Host-specific genetic composition of Melampsora larici-epitea populations on two Salix viminalis varieties in a mixture trial

The genetic composition of Melampsora larici-epitea populations on two Salix viminalis varieties in monoculture and in mixed stands of Salix was studied using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). A total of 88 isolates collected from a large-scale mixture trial in Northern Ireland were analyzed. Genetic analyses were based on polymorphism for 63 AFLP markers. Differences in genetic composition of M. larici-epitea populations between the two S. viminalis varieties were indicated by all population characteristics used. In neighbor-joining analysis and principal component analysis, isolates from the same variety tended to group together. Analysis of molecular variance indicated a substantial differentiation between varieties (Phi(ST) = 0.20) and differences in genotypic composition was indicated by the non-random distribution of clonal isolates between the two varieties. The detection of host specialization with selectively neutral DNA markers was ascribed to predominant asexual reproduction. No differences in gene or genotypic diversity between M. larici-epitea populations in mixed and monoclonal stands were found for any of the two S. viminalis varieties