Morphological, pathological and molecular characterisation of rice sheath blight disease causal organism Rhizoctonia solani AG-1 IA in Egypt

• Published in: Archiv für Phytopathologie und Pflanzenschutz Vol. 52; no. 5-6; pp. 507 - 529
• Main Authors: El-Shafey, Rabie A. S., Elamawi, Rabab M., Saleh, Mona M., Tahoon, Abdelaziz M., Emeran, Amero A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 03-04-2019; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Blight; Breeding; Disease control; Disease resistance; Egypt; Fungi; identification; ITS region; Morphology; Oryza; Rhizoctonia solani; Rhizoctonia solani AG-1 IA; Rice fields; Rice sheath blight; Sheath blight; Sheaths; Signs and symptoms; Soil-borne diseases; Spacer; Virulence; Egypt
• ISSN: 0323-5408; 1477-2906
• DOI: 10.1080/03235408.2019.1650544

Rice sheath blight disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani is considered a distractive soil-borne disease of rice production worldwide. The study aimed to determine the causal organism of sheath blight symptoms in Egyptian rice fields. Sheath blight symptoms were first observed in a small area during 2013, 2014 and 2016 seasons, later in a wide area of rice fields in 2016 to 2018 seasons. Pathogen identification was carried out based on morphological traits and internal transcribed spacer sequencing. Thirty-six isolates were identified as R. solani fungus. The isolates exhibited a wide range of variability in their morphological traits and virulence patterns. Five isolates were sequenced and aligned with Chinese isolates with 75-100% identity. This is the first report of R. solani AG-1 IA that associated with rice sheath blight in Egypt. Initiate a breeding program for disease resistance and integrated disease management procedures are important to keep the disease under control.