Anastomosis Grouping of Rhizoctonia solani and Binucleate Rhizoctonia spp. Isolated from Pepper in Erzincan, Turkey

Ninety eight isolates of Rhizoctonia spp. were obtained from roots of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) grown in Erzincan, Turkey during the period 2007-2008. The most prevalent multinucleate anastomosis groups (AG) were AG-4 (85.2%), followed by AG-2 type 1 (7.4%), AG-6 (5.0%), and AG-3 (2.5%). The population of binucleate Rhizoctonia spp. comprised AG-A (82.4%), AG-K (11.8%), and AG-G (5.9%). Rhizoctonia solani AG-3 and AG-6, as well as binucleate Rhizoctonia spp. AG-G and AG-K on pepper (C. annuum) were firstly determined in this study. During both in vitro and in vivo pathogenicity experiments differences in virulence level between R. solani and binucleate Rhizoctonia spp. isolates were observed. Isolates of R. solani AG-2 type 1 and AG-4 were the most virulent, binucleate Rhizoctonia spp. isolates of AG-A were less virulent, whereas binucleate Rhizoctonia spp. isolates of AG-G and AG-K were non-pathogenic.