Fifty nine isolates of S. rolfsii were isolated from infected
groundnut plants collected from groundnut growing areas of
Maharashtra and Gujarat states of India. The pathogen from
the infected portion was isolated on potato dextrose agar
(PDA) medium at a temperature of 28±1°C. The culture was
incubated for 20 days for formation of sclerotia. Pure culture
was obtained by growing single sclerotium. Isolates were
screened for their virulence and the most virulent isolate
NRCG-SR-07 was used in the study. Virulence was studied
by growing in vitro in culture tubes at ambient temperature
on PDA medium, and in the pots in net-house by artificially
inoculating the soil with inoculums of S. rolfsii.