Abstract

ALVAREZ MORALES, Laura  and  SALAZAR YEPES, Mauricio. Morphological characterization of rust (Pucciniales) affecting lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (Dc.) Stapf) in Colombia. Bioagro [online]. 2014, vol.26, n.3, pp.171-176. ISSN 1316-3361.

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is a perennial plant of Poaceae family cultivated in Colombia from 0 to 1900 masl, predominately in the coffee growing regions where it is cultivated as living fence or cover crop in degraded areas. This plant is well-known for its medicinal properties and is widely used as insect repellent and for flavoring oil obtaining. Worldwide reports have demonstrated Puccinia cymbopogonis, Puccinia nakanishikii and Puccinia purpurea rusts (Fungi, Pucciniales) to be responsible for causing severe damage to lemongrass crop. In this work, we analyzed lemongrass specimens collected at six Colombian States and deposited in the Museo Micológico (MMUNM) of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, campus Medellín. Plant material was evaluated using a combination of microscope and stereoscope observations, scrapings and free-hand sections of sori, measurements, and photomicrographs. This analysis revealed the presence of two rust fungi affecting lemongrass in Colombia: P. cymbopogonis and P. nakanishikii (formerly known as P. purpurea). This is the first record of P. cymbopogonis in Colombia.

Keywords : Citronella; phytopathogen; fungi; new record; Uredinales.

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