Puccinia kuehnii

Puccinia kuehnii is a Ständerpilzart from the order of rust fungi ( Pucciniales ). The fungus is an endoparasite of Saccharum and Sclerostachya fusca from the Süßgrasunterfamilie Panicoideae. Symptoms of infestation by the way are rust spots and pustules on the leaf surfaces of host plants. The distribution area is the southern regions of the Old World.

Features

Macroscopic characteristics

Puccinia kuehnii with the naked eye can be seen only on the basis of the projected on the surface of the host spore deposits. They grow in clusters that appear as yellowish to brown spots and pustules on the leaf surfaces.

Microscopic features

The mycelium of Puccinia kuehnii grows intercellular as with all Puccinia species and forms Saugfäden that grow in the storage tissues of the host. Spermogonia or aecia are unknown. The yellow- to zimtbraunen uredia grow on the underside of the leaves of the host. Your uredospores are oval to pear-shaped, 30-43 × 17-26 microns in size and finely stachelwarzig. The Telien the type are black brown and break out early. The teliospores are two-celled, oblong- clavate and 25-40 x 10-18 microns in size; its stem is short and hyaline.

Dissemination

The known distribution area of Puccinia kuehnii includes Africa, southern Asia, Japan and Australia.

Ecology

The host plant of Puccinia kuehnii are different sugarcane species and Sclerostachya fusca. The fungus feeds on the present in storage tissues of the plant nutrients, its spores bearing later break through the leaf surface and set free spores. The type has a development cycle with Telien and uredia that requires no host changes. Spermogonia and Aecidias missing. He is next to Puccinia melanocephala the most important harmful rust fungus in sugar cane cultivation.