New Anastomose Group of Binucleate Rhizoctonia Causing Leaf Wilt Disease of Erica sp

Abstract

Wilt leaves of Erica sp. was observed at a flower cultivation base in JiYang county of Shandong Province in China. The disease of Erica sp. was determined according to Koch's postulation. The pathogen was isolated and purified from diseased leaves, and was identified as binucleate Rhizoctonia sp. according to its morphological characteristics and DNA sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS). All hyphal anastomosis reactions using representative isolates revealed that they were belonged to anastomosis group U(AG-Erica). Based on the results of hyphal anastomosis and sequence analysis of an rDNA-ITS region and the phylogenetic tree, the AG-Erica is considered as a new anastomose of Rhizoctonia spp. This is the first report that AG-Erica was found in the Erica sp. in China.