Incidence and pathogenicity of races and isolates of Verticillium dahliae in Crete, southern Greece

Classification of 32 Verticillium dahliae isolates originating from 19 plant species in eight different botanical families to races and determination of host range pathogenicity were carried out. The physiological races of isolates were identified using the two differential tomato cultivars ??Belladonna?? (susceptible to both races 1 and 2 of V. dahliae) and ??Ace 55VF?? (resistant to race 1, susceptible to race 2 of V. dahliae). Among these isolates, 14 were race 2 (43.8%), 12 race 1 (37.5%) and six nonpathogenic (18.7%) on tomato. The host range pathogenicity of isolates was determined using four differential hosts (eggplant, turnip, tomato (Ve ^? ) and sweet pepper). Among isolates, five were pathogenic to both eggplant and turnip (15.6%), 21 to eggplant, turnip and tomato (65.6%), five to eggplant, turnip, tomato and sweet pepper (15.6%) and one was pathogenic to eggplant, turnip and sweet pepper (3.2%). The pathogenicity of isolates on the aforementioned five hosts was investigated on the basis of external symptoms and by calculating the relative areas under disease progress curves (relative AUDPC). Results showed that eggplant was the most susceptible, followed by turnip and tomato cv. Belladonna, while sweet pepper and tomato cv. Ace 55VF were less susceptible to all the isolates used. The pathogenicity of isolates varied from highly to mildly virulent on eggplant and turnip while on Belladonna, Ace 55VF and sweet pepper it varied from highly virulent to nonpathogenic. Belladonna exhibited a similar level of susceptibility to races 1 and 2 of V. dahliae, but was more susceptible than Ace 55VF to race 2. Interestingly, the isolates originating from eggplant were clearly more virulent than those originating from tomato and black nightshade on all solanaceous plants tested.     

Origin of Race 3 of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici at a Single Site in California

ABSTRACT Thirty-nine isolates of Fusarium oxysporum were collected from tomato plants displaying wilt symptoms in a field in California 2 years after F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici race 3 was first observed at that location. These and other isolates of F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici were characterized by pathogenicity, race, and vegetative compatibility group (VCG). Of the 39 California isolates, 22 were in VCG 0030, 11 in VCG 0031, and six in the newly described VCG 0035. Among the isolates in VCG 0030, 13 were race 3, and nine were race 2. Of the isolates in VCG 0031, seven were race 2, one was race 1, and three were nonpathogenic to tomato. All six isolates in VCG 0035 were race 2. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) and sequencing of the intergenic spacer (IGS) region of rDNA identified five IGS RFLP haplotypes, which coincided with VCGs, among 60 isolates of F. oxysporum from tomato. Five race 3 isolates from California were of the same genomic DNA RFLP haplotype as a race 2 isolate from the same location, and all 13 race 3 isolates clustered together into a subgroup in the neighbor joining tree. Collective evidence suggests that race 3 in California originated from the local race 2 population.     

Phytopathogenic, morphological, genetic and molecular characterization of a Verticillium dahliae population from Crete, Greece

A population of 84?V. dahliae isolates mainly originating from Crete, Greece, was characterized in terms of pathogenicity and virulence on different hosts, in parallel with morphological/physiological characterization, vegetative compatibility grouping and mating type determination. Tomato race 2 was found to have supplanted race 1 and was more virulent on a tomato-susceptible cultivar than race 1. Using a differential host classification system which tests pathogenicity to tomato, eggplant, sweet pepper and turnip, 59 isolates were assigned to tomato, 19 to eggplant, one to sweet pepper and five to tomato-sweet pepper pathogenicity groups. All isolates from Crete fell into VCG subgroups 2A, 2B and 4B, while a remarkably high incidence of bridging isolates (compatible with two or more VCGs) was recorded. The tomato-sweet pepper pathogenicity group was morphologically quite distinct from the others, while conidial length and pigment intensity were discriminatory parameters among VCGs 2A, 2B and 4B. PCR-based molecular marker Tr1/Tr2 was reliable in race prediction among tomato-pathogenic isolates, except for members of VCG 4B, while the application of markers Tm5/Tm7 and 35-1/35-2 was highly successful for tomato-pathogenic isolates. E10 marker was related to VCG 2B, rather than to pathogenicity groups. A single nucleotide polymorphism in the ITS2 region, and two novel molecular markers, M1 and M2, proved useful for the fast and accurate determination of major VCGs 2A, 2B and 4B, and can be used for high-throughput population analyses in future studies. The mating type was unrelated to VCG classification and probably does not control heterokaryon incompatibility in V. dahliae.     

