Characterization of Sclerotium rolfsii causing foot rot: a severe threat of betel vine cultivation in Bangladesh

The development of the foot rot disease caused by the fungus Sclerotium rolfsii is one of the primary variables endangering betel vine production in Bangladesh. Consequently, with the ultimate objective of finding efficient preventive and control strategies for this infamous phytopathogen, the current study was undertaken for comprehensive population structure analysis, exploration of physiological features and incidence patterns of pathogenic S. rolfsii isolates. We discovered 22 S. rolfsii isolates from nine northern districts of Bangladesh. Mohanpur (51.90%), Bagmara (54.09%), and Durgapur (49.45%) upazilas in the Rajshahi district had the more severe occurrences of foot rot disease, while Chapainawabganj (18.89%) had the least number of cases. The isolates differed substantially in terms of morphology and growth rate. By employing the UPGMA algorithm to analyze the combined morphological data from 22 S. rolfsii isolates, these isolates were divided into six different groups with a 62% similarity level. Somatic incompatibility was also found in some isolates. The RAPD-4 primer confirmed 100% polymorphism among these isolates, and these genetic variations were further validated by molecular analysis. The results of the morphological and molecular analysis revealed that there was significant variation among the S. rolfsii isolates. Finally, a comprehensive characterization of S. rolfsii would allow for a suitable management strategy for betel vine’s deadly foot rot disease.