Rhizoctonia solani is a soilborne fungus that can attack all parts of the peanut plant. Stem lesions are seen in mid to late season, particularly where plants are "dirted" during cultivation.Unlike Sclerotium rolfsii which causes Southern stem rot, the mold growth of Rhizoctonia solani is rarely visible to the naked eye. Stem lesions will be brown to reddish-brown in color and have margins with alternating zones of dark-brown and brown tissues. As the lesions expand, stems may become girdled, which causes wilt and collapse of an entire limb. In this phase of decay, the stem tissues may appear "shredded" in the area of the lesion. Pegs develop similar symptoms of decay that result in shedding of pods from vines during harvest.