Fauna
Fungus · GBIF taxon 2555201

Brown Patch Disease

Rhizoctonia solani

Also known as Brown Patch Fungus, Damping-off Fungus, Black Scurf Fungus, Wirestem Fungus

Rhizoctonia solani is an exceptionally adaptable soil-dwelling fungus renowned for producing dark, irregular sclerotia that endure in soil and plant debris for years without a host. While infamously recognized for causing brown patch on turfgrass and damping-off across hundreds of agricultural crops, it plays a strikingly dual role in nature by establishing vital mycorrhizal relationships with developing orchid protocorms. Lacking asexual spores, it spreads primarily through robust, right-angle branching hyphae that quickly colonize moist soils during periods of warm, humid weather.

Plant PathogenSoil FungusCosmopolitan
Brown Patch Disease reference1 / 4
Licensed reference(c) anonymous, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
—observations
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Cultivated turfgrasses
  • Potato plant tubers
  • Soybean seedlings
Predators
  • Mycophagous springtails
  • Fungivorous nematodes
  • Green mold (Trichoderma harzianum)
ThreatsFungicides, soil solarization, anaerobic soil disinfestation, and antagonistic biocontrol microbes
HabitatsAgricultural fields, turfgrass lawns, forest topsoils, and commercial greenhouses worldwide
Life spanIndefinite; dormant sclerotia persist in soil for several years
Classification
  1. FamilyCeratobasidiaceae
  2. SpeciesRhizoctonia solani
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Harmless to handle, but wild fungi have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Turf Management: Aerate compacted soil and water lawns deeply in the early morning rather than evening to curb fungal expansion.
  • Sanitation Practice: Disinfect gardening tools and crop containers with a ten percent bleach solution to stop sclerotia from spreading.
Related species
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