Differential Growth Response of $A_1\;and\;A_2$ Mating Types of Phytophthora infestans on Rye A and V-8 Juice Agar Media Supplemented with Rhizome Powder of Cyperus rotundus

A new medium for studies of diversity among populations of $A_1\;and\;A_2$ mating types of Phytophthora infestans has been evolved. The rye A agar and V-8 juice agar media on which P. infestans grows well have been amended with rhizome powder of Cyperus rotundus. A total of 259 isolates of $A_1\;and\;A_2$ mating types representing Japan, Korea, India, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Nepal, U.K and Medico were screened for their growth response on these two media. Most of the A1 isolates did not grow well on them except Thailand while growth of $A_2$ mating types differed as some grew on it whereas others did not. It is quite likely that the populations of $A_2$ mating types that did not grow well on rhizome-amended medium are of different clonal lineage. This suggests that this medium can be used for the study of diversification among the isolates of the same or both the mating types as well as to detect the newly introduced genetically different isolates of P. infestans in a locality where it was not reported earlier.