Molecular Identification of Bayoud Disease Resistance in Algerian Date Palm Cultivars Using Plasmid-Like DNAs

Abstract

The most lethal disease affecting the North African date palm is Bayoud. Bayoud disease of the date palm (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis) is a vascular disease caused by a soil fungus. Twenty-one Algerian date palm cultivars (20 females and 1 male) in addition to 6 genotypes of Deglet Nour were assessed for resistance (R) and susceptibility (S) to Bayoud disease using molecular markers. Specifically, the use of two circular plasmid-like DNAs (R and S plasmids) as molecular markers allowed us to detect the R cultivars. Among the 21 cultivars, we found that Baâret ljmal is resistant. In conclusion, the composition of the cytoplasmic environment plays a role in resistance and some techniques enable the establishment of a preliminary list of Algerian date palm cultivars that are resistant or susceptible to Bayoud disease.