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First Report of Leaf Blight of Dianthus chinensis Caused by Rhizoctonia solani

Dianthus chinensis (rainbow pink) is a popular seasonal bedding plant for the Gulf Coast of the United States and is primarily grown during the fall, winter, and early spring months. In August 1999, diseased plants were observed in a Baton Rouge, LA, propagation nursery with irregularly oval, tan leaf spots 3 to 10 mm in diameter. Heavily infected leaves became blighted and were killed, but plants survived and roots, crowns, and flowers were not affected. Infected leaf samples were surface-disinfected for 1 to 3 min in 70% ethyl alcohol, blotted dry, and sections were placed on 2% acidified water agar. A fungus that was identified as Rhizoctonia solani, and belonging to anastomosis group (AG)-1 IB, was consistently isolated from infected leaves. Inoculum was prepared by blending one 7-day-old plate culture, grown on acidified potato-dextrose agar, in 100 ml distilled deionized water. Pathogenicity tests were performed by dripping inoculum from a 10-ml pipette on leaf surfaces of healthy rainbow pink plants. Inoculated and noninoculated plants were held in a dew chamber at 26°C for 2 to 3 days and then removed to a greenhouse where temperatures ranged from 25 to 32°C. Inoculated plants developed water-soaked spots after 2 to 3 days that turned tan and became necrotic 5 to 10 days later. These symptoms were like those observed on the original diseased plants. R. solani was reisolated from inoculated plants, and noninoculated plants remained healthy. Although R. solani has been reported previously as a root and stem pathogen of D. chinensis (1), this is the first report of leaf blight disease caused by this fungus.

Reference: (1) D. F. Farr et al. 1989. Fungi on Plants and Plant Products in the United States. American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN.