Abundance of eggplant wilt (Fusarium oxysporum schlecht. f. sp. melongenae matuo and ishigami) in Eastern Mediterranean region, molecular characterization of agent and induced resistance of plant against the disease

ABSTRACTPhD THESISABUNDANCE OF EGGPLANT WILT (Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht. f. sp.melongenae Matuo and Ishigami) IN EASTERN MEDITERRANEANREGION, MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF AGENT ANDINDUCED RESISTANCE OF PLANT AGAINST THE DISEASEHacer Handan ALTINOKDEPARTMENT OF PLANT PROTECTIONINSTITUTE OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCESUNIVERSITY OF ÇUKUROVASupervisor: Assist. Prof. Dr. Muharrem A. KAMBEROĞLUYear: 2006, Page: 141Jury: Assist. Prof. Dr. Muharrem A. KAMBEROĞLUProf. Dr. Ali ERKILIÇProf. Dr. Abuzer SAĞIRProf. Dr. Saadettin BALOĞLUAssoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet E. GÜLDÜRFusarium Wilt disease (Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht. f. sp. melongenae Matuo and Ishigami)is one of the major pathogens causing economical losses in eggplant production fields in EasternMediterranean region of Turkey. In this study, disease prevalence and severity of the pathogen havebeen investigated in Adana and Mersin provinces, between April-September 2002. Disease prevalenceand severity in Mersin were determined as 42.1 % and 18.5 % in greenhouses; 33.5 % and 15.1 % infield, respectively. In Adana where field production is more common, disease prevalence and severitywere determined as 33.2 % and 16.4 %, respectively.The effect of Acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) and non-pathogenic Fusarium species (FOM) ondisease development were determined with pot experiments in order to induce resistance againstFusarium wilt on eggplants. FOM and ASM applications after 72 hours of pathogen inoculation werefound effective on prevention of disease occurrence at a rate of 75.47 % and 67.60 % respectively,compared to control plants. Differences were determined also in density and distribution oflignification, on the plants treated with ASM and FOM. Characteristic lignin formations whichstrengthen the cell wall against pathogens were observed in the cells die from hypersensitive reactions(HR), and xylem bundles around these cells. FOM applications have shown an effect of 50.61 % andASM 37.65 %, in field experiments. FOM applications were found more effective than ASM onsuppression of the disease in both pot and field experiments.Genetic distances of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melongenae isolates were determined withRAPD-PCR method. Amplification products have given a total of 168 band positions in agarose gel,and 14 of these bands were found polymorphic. Four different RAPD groups were determined bydendrogram analysis created with Popgene (version 1.32) software.Key Words: Survey, Fusarium Wilt, Induced Resistance, RAPD-PCRII