Characterization of biotin-autotrophic isolates derived from naturally occurring auxotrophic race 2 isolates of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium oxysporum</Emphasis> f. sp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">lactucae</Emphasis>

Race 2 isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae have been recognized as biotin auxotrophs and consequently have restricted growth on Puhalla's minimal medium (MM), which contains no biotin. Biotin-autotrophic isolates were raised from race 2 isolates through cultural mutation that grew as well on MM as they did on MM supplemented with biotin. These autotrophs were identical to the parental isolates in pathogenicity on race differential cultivars of lettuce (Patriot, Banchu Red Fire, and Costa Rica No. 4), and thus were designated as race 2. A vegetative compatibility test indicated that the autotrophic isolates fell into the same vegetative compatibility group as the parents. Culture filtrates of the autotrophs allowed abundant growth of the parental auxotroph on MM, and, through a competitive enzyme-binding assay, biotin was detected in the culture filtrates. These results suggest that biotin auxotrophy in the natural race 2 isolates has no direct relation to pathogenicity, qualitatively defined as physiological race, or to vegetative compatibility.     

Generation of pathogenic F1 progeny from crosses of Phytophthora infestans isolates differing in ploidy

Ten Phytophthora infestans isolates were analysed for maximal growth rate (μ_max), sporulation capacity (K), ploidy and the ability to produce infective F₁ progeny when combined in different crosses on tomato leaflets. Ploidy was determined using three different methods: simple sequence repeats (SSR, microsatellites), allele quantification at F382Y in the RNA polymerase, and flow cytometry. Eight out of 10 isolates were classified as diploid, the other two as triploid. There was no correlation between ploidy, growth rate and sporulation capacity although the latter was rather low for triploid isolates. Ten crosses were investigated in tomato leaflets (five 2n × 2n; four 2n × 3n; one 3n × 3n). Oospore production was observed in all crosses independent of parental ploidy. Germination and pathogenicity of oospores were investigated by measuring the number of infection sites (pathogenic F₁ progeny) over a time period of 72 days. All crosses containing a triploid parent produced many fewer F₁ isolates than 2n × 2n crosses. The generation of pathogenic F₁ progeny isolates was best for 2n × 2n crosses. A total of 319 F₁ offspring were produced and analysed for mating type and ploidy; a subset was tested for ploidy with all three methods. For 2n × 2n crosses, the majority of offspring were diploid, whereas in crosses containing one or two triploid parents, diploid, triploid and trisomic offspring were observed. The results suggest that less pathogenic F₁ progeny isolates are produced if at least one parent is triploid.     

Molecular mapping of hypersensitive resistance from tomato 'Hawaii 7981' to Xanthomonas perforans race T3

Bacterial spot of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is caused by four species of Xanthomonas. The disease causes significant yield losses and a reduction in fruit quality. Physiological races have been described with tomato race 3 (T3) corresponding to strains of Xanthomonas perforans. The breeding line Hawaii 7981 (hereafter H7981) shows a hypersensitive reaction (HR) to race T3 strains conditioned by the interaction of the host resistance locus Xv3 and the bacterial effector avrXv3. The Xv3 gene is required for H7981-derived resistance to be effective under field conditions, though its expression is subject to genetic background. The segregation of HR in F(2) populations derived from H7981 crossed to processing tomato parents OH88119 and OH7870 was studied in 331 progeny, with the two independent crosses providing validation. We screened 453 simple-sequence repeat, insertion/deletion, and single-nucleotide polymorphism markers and identified 44 polymorphic markers each for the OH88119 and OH7870 populations covering 84.6 and 73.3% of the genome, respectively, within 20 centimorgans (cM). Marker-trait analysis using all polymorphic markers demonstrated that Xv3-mediated resistance maps to chromosome 11 in the two independent crosses. Allelism tests were conducted in crosses between lines carrying Xv3 derived from H7981, Rx-4 derived from plant introduction (PI) 128216, and resistance derived from PI 126932. These allelism tests suggested that the loci conditioning HR to race T3 strains are linked within 0.1 cM, are allelic, or are the same gene.     

