Characterization of cereal bare patch isolates of Rhizoctonia solani by random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis

RAPD‐PCR was used to characterize isolates of Rhizoctonia solani from bare patches in cereal and pasture crops at two locations in Western Australia, Newdegate and Esperance. All of the isolates belonged to anastomosis group 8, pectic zymogram group 1‐1 or 2. The pectic zymogram assignment could be confirmed by RAPD‐PCR. There was no difference in RAPD‐PCR pattern between highly virulent and weakly virulent isolates at Newdegate, or between isolates from different patches at Newdegate. The Newdegate isolates were identical to isolates from Esperance, and to isolates from various locations in South Australia.