wheat rust

American  

noun

Plant Pathology.

1. any of several diseases of wheat caused by rust fungi of the genus Puccinia.

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wheat rust British  

noun

1. a rust fungus, Puccinia graminis, that attacks cereals, esp wheat, and the barberry

2. the disease caused by this fungus

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Etymology

Origin of wheat rust

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

The most effective method of controlling wheat rust is by breeding resistant wheat cultivars, but new strains of the fungus pose a continuing threat.

From BBC • Oct. 28, 2021

A number of parasitic fungi cause diseases such as corn smut and wheat rust that threaten food crops.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2018

Look, I got a new spray for the wheat rust.

From Nature • Oct. 18, 2016

And now it exacerbates the proliferation of wheat rust, known as the “polio of agriculture,” which is threatening 90 percent of African wheat.

From Slate • Jan. 11, 2016

The common barberry is an attractive shrub; but, as it assists in the formation of wheat rust, it should not be used in rural sections.

From Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Household Science in Rural Schools by Ontario. Ministry of Education