Rhizoctonia seedling disease of hemp and its control

Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn was isolated from hemp (Hibiscus cannabinus) seedlings affected by damping-off disease. The fungus was highly pathogenic on artificial inoculation. There is no earlier record of this disease in Iraq. Of nine fungicides tested as seed treatment, Bavistin (carbendazim), Homai (thiram), Vitavax (carboxin), Topsin (thiophanate), Fundazol and Benlate (benomyl) gave effective control of the disease.