Life-Cycle of Puccinia gladioli Cast

Abstract

Puccinia Gladioli Cast, has hitherto been described as a microcyclic rust, producing only teleutospores on hosts of the genera Gladiolus and Romulea. However, and in spite of good germination of the teleutospores after a resting period, all attempts to induce infection with them on the natural host gave negative results. On the other hand, frequent field observations showed that the distribution of this rust does not always follow that of Gladiolus segetum, its commonest host. These facts pointed to the possibility of this being a heteroecious rust.