Threatened and Priority listed Melaleuca species from Western Australia display high susceptibility toAustropuccinia psidiiin controlled inoculations

Abstract

Austropuccinia psidii causes rust disease on species within the family Myrtaceae and was first detected in Northern Western Australia in 2022. While species within the genus Melaleuca from Eastern Australia show variable responses to the pathogen, little is known of the response of species from Western Australia. This study established that 13 previously unscreened species of Melaleuca, including Threatened and Priority species that were grown from seeds sourced from Western Australian populations were susceptible to the pandemic strain of the pathogen.