Molecular Characterization of Rhizoctonia Species and Anastomosis Groups in Barley Production Areas in Ankara Province

Abstract

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is an important cereal crop in terms of human and animal nutrition in the world. Rhizoctonia species are a diverse group of fungi that damage small-grain cereals by rotting the seedlings, roots and crowns. In order to determine the root rot diseases, surveys were carried out in barley fields in 2015 growing season in Ankara. 48 barley and 48 soil samples were collected from barley fields. As a result of isolation from plant and soil samples collected from barley fields, 28 Rhizoctonia isolates belonging to 9 anastomosis groups were obtained. The isolates were identified based on hyphal, colony morphology, anastomosis reaction with known tester isolates and rDNA-ITS sequence analysis. Multinucleate (MN) Rhizoctonia isolates were grouped into five AGs as R. solani AG 2-2, AG 4 HG II, AG 5, Waitea circinata var. circinata, Waitea circinata var. oryzae and Binucleate (BN) Rhizoctonia isolates were grouped into four AGs as AG D I (R. cerealis), AG A, AG E and AG I. As a result of pathogenicity tests, AG 2-2, AG 4 HG II, AG 5, Waitea circinata var. circinata, Waitea circinata var. oryzae and BN AG D I (R. cerealis) groups were found to be pathogen on barley and it was determined that the most virulent group was AG 4 HG II.