New Anastomosis Groups, AG-T and AG-U, of Binucleate <i>Rhizoctonia</i> spp. Causing Root and Stem Rot of Cut-Flower and Miniature Roses

ABSTRACT Root and stem rot of cut-flower roses (Rosa spp.) was observed in commercial glasshouse-grown roses in 10 prefectures of Japan from 1998 through 2001. Binucleate-like Rhizoctonia spp. were isolated mainly from the disease plants. In all, 670 isolates were divided into two types based on cultural appearance; 168 isolates of light brown to brown type and 502 isolates of whitish type. A hyphal anastomosis reaction using representative isolates from each type revealed that the light brown to brown type belonged to anastomosis group G (AG-G), whereas the whitish type (AG-CUT) failed to anastomose with tester strains of binucleate Rhizoctonia AG-A through AG-S. Neither isolates of AG-G nor AG-CUT anastomosed with tester strains of a previously reported unknown AG (AG-MIN) of binucleate Rhizoctonia spp. collected from miniature roses. In pathogenicity tests, randomly selected isolates of the three groups caused root and stem rot on cut-flower and miniature roses. To differentiate AG-CUT and AG-MIN from known AGs of binucleate Rhizoctonia spp., restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and sequence analyses of a ribosomal (r)DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region were conducted. Among the eight restriction enzymes used, HaeIII produced DNA banding patterns for AG-CUT that differed from those of tester strains and AG-MIN. Additionally, restriction profiles of AG-MIN differed from those of all tester strains. AG-G isolates from cut-flower roses had the same RFLP pattern as the tester strains of AG-G. Based on the results of hyphal anastomosis and RFLP and sequence analysis of an rDNA-ITS region, we propose that AG-CUT be designated AG-T and AG-MIN be designated AG-U, two new AGs of binucleate Rhizoctonia spp. The phylogenetic tree based on the sequence data of the rDNA-ITS region showed that isolates of AG-MIN were in a distinct clade from other AGs, whereas isolates of AG-CUT were in the same clade as those of AG-A. More detailed phylogenetic analysis besides rDNA-ITS region might be necessary for AG classification of binucleate Rhizoctonia spp.