The Effect of Ionizing Radiation on the Phytopathogen Growth of R. solani

Growth of the plant pathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn, which is the causative agent of one of the most harmful and widespread potato diseases (black scab), has been experimentally studied. Sclerotia of Rhizoctonia solani are irradiated with accelerated electrons with an energy of 1 MeV at various doses in the range from 0.02 to 38 kGy. The results of the study made it possible to conclude that the exposure to electrons in the dose range both inhibited and stimulated the growth of R. solani plant pathogenic fungi; the dependence of the growth rate of R. solani fungi on the absorbed dose is not linear. Germination of R. solani sclerotia was completely suppressed when the absorbed dose was more than 4.5 kGy.