Characterization and Pathogenicity of Rhizoctonia solani Isolates Affecting Pisum sativum in North Dakota

Acreage of dry field pea (Pisum sativum) in North Dakota has increased approximately eightfold from the late 1990s to the late 2000s to over 200,000 ha annually. A coincidental increase in losses to root rots has also been observed. Root rot in dry field pea is commonly caused by a complex of pathogens which included Fusarium spp. and Rhizoctonia solani. R. solani isolates were obtained from roots sampled at the three- to five-node growth stage from North Dakota pea fields and from symptomatic samples received at the Plant Diagnostic Lab at North Dakota State University in 2008 and 2009. Using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA), 17 R. solani pea isolates were determined to belong to anastomosis group (AG)-4 homogenous group (HG)-II and two isolates to AG-5. Pathogenicity of select pea isolates was determined on field pea and two rotation hosts, soybean and dry bean. All isolates caused disease on all hosts; however, the median disease ratings were higher on green pea, dry bean, and soybean cultivars when inoculated with pea isolate AG-4 HG-II. Identification of R. solani AGs and subgroups on field pea and determination of relative pathogenicity on rotational hosts is important for effective resistance breeding and appropriate rotation strategies.