<div>Background: Mungbean (Vigna radiata&nbsp;L. Wilzeck) is one of the most important pulse crops and grown in almost all parts of the India. Web blight/wet root rot disease of mungbean is caused by Rhizoctonia solani K&uuml;hn. Crop environmental factors plays a vital role in the development of web blight disease caused by R. solani. An understanding of the role of environmental factors on the infection and survival of the pathogen is necessary to develop disease management practices. 
 
Methods: The effect of different temperatures (4oC, 20oC, 25oC, 30oC and 35oC) on mycelial growth of seven different R. solani isolates belonging to different anastomosis group were evaluated under in vitro conditions. Effect of different temperatures on the development of root rot/web blight disease of mungbean was also evaluated under phytotron conditions at various temperatures with constant relative humidity (85%) and illumination (alternate dark and light period of 12 h). Effect of temperatures on the expression of selected pathogenicity related genes was evaluated through real time PCR. 
 
Result: Maximum radial growth in R. solani isolates was observed at 25 and 30oC after 48 hrs of incubation. Maximum disease incidence was observed with R. solani isolate RUPU-18 (73.11%) followed by R-17 (68.75%), RDLM-1 (63.45%) at 25oC on mungbean genotype Pusa Vishal. Expression of genes like ABC transporter was observed only at 35oC, while other genes like 1, 3 glucan hydrolase expressed maximum at 25oC after 24, 48 and 72 hrs post inoculation. Present study suggested that the expression of pathogenicity related genes in mungbean-R. solani system is dependent on the temperature and time interval post pathogen inoculation.</div>

<div>Influence of Temperature on the Pathogenesis and Gene Expression of Rhizoctonia solani Causing Web Blight/Wet Root Rot Disease in Mungbean</div>

<div>Background: Mung bean is susceptible to Rhizoctonia solani infection. Applications of beneficial microorganisms such as Trichoderma are promising for controlling pathogens and promoting plant growth. 
 
Methods: This study investigated growth performance and metabolic changes in mung bean seedlings during interaction with R. solani and Trichoderma virens using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). 
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Result: Mung bean infected by R. solani caused root rot and wilting.&nbsp;T. virens treatment reduced the disease severity in infected seedlings and promoted mung bean growth. Seventy-eight metabolites were identified in root extracts and dominated by sugars and fatty acids. The sugars, fatty acids and organic acids were significant metabolite groups that changed in response to pathogen infection and/or T. virens treatment. Five metabolic pathways particularly pyruvate metabolism, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, sulfur metabolism, citrate cycle (TCA cycle) and phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis altered significantly based on a metabolic pathway analysis. Acetic acid and aconitine had important roles in mung bean response to R. solani infection and/or T. virens treatment.</div>

Growth Performance and Metabolic Changes in Susceptible Mung Bean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] during Interaction with Rhizoctonia solani and Trichoderma virens

