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Identity and pathogenicity of Rhizoctonia spp. associated with bare patch disease of cereals at a field site in Western Australia

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Abstract

Roots of seedlings of wheat and barley affected by bare patch disease at a field site in Western Australia were assessed for root damage and plated to isolate fungi. The patches were variable in shape and size and had the most severely affected plants in the centre. Of the 165 isolates ofRhizoctonia spp. obtained, 90% were multinucleate and 10% binucleate, the former being predominant in the plants at the centre of the patch. The relative frequency of binucleate isolates increased with proximity to the periphery. The increase in activity of avirulent binucleate isolates towards the periphery of the patch may be related to the sharp and abrupt edging of the patch. A variety of other species of fungi such asFusarium spp.,Mortierella spp.,Bipolaris sorokiniana, Pythium sp. andTrichoderma sp. were encountered within the patches. The multinucleate isolates belonging to anastomosis groups (Ag) 2–1, 2–2 and 8 (Thanatephorus cucumeris) were most pathogenic to wheat. The binucleate isolates of Ag C, D, E, and K (Ceratobasidium sp.) were less pathogenic. It is suggested that the bare patch disease is caused by a complex of root rot fungi composed of one or more anastomosis groups ofRhizoctonia spp. and other associated fungi.

Samenvatting

Van kiemplanten van tarwe en gerst, afkomstig van een met kale-plekkenziekte besmet perceel in West Australië werd de mate van wortelbeschadiging bepaald en werden schimmels uit de wortels geïsoleerd. De plekken waren verschillend van vorm en afmeting; de zwaarst aangetaste planten werden in het centrum ervan aangetroffen. Van de 165 verkregen isolaten vanRhizoctonia spp. was 90% meerkernig en 10% tweekernig. De meerkernige overheersten in de centra van de plekken. Relatief gezien nam het aantal tweekernige isolaten toe naarmate de herkomst dichter bij de periferie van de plekken was. De scherpe begrenzing van de ziekte aan de randen van de plekken zou in verband kunnen staan met het toenemen van de activiteit van de avirulente tweekernige isolaten in de nabijheid van de periferie van de plekken. Een aantal andere schimmels, zoalsFusarium spp.,Mortierella spp.,Bipolaris sorokiniana, Pythium sp. enTrichoderma sp. werd eveneens in de plekken aangetroffen. De meerkernige isolaten die tot de anastomosegroepen Ag 2–1, 2–2 en 8 (Thanatephorus cucumeris) behoren, waren voor tarwe het meest pathogeen. De tweekernige isolaten van de anastomosegroepen Ag C, D, E en K (Ceratobasidium sp.) waren minder pathogeen. Gesuggereerd wordt, dat de kale-plekkenziekte veroorzaakt wordt door een complex van verschillende wortelschimmels, die behoren tot een of meer anastomosegroepen vanR. solani en andere daarmee geassocieerde schimmels.

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Roberts, F.A., Sivasithamparam, K. Identity and pathogenicity of Rhizoctonia spp. associated with bare patch disease of cereals at a field site in Western Australia. Netherlands Journal of Plant Pathology 92, 185–195 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01977685

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