Mint rust disease

Picture of leaves suffering from mint rust

Mint rust disease: Puccinia menthae

The reason: It is the mint ergot fungus (Puccinia Menthae)

It is a fungal disease caused by Puchinia menthae

Mint rust disease - the world of plants

Mint rust disease - the world of plants

This disease causes orange and brown spots on the underside of leaves, and can lead to partial or complete collapse of the plant. Watering plants from above can help spread the disease.

Reduce watering in order to allow better air circulation which helps reduce the spread of the disease.

Mint rust can be managed by spraying with fungicides. It is known that the mint plant is easy to grow and spread, but it is also susceptible to pests such as: aphids, spider mites, and mint root borers. It may also be exposed to many diseases, the most famous of which are; Mint rust. In this article, you will learn about the causes of the disease, its symptoms, and how to combat it.

Mint rust disease

Mint rust is known as one of the most common fungal diseases of mint plants, and it can also affect some leafy herbs such as; Marjoram, and its symptoms are expected to begin appearing from spring to fall.

Causes of mint infection with rust

Some causes activate the mint ergot fungus (Puccinia Menthae), which is the main cause of mint rust, and these causes include:

  • High temperatures in addition to high humidity.
  • Remnants of winter diseases remaining on mint.
  • Propagation materials and air movement help increase the incidence of mint rust.

Symptoms of mint rust

The following are the most important symptoms that indicate that mint is infected with rust:

  • Deformed buds appear in the spring.
  • Orange blisters form on stems and leaves.
  • The color of the blisters changes from orange to dusty yellow, then dusty black.
  • Large areas of leaf tissue die, causing them to die completely.

Spread of mint rust

The following is an explanation of the most important information regarding the spread of mint rust:

  • The fungus is spread from plant to plant by wind, and the orange blisters begin to ripen in June and July.
  • Plants newly infected with mint rust begin to show symptoms in the spring following the time of infection.
  • The fungus is generally found in plant leaves.

Treatment and control of mint rust disease

Mint is controlled by one of the following methods:

  • Non-chemical control: This is done by removing infected plants, before the black fungus begins to appear, while taking care to also remove the roots, identify uninfected stems, and transfer them to disease-free soil.
  • Heat treatment: It is an example of non-chemical control, through which the roots are washed in the early fall with hot water at a temperature of 44 degrees Celsius, for 10 minutes, then cooled with cold water. A temperature of 44 degrees is the lethal temperature for the fungi that infect mint with rust. .
  • Chemical control: There are no fungicides or insecticides available that eliminate rust, but pesticides can be used to avoid infection.

Control

Infected plants and roots should be removed to prevent its spread. Heat treatment of the roots may help control the disease, by immersing them in hot water at 44°C for 10 minutes, then cooling them with cold water and then planting them as usual. Do not water from above, and if so, water at the beginning of the day until the leaves dry during the day. It is recommended to ventilate the plants by spacing them. It can be controlled using Plantax pesticide at a rate of 100/100 liters of water

Mint rust disease - the world of plants

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