Web blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani causes huge yield loses in urdbean (Vigna mungo). All the commercially grown varieties are susceptible. Hence, more than ten fungicides were evaluated as foliar sprays during kharif season 2005, 2007-2010 using susceptible variety UL 338. &nbsp;Two foliar sprays of fungicides, namely; hexaconazole 5EC (Contaf 5EC)@ 0.1%, difenconazole 25EC (Score 25EC) @ 0.05%, carbendazim 50WP (Bavastin 50WP) @ 0.1% and propiconazole 25EC &nbsp;(Tilt 25EC) @ 0.1% &nbsp;significantly reduced the disease severity resulting in &nbsp;81.1, 80.6, 65.9 and 76.2% control over unsprayed &nbsp;check with corresponding mean yield of &nbsp;872, 821, 791 and 754 kg/ha compared with the mean yield of 584 kg /ha in unsprayed control . The net benefit for the two foliar sprays of &nbsp;hexaconazole 5EC, difenconazole 25EC, &nbsp;propiconazole 25EC and carbendazim 50WP and chlorthalonil 50WP, has been worked out to be Rs.10229, 6891, 6375, 4524 and 3274, respectively for the crop grown for the grain purpose (@Rs. 4300/q) &nbsp;with the cost: benefit ratio of 5.8, 3.1, 2.6, 4.0 and 1.8, respectively. In the crop, grown for the breeder seed purpose (Rs.12000/q), the net profit for foliar sprays of hexaconazole 5EC, difenconazole 25EC, propiconazole 25EC, carbendazim 50WP and chlorthanonil was worked out to be Rs.32405, 25140, 17616, 22614 and 16980 respectively with cost: benefit ratio of 16.0, 8.6, 7.3, 11.2 and 4.9, respectively. &nbsp;The same trend was observed for foundation and certified seed also. The fungicides were effective in reducing the severity of powdery mildew also.&nbsp; 
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Fungicidal management of web blight of urdbean caused by Rhizoctonia solani 
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<div>Black scurf (Rhizoctonia solani) disease of potato is becoming prominent in many potato growing districts of Gujarat state which reduce quality and market value of the produce, resulting in economic losses. The field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2014-15 in naturally infested field with scurf pathogen at Potato Research Station, S.D. Agricultural University, Deesa (Gujarat) with the objective to find out suitable management strategies for black scurf through organic approaches (bio-agents and organic amendments). Among different bio-agents (Trichoderma viride, T. harzianum. Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis) tested against black scurf, the tuber treatment with 2 per cent boric acid spray along with tuber treatment with T. viride @ 10 g/kg seed before sowing recorded the lowest disease incidence (15.33 %) and index (0.38) with highest total tuber yield (324.68 q/ha) with maximum income `2,57,414/ha. When price computed with healthy and diseased tuber yield among treatments, the maximum income variation was (`92,986/ha) recorded by the same treatment followed by the tuber treatment with 3 % boric acid spray before sowing (`68,440/ha). In case of various organic amendments tested, soil application of mustard cake @ 10 q/ha registered minimum disease incidence (37.33 %) and disease index (0.66) as compared to rest of the organic treatment with highest total tuber yield (`327.20 q/ha) with maximum income `2,65,010/ha. When price computed with healthy and diseased tuber yield among treatments, the maximum income variation was (`1,12,990/ha) recorded by the same treatment followed by the neem cake @ 10 q/ha (`56,660/ha). These organic treatments can provide an effective and economical management of black scurf of potato for cultivaters.</div>

<div>Management of Black Scurf (Rhizoctonia solani) of Potato through Organic Approaches</div>

<div>Root rot caused by Rhizoctonia solani is an important disease of mothbean, under severe infestation it causes 58-68 % losses in grain yield. Three-year field experiments were conducted in hot arid conditions at Bikaner, Rajasthan during kharif seasons with the objective to find out suitable eco-friendly management strategies for root rot. The experiment was conducted on cv. RMO-225 with six different combination of Trichoderma harzianum + Pseudomonas fluorescens bio- agents viz, seed treatment, soil treatment and their combinations against the root rot disease and compared with an untreated control. Results of experiment showed that all the treatments brought significant decline in disease incidence and consequently enhancement of grain yield compared to control. The treatment having combination of Trichoderma harzianum + Pseudomonas fluorescens seed treatment (4+4 g/kg seed) + soil application of T. harzianum + P. fluorescens (1.25 +1.25 kg in 50 kg FYM for each/ha) had minimum (21.78 %) root rot incidence, highest grain yield (10.56 q /ha) and net return (Rs. 14,338/ha). The T. harzianum seed treatment 8 g/kg seed + soil application of T. harzianum 2.5kg in 100 kg FYM/ha &nbsp;was the next best treatment with &nbsp;25.56 per cent disease incidence and 9.42 q/ha of grain yield. These treatments can provide an effective, economical and eco- friendly management of root rot of mothbean for cultivators.</div>

<div>Management of Root Rot (Rhizoctonia solani) of Mothbean through Bio-Agents</div>

<div>Background: Root rot disease of fenugreek caused by Rhizoctonia solani has become a severe menace to the growers of Rajasthan as well as India. This pathogen survives in soil, causes damping off and root rot symptoms and responsible nearly for 50 per cent disease incidence and yield losses.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: During 2016-17 to 2017-18 cropping seasons, this study was carried out with the aim to manage the disease by means of using six fungicides including newer formulations (hexaconazole and tebuconazole + trifloxystrobin) under in vitro and field conditions.&nbsp; 
 
Result: The result of in vitro study with tebuconazole + trifloxystrobin was found to be most fungitoxic and inhibited mycelial growth cent per cent at 200 and 500 ppm concentrations. Seed treatment with tebuconazole + trifloxystrobin (@ 0.2%) was found highly effective in reducing disease incidence (83.12%) and in increasing seed yield (84.71%) under field conditions. Thus, it can be concluded that the use of newer combined formulation as seed treatment before sowing provide us alternative source to manage root rot disease of fenugreek.</div>

<div>Management of Root Rot (Rhizoctonia solani) of Fenugreek through Newer Combined Formulations of Fungicides</div>

<div>Background: Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is an important vegetable crop not only for its economic importance but also for its nutritional value. It remained prone to various diseases and amongst them, root rot disease complex caused by concomitant occurrence of R. solani and M. javanica has been key problem in Haryana resultantly reduces yield and production to great extent. 
 
Methods: Present study was carried out with the aim to evaluate the effect of organic amendments and biocontrol agents on root rot disease complex in tomato cv. Hisar Arun (Selection 7). Tomato seeds were sown @ 10 seeds/pot filled with sterilized sandy loam soil having 1000 mg/kg soil (Rhizoctonia solani inoculum level) and 1000 J2/kg soil (M. javanica inoculum level). 
 
Result: The minimum mortality of 33.3 and 36.6 per cent was observed when the soils were incorporated with mustard cake @ 2g/kg soil followed by cotton cake @ 2g/kg soil in comparison to total mortality of 63.3 per cent in control pots and the soil application of mustard cake protected 47.4 per cent plants from mortality. The application of Glomus mosseae (VAM) at 200, 150, 100 sporocarps/kg soil managed disease to the extent of 36.8% 21.0% and 10.4% respectively. Incorporation of T. harzianum@ 5g/kg soil and 10g/kg soil managed the disease to the extent of 21% and 42% respectively. The minimum mortality of 33.3% was recorded when seeds were dressed with Carbendazim 50WP whereas 36.6 per cent with Carboxin 37.5WP + Thiram 37.5WP in comparison to 63.3 per cent in control pots. Systemic approach to manage the root-rot disease complex with the help of organic amendments, bioagents and fungicides can prevent the losses caused to the crop.</div>

​A Non-chemical Approach to the Management of Root Rot Disease Complex of Tomato Concomitantly Caused by Rhizoctonia solani and Meloidogyne javanica

Background: Bacterial endophytes live inside the plant tissues and are known to play a crucial role in the functioning of host plants by influencing their physiology and development. Moreover, this group of bacteria could produce secondary metabolites to suppress plant pathogens and also produce compounds to promote plant growth. 
 
Methods: In this present study, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was isolated from Oryzae officinalis and screened for antifungal activity against rice sheath blight pathogen, Rhizoctonia solani by dual culture assay. The secondary metabolites produced during the interaction of B. amyloliquefaciens with R. solani were characterized with pathogen-inoculated control and antagonist inoculated control through Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrophotometry (GC-MS).&nbsp; 
 
Result: The isolated Bacillus amyloliqufaciens displayed antagonistic activity against Rhizoctonia solani which showed a 63% inhibiton in the mycelial growth of R. solani over control. Analysis of secondary metabolites from the zone of inhibition, confirmed the presence of unique biomolecules including -Propanamine, N,N,2-trimethyl, 1(2H)-Naphthalenone, 3,4-dihydro-6,7-dimethyl, Diethyl Phthalate, Dichloroacetic acid tridecyl ester, Hexadecen-1-ol trans-9, Glycine N-(N-glycyl-L-leucyl) and 2,6,10-Dodecatrien-1-ol, 3,7,11-trimethyl of antifungal and antimicrobial nature.

