Classifi cation of Rhizoctonia spp. using rDNA-ITS sequence analysis supports the genetic basis of the classical anastomosis grouping Abstract Currently, rDNA-ITS sequence analysis seems to be the most appropriate method for comprehensive classifi cation of Rhizoctonia spp. Our previous review article was concerned with detailed analysis of multinucleate Rhizoctonia (MNR), and the current review complements the previous one with detailed analysis of binucleate Rhizoctonia (BNR) (teleomorphs: Ceratobasidium spp. and Tulasnella spp.) and uninucleate Rhizoctonia (UNR) (teleomorph: C. bicorne). Data of all the appropriate BNR and UNR accumulated in GenBank were analyzed together in neighborjoining (NJ) trees supplemented with percent sequence similarity within and among the anastomosis groups (AGs) and subgroups. Generally, the clusters of the isolate sequences supported the genetic basis for the AG based on hyphal fusion anastomosis. Comprehensive interrelationships among all the currently available MNR, BNR, and UNR groups and subgroups in GenBank were subsequently analyzed in NJ and maximum-parsimony (MP) trees, showing the genetic relatedness among the different groups and indicating possible bridging groups between MNR, BNR, and UNR. The review also indicates serious inaccuracies in designation of sequences of some isolates deposited in GenBank. Several additional teleomorph genera with Rhizoctonia spp. anamorphs have also been reported in the literature. However, as they have not been intensively studied, there were no available data on their rDNA-ITS sequences that could be included in this review.

A total of 401 isolates of Phytophthora infestans were collected from eight Asian regions (Korea, India, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Nepal, China and Japan) between 1992 and 2000 -318 from potato and 83 from tomato. The isolates were analysed for mating type, metalaxyl resistance, RG57 fingerprinting, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotype and the polymorphism of three allozyme loci, i.e. glucose-6-phosphate isomerase ( Gpi ), peptidase ( Pep ) and malic enzyme ( Me ). The isolates were multilocus-genotyped based on RFLP (RG57) fingerprint, dilocus allozyme genotype, mtDNA haplotype and mating type. Twenty multilocus genotypes were identified among 125 isolates. Of these genotypes, 14 had not been previously reported. Some of the multilocus genotypes were common to isolates from several geographical regions, suggesting migration. The metalaxyl-resistant isolates belonged to the multilocus genotypes JP-1, JP-2, and JP-3. Multilocus genotypes coexisting in a single field were found in following regions: Thailand (1994), central China (1996), Nepal (1997 and Japan (1998 and2000). The possible origins of certain genotypes are discussed, including the possibility of sexual recombination within the P. infestans populations in Nepal and perhaps Thailand.

We isolated Rhizoctonia-like fungi from populations of the threatened orchid Cypripedium macranthos. In ultrastructural observations of the septa, the isolates had a flattened imperforate parenthesome consisting of two electron-dense membranes bordered by an internal electron-lucent zone, identical to the septal ultrastructure of Rhizoctonia repens (teleomorph Tulasnella), a mycorrhizal fungus of many orchid species. However, hyphae of the isolates did not fuse with those of known tester strains of R. repens and grew less than half as fast as those of R. repens. In phylogenetic analyses, sequences for rDNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of the isolates were distinct from those of the taxonomically identified species of Tulasnella. On the basis of the ITS sequences, the isolates clustered into two groups that corresponded exactly with the clades demonstrated for other Cypripedium spp. from Eurasia and North America despite the geographical separation, suggesting high specificity in the Cypripedium-fungus association. In addition, the two phylogenetic groups corresponded to two different plant clones at different developmental stages. The fungi from one clone constituted one group and did not belong to the other fungal group isolated from the other clone. The possibility of switching to a new mycorrhizal partner during the orchid's lifetime is discussed.

Detailed ultrasound should be performed to rule out associated anomalies, and determine the presence or absence of hydrops in prenatally diagnosed SCT. Fetal hydrops, orthopedic impairment such as lower extremity weakness and swelling, and urinary incontinence are important clinical factors affecting the outcome after birth in prenatally diagnosed SCT. In particular, the present study indicated that the association of a fraternal twin and fetal hydrops makes it very difficult to treat SCT perinatally.

During July to August in 1992, a unusual foliar blight disease was observed on soybean plants intercropped between rows of winter wheat in an upland field converted from a paddy field at Tohoku National Agricultural Experiment Station in Morioka, northern part of Japan. The symptoms appeared as primary lesions consisting of small, circular necrotic spots, 1-mm or less than 1-mm in diameter, followed by secondary lesions showing circular to irregularly-shaped and large-sized areas of necrosis around the primary lesions under humid conditions. All the isolates of Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn consistently recovered from leaves with the primary and secondary lesions (hereinafter referred to as leaf spot isolates) formed anastomoses in a high frequency (>75%) with the tester isolates of the anastomosis subgroup AG-2-1 but in a low frequency (<16%) with those of the AG-2-2 IIIB and IV and anastomosis group AG-BI. Among the 66 leaf spot isolates, 64 were auxotrophic for thiamine, whereas the isolates of the AG-2-1 were autotrophic for thiamine. The remaining 2 isolates could not grow even in the presence of thiamine. Culture appearance and optimum growth temperature of the leaf spot isolates were similar to those of the AG-2-1 rather than to those of the AG-2-2 IIIB and IV subgroup. Inoculation tests revealed that the leaf spot isolates were highly pathogenic to soybean, adzuki bean and kidney bean and caused severe pre-emergence and post-emergence damping-off, but were not pathogenic to rape and radish. The isolates caused foliar blight on soybean. These results indicated that most of the leaf spot isolates of AG-2 from soybean did not fit to either the AG-2-1 or AG-2-2 subgroup. Hence, we assigned these isolates to a new subgroup 3 in AG-2 (designated as AG-2-3).