First Report of Rust Disease on Fringe Tree by Puccinia sp. and Its Alternative Host

Abstract

In July 2018, a serious rust symptom was found throughout the fringe trees planted in Gangjin-gun, Korea. Yellow and brown spots were observed on the adaxial (topside) surface of the collected fringe tree leaves, and yellow color aecia were observed on the abaxial (underside) surface leaves. The size of aeciospore and urediniospores of JCK-KCFR1 strain were measured to 41.2 μm (Φ) and 28.84 μm (Φ) with a light microscope. Phylogenetic analysis of the small subunit rRNA, internal transcribed spacer, and large subunit rRNA region indicated that JCK-KCFR1 strain is novel species of the genus Puccinia and closely related to Puccinia kusanoi, which has been reported a rust pathogen on bamboo. In May 2019, rust symptoms were also discovered on the bamboo leaves planted around the fringe tree on Muwisa-ro, and their telia and teliospores were observed on the abaxial leaf surfaces of the bamboo with 100% sequence homology with the rust of the fringe tree. This is the first report that Puccinia sp. JCK-KCFR1 is a new species that requires both primary (fringe tree) and alternative (bamboo) host plants to complete its life cycle in Korea.