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Title: NEW WEB SITE: RUST FUNGI ON FABACEAE (LEGUMES) IN OR NEAR THE UNITED STATES

Author
item Rossman, Amy
item PALM, MARY - APHIS, BELTSVILLE, MD

Submitted to: Phytopathology News
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/10/2005
Publication Date: 9/5/2005
Citation: Rossman, A.Y., Palm, M.E. 2005. New website: rust fungi on Fabaceae (legumes) in/near the United States. Phytopathology News 39(9):134.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: With the discovery of Asian soybean rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi) in the United States, interest in rust fungi on plants in the Fabaceae (legumes) has increased, especially about species that might be confused with soybean rust. Soybean is known to be infected only by P. pachyrhizi and P. meibomiae, however, many potential hosts of P. pachyrhizi and P. meibomiae frequently are infected by other rust fungi. To aid in the accurate identification of rusts on leguminous hosts, an interactive key has been developed with descriptions and illustrations of rust species on common leguminous plants in the United States. The rust species included are those most likely to be encountered when surveying for soybean rust in the United States on plant hosts grown as crop plants or which occur as weeds near agricultural fields. Emphasis is on species that occur inside and near the U. S. borders. Accurate identity of the plant host on which a rust fungus occurs is essential for identification of the rust species. Because most rust fungi are host specific, at least at the level of plant genus, the initial criterion for entering the interactive key is plant genus. After selection of the plant host genus, one or more rust species will be listed and their descriptions and images can be compared with the unknown taxon. The symptoms and rust structures on the host as well as microscopic characteristics of the rust are illustrated. Descriptions and illustrations of additional rust fungi as well as invasive downy mildews and other plant pathogenic fungi are available at the Web site of the USDA-ARS Systematic Botany & Mycology Laboratory (http://nt.ars-grin.gov).