Pine Blister Rust

This fungus has a rather complex life cycle: it takes up to four years to complete, requires two hosts, and involves five different types of spores. Both pine trees and the Ribes berry bushes have to be present in the environment for the fungus species to survive — pine trees can only be infected by spores that develop on the berry bushes, and the berry bushes can only be infected by spores that develop on the pine trees. Pycniospores and aeciospores are produced on the branches and stems of pines; urediniospores, teliospores, and basidiospores on currant and gooseberry foliage.

Featured in:

Share this page: