Diseases

Leek Rust

Allium porrum L.

A fungal disease of leek caused by the autoecious pathogen Puccinia allii. It manifests as the formation of orange and subsequently dark pustules on the leaves, leading to their premature desiccation and a reduction in the market quality of the produce.

In the reference 52 varieties crop Leek, where this is mentioned in the description.

The causal agent of leek rust is the fungus Puccinia allii (DC.) Rud. (synonym P. porri (Sow.) Wint.). This is an autoecious pathogen that completes its entire life cycle on a single host plant. Disease development begins with the appearance of chlorotic spots, which then transform into raised orange or rust-yellow pustules. As spores mature during the telial stage, the pustules darken, turning brown or black.

Severe leaf infection leads to yellowing and senescence, which significantly reduces the plant mass and the commercial value of the produce. The pathogen exhibits genetic specialization to various members of the genus Allium. A clear system of pathogen races for leek has not been standardized, nor has a nomenclature for resistance genes.

In leek breeding programs, marked resistance genes are not utilized. Instead, plants exhibit quantitative polygenic resistance. In the practice of variety evaluation, breeders rely on indicators of field resistance or tolerance to local pathogen isolates.

General information about the subject — on the page Rust.

Sources8

Varieties of Leek mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.