DNA diagnostic for Armillaria species in British Columbia: within and between species variation in the IGS-1 and IGS-2 regions

Intensive sampling of British Columbia isolates of Armillaria species confirmed the usefulness of a species diagnostic based on restriction site differences in the first ribosomal intergenic spacer region. Greater variation within species and new fragment patterns were observed compared to earlier reports. The only species confusion observed using this marker was between A. gallica and some isolates of A. sinapina. These isolates could be distinguished by restriction site differences in the second intergenic spacer. Use of both sections of the ribosomal intergenic spacer region confirms identifications based on the first intergenic spacer, and provides additional data for species which have the same restriction sites in the first intergenic spacer.