Brown patch is caused by which pathogen?

Brown patch is caused by which pathogen?

• A. Pythium
• B. Fusarium
• C. Rhizoctonia
• D. Typhula

Answer: (C)

Brown patch is caused by Rhizoctonia solani, a soil-borne fungus that thrives in warm, humid turf conditions. This pathogen produces circular to irregular patches of dead turf, often with a lighter green or yellow-tinged edge, and patches can coalesce under humid leaf wetness. Among the options, the others describe different turf diseases: Pythium causes Pythium blight with rapidly spreading, water-soaked patches; Typhula causes Typhula blight (snow mold) in cold conditions; Fusarium-related pathogens cause Fusarium patch, which has its own distinct cooler-season symptoms. The association of brown patch with Rhizoctonia solani makes it the best match for this question.

Brown patch is caused by Rhizoctonia solani, a soil-borne fungus that thrives in warm, humid turf conditions. This pathogen produces circular to irregular patches of dead turf, often with a lighter green or yellow-tinged edge, and patches can coalesce under humid leaf wetness. Among the options, the others describe different turf diseases: Pythium causes Pythium blight with rapidly spreading, water-soaked patches; Typhula causes Typhula blight (snow mold) in cold conditions; Fusarium-related pathogens cause Fusarium patch, which has its own distinct cooler-season symptoms. The association of brown patch with Rhizoctonia solani makes it the best match for this question.