Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Division of Plant Pathology and Pesticide Science, Department of Applied Genetics and Pest Management, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University
九州大学大学院農学研究院生物資源開発管理学部門植物保護防疫学講座植物病理学分野
Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Division of Plant Pathology and Pesticide Science, Department of Applied Genetics and Pest Management, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University
九州大学大学院農学研究院生物資源開発管理学部門植物保護防疫学講座植物病理学分野
Crop Production Section, Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Department of Plant Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University
九州大学熱帯農学研究センター作物生産部門
Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Division of Plant Pathology and Pesticide Science, Department of Applied Genetics and Pest Management, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University
九州大学大学院農学研究院生物資源開発管理学部門植物保護防疫学講座植物病理学分野
Fallopia japonica, commonly known as Japanese knotweed or "itadori", is an increasingly invasive and troublesome weed in Europe and North America. Classical biological control is being assessed as a potential management strategy in the UK. During surveys in its native Japan, a distinctive rust fungus which commonly appeared in spring was recorded. Based on spore morphology, this was identified as Aecidium polygoni-cuspidati. Field observation throughout 2003 at Kusu (Oita Pref., Japan) showed that the rust occurred mainly from April to June but it was not associated with severe host damage or defoliation. No secondary infection in the form of uredinia was observed. Attempts to infect F. japonica with aeciospores in the laboratory failed. Literature searches confirmed this to be the heteroecious rust, Puccinia phragmitis, which alternates between F. japonica and Phragmites communis. Thus, this species has no potential as a classical biological control agent of Japanese knotweed.