Genetic variability in rDNA ITS region of Trichoderma spp. (biocontrole agent) and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. chrysanthemi isolates

The analysis of morphological and cultural characteristics may not enough for the characterization of the species of Trichoderma and Fusarium. The aim of this work was to characterize the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region of the rDNA of UFSMT15.1, UFSMT16 and UFSMT17 isolates of Trichoderma spp. used in the biocontrol of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. chrysanthemi UFSMF6. DNA extraction of each isolate was accomplished starting from hyphae produced in liquid medium Potato-Dextrose-Agar. The samples of genomic DNA were submitted to the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) with the primers ITS1 and ITS4, and the product was sequenced. The fragments generated from PCR amplification were digested with the restriction enzymes HaeIII, HinfI and MboI. The ITS region of the Trichoderma's isolates UFSMT15.1, UFSMT16 and UFSMT17 and the Fusarium UFSMF6 isolate showed a simple band with a fragment with 600 base pairs (bp) approximately. The restriction enzymes HaeIII, HinfI and MboI generated band polymorphism among the isolates. The isolates UFSMT15.1, UFSMT16, UFSMT17 and UFSMF6 showed high similarity whit Trichoderma koningiopsis, Hypocrea virens, Hypocrea lixii and Fusarium oxysporum species, respectively.