不同寄主植物青枯菌菌株的比较研究

 根据番茄、茄、马铃薯、花生、甘薯、姜、桑、油橄榄、木麻黄九种植物上22个青枯菌的菌株,进行形态、染色、生理生化反应、致病性等方面的比较研究的结果,证明它们都是属于青枯假单胞菌(Pseudomonas solanacearum Smith)。因此,以前报道的甘薯瘟的病原细菌Pseudomonas batatas Tseng and Fan,应改为Pseudomonas solanacearum Sncith,不同寄主青枯菌菌株,它们的有些生理生化反应有明显的差异,但更为明显的是它们的致病性不同。测定的7种寄主上的青枯菌菌株,根据它们对茄的致病力很强,番茄、茄、姜、花生、甘薯、油橄榄和木麻黄菌株可归入小种1;马铃薯菌株对马铃薯的致病力很强,而对茄、番茄和辣椒的致病力中等,归入小种3。属于小种1的7种植物的菌株,致病性也有所不同,它们可作为不同的菌系。桑菌株的致病性较为特殊,很难归入已报道的小种。根据对6种糖和醇的利用以及脱氮作用的能力,番茄、茄、花生、油橄榄菌株属生物型Ⅱ;姜、木麻黄、甘薯菌株属生物型Ⅳ;马铃薯菌株属生物型Ⅱ,桑菌株属生物型Ⅰ。但桑菌株人工接种不侵染茄和马铃薯。烟叶过敏反应的测定表现黄斑而从未表现过敏反应,它的归属尚待进一步研究。青枯假单胞菌划分为小种和生物型,目前意见还不一致,加上我们测定的菌株有限,有关这方面的工作,也待进一步研究。     

灰葡萄孢菌对啶菌噁唑的敏感性基线及抗药突变体的诱导与生物学性状

从河北省不同地区未使用过啶菌噁唑的保护地中采集黄瓜或番茄灰霉病果、病叶,经单孢分离获得102株灰葡萄孢菌,采用菌丝生长速率法测定其对啶菌噁唑的敏感性,所得EC50值在0.046 0~0.199 1 μg/mL之间,平均为(0.118 2±0.036 3) μg/mL,其敏感性呈连续单峰曲线分布,可作为灰葡萄孢菌对啶菌噁唑的敏感性基线。采用紫外线诱导获得了7株抗药突变体,抗药突变体的菌落直径、菌丝干重、产孢量和致病性明显低于其亲本菌株,继代培养9代后抗药突变体的抗药性倍数下降。     

Loss of Avirulence and Reduced Pathogenicity of a Gamma-Irradiated Mutant of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici

ABSTRACT The tomato Fusarium resistance gene I-2 confers resistance to F. oxy-sporum f. sp. lycopersici race 2, which expresses the corresponding aviru-lence gene avrI-2. To elucidate the molecular basis of this gene-for-gene interaction, we initiated a search for the avrI-2 gene. Gamma irradiation mutagenesis, using (137)Cs, was performed to generate an avrI-2 mutant of F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. To this end, a race 2 isolate was first transformed with a phleomycine resistance gene and a GUS marker gene in order to distinguish mutants from contaminating isolates. A total of 21,712 mutagenized colonies was tested for loss of avirulence on I-2-containing tomato seedlings. One mutant was selected that showed the expected loss of avirulence but, surprisingly, also showed reduced pathogenicity toward susceptible tomato plants. DNA analysis was subsequently used to visualize genomic changes in the mutant. Southern analysis on contour-clamped homogeneous electrophoretic field blots demonstrated a translocation of a 3.75-Mb chromosome in the mutant. Random amplified polymorphic DNA and amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis identified at least nine polymorphisms between the wild-type and mutant isolates. Most of these polymorphisms appeared as extra fragments in the mutant and contained repetitive DNA sequences.     

