University of Kentucky

College of Agriculture Plant Pathology Extension

Cooperative Extension Service

University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

Plant Pathology Fact Sheet PPFS-FR-T-05

Apple Rust Diseases

Nicole Ward Gauthier Annette Meyer Heisdorffer
Extension Plant Pathologist Extension Horticulture Agent

Importance
Cedar-apple rust is the most common and
economically important rust disease occurring
on apple in Kentucky. Two other rusts, cedar-
hawthorn rust and cedar-quince rust, are of
lesser importance on apple, but can significantly
impact ornamental plants. All three diseases
occur on crabapple, hawthorn, mountain ash,
pear, and serviceberry.

Rust diseases may cause serious losses within

orchards. Leaf infections weaken trees and
result in a reduction in fruit size and quality of
the current crop, as well as reduced bloom the
following year. Heavy infections occurring over
several consecutive years result in stunting,
increased susceptibility to winter injury, and
failure to produce fruit. These stresses may Figure 1. Cedar-apple rust on apple leaves are
result in tree death. Infected fruit may drop bright yellow-orange with a red border.
prematurely, while those that remain on trees
until harvest have reduced market value. are frequently surrounded by a reddish border
(Figure 1). Fungal fruiting bodies (pycnia; not
the same as pycnidia) appear as black dots in
Symptoms & Signs spot centers (Figure 2). As the fungus continues
On Apple to colonize infected leaves, yellow spots develop
Leaves on lower leaf surfaces and tissue becomes
Cedar-apple rust infections begin as small, pale noticeably thickened. In late spring or early
yellow spots on upper leaf surfaces in mid- to summer, clusters of small orange-yellow, tubular
late spring. Spots gradually enlarge (up to ¼ inch fruiting bodies (aecia) project downward from
in diameter), become bright yellow-orange, and these lower surface spots (Figure 3); aecia

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 Figure 2 Figure 4

Figure 3

Figure 4. Cedar-apple rust occurs on or near

blossom end (calyx) of apple fruit.

fruit. When present, tubular aecia are found

in a circular pattern surrounding black dots
(pycnia); pycnia develop on a raised, roughened
cushion of tissue. Fruit flesh underneath surface
Figure 2. Fruiting bodies of cedar-apple rust on
lesions turns somewhat corky, but remains alive.
apple appear as pycnia (black dots) in lesions. Infected fruit frequently becomes deformed and
Figure 3. Advanced signs of cedar-apple rust may drop prematurely.
on apple include tubular fruiting bodies (aecia)
projecting downward.
Cedar-quince rust causes fruit to become
puckered at the blossom end (calyx) if infection
eventually release mass of light brown spores occurs when fruit are an inch or less in diameter.
(aeciospores). Infected leaves may turn yellow Later, sunken, dark green spots develop. Fruit
and drop, especially as trees become stressed flesh underneath surface lesions dies and
(e.g., drought). becomes brown and spongy, often all the way to
the core. Pycnia and aecia rarely develop, making
Cedar-hawthorn rust spots on apple, positive diagnosis
crabapple, hawthorn, pear, and serviceberry difficult. Hawthorn
are similar in appearance to cedar-apple rust, fruit, on the other
but few tubular aecia form. hand, show profuse
numbers of the
Cedar-quince rust often does not cause leaf tubular aecia on
spots on these trees. abnormally swollen
fruit (Figure 5).
Fruit
Cedar-apple rust fruit spots usually appear Cedar-hawthorn
near the blossom end (calyx) of fruit (Figure 4). rust fruit infections
They are similar in color to leaf spots (yellow- are rare.
orange), but are much larger (¾ inch or more Figure 5. Cedar-quince rust
in diameter). Each fruit spot is surrounded by on hawthorn fruit includes
a dark green zone on otherwise light green protruding tubular aecia.
 Figure 6 Figure 8

Figure 7

Figure 6. Cedar-apple rust galls(called ‘cedar apples’) develop on cedar and juniper, appearing initially
as brown globular masses. Figure 7. Telia begin to emerge from cedar-apple rust galls following rainy
weather. Figure 8. Eventually, bright yellow-orange tendrils (telial horns) develop.

Twigs (Figure 6). In early spring, slimy, jelly-like, yellow-

Cedar-apple rust seldom affects apple twigs. orange tendrils (‘spore horns’) up to 2 inches
Cedar-quince rust causes infected hawthorn long protrude from these depressions following
and crabapple twigs to become swollen; tissue rainy periods (Figures 7 & 8). A single gall may
above infected sites dies as twigs are girdled. produce from one to more than 100 spore horns,
which often cause the galls to resemble orange-
On Juniperus species colored blossoms from a distance.
Apple rusts affect junipers and cedars in what is
considered an alternate host relationship. These Cedar-hawthorn rust galls are small, irregular
alternate hosts include many Juniperus species, in shape, and do not develop a regular
such as native red cedars and ornamental arrangement of circular depressions. Spore
junipers. These hosts are not seriously damaged horns are short, generally few in number, and
by cedar rust diseases. wedge- or club-shaped.

