Abstract
Willow leaf rust (Melampsora epitea) is an important leaf pathogen in short rotation coppice plantations. Although ecological factors influencing rust severity are rather well known, to date, the connections between leaf morphological traits and rust infections are poorly studied. The aim of this study was to examine the relation between rust severity and specific leaf area (SLA). Willow leaves of three different clones from waste-water-irrigated and non-irrigated plantation areas were used. The results revealed a significant positive correlation between SLA and rust severity. There were clone specific differences whereas more rust pustules were always accompanied with higher SLA. Waste-water-irrigated plants had higher SLA and always more rust damages. These results suggest that leaves with low SLA are less susceptible to leaf rust in various conditions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Åhman, I. (1998). Rust scorings in a plantation of Salix viminalis clones during ten consecutive years. European Journal of Forest Pathology, 28, 251–258.
Åhman, I. & Wilson, F. (2008). Symptoms of pests, rust and other disorders on leaves of willow fertilized with wastewater, urine or sewage sludge. Biomass and Bioenergy, 32, 1001–1008.
Al Afas, N., Pellis, A., Niinemets, Ü. & Ceulemans, R. (2005). Growth and production of a short rotation coppice culture of poplar. II. Clonal and year-to-year differences in leaf and petiole characteristics and stand leaf area index. Biomass and Bioenergy, 28, 536–547.
Al Afas, N., Marron, N. & Ceulemans, R. (2007). Variability in Populus leaf anatomy and morphology in relation to canopy position, biomass production, and varietal taxon. Annals of Forest Science, 64, 521–532.
Begley, D., McCracken, A. R., Dawson, W. M. & Watson, S. (2009). Interaction in short rotation coppice willow, Salix viminalis genotype mixtures. Biomass and Bioenergy, 33, 163–173.
Berger, S., Sinha, A. K. & Roitsch, T. (2007). Plant physiology meets phytopathology: plant primary metabolism and plant-pathogen interactions. Journal of Experimental Botany, 58, 4019–4026.
Castro-Diez, P., Puyravaud, J. P. & Cornelissen, J. H. C. (2000). Leaf structure and anatomy as related to leaf mass per area variation in seedlings of a wide range of woody plant species and types. Oecologia, 124, 476–486.
Coyle, D. R., Coleman, M. D., Durant, J. A. & Newman, L. A. (2006). Multiple factors affect pest and pathogen damage on 31 Populus clones in South Carolina. Biomass and Bioenergy, 30, 759–768.
Goodwin, T. W. & Mercer, E. I. (1986). Introduction to plant biochemistry, 2nd ed. Pergamon Press Ltd.
Heiska, S., Tikkanen, O.-P., Rousi, M., Turtola, S., Tirkkonen, V., Meier, B., et al. (2007). The susceptibility of herbal willow to Melampsora rust and herbivores. European Journal of Plant Pathology, 118, 275–285.
Johansson, L. K.-H. & Alström, S. (2000). Field resistance to willow leaf rust Melampsora epitea in inter- and intraspecific hybrids of Salix viminalis and S. dasyclados. European Journal of Plant Pathology, 106, 763–769.
Karp, A. & Shield, I. (2008). Bioenergy from plants and the sustainable yield challenge. New Phytologist, 179, 15–32.
Marron, N., Dillen, S. Y. & Ceulemans, R. (2007). Evaluation of leaf traits for indirect selection of high yielding poplar hybrids. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 61, 103–116.
McCracken, A. R. & Dawson, M. (1992). Clonal response in Salix to Melampsora rusts in short rotation coppice plantations. European Journal of Forest Pathology, 22, 19–28.
McCracken, A. R. & Dawson, M. (1998). Short rotation coppice willow in Northern Ireland since 1973: development of the use of mixtures in the control of foliar rust (Melampsora spp.). European Journal of Forest Pathology, 28, 241–250.
Mediavilla, S., Garcia-Ciudad, A., Garcia-Criado, B. & Escudero, A. (2008). Testing the correlations between leaf life span and leaf structural reinforcement in 13 species of European Mediterranean woody plants. Functional Ecology, 22, 787–793.
Orians, C. M. & Floyd, T. (1997). The susceptibility of parental and hybrid willow to plant enemies under contrasting soil nutrient conditions. Oecologia, 109, 407–413.
Pinon, J., Frey, P. & Husson, C. (2006). Wettability of poplar leaves influences dew formation and infection by Melampsora larici-populina. Plant Disease, 90, 177–184.
Poorter, H., Niinemets, Ü., Poorter, L., Wright, I. J. & Villar, R. (2009). Causes and consequences of variation in leaf mass per area (LMA): a meta-analysis. New Phytologist, 182, 565–588.
Ross, J. & Ross, V. (1996). Phytometrical characteristics of the willow plantation at Tõravere. In K. Perttu & A. Koppel (Eds.), Short rotation willow coppice for renewable energy and improved environment (pp. 133–145). Uppsala: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.
Royle, D. J. & Hubbes, M. (1992). Diseases and pests in energy crop plantations. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2, 45–54.
Schulze, E.-D., Beck, E. & Müller-Hohenstein, K. (2005). Plant ecology. Berlin/Heidelberg: Springer.
Toome, M., Heinsoo, K., Ramstedt, M. & Luik, A. (2009). Rust severity in bioenergy willow plantations treated with additional nutrients. Forest Pathology, 39, 28–34.
Truu, M., Truu, J. & Heinsoo, K. (2009). Changes in soil microbial community under willow coppice: the effect of irrigation with secondary-treated municipal wastewater. Ecological engineering, 35, 1011–1020.
Verwijst, T. (1993). Influence of the pathogen Melampsora epitea on intraspecific competition in a mixture of Salix viminalis clones. Journal of Vegetation Science, 4, 717–722.
Voegele, R. T. & Mendgen, K. (2003). Rust haustoria: nutrient uptake and beyond. New Phytologist, 159, 93–100.
Wilson, P. J., Thompson, K. & Hodgson, J. G. (1999). Specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content as alternative predictors of plant strategies. New Phytologist, 143, 155–162.
Acknowledgements
This study was partly supported by a grant ETF4831 of the Estonian Science Foundation.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Toome, M., Heinsoo, K. & Luik, A. Relation between leaf rust (Melampsora epitea) severity and the specific leaf area in short rotation coppice willows. Eur J Plant Pathol 126, 583–588 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-009-9566-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-009-9566-4