Reaction of Ptr ToxA-Insensitive Wheat Mutants to Pyrenophora tritici-repentis Race 1

ABSTRACT The host-selective toxin Ptr ToxA is produced by races 1 and 2 of Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, causal agent of tan spot of wheat. Ptr ToxA has been causally associated with pathogenicity by the race 2 phenotype in this system. However, the role of toxin in disease caused by race 1, the most prevalent form of the fungus in the central and northern Great Plains of North America, has not been rigorously investigated. Three independent wheat lines harboring mutations for insensitivity to Ptr ToxA were derived from ethylmethane sulfonate treatment of the hard red spring wheat cv. Kulm, possessing the single dominant gene for toxin sensitivity. Each of the three mutants was insensitive to Ptr ToxA in bioassays based on necrosis development and electrolyte leakage. Each mutant was crossed to each of the other mutants and to the wild-type Kulm. Segregation data indicate that each mutant line harbors a single recessive mutation for toxin insensitivity that maps to or near the same locus, possibly the toxin-sensitivity gene. Each toxin-insensitive mutant line was susceptible to two isolates of race 1 of P. tritici-repentis. F(2) and F(3) generations derived from crosses between Kulm and each mutant segregated for toxin reaction. However, segregation for fungal reaction was not evident, and all F(3) families were tan spot susceptible regardless of toxin reaction. Host insensitivity to Ptr ToxA is not necessarily equivalent to resistance to race 1. Ptr ToxA should not be used alone as a proxy for fungal inoculations by breeding programs aimed at developing tan spot-resistant wheat.     

玉蜀黍赤霉有性重组体的诱导及其生物学特性

 本研究以硝酸盐营养缺陷型突变体(nit)和多菌灵抗性为遗传标记,在5个所选菌株中设计了3个玉蜀黍赤霉病菌Gibberella zeae的杂交组合,使各菌株之间进行杂交,从而诱导有性重组体。从各杂交组合的后代中任意挑选出3个有性重组体,比较了这些有性重组体与其亲本在无性和有性阶段的主要生物学性状。结果表明,玉蜀黍赤霉中的nit基因及对杀菌剂多菌灵的抗药性基因可以通过有性杂交的方式重组,即发生了有性重组。有性重组体与其亲本在菌落生长、培养性状和致病性方面没有显著差异;但某些有性重组体中,产孢量和产子囊壳能力方面存在一定差异。总体看来,有性重组体仍然保持了较高的适合度。因此,可以认为有性重组在玉蜀黍赤霉群体对多菌灵抗药性发生发展以及群体遗传进化中可能起着重要的作用。     

Race 2 of Verticillium dahliae infecting tomato in Japan can be split into two races with differential pathogenicity on resistant rootstocks

Verticillium dahliae infecting tomato can be differentiated into races 1 and 2 based on differential pathogenicity on tomato cultivars carrying resistance gene Ve1. Although no commercial cultivars resistant to race 2 are available, race 2‐resistant rootstock cultivars Aibou and Ganbarune‐Karis have been bred in Japan. Nevertheless, the resistance of these rootstocks appears to be unstable in commercial tomato fields. Pathogenicity assays conducted under controlled conditions revealed that these rootstock cultivars are resistant to some isolates of race 2; this resistance is controlled by a single dominant locus, denoted by V2, based on segregation of resistance in F₂ populations from selfed rootstock cultivars. However, some other isolates of race 2 can overcome this resistance. Therefore it is proposed that the current race 2 of V. dahliae should be divided into two races, i.e. ‘race 2’ (nonpathogenic on Aibou) and ‘race 3’ (pathogenic on Aibou). The distribution of these races was surveyed in 70 commercial tomato fields in Hida, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Race 3 was found in 45 fields, indicating that race 3 had already spread throughout the region. On the other hand, 25 fields had only race 2, and thus race 2‐resistant rootstocks would be effective for disease management in these fields. Races 2 and 3 could not be identified by genomic Southern hybridization probed with a telomere sequence, nor with previously reported race‐specific PCR assays. Elucidation of race‐determining mechanisms and development of methods for quick race identification should be made in future studies.     

Genetic Diversity of Japanese Strains of Ralstonia solanacearum

ABSTRACT The genetic diversity of 74 Japanese strains of Ralstonia solanacearum was assessed by pathogenicity tests and the repetitive sequencebased polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR) fingerprint method. Based on their genomic fingerprints, biovar N2 strains were divided into two distinct groups, one consisting of potato isolates belonging to race 3, and the other consisting of tomato, eggplant, pepper, and tobacco isolates belonging to race 1. Biovar 3 strains had low average similarity and were divided into five groups that differed in original host or pathogenicity. Biovar 4 strains consisted of only one group at the 80% similarity level. Comparative analysis of the rep-PCR fingerprints of 78 strains, including six biovars from Japan and various countries, revealed two main clusters. Cluster 1 comprised all biovar 3, 4, and 5 strains, biovar 1 strains from Reunion, and some biovar N2 strains from Japan. Cluster 2 included most of the biovar 1, 2, and N2 strains. The fingerprints showed low average similarity with biovar N2 strains from Japan and Brazil.     