Cedar-apple rust results in the development of Cedar-quince rust does not form rounded galls,
brown, rounded galls (known as ‘cedar apples’) in but instead forms perennial, spindle-shaped
leaf axils of infected cedars and junipers. Galls are swellings on twigs. A gelatinous, orange-brown
pea-sized to 2 inches in diameter with surfaces mass of spores (teliospores) is produced in the
that become pitted with circular depressions swellings in spring (Figure 9).
 during relatively short periods of wetness (about
6 or 7 hours) when temperatures are in the 50s
and 60s (°F). Danger of infection usually extends
from leaf expansion and pink bud stage (early
blossom stages) and ends about 30 days after
bloom when basidiospore production ceases
and leaves mature.

Leaf spots develop on upper apple leaf

surfaces about 10 to 14 days after infection by
basidiospores. Another spore type, pycniospores,
Figure 8. Cedar-quince rust causes swellings of
forms in the developed lesions. Several weeks
orange telia on juniper. later, aecia form on the undersides of leaves;
aeciospores are then blown to nearby cedars
and junipers. The infection of Juniperus species
Cause & Disease Development by aeciospores results in the formation of cedar-
The cedar rusts are caused by different species apple galls or swellings, thus completing the
of the fungus Gymnosporangium: cycle that began 2 years earlier.
�  Cedar-apple rust—G. juniper-virginianae
�  Cedar-hawthorn rust—G. globosum
�  Cedar-quince rust—G. clavipes Disease Management
Resistant Cultivars
The life cycle of each fungus is very similar �  Select and grow apple or juniper cultivars that
and quite complex—several spore types are are resistant or immune to rust. See Table 1
produced, and two different hosts are required for information on apple cultivars and their
to complete a cycle that spans 2 years. response to cedar-apple rust, as well as other
common apple diseases.
On Juniperus species �  Resistance may vary among localities,
Rust fungi overwinter as galls or swellings depending upon the specific races of the rust
produced on Juniperus species. These galls/ species present in the area.
swellings expand under favorable environmental
conditions over a period of 2 years and then Sanitation
produce yellow-orange gelatinous masses �  Destroy nearby unmanaged, abandoned, or
(teliospores) in spring following the second wild apple, crabapple, cedar, or juniper trees.
winter. Teliospores germinate under moist �  When practical, prune and destroy cedar
conditions to form another spore type apples found on ornamental junipers and cedars.
(basidiospores).
Fungicides
On Apple �  Follow a recommended fungicide management
In early spring, basidiospores are carried by program for apple. Early protection beginning at
air currents from cedar/juniper to apple trees the pink-bud stage is especially important for
(or other related hosts). Although trees may management since most infections occur within
occasionally become infected by basidiospores the first 30 days after bloom.
produced up to several miles away, most �  For specific spray recommendations, refer to
infections result from spores produced on the appropriate publications listed in Additional
infected Juniperus species within a few hundred Resources; these are available online and at
feet of trees. Basidiospores can cause infections county Extension offices.
Table 1. Disease-resistant apple cultivars.1
Disease Resistance Ratings To2 Ratings
VR = very resistant
Powdery
R = resistant
Cultivar Apple Scab Cedar Rust Fire Blight Mildew MR = moderately resistant
Pristine3 VR S S R S = susceptible
Williams Pride VR S MR R — = insufficient information.

Redfree3 VR VR S S Notes
Dayton3 VR R MR R All apples require cross-pollination by a
different variety. Winesap and Sir Prize
Liberty3 VR R4 R R
cannot serve as pollinizers because they
Nova Easygro VR VR R S have sterile pollen.
3
Spartan MR R MR R 1
For the complete table that includes
3
Jonafree VR S S R apple cultivar characteristics, harvest
3 period, and storage comments, refer to
Pixie Crunch VR — — — ID-21, listed in Additional Resources.
4
Macfree VR VR MR S

3 4
2
Resistance to diseases other than scab has
Priscilla VR VR VR R not been fully evaluated and may differ in
WineCrisp VR MR VR MR some locations from that reported here.

CrimsonCrisp VR MR S S 3

Produces high-quality apples in Kentucky.
3 4
Enterprise VR VR MR R 4
Although these cultivars are resistant to
GoldRush3 VR S MR S cedar apple rust, they are susceptible to
3 cedar quince rust.
Sundance VR VR VR VR

Additional Resources
�  Disease and Insect Control Program for �  Simplified Backyard Apple Spray Guides,
Homegrown Fruit in Kentucky including Organic PPFS-FR-T-18
Alternatives, ID-21 http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcollege/
http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/id/id21/id21. plantpathology/ext_files/PPFShtml/PPFS-
pdf FR-T-18.pdf

�  Midwest Tree Fruit Spray Guide (for �  Woody Plant Disease Management Guide for
commercial growers), ID-92 Nurseries and Landscapes, ID-88
http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcollege/ http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/id/id88/id88.
plantpathology/ext_files/PPFShtml/ pdf
MwTreeFruitSprayGuideID92.pdf
August 2015
Acknowledgement—The authors thank Mohammad Babadoost, Extension Professor, University of Illinois, for
his review of this publication.
Photos—James Chatfield, The Ohio State University (fig. 1), Brian Olson, Oklahoma State University (fig. 2), Dawn
Dailey O’Brien, Cornell University (figs. 5 & 9), Elizabeth Bush, Virginia Polytechnic Institute (fig. 8), Bugwood.
org; and Nicole Ward Gauthier, UK (figs. 3, 4, 6, 7)
Revised from the fact sheet, Rust Diseases of Apple (PPA-23), originally written by W.F. Wilcox, C.A.Kaiser, J.R. Hartman,
and R.E. Stuckey
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