These factors may not always show up given the environment and host that "Rhizoctonia" attacks. "R. solani" primarily attacks seeds of plants below the soil surface, but can also infect pods, roots, leaves, and stems. The most common symptom of "Rhizoctonia" is "damping off", or the failure of infected seeds to germinate. "R. solani" may invade the seed before it has germinated to cause this pre-emergent damping off, or it can kill very young seedlings soon after they emerge from the soil. Seeds that do germinate before being killed by the fungus have reddish-brown lesions and cankers on stems and roots. Various environmental conditions put the plant at higher risk of infection due to "Rhizoctonia", the pathogen prefers warmer, wet climates for infection and growth. Postemergent damping off is a further delay in attack of "R. solani". The seedling is most susceptible to disease in its early stages. Cereals in regions of England, South Australia, Canada, and India experience losses caused by "R, solani" every year. Roots are killed back, causing plants to be stunted and spindly. Other noncereal plants in those regions can experience brown stumps as another symptom of the pathogen. In England, this is called purple patch. "R. solani" can also cause hypocotyl and stem cankers on mature plants of tomatoes, potatoes, and cabbages. Strands of mycelium and sometimes sclerotia appear on their surfaces. Roots turn brown and die after a period of time. The best known symptom of "R. solani" is black scurf on potato tubers, which are the sclerotia of the fungus. "R. solani" can survive in the soil for many years in the form of sclerotia. Sclerotia of "Rhizoctonia" have thick outer layers to allow for survival, and they function as the overwintering structure for the pathogen. In some rare cases (such as the teleomorph) the pathogen may also take on the form of mycelia that reside in the soil, as well. The fungus is attracted to the plant by chemical stimuli released by a growing plant and/or decomposing plant residue. The process of penetration of a host can be accomplished in a number of ways. Entry can occur through direct penetration of the plant cuticle/epidermis or by means of natural openings in the plant.