Diseases

Willow rust

Salix L.

A fungal disease of willow caused by heteroecious fungi of the genus Melampsora. It is characterized by the appearance of bright yellow pustules on the underside of leaves and leads to premature defoliation, significantly reducing biomass productivity.

In the reference 26 varieties crop Willow, where this is mentioned in the description.

The causative agents of the disease are fungi of the genus Melampsora, including such species as M. larici-epitea, M. caprearum, M. epitea, and M. americana. These are heteroecious pathogens requiring the presence of an intermediate host from coniferous species to complete their life cycle.

Primary symptoms appear in early summer as yellow spots on the upper leaf surface, followed by the formation of bright orange uredopustules on the underside. By autumn, these are replaced by dark brown or black teliospores. Severe infestation causes premature leaf fall, which reduces plantation yields by 30–40%.

A specialized race classification of the pathogen is absent due to the high genetic variability of the populations. The resistance of willow cultivars is determined by genotypic features and is associated with the functioning of NBS-LRR genes, while breeding and cultivation practices are oriented toward the use of multi-clonal mixtures.

General information about the subject — on the page Rust.

Sources8

Varieties of Willow 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.