The disease can be easily recognized by the rusty- red spots mainly on leaves and sometimes on petioles and bark of young twigs and is epiphytic in nature.
Cephaleuros species are green algae under kingdom Archaeplastida, Phylum Chlorophyta, Class Ulvophyceae, Order Trentepohliales, Family Trentepohliaceae which parasites several host plants causing the disease, which occurs in all tropical and subtropical regions of the world.
The disease is characterized by initial green coloured patches and velvety in texture, as and when disease advances the organism turns red rusty spots on the leaves and young twig.
Spots are slightly raised and coalesce to form larger ones. While usually harmless, severe causes of these leaf spots can lead to defoliation, tissue necrosis, damage of stems and loss of marketable fruit.
Mango red rust symptoms are:
*Algae attacks foliage and young twigs
*On young stems, the spots cause cracks in the bark and these can lead to dieback
*Rusty spots appear on leaves, initially as circular, slightly elevated, coalesce to form irregular spots
*The spot may merge
*The spores mature fall off and leave cream to white valvet texture on the surface of the leaves
Mango red rust
