Plant Pathogenic Rust Fungi
Phylogeny
Kingdom: Fungi
Phylum: Basidiomycota
Class: Urediniomycetes
Order: Uredinales
Members of the basidiomycota of the order Uredinales
Some are superficially similar to smuts, but relationship not clear
Taxonomy of urediniomycota in a state of flux
The group received its common name from the fact that some species have reddish spore stage, resembling rust. They are called uredospores
Huge diversity - Over 4000 species found both in wild and cultivated plant populations
Many are plant parasites (obligate) on a wide range of crop plants: cereal grains, legumes, trees. Many rusts have 2 or more hosts (heteroecious) and up to 5 spore stages
Can be dangerous to agricultural and horticultural crops, as well as wild
plants. Can cause reduction in yield or host death