Analysis of Bioactive Secondary Metabolites Produced by Endophytic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens against Rice Sheath Blight Pathogen Rhizoctonia solani

<div>Background: Root rot of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) caused by Rhizoctonia solani is an important constraint to the crop and causes significant economic losses in Rajasthan as well as India and fungicides are the major tool to overcome the disease incidence. As per environment and health issues and demand of organically produced fenugreek green leaves and seeds, it is a major concerned to control it by eco-friendly approaches. The current study aimed to find the most effective control measure of this dreaded disease through eco-friendly approaches. 
 
Methods: The present field-laboratory investigations were conducted during 2016-17 and 2017-18, to evaluate six plant extracts in vitro and in vivo, namely neem (Azadirachta indica), Alstonia (Alstonia scholaris), garlic (Allium sativum), datura (Datura stramonium), tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum), aak (Calotropis gigantea) and four bio-agents (Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens) in vivo through seed treatment alone and/or in combination for two consecutive years.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Our investigations in vitro with botanicals cleared that garlic clove extract was highly antimycotic to the pathogen (79.52%) followed by aak (62.48%) and neem extract (53.37%). Under field conditions, seed soaking with garlic clove extract (@10%) for 30 minutes was observed the most effective in reducing disease incidence (62.02%) and in increasing seed yield (65.35%) followed by aak (56.56% and 59.82%, respectively). In bio-agents, Trichoderma harzianum + Pseudomonas fluorescens (@ 3+3 g/kg seeds) was found superior in reducing disease incidence (66.81%) and in increasing seed yield (73.06%) and the next best was T. viride + P. fluorescens. The findings of this study can be utilized to manage the disease effectively and eco-friendly and also to obtain organic produce of the fenugreek.</div>

Management of Root Rot of Fenugreek Caused by Rhizoctonia solani using Plant Extracts and Bio-agents

Background: Controlling soil-borne fungal diseases is challenging due to the fungi&rsquo;s ability to endure in the soil for extended time frames. Tomato plants are one of the crops that suffer from root rot disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani. Biocontrol agents, such as rhizobacteria are a new trend to control this pathogen as alternative to chemical fungicides. 
 
Methods: The morphological and physiological traits of four rhizobacterial isolates of Leclercia adecarboxylata DKS3, Bacillus halotolerans DMC8, Bacillus subtilis NAS1 and Paenibacillus polymyxa TRS4 were examined in vitro and their efficacy in managing tomato root rot disease caused by R. solani was assessed under greenhouse conditions, along with their impact on plant growth metrics and enzyme activities. 
 
Result: The isolate DMC8 significantly enhanced the germination percentage of tomato seedlings, whilst the other isolates showed no difference compared to the positive control treatment. The isolates DMC8, NAS1 and TRS4 demonstrated a substantial reduction in disease incidence, ranging from 50% to 55%, in contrast to the positive control, which recorded 85% incidence. All isolates, however, demonstrated a notable reduction in disease severity, ranging from 30% to 49%, in contrast to the positive control, which exhibited a severity rate of 56%. All bacterial isolates exhibited a notable enhancement in growth metrics in the absence of the pathogen, whereas in the presence of the pathogen, isolates DMC8, NAS1 and TRS4 demonstrated a considerable improvement in growth markers. An elevation in the activities of peroxidase and phenylalanine ammonium lyase enzymes was observed, signifying the development of resistance in the plant by the rhizobacterial isolates.&nbsp;