Mycologia (2009) 101, 622-631

J. Hantula, T. Kurkela, S. Hendry and T. Yamaguchi (2009)
Morphological measurements and ITS sequences show that the new alder rust in Europe is conspecific with Melampsoridium hiratsukanum in eastern Asia
Mycologia 101 (5), 622-631
Abstract: Three species of Melampsoridium have been reported to infect hosts in genus Alnus. An epidemic of foliar rust affecting A. glutinosa and A. incana began in Europe in the mid-1990s, and the associated pathogen was identified as Melampsoridium hiratsukanum based on morphology. In this investigation we analyzed the morphology and genetic variation of alder rusts from Europe and Japan and the host specificity of the European epidemic rust. Our results showed that two rusts occur on the leaves of alders native to northern Europe; in Scotland an endemic rust indistinguishable from M. betulinum occurs, whereas alders in areas of Europe affected by the current epidemic were infected by M. hiratsukanum. M. hiratsukanum from naturally infected alder in Finland produced aecia on all Larix species tested but did not infect Betula leaves.
(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): Jarkko Hantula, Timo Kurkela

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
identification/taxonomy
molecular biology - genes

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Melampsoridium betulinum	Alder (Alnus)	United Kingdom
	Melampsoridium hiratsukanum	Alder (Alnus)	Finland