The rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae is one of the most important fungal pathogens in rice-growing regions, producing lesions on leaves, nodes, necks, and panicles. Although neck and panicle blasts often result in greater yield losses than leaf bl...
The rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae is one of the most important fungal pathogens in rice-growing regions, producing lesions on leaves, nodes, necks, and panicles. Although neck and panicle blasts often result in greater yield losses than leaf blast, the genetic variation and differentiation of isolates from different tissues remain poorly understood. To address this, we analyzed M. oryzae isolates to determine tissue specificity and genetic variation within the same field. A total of 170 isolates were collected from leaf, neck, and panicle tissues in a test plot. Genetic similarity among all isolates ranged from 86 % to 100 %, with a mean similarity of 86 % between tissues. Cluster analysis revealed that neck and panicle isolates formed
a distinct subgroup, suggesting tissue-associated genetic divergence. To assess differences in pathogenicity, three representative isolates were inoculated onto two rice cultivars, cv. Hopum and Sindongjin. The neck-derived isolate showed high virulence on both cultivars, whereas isolates from leaves and panicles exhibited less virulence. These findings indicate that genetic variation in M. oryzae occurs during the rice growing season and that the capacity to infect varies depending on the tissue of origin. This study highlights the importance of considering tissue-specific genetic diversity and virulence when developing effective management strategies for rice blast disease.