Puccinia striiformis var. striiformis

Yellow rust (Puccinia striiformis )

The Yellow rust or stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis ) is a representative of the rust fungi ( Pucciniales ) and a significant in Central Europe harmful fungus on cereal crops.

Characteristics and life cycle

The intermediate host of yellow rust is the barberry (Berberis vulgaris). Hibernation takes place either on the intermediate host, as uredospore or as mycelium. Uredospores die when exposed to frost during severe frost, the Pilzmyzele.

The uredospores are in the spores bearings in a thin mucus. Thus each spore packets and not individual spores are transported by wind or rain. Germination uredospores effected in the presence of water and temperatures above 0 ° C. The germ tubes penetrate through the stomata in the plant. Along the veins formed from the fungal Laufhyphen. This gives rise to numerous Uredosporenlager along which are arranged in rows, and therefore, the fungus is also called strip grating.

Favourable conditions for strong infections are temperatures between 10 and 15 ° C, high humidity and light intensity.

Host plants and symptoms

The yellow rust infects mainly wheat, triticale and barley. This is followed by a considerable margin rye. Yellow rust but can also occur at several other grass species.

Form on the leaf blades at first irregularly distributed, bright red Rostpustel that are gradually to strip between the leaf veins. In very severe infestations the pustule form a contiguous area. This triggers the plants from a premature ripening. In plants of the yellow rust first forms nests, of which he continues to spread. Before the ripening of the crop of yellow rust forms on the underside of leaves Teleutosporenlager that long remain covered by the epidermis.

Dissemination

The yellow rust is particularly widespread in the Atlantic climate and is, accordingly, in Europe in most of North Western Europe, but also in upland growing areas. Susceptible varieties can also be infested in drier areas.

Importance as a pest

In wet weather the yellow rust can cause yield losses of 50%. Economically important is the infestation of wheat.

Documents

Gerhard Bedlan: yellow rust of cereals (Puccinia striiformis ). AGES, 8. accessed February 2009.
Yue Jin, Les J. Szabo, Martin Carson: Century -Old Mystery of Puccinia striiformis Life History Solved with the Identification of Berberis as to alternate host. In: Phytopathology. Vol 100, 2010 ISSN 0031- 949X, pp. 432-435, doi: 10.1094/PHYTO-100-5-0432.