ARS | Publication request: New Records for Pathogenic Fungi on Weedy or Non-Indigenous Plants

Submitted to: North American Fungi
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: November 24, 2009
Publication Date: December 14, 2009
Citation: Newcombe, G., Gaylord, R., Yenish, J.P., Mastrogiuseppe, J., Dugan, F.M. 2009. New Records for Pathogenic Fungi on Weedy or Non-Indigenous Plants. North American Fungi. 4(8):1-12 doi: 10.2509/naf2009.004.008

Interpretive Summary: Records of a given fungal pathogen occurring on a given host plant are important to plant pathologists, to diagnosticians at plant disease clinics, to county extension agents, and to other plant health professionals. Such records are collectively of importance to scientists studying processes of invasion biology (i.e., biology of non-native weeds, non-native plant pests, etc.). Such records enable tracking of the occurrence and spread of such pests and diseases, but also facilitate construction of hypotheses that can be tested experimentally. The manuscript represents a contribution to this literature on host-fungus records.

Technical Abstract: A rust fungus, Puccinia jaceae, is reported for the first time in the United States on spotted knapweed, Centaurea stoebe. Powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis) of bulbous bluegrass, Poa bulbosa, is reported for the first time in western North America. Ramularia nivosa on Penstemon palmeri, Albugo candida on Lunaria annua, and Pucciniastrum pustulatum on Epilobium brachycarpum, are reported for the first time from Idaho. A Golovinomyces sp. on Verbena bonariensis is reported for the first time from Washington State. The basis for diagnosis for each disease is reported, accompanied by photomicrographs of the fungal pathogens, photographs of some of the diseases, and discussion of the implications of the findings.