RESUMO
Intraspecies diversity within Ustilago scitaminea isolates from South Africa, Reunion Island, Hawaii and Guadeloupe was assessed by RAPDs, bE mating-type gene detection, rDNA sequence analysis, microscopy and germination and morphological studies. Except for sequence data, the other analyses yielded no differences in the isolates that could be used in a phylogenetic separation. Mycelial DNA of the SA isolate shared 100% sequence identity with that of mycelial DNA cultured from in vitro produced teliospores of the parent cultivar. Overall the ITS1 and ITS2 regions were found to have 96.1% and 96.9% sequence identity with a total of 17 and 21 base changes, respectively, amongst the isolates. The Reunion Island isolate was shown to be most distantly related by 3.6% to the other isolates, indicating a single clonal lineage. The lack of germination in teliospores from Guadeloupe may be attributed to changes in temperature and humidity during transportation.