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Vegetative Compatibility Groups of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae from Onion in Colorado

Nineteen isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae recovered from diseased onions growing in the western, southern, and northern regions of Colorado were placed into vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) based on pairing of complementary mutants. Pathogenic isolates from these regions were cultured on variations of potassium chlorate (1.5 or 3.0%) mutation media, potato dextrose agar (PDA), and minimal medium (MM) supplemented with L-asparagine and L-threonine. Chlorate PDA and 3% chlorate MM with L-threonine did not generate the nitrate nonutilizing (nit) mutants required, while MM with L-asparagine (1.5 and 3% chlorate) and MM with L-threonine (1.5% chlorate) generated complementary nit mutants required for compatibility pairings. Five VCGs of F. oxysporum cepae were identified. One VCG was present in all three regions of Colorado examined. Four VCGs were restricted to either western or eastern Colorado. Additional sampling and evaluation of a more diverse collection of F. oxysporum cepae isolates from other regions of onion production is needed to determine the diversity of this pathogen. Such information could assist in breeding for resistance to F. oxysporum cepae.