Host specialization of Tranzschelia discolor on stone fruits at the uredinial infection stage

The host range specialization of Tranzschelia discolor (Fckl.) Tranz. & Litv. on stone fruits at the uredinial infection stage was investigated. Aeciospore inocula were collected from the alternate host, Anemone coronaria, at ten different locations of Aydin Province in early spring and were separately inoculated to 1-2-year-old nursery stocks of plum, peach, apricot, almond and sweet cherry under growth chamber conditions. Rust pustules developed only on plums, 15-21 days after inoculations, but no infections occurred on the other stone fruits. Urediniospore inocula were collected from naturally infected plums, apricots, peaches and almonds and were inoculated to four host species as well as sweet cherry in a series of cross-inoculations. Rust pustules developed on plants of the respective original host species from which the urediniospore inoculum was collected. No morphological differences were found among teliospores and urediniospores of T. discolor sampled from the different stone fruit species. Results of this study indicate that there is host specialization of T. discolor on stone fruits at the uredinial infection stage. Aecial inoculum from anemones in Aydin Province was infectious only on plums. The alternate host for the other stone fruits in this province was not found.