Rhizoctonia solani

Rhizoctonia solani is a soil-borne fungus that is known to cause various plant diseases. It is a member of the Basidiomycota phylum and belongs to the order Cantharellales. The fungus is a complex species and is divided into several anastomosis groups (AGs) based on hyphal anastomosis reactions.

Taxonomy

The taxonomy of Rhizoctonia solani has been a subject of debate among mycologists. It is currently classified under the phylum Basidiomycota, class Agaricomycetes, and order Cantharellales. The fungus does not produce a sexual stage in its life cycle, which is a characteristic of the imperfect fungi.

Morphology

Rhizoctonia solani is characterized by its brown, septate hyphae that are typically 7-10 µm in diameter. The fungus forms a dense mycelium that can produce sclerotia, which are compact masses of hardened mycelium that serve as survival structures.

Pathogenicity

Rhizoctonia solani is a necrotrophic pathogen that causes disease in a wide range of plant hosts. The fungus is known to cause diseases such as damping off, root rot, and wire stem in crops like potato, rice, cotton, and soybean. The pathogenicity of R. solani is determined by its AG, with different AGs causing specific diseases in certain host plants.

Management

Management of Rhizoctonia solani involves a combination of cultural practices, biological control, and chemical control. Cultural practices include crop rotation and sanitation to reduce the inoculum in the soil. Biological control involves the use of antagonistic organisms like Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus spp. Chemical control includes the use of fungicides like iprodione and penthiopyrad.

See also

• Plant pathology
• Soil-borne diseases
• Fungicide

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