Cronartium is a prominent rust pathogen (Pucciniales, Basidiomycota). The type species of the genus was Cronartium asclepiadeum, which is currently synonymized under C. pini. Cronartium species infect branches, cones and stems of Pinus species, which are economically and ecologically valued crops in many countries in North and Central America, Asia and Europe. Cronartium species show host specificity alternating between two unrelated hosts such as Pinus and Ribes species. In this macrocyclic, heteroecious lifecycle, the five different spore stages are produced. They are the causal agent of numerous blister rust diseases such as cone rust disease, gall rust disease and limb rust disease on pine forests worldwide. Mainly, Cronartium comptoniae causes sweet fern blister rust, C. ribicola causes white pine blister rust, C. comandrae causes comandra blister rust, C. pini (=Peridermium pini) causes resin-top disease, C. quercuum causes gall rust disease in pine-oaks, C. arizonicum causes limb rust disease and C. strobilinum and C. conigenum cause cone rust disease. All species of Endocronartium have been synonymized and transferred to Cronartium. The updated phylogenetic analysis for the genus Cronartium is performed based on ITS sequence data from GenBank. This study is focused on morphology, phylogeny, pathogenicity and mitigation methods as well as future directions for research on the genus Cronartium.
Congratulations, Suvo N Wijesinghe and co-authors!
