Occurrence of Rhizoctonia root rot in sugar beet and maize is strongly influenced by environmental conditions which includes also cropping techniques. To date, it is unknown which specific combinations of environmental factors promotes the outbreak of the disease. Suggestions for an integrated concept for the control of Rhizoctonia root rot focus on the cultivation of resistant sugar beet varieties, on seedling protecting fungicides or antagonists and on supporting cropping practice. At present, a direct control of Rhizoctonia with fungicides in sugar beet is not possible in Europe. With respect to the importance of cropping techniques for the occurrence of Rhizoctonia root rot a field trial was conducted to investigate the influence of wheeling before sowing on disease severity of Rhizoctonia AG 2-2IIIB inoculated sugar beet and maize. Results presented in this study show that wheeling caused significant differences in disease severity and yield of Rhizoctona inoculated sugar beet and maize. This effect was more important in sugar beet. Moreover, an additive effect of the abiotic stress factor wheeling and inoculation for sugar beet could be observed.