Plant Pathology (2007) 56, 286-295

J.W. Woodhall, A.K. Lees, S.G. Edwards and P. Jenkinson (2007)
Characterization of Rhizoctonia solani from potato in Great Britain
Plant Pathology 56 (2), 286-295
Abstract: One hundred and thirty five isolates of Rhizoctonia solani were obtained from British potato crops between 2001 and 2003. Isolates were assigned to anastomosis group (AG) using conventional PCR assays for AG2-1 or AG3 or through the observation of hyphal interactions, where appropriate. A previously published primer set was modified in this study to enhance specificity for AG3PT. Most of the isolates (92·6%) belonged to AG3PT whilst some (6·7%) belonged to AG2-1. Only one isolate recovered (0·7%) belonged to AG5. Isolates of AG2-1 were diverse, with variation in both the length of the rDNA intergenic spacer 1 (IGS1) region and the categories of hyphal interaction observed between pairings of AG2-1 isolates. No variation in the length of the rDNA IGS1 region was observed amongst the AG3 isolates collected. Tests carried out on potato stems with a sub-set of the isolates revealed a wide range of aggressiveness amongst AG2-1 isolates. Sequencing of the rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the AG2-1 isolates and construction of a neighbour joining tree with other AG2-1 sequences available indicated that AG2-1 isolates with the short IGS1 region were closely related. This is the first investigation which provides evidence of the relative AG composition of R. solani populations causing disease in potato crops in Great Britain.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Alison K. Lees, Simon G. Edwards, Peter Jenkinson

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution
molecular biology - genes

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Rhizoctonia solani	Potato (Solanum tuberosum)	United Kingdom