Identification of Rhizoctonia solani AG-UNK from Rice and Rice Fields in Texas as AG-11

A survey of Texas rice fields in 1984 and 1985 yielded collections of Rhizoctonia solani AG-1 IA (causal agent of sheath blight of rice), R. oryzae (causal agent of sheath spot of rice), and a collection of eight multinucleate Rhizoctonia solani-like isolates that would interanastomose, but not anastomose, with tester isolates of AG-1 through AG-8 (representing those available at that time). In 1985, the isolates were characterized as R. solani AG-UNK (2). Isolates were recovered as atypical sclerotia from elutriated field soils in rice-soybean and rice-fallow rotations. Isolates also were recovered from late-season stem lesions nearly identical to those associated with sheath spot disease and from rice residues at locations throughout the upper Gulf Coast of Texas but at extremely low frequencies compared with recovery of R. solani AG-1 IA and R. oryzae. Teleomorphs of R. solani AG-UNK were observed during middle to late season on rice sheaths and matched descriptions of Thanatephorus cucumeris. Isolates were pathogenic on rice and soybean foliage in greenhouse trials but caused no significant yield losses when inoculated on adult rice plants (50 days after emergence) in field trials (2). Isolates exhibited mean hyphal diameters of 5.1 μm, averaged 8.3 nuclei per penultimate cell, grew 0.53 mm/h at 28°C on potato dextrose agar, and were negative in phenol tests (2). From samples maintained in storage during the past 15 years, the isolates have now been identified as AG-11 based on positive anastomosis with tester strains of AG-11 (1). This report records the occurrence of AG-11 in Texas, establishes the identity of the AG-UNK group, and expands the known geographic range of AG-11 in the United States. References: (1) D. E. Carling et al. Phytopathology 84:1387, 1994. (2) R. K. Jones and S. B. Belmar. Plant Dis. 73:1004, 1989.