Shoot Rot of Spikenard Caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG-2-1

In January 2021, unusual outbreak of shoot rot symptoms was observed in young spikenard (Aralia cordata) plants growing vinyl greenhouses located Chuncheon and Yanggu, Gangwon Province, Korea. The initially appeared on shoots the at or above soil surface level. Later, infected wholly rotted blighted. incidence diseased investigated ranged from 5% to 30%. Eight isolates Rhizoctonia sp. were obtained lesions plants. All identified as solani AG-2-1 based morphological characteristics anastomosis test. Three R. tested for pathogenicity using artificial inoculation. induced inoculated similar those investigated. This is first report causing spikenard.