IMA Fungus (2013) 4, 155-159

Jolanda Roux, Izette Greyling, Teresa A. Coutinho, Marcel Verleur and Michael J. Wingfield (2013)
The Myrtle rust pathogen, Puccinia psidii, discovered in Africa
IMA Fungus 4 (1), 155-159
Abstract: Puccinia psidii, the cause of a disease today commonly referred to as Myrtle rust, is considered a high priority quarantine threat globally. It has a wide host range in the Myrtaceae and it is feared that it may result in significant damage to native ecosystems where these plants occur. The fungus is also of considerable concern to plantation forestry industries that propagate Australian Eucalyptus species. In May 2013, symptoms of a rust disease resembling those of P. psidii were observed on an ornamental Myrtaceous shrub in a garden in South Africa. The fungus was identified based on DNA sequence data of the ITS and 5.8S nrRNA gene regions and here we report, for the first time, the presence of P. psidii in Africa.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Jolanda Roux, Teresa A. Coutinho, Michael J. Wingfield

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Austropuccinia psidii		South Africa