Diseases

Rust of tall fescue

Festuca arundinacea Schreb.

A fungal disease of tall fescue caused by the pathogens Puccinia graminis, Puccinia coronata, and Puccinia festucae, which manifests as the formation of spore-filled pustules and reduces the productivity of the sward.

In the reference 104 varieties crop Tall fescue, where this is mentioned in the description.

Causal agents of the disease in tall fescue include stem rust, caused by Puccinia graminis subsp. graminicola, and crown rust, caused by Puccinia coronata var. avenae f. sp. avenae. The pathogen Puccinia festucae is also recorded on this grass species. The infection affects leaves and stems, manifesting initially as small chlorotic spots, which later develop into raised pustules.

In the case of stem rust, the pustules have a brick-red hue, whereas in crown rust they are yellow-orange and are often arranged along the leaf veins. By the end of the growing season, the pustules darken to a brownish-black color due to the formation of teliospores. Heavy development of the pathogen leads to yellowing and senescence of the foliage, which results in a reduction of photosynthetic activity and overall stand density.

Specific rust resistance genes in tall fescue have not been mapped to date and lack standardized nomenclature. In breeding programs, resistance to this disease is achieved through classical selection of the most resistant individuals and the development of synthetic populations based on them, with evaluation performed according to phenotypic traits of infection under field conditions.

General information about the subject — on the page Rust.

Sources8

Varieties of Tall fescue 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.