Nuclear Division in Germinating Aeciospores and Its Taxonomic Significance for the Western Gall Rust Fungus, Peridermium harknessii

Abstract
We examined nuclear division of germinating aeciospores of the western gall rust fungus, Peridermium harknessii (teleomorph, Endocronartium harknessii). Mature aeciospores were primarily (86%) binucleate. Migration of the two nuclei into the germ tube followed emergence of the germ tube. The percentage of germlings with 3 nuclei increased from 5% at 4 h to 32% at 12 h; thus, nuclear division in the germ tube was asynchronous and mitotic. We conclude that the fungus is an imperfect rust, and not an endocyclic rust, and should be called Peridermium harknessii.

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