Molecular evaluation of resistibility/susceptibility of Saudi date palm germplasm against Bayoud disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis
A. A. SALEH (1), M. H. El-Komy (1), A. Eranthodi (1), A. H. Sharafaddin (1), Y. Y. Molan (1). (1) King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
<i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>albedinis</i> (FOA) is a seed- and soil-borne vascular wilt pathogen causing a very serious and destructive disease to date palm, Bayoud disease (BD). Fortunately, FOA has not been recorded in Saudi Arabia (SA), but according to the literature, the disease is moving eastward from its origin (Morocco and Algeria). The main objective of this study was to develop prophylactic measures to protect Saudi date palm plantations from this destructive disease. Consequently, we have evaluated Bayoud resistibility/susceptibility of 208 trees representing 34 date palm varieties using molecular markers. We have also sequenced 43 out of 208 resistibility/susceptibility diagnostic PCR amplicons. Most of the date palm trees (185 out of 208, representing 29 varieties) were identified as Bayoud-resistant. The 23 left trees were shown to be susceptible to Bayoud disease. The DNA sequence analysis of diagnostic PCR amplicons of resistibility from Saudi date palm trees showed 100% homology with DNA sequences from GenBank database. Interestingly, the DNA sequence homology between diagnostic PCR amplicons of susceptibility and GenBank’s ones was 97.6%. In conclusion, the genetic assessment of the resistibility/susceptibility of date palm germplasm in SA will enable the authorities to take a rapid response to BD outbreaks. This work is also very important to national security and economy because the date palm industry is very important socially and economically to SA.
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