Molecular characteri̇zation of alternaria species isolated from Pistacia vera L.

Pistacia vera L. is an important crop species in Turkey with considerable economic income. Alternaria spp. cause yield loss in Pistacia vera L. and many other agriculturally important plants. Information on population structure is critical in breeding for resistance to Alternaria blight in pistachio. This study was carried out to characterize Alternaria isolates through PCR-RFLP. Alternaria spp. isolates were recovered from local cultivars from different pistachio growing districts of Turkey. The PCR based assay was developed for the detection and identification of Alternaria spp.. using specific primers designed from nuclear ribosomal ITS (Internal Ttranscribed Spacer), Actin and TEF (Translaton Elongation Factor) regions. Approximately 600 bp, 250 bp and 280 bp amplicons were obtained for ITS, Actin and TEF, respectively. The PCR products were cut with HindIII, EcoRI , TaqI, Hinf, HahI and uncut with PstI restriction endonucleases. There was no polymorphism among Alternaria spp. isolates at ITS, Actin and TEF regions.