Long-read sequencing (Nanopore) of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. spinaciae

Fusarium wilt of spinach, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. spinaciae, can be a devastating disease. Previously, isolates of the spinach Fusarium wilt pathogen were distinguished into two groups based on cultivar-level specificity and profiles of candidate effector genes. The genomes used initially were fragmented, impeding one's ability to identify discrete regions of the genome associated with pathogenicity on spinach. Thus, the purpose of this study was to generate highly contiguous genomes of F. oxysporum f. sp. spinaciae and an avirulent isolate of F. oxysporum to identify potential accessory chromosomes of this pathogen. This research will enable studies addressing how this pathogen evolved and understanding the genetic interactions between F. oxysporum f. sp. spinaciae and spinach.