Host specificity and virulence variation in populations of lettuce powdery mildew pathogen (Golovinomyces cichoracearum s. str.) from prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola)

Fifty-four isolates of Golovinomyces cichoracearum (GC) sensu stricto were collected during the period 2008–2010 from natural populations of prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola) growing in the Czech Republic. Population variation in virulence was assessed with a previously developed race differential set, comprising 13 accessions of four Lactuca species (L. serriola, L. sativa, L. saligna, L. virosa, and L. sativa ‘Hilde’ × L. serriola hybrid). GC isolates differed in their host specificity and virulence; most were able to infect most Lactuca spp. accessions (i.e., complete compatibility), but some showed only moderate virulence (i.e., incomplete compatibility). ‘Avirulent’ reactions were the least common, and these were most frequently observed on L. virosa (LVIR/50) and L. saligna (09-H58-1013). Furthermore, a temporal shift in virulence variability was recorded for the Czech GC populations. Generally, virulence of GC to the Lactuca spp. accessions increased during the study period. Across individual years, the most variable were reactions of GC to L. serriola accession (PI 273617), L. sativa cv. ‘Colorado’, L. saligna (09-H58-1013) and L. virosa (LVIR/50). A broad spectrum of virulence (v)-phenotypes was determined among the 54 isolates; however, differences in the reaction patterns of individual isolates were mostly small and related to differentiation between moderately and completely compatible interactions. However, most of the v-phenotypes characterized were unique to a given population in one year. Altogether, 16 v-phenotypes were identified among 16 isolates tested in 2008, 10 v-phenotypes were determined among 10 isolates tested in 2009, and 24 v-phenotypes among 28 isolates tested in 2010; i.e., different v-phenotypes were identified in different localities.