Hemileia vastatrix

Hemileia vastatrix
Symptoms of coffee rust caused by Hemileia vastatrix on foliage
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Pucciniomycetes
Order: Pucciniales
Family: Zaghouaniaceae
Genus: Hemileia
Species:
H. vastatrix
Binomial name
Hemileia vastatrix
Berk. & Broome (1869)
Synonyms

Wardia vastatrix J.F.Hennen & M.M.Hennen (2003)

Severe symptoms of leaf rust
Detail of suprastomatal uredinial pustules coalescing over lower leaf surface (bar = 0.5 cm)
Significant rust infection, rust-induced defoliation, and nutrient deficiencies as a result of damaged leaves

Hemileia vastatrix is a multicellular basidiomycete fungus of the order Pucciniales (previously also known as Uredinales) that causes coffee leaf rust (CLR), a disease affecting the coffee plant. Coffee serves as the obligate host of coffee rust, that is, the rust must have access to and come into physical contact with coffee (Coffea sp.) in order to survive.

CLR is one of the most economically important diseases of coffee, worldwide.[1] Previous epidemics have destroyed coffee production of entire countries.[2] In more recent history, an epidemic in Central America in 2012 reduced the region's coffee output by 16%.[1]

The primary pathological mechanism of the fungus is a reduction in the plant's ability to derive energy through photosynthesis[3] by covering the leaves with fungus spores and/or causing leaves to drop from the plant.[1] The reduction in photosynthetic ability (plant's metabolism) results in a reduction in quantity and quality of flower and fruit production, which ultimately reduces the beverage quality. [4]

  1. ^ a b c Boudrot, Audrey; Pico, Jimmy; Merle, Isabelle; Granados, Eduardo; Vílchez, Sergio; Tixier, Philippe; Filho, Elías de Melo Virginio; Casanoves, Fernando; Tapia, Ana; Allinne, Clémentine; Rice, Robert A.; Avelino, Jacques (June 2016). "Shade Effects on the Dispersal of Airborne Hemileia vastatrix Uredospores". Phytopathology. 106 (6): 572–580. doi:10.1094/PHYTO-02-15-0058-R. ISSN 0031-949X. PMID 26828230.
  2. ^ "Coffee Rust Threatens Latin American Crop; 150 Years Ago, It Wiped Out An Empire". NPR.org. Retrieved 2018-10-16.
  3. ^ Kushalappa AC (2017). Coffee Rust. Milton: CRC Press LLC. ISBN 978-1-351-07922-8. OCLC 1111510163.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Pereira-Nadaleti was invoked but never defined (see the help page).