Diseases

Rust of Kentucky Bluegrass

Poa pratensis L.

A fungal disease of Kentucky bluegrass caused by pathogens of the genus Puccinia. It manifests as the formation of pustules on leaves and stems, leading to water imbalance and premature drying of the stand.

In the reference 110 varieties crop Kentucky bluegrass, where this is mentioned in the description.

The most common forms of rust on Kentucky bluegrass are bluegrass rust (Puccinia poae-nemoralis), stem rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. graminicola), and stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. poae). The disease is characterized by the appearance of yellow, orange, or brown uredinia on leaves, stems, and leaf sheaths. In the case of the pathogen P. poae-nemoralis, pustules are typically located on the adaxial surface of the leaf, whereas P. striiformis forms linear rows, and P. graminis produces large, coalescing pustules that rupture the epidermis.

Development of the pathogen leads to the destruction of epidermal tissues, plant depletion, and a loss of turf quality as the lawn takes on a rusty-brown hue. In Kentucky bluegrass breeding, there is no standardized nomenclature system for resistance genes; therefore, when selecting cultivars, a comprehensive assessment of phenotypic resistance is used based on scoring scales derived from variety trial data.

General information about the subject — on the page Rust.

Sources8

Varieties of Kentucky bluegrass 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.