Vol. 7, Issue 1 (2019)

Rhizoctonia is primarily a soil borne fungus that does not readily produce spores. It grows as hyphae in the soil feeding on organic matter, within/on plants, and survives as sclerotia during periods of adverse environmental conditions. Sclerotia are dense aggregates of hyphal tissue that tend to darken over-time. These structures can last live for years within the soil and continue to germinate and infect plants. Either by hyphae or by sclerotia, Rhizoctonia is easily spread by introducing contaminated soil from one location to another or from infected plants to healthy plants. Water splash during rainy weather can lead to some soil movement into the canopy where the fungus may begin to infect susceptible hosts. Among eight different media Rhizoctonia solani preferred Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium for mycelial growth. Colony diameters was recorded significantly superior on PDA medium followed by Corn Meal Agar, Soil Extract Agar and Czapec Dox Agar. Richards’s synthetic Agar medium showed least growth followed by Cape Dox Agar.