Ceratobasidium Oryzae-Sativae Sp. Nov., The Teleomorph of Rhizoctonia Oryzae-Sativae and Ceratobasidium Setariae Comb. Nov., The Probable Teleomorph of Rhizoctonia Fumigata Comb. Nov

Population Genetic Structure of Rhizoctonia oryzae-sativae from Rice in Latin America and Its Adaptive Potential to Emerge as a Pathogen on Urochloa Pastures

The fungus Rhizoctonia oryzae-sativae is an important pathogen that causes the aggregated sheath spot disease on rice. In this study, we investigated the genetic structure of rice-adapted populations of R. oryzae-sativae sampled from traditional rice-cropping areas from the Paraíba Valley, São Paulo, Brazil, and from Meta, in the Colombian Llanos, in South America. We used five microsatellite loci to measure population differentiation and infer the pathogen's reproductive system. Gene flow was detected among the three populations of R. oryzae-sativae from lowland rice in Brazil and Colombia. In contrast, a lack of gene flow was observed between the lowland and the upland rice populations of the pathogen. Evidence of sexual reproduction including low clonality, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium within loci and gametic equilibrium between loci, indicated the predominance of a mixed reproductive system in all populations. In addition, we assessed the adaptive potential of the Brazilian populations of R. oryzae-sativae to emerge as a pathogen to Urochloa spp. (signalgrass) based on greenhouse aggressiveness assays. The Brazilian populations of R. oryzae-sativae were probably only incipiently adapted as a pathogen to Urochloa spp. Comparison between R_ST and Q_ST showed the predominance of diversifying selection in the divergence between the two populations of R. oryzae-sativae from Brazil.

Efficacy of Natural Plant Products on the Control of Aggregate Sheath Spot of Rice

Aqueous extracts from ginger, pepper, basil, and garlic plants and essential oils from neem, garlic, lemongrass, and cinnamon were evaluated for their antagonistic effects against Rhizoctonia oryzae-sativae, the cause of aggregate sheath spot of rice. The compounds in 5% concentrations in water or agar were tested on several R. oryzae-sativae isolates. Cinnamon oil, the most efficacious plant product in vitro, was further tested in the greenhouse for the control of the disease on two rice cultivars inoculated with R. oryzae-sativae. One milliliter of each of four cinnamon oil concentrations (12.5, 37.5, 62.5, or 87.5%) diluted in vegetable oil was applied to the surface of the water in constantly flooded pots. Cinnamon oil failed to reduce the disease caused by one of the isolates at any concentration. Cinnamon oil suppressed the disease caused by the other isolate on one of the cultivars at a concentration of 37.5%, and on both cultivars at a concentration of 62.5 and 87.5%. However, cinnamon oil at 87.5% was phytotoxic. Cinnamon oil has potential to control aggregate sheath spot but relatively high concentrations were required for disease suppression.

Characterization of Diversity Among Isolates of Rhizoctonia oryzae-sativae from California Rice Fields

Thirty-one California isolates of Rhizoctonia oryzae-sativae, the cause of aggregate sheath spot of rice, were characterized by culture morphology, pathogenicity tests, somatic compatibility groups (SCGs), single-locus microsatellites (SLMs), and multilocus microsatellites (MLMs). The highest level of diversity (individual isolates) was described by MLMs whereas pathogenicity tests exhibited the lowest resolution. In general, a high degree of diversity was revealed (diversity from 51.6 to 100%) within the California population. Several lines of evidence indicated sexual reproduction in the population of R. oryzae-sativae. Genetic analyses of SLMs and MLMs revealed high genetic diversity and gametic equilibrium of all SLMs and most MLMs. Furthermore, unique individuals were recovered by MLMs and there was no correlation of phenotypes to either SCGs or genetic markers. In addition, incongruence of parsimonious trees generated from each of five primers of MLMs and a poorly resolved consensus tree inferred from the combined data set were demonstrated. Accordingly, sexual reproduction of R. oryzae-sativae is probably more prevalent in California than previously assumed.

Population structure of Rhizoctonia oryzae-sativae in California rice fields

Six pairs of single-locus microsatellite primers were developed to study the population structure of Rhizoctonia oryzae-sativae, the cause of aggregate sheath spot disease of rice, among and within three rice-growing areas in California over a 3-year period. A high level of gene flow among growing areas was indicated by low population subdivision according to analysis of molecular variance and moderate to no population differentiation between pairs of populations based on the fixation index (F(ST)). Gametic equilibrium of most pairs of microsatellite loci, high numbers of unique multilocus genotypes, and high genotypic diversity indicated extensive sexual recombination within growing areas. Because there was little differentiation among populations in all hierarchical levels, including among growing areas within sampling years, fields within growing areas, and corners within individual fields, a high level of gene flow was revealed in all levels. Basidiospores were likely the main vehicle of gene flow among populations, including short and long distances. Asexual inocula (sclerotia and mycelia) probably overwinter because a few clones were detected over a 2-year period within the same field. A few clones were shared among fields but were not commonly shared among growing areas.

Survival and Subsequent Dispersal of Rice Sclerotial Disease Fungi, Rhizoctonia oryzae and Rhizoctonia oryzae-sativae, in Paddy Fields

In 1998 to 2001, a commercial rice (Oryza sativa) paddy field (area: ca. 0.14 ha) was surveyed for Rhizoctonia oryzae and R. oryzae-sativae, causal agents of bordered sheath spot and brown sclerotium disease of rice plants, respectively, to determine their survival in soil and stubble during the pretransplanting season, and the effect on disease development during the maturation season of rice. Then, infection by these fungi of weeds belonging to 17 families, which grew in the four neighboring fields, was examined during rice growing seasons. All field isolates of the fungi from soil, stubble, rice sclerotial disease lesions (diseased tissues), and weeds were assorted into mycelial compatibility groups (MCGs) based on the barrage zone reaction of paired isolates. In R. oryzae, 3 to 8 MCGs were annually found from soil/stubble, 2 to 4 MCGs from rice bordered sheath spot lesions, and 4 to 9 MCGs from 4 to 14 weeds. MCGs common to both soil/stubble and diseased tissues, soil/stubble and weeds, and diseased tissues and weeds numbered 1 to 2 in all cases. In R. oryzae-sativae, MCGs common to both soil/stubble and brown sclerotium disease lesions, and soil/stubble and weeds, numbered 1 to 4 and 0 to 5, respectively. In R. oryzae and R. oryzae-sativae, a few MCGs were common to soil/stubble, diseased tissues and weeds, and some were also common to diseased tissues in 1998 and soil/stubble in 1999, or weed in 1998 and diseased tissues in 1999. Members belonging to a single MCG from rice diseased tissues were detected from maximally five weeds growing in the neighboring fields. These results indicate that fungi that had caused sclerotial diseases at the maturation stage of rice plants survived on and in soil and stubble until the pretransplanting season of the next year, followed by wide dispersal in and out of fields and by infection and disease development on rice plants and various weeds.

Ceratorhiza oryzae-sativae, a new combination for the anamorph of Cerabasidium setariae

Rhizoctonia oryzae-sativae, the anamorph of Ceratobasidium setariae, is transferred to Ceratorhiza. A discussion of teleomorph and anamorph taxonomy and nomenclature is also given and it is concluded that, for the present, there is only one holomorph species.