Biological and Molecular Characterization of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici Divides Race 1 Isolates into Separate Virulence Groups

ABSTRACT A collection of race 1 and race 2 isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici was screened for vegetative compatibility and characterized by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis to establish the identity and genetic diversity of the isolates. Comparison of RAPD profiles revealed two main groups that coincide with vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs). In addition, several single-member VCGs were identified that could not be grouped in one of the two main RAPD clusters. This suggests that F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici is a polyphyletic taxon. To assign avirulence genotypes to race 1 isolates, they were tested for their virulence on a small set of tomato lines (Lycopersicon esculentum), including line OT364. This line was selected because it shows resistance to race 2 isolates but, unlike most other race 2-resistant lines, susceptibility to race 1 isolates. To exclude the influence of other components than those related to the race-specific resistance response, we tested the virulence of race 1 isolates on a susceptible tomato that has become race 2 resistant by introduction of an I-2 transgene. The results show that both line OT364 and the transgenic line were significantly affected by four race 1 isolates, but not by seven other race 1 isolates nor by any race 2 isolates. This allowed a subdivision of race 1 isolates based on the presence or absence of an avirulence gene corresponding to the I-2 resistance gene. The data presented here support a gene-for-gene relationship for the interaction between F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and its host tomato.     

Pathogenicity of plant and soil isolates of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora parasitica</Emphasis> on tomato and pepper

Crown and root rot of tomato and sweet pepper can be caused by Phytophthora parasitica. In this work, 23 P. parasitica isolates from diseased pepper or tomato plants as well as 54 isolates from 23 monocrop tomato soils (from Spain and Chile) and one from a pepper soil were studied for their host–pathogen response. Results show significant host specificity for the isolates from tomato plants and tomato soils (63 of 64 isolates were unable to cause disease in pepper). None of the pepper plant/soil isolates showed pathogenicity on tomato, and only four of 14 reproduced their pathogenicity on pepper. Only one tomato isolate was pathogenic to both Solanaceae species. Two different inoculation protocols were evaluated (substrate irrigation and stem cutting). All isolates which expressed pathogenicity when stem inoculated also did it when root inoculated, but not vice-versa. Therefore, the recommended test protocol for tomato and pepper breeding programmes is that based on root inoculation by irrigation.     

玉米大斑病菌有性杂交F1代菌株的生理小种鉴定和AFLP分析

玉米大斑病菌是异宗配合真菌，有性杂交有可能增强病菌的致病力，或形成新的致病小种，因此对该病菌有性杂交后代进行致病性测定和遗传多态性分析对控制该病菌的危害具有重要意义。对亲本菌株132、135和它们杂交产生的70个单子囊孢子F1代菌株进行了生理小种鉴定和AFLP（扩增性片段长度多态性）分析。生理小种鉴定结果表明，F1代菌株中与亲本菌株132（23N号小种）属于同一小种类型的占41．4％，与亲本菌株135（23号小种）相同的占20．0％，另外还出现了0、1、2、3、13、123、12N、13N和123N号小种，所占比例分别为2．9％、1．4％、2．9％、2．9％、4．3％、8．6％、1．4％、4．3％和10．0％，说明有性杂交可使后代菌株的致病性发生比较广泛的变异。AFLP分析表明，F1代菌株之间分子遗传相似系数在0．87～0．99之间，其中84．3％的F1代菌株与亲本菌株的遗传相似系数在0．878以上，但与亲本菌株132同源性较强的F1代菌株数目大约是与亲本菌株135的5倍，说明不同菌株具有不同的遗传传递能力。比较生理小种鉴定和AFLP分析结果，发现生理小种分化和AFLP分子遗传多态性间有一定的相关性，但不能完全对应，不存在遗传谱系就等于小种的简单对应关系。     

Aggressiveness and Competitive Fitness of Phytophthora infestans Isolates Collected from Potato and Tomato in France

