Myrtle Rust in Australia

摘要

In April 2010 myrtle rust initially described as Uredo rangelii, a member of the eucalyptus/guava rust complex called Puccinia psidii, was detected on a myrtaceous host Agonis flexusosa 'After Dark' by a cut flower grower on the central NSW coast. Formany years P. psidii has been a high priority quarantine fungus. Myrtle rust spread rapidly and was detected in south east Queensland in late December 2010 and in Victoria in late December 2011. The incursion into Victoria was human assisted. Myrtle rust has only been detected in nurseries, private gardens and amenity plantings in Victoria but is widely distributed in native forests along the east coast from Batemans Bay in southern NSW to the Daintree in far north Queensland. The host range has expanded rapidly to over 240 species from 34 genera of Myrtaceae. Several species are highly susceptible with severe consequences for native fauna.