Morpho-Anatomical and Molecular Characterization of Puccinia abrupta Parasitizing Noxious Weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) in Pakistan

Parthenium hysterophorus is an aggressive ubiquitous herbaceous weed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, including Pakistan. During the phytopathogenic surveys conducted in 2020 and 2021 in different areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, different Parthenium plants were collected with visible symptoms of rust fungi. After detailed analyses, the collected rust fungus found on the leaves and stem of Parthenium hysterophorus was identified as Puccinia abrupta. Identification was done on the basis of morphological, anatomical and molecular characterization. The taxon is well characterized by having teliospores and urediniospores. Phylogenetic analysis of two regions (ITS and LSU) of nrDNA confirms its identity in genus Puccinia. This is the first ever report of P. abrupta on Parthenium hysterophorus from Pakistan based on molecular markers. P. abrupta has potential as biocontrol agent of this noxious weed and expected to aid the eradication of this hazardous weed from the country.