Species composition and distribution of Coleosporium species on the needles of Pinus densiflora at a semi-natural vegetation succession site in central Japan

Coleosporium species cause pine needle rust. Most species have heteromacrocyclic life cycles, and 12 species use Pinus densiflora as aecial hosts. To understand the biology of rust fungi and develop better methods for controlling rust diseases, it is necessary to clarify that which Coleosporium species affect pine trees. However, Coleosporium on pine trees have rarely been identified at the species level because of their morphological similarities. We used polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) to clarify the species composition, abundance, and distribution of Coleosporium in a P. densiflora forest. We surveyed a site where several Coleosporium species might complete their life cycles. PCR-RFLP revealed four species on the pines: C. asterum, C. clematidis-apiifoliae, C. lycopodis, and C. phellodendri. Coleosporium phellodendri was distributed throughout the forest and was the most abundant. Aecia of C. phellodendri formed mainly on 2-y-old needles. The abundance and distribution of C. phellodendri appeared to be affected by the longer effective dispersal range of basidiospores and the existence of abundant inoculum sources. The age of leaves where C. phellodendri form aecia mainly was thought to be influenced by the characteristic life cycle, with aecial formation requiring 2 y after basidiospore infection.