STEM RUST

Diseases_SteamRust_JKI Importance
Stem rust caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. secalis Eriks. & E. Henn. in rye is a devastating disease in areas with continental climate. The minimum temperature for the infection is 15°C with an optimum temperature for reproduction of 26°C at high light intensity. Thus, stem rust is gaining increasing importance for rye cultivation in view of the global climate change.

Main symptoms
Uredinia with brick-red uredospores occur after flowering mainly on stems but may be observed on leaf sheaths, leaves, and spikes as well.

Genetic Disease Prevention
Genetic analysis of resistance to powdery mildew in rye led to the identification of resistance genes. These valuable genetic variants have been integrated in rye breeding programs to develop cultivars less susceptible to this fungal pathogen.


This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 771134. The project RYE-SUS was carried out under the ERA-NET Cofund SusCrop (Grant N°771134), being part of the Joint Programming Initiative on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change (FACCE-JPI).