Studies on the host range of Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn causing sheath blight disease in rice

Host range of sheath blight disease in rice caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn was studied in different nonpaddy hosts viz. maize, wheat, jowar, bajra, ragi, sugarcane and weed hosts namely Digitaria ciliaris, Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Eclipta alba, Euphorbia hirta, Scoparia dulcis, Echinochloa colonum, Aegeratum conyzoides, Cyperus rotundus, Paspalum scrobiculatum, Cynodon dactylon and Commelina benghalensis, which served as collateral hosts for the survival of the pathogen. Production of the highest lesion length was recorded in the weed host Dactyloctenium aegyptium while the lowest lesion length was observed in Euphorbia hirta.