First report of Austropuccinia psidii in Taiwan
In Taiwan, the presence of myrtle rust Austropuccinia psidii (EPPO Alert List) on eucalyptus was recorded in 1992 but there were no records of it after this.
In April and May 2025, rust symptoms were observed on leaves of Melaleuca leucadendra, Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, Syzygium cumini, S. jambos, and Syzygium sp. (all Myrtaceae) in central and northern Taiwan on the campuses of National Chiayi University and National Tai-wan University. The identity of the pathogen was confirmed by morphological and molecular tests. On M. leucadendra and S. jambos, the pathogen caused wilt and death of young shoots and suckers.
The situation of Austropuccinia psidii in Taiwan can be described as: Present, not widely distributed.
Sources
Yeh Y-H, Kirschner R (2025) Outbreak of the myrtle rust Austropuccinia psidii on Myrtaceae in Taiwan. Fungal Science 40(1), 1–8