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Axenic Culture of Cronartium fusiforme. Charles A. Hollis, Assistant Forest Physiologist, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville 32601; Robert A. Schmidt(2), and James W. Kimbrough(3). (2)(3)Assistant Forest Pathologist, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Associate Mycologist, Botany Department, respectively, University of Florida, Gainesville 32601. Phytopathology 62:1417-1419. Accepted for publication 26 June 1972. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-62-1417.

Cronartium fusiforme, the causal fungus of fusiform rust in southern pines, was isolated from slash pine and has been growing in the absence of host tissue for over 6 months on a chemically defined medium. Typical aeciospores formed in axenic culture on a yeast extract-peptone medium, and when inoculated onto oak leaves resulted in the production of uredia and telia. The method of establishing these axenic cultures is described, and the importance of this technique to fusiform rust research is discussed.