Identification of Heterobasidion spp. in Poland by RFLP analysis of laccase and manganese dependent peroxidase.

Laccase and manganese dependent peroxidase (MnP) genes in H. annosum s.l. were studied by PCR-RFLP. The peroxidase genes MNP1a and MNP2 showed Heterobasidion species specific length differences. Among eighteen monomorphic markers which were found for investigatedgenes, three were characteristic for H. abietinum andfive for H. annosum s.s. The remaining specific markers were characteristic for H. parviporum and H. abietinum (nine markers) or for H. parviporum and H. annosum s.s. (one marker). No specific marker for H. parviporum was detected. On the basis of monomorphic markers, intersterility groups of eighty one strains isolatedfrom eleven forest tree or bush species in south Polandwere identified. Fifty-three belongedto H. annosum s.s., twenty-five to H. parviporum, andthree to H. abietinum. Strains belonging to H. annosum s.s. were isolatedfrom Pinus nigra, P. strobus, P. sylvestris, Larix decidua, Picea abies, as well as from Alnus incana, Betula pendula, Padus avium, Quercus robur and Q. rubra. H. parviporum was isolatedfrom Abies alba, Picea abies, Pinus nigra, P. sylvestris, Larix decidua andfrom Alnus incana. This is the first report of H. parviporum occurrence on Alnus incana in Poland. The ascertained H. abietinum strains derived from Abies alba. Our results demonstrate a new methodof Heterobasidion species identification based on the different length of MNP1a and MNP2 peroxidase genes and RFLP markers obtained for laccase and Mn2+ dependent peroxidase genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]