Abstract

Verticillium dahliae is a soil-borne phytopathogenic fungus that causes vascular wilt diseases in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). We have illustrated the correlations between growth rate, sporulation and pathogenicity in V. dahliae mutants. A total of 196 V. dahliae mutants generated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation, was used throughout this study. Compared with a control strain, the mutants could be significantly grouped into three types by differentiation with to that of control strain. The results indicated that linear regression analysis of the relationship was performed and the gradient and intercept were shown for growth rate and disease index. The correlation coefficient was observed if the infection is high. When their correlation of the growth rate is high, the growth rate and sporulation quantity of mutants had significantly a power correlation. This study, which may play an important role in the population structure of the pathogen, highlights fundamental biological differences between the mutants involving different infection strategies.

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