ABSTRACT To test the hypothesis that host-related differences in the genotypic composition of populations of the late blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans can be explained by differential pathogenicity, the aggressiveness of isolates of the pathogen collected in France from potato and tomato was measured on detached leaflets of potato (cv. Bintje) and tomato (cv. Marmande). A preliminary trial with four isolates (two each from potato and tomato) showed that lesion appearance and development were similar for each isolate in detached leaflets and in whole plant tests in growth cabinets. Isolates collected from tomato were more pathogenic to tomato than isolates collected from potato. This was particularly the case for isolates belonging to the A2 mating type. Isolates originating from potato had a higher infection efficiency and a higher sporulation capacity on this host, but they induced lesions that generally spread more slowly than those caused by isolates from tomato. Extensive variation for components of aggressiveness on potato, and to a lesser extent on tomato, was observed in collections of isolates from each of the two hosts. Competition experiments between one potato isolate and one tomato isolate in field plots of the susceptible potato cv. Bintje clearly demonstrated the higher competitive fitness of the potato isolate on its host of origin. Therefore, differential pathogenicity to potato and tomato certainly contributes to the differentiation between P. infestans populations present on potato and tomato in France; however, additional factors, possibly related to survival ability or random genetic drift, are probably also involved and may explain the persistence of weakly pathogenic isolates in these populations.     

广东稻瘟病菌的遗传宗谱与致病性的关系

不同病圃同一套寄虫主的田间表现及其穗颈瘟分离菌株的遗传宗谱和致病性分析试验结果表明,不同生态稻区稻瘟病菌的小种分布类型不同,对品种的致病性也存在差异。将已经过ＲＦＬＰ和ＰＣＲ技术进行ＤＮＡ指纹分析,并划分为不同遗传宗谱的稻瘟病菌株进行致病性测定。结果表明,菌株的致病性与其遗传宗谱类型、生理小种类型、寄主及采集地点存在密切的关系：（１）同一遗传宗谱、分离自相同寄主、鉴定出来的生理小种类型又较接近的菌     

Bacterial diseases of tomato in southern Spain: application of a detached tissue assay to evaluate bacterial pathogenicity

Tomatoes are one of the most important crops in southern Spain, especially during the cold season. As a preliminary step in the design of an integrated disease management programme for tomato, a study on the occurrence of bacterial diseases in tomato houses of Almería (ES) was carried out during the 1993/1997 growing seasons. Sixty-four bacterial strains were isolated from tomato plants showing symptoms of bacterial diseases and 41 of them (64%) were characterized as pathogenic. The bacterial tomato pathogens most frequently isolated were Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora, Pseudomonas corrugata, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato and Xanthomonas vesicatoria. The pathogenicity of the bacterial isolates on tomato was tested by the conventional seedling assay and by an in vitro assay using detached tissues developed in our laboratory. Close correspondence between the two assays was observed. An in vitro detached tissue assay is proposed for determining the pathogenicity of bacterial isolates on tomato.     

Chromosome constitution of hybrid strains constructed by protoplast fusion between the tomato and strawberry pathotypes of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alternaria alternata</Emphasis>

To analyze the genetics of host-specific toxin production and its relation to the specific pathogenicity of a mitosporic fungus Alternaria alternata, we developed a protoplast fusion system. Protoplasts of drug-resistant transformants of the A. alternata tomato pathotype (AAL-toxin producer) and A. alternata strawberry pathotype (AF-toxin producer) were fused by electrofusion. Of five fusion strains examined, two strains were pathogenic on both tomato and strawberry host plants, whereas the rest of the fusion strains were pathogenic only on tomato. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis demonstrated that the hybrid strains pathogenic on both tomato and strawberry carry 1.0- and 1.05-Mb conditionally dispensable (CD) chromosomes derived, respectively, from the parental strains of the tomato and strawberry pathotypes. On the other hand, the fusion strains appeared to maintain only a single homologous chromosome derived from one of the parental strain in the case of essential chromosomes (A chromosomes). The results suggest that fusion strains between two different pathotypes of A. alternata might be haploid resulting from the deletion of extra sets of essential chromosomes in the fused nuclei, whereas the CD chromosomes derived from each parental strain could be maintained stably in a new genetic background with an expanded range of pathogenicity. The nucleotide sequence data reported are available in the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank database under the accession numbers AB469331to AB469354.