VARIATIONS IN RANDOM AMPLIFIED POLYMORPHIC DNA PATTERNS AND SECONDARYMETABOLITE PROFILES WITHIN FUSARIUM SPECIES FROM CEREALS FROM VARIOUSPARTS OF THE NETHERLANDS

Random amplified polymorphic DNA pattern (RAPD pattern) analysis and s econdary metabolite profile (SM profile) assays were used to investiga te genetic variability within Fusarium culmorum and Fusarium avenaceum isolated from four geographic regions in The Netherlands. The main ai m was to investigate the genotypic and phenotypic variability within t he two species in relation to geographic origin, The occurrence of iso lates with a certain characteristic set of RAPD pattern and SM profile could have predictive values on the mycotoxins found in the cereals o riginating from certain geographic regions. Among the F. culmorum isol ates, small variations were found with RAPD pattern analysis. F. culmo rum isolates belonging to the RAPD type I were found in ail four geogr aphic regions in The Netherlands while isolates with RAPD types la and Ib were obtained from region B only. All F. culmorum isolates showed a different SM profile. F. avenaceum isolates were very heterogeneous both with RAPD pattern analysis and SM profile assay, resulting in ind ividual identification of each isolate. It is concluded that the combi nation of RAPD pattern analysis and SM profile assays is very powerful to differentiate Fusarium isolates, permitting visualization of varia tions between occurring isolates. However, due to high discrimination of both assays, the application for epidemiological procedures seems t o be limited. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.