宗谱,宗谱SCL01含205个菌株,占总菌株数的92.76%,为优势宗谱;宗谱SCL02~SCL013为劣势宗谱,差异极大。在群体水平上,菌源丰富的8个区域稻瘟病菌群体的Nei’s基因多样性指数为0.2133,Shannon信息指数为0.3588,具有丰富的遗传多样性,且群体间差异较大;这8个种群基于UPGMA法大都聚为一类,种群遗传谱系与地理区域分布呈一定相关性,群体遗传多样性均值为0.2518,存在一定的遗传分化,且群体内多样性大于群体间,总遗传变异的59.37%存在于群体内。总体上,西南地区稻瘟病菌群体结构既有明显的优势宗谱,又存在许多复杂多变的特异性小宗谱,具有丰富的遗传多样性,与地理分布关系较为密切。     

Genetic structure and diversity of Phakopsora pachyrhizi isolates from soyabean

Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used to classify 116 isolates of Phakopsora pachyrhizi, the cause of soyabean rust, collected from infected soyabean leaves in four agroecological zones in Nigeria. A high degree of genetic variation was observed within the sampled populations of P. pachyrhizi. Eighty‐four distinct genotypes were identified among three of the four agroecological zones. Nei’s average genetic diversity across geographical regions was 0·22. Hierarchical analysis of molecular variance showed low genetic differentiation among all populations of P. pachyrhizi. The majority (> 90%) of the genetic diversity was distributed within each soyabean field, while approximately 6% of the genetic diversity was distributed among fields within geographic regions. Low population differentiation was indicated by the low F_ST values among populations, suggesting a wide dispersal of identical genotypes on a regional scale. Phylogenetic analysis indicated a strictly clonal structure of the populations and five main groups were observed, with group II accounting for 30% of the entire population. Because of the asexual reproduction of P. pachyrhizi, single‐step mutations in SSR genotypes are likely to account for the genetic differences within each group.