Genotypic and Phenotypic Characterization of Fungi in the Fusarium oxysporum Species Complex from Soybean Roots.

Isolates in the Fusarium oxysporum species complex (FOSC) from soybean range from nonpathogenic to aggressive pathogens causing seedling damping-off, wilt, and root rot. The objective of this research was to characterize the genotype and phenotype of isolates within the FOSC recovered predominantly from soybean roots and seedlings. Sequence analyses of the translation elongation factor (tef1α) gene and the mitochondrial small subunit (mtSSU), polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of the intergenic spacer (IGS) region, and identification of the mating type loci were conducted for 170 isolates.