Rust diseases are caused by a group of fungi causes rusty brown, orange or yellowish spots or stripes, normally on leaves and stems; but sometimes on flowers or fruit.
These usually occur as individual spots or stripes.
There are over 4000 different types of rust species. Most rusts are specialised diseases which affect only one type or group of plants (ie. Carnation rusts do not affect corn and vice versa).
Rust spores spread in the wind, by insects, by rain, by irrigation and by other animals.
Spores can blow into your garden from more than 100 km away.
What Suffers from Rust Infections?
Rusts Affects a wide range of plants, particularly grasses, grain crops (including corn), vegetables (beans & asparagus), pineapple, apple, coffee, carnations & snapdragons.
Other plants affected by rust:
Beans affected by the fungus Uromyces appendiculatus
Carnations affected by Uromyces dianthi
Chrysanthemums affected by Puccinia chrysanthemi
English marigold affected by Puccinia lagenophorae
Fuchsias affected by Pucciniastrum epilobii
Iris affected by Puccinia iridis
Peach affected by Tranzschelia discolor
Pelargoniums affected by Puccinia pelargonii-zonalis
Poplars affected by Melampsora medusae and M. larici-populina
Raspberry affected by Phragmidium rubi-idaei
Roses affect by Phragmidium mucronatum
Snapdragons affected by Puccinia antirrhini
Turf grasses affected by Puccinia spp. and Uromyces spp.
Ornamental grasses
Control:
Grow resistant varieties of plants wherever possible.
Chemicals which may be used include Sulphur, Mancozeb, Zineb, Oxycarboxin. Drench seed of susceptible plants, in a disinfectant, such as a weak bleach solution, or in a suitable fungicide before planting. Note - Benlate is not suitable for the control of rust.
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