Puccinia mesembryanthemi causing a new disease inhibiting the growth of Sceletium tortuosum in South Africa

Puccinia mesembryanthemi is newly reported as a rust disease of Sceletium t ortuosum from Namaqualand and the south coast of South Africa. Although thi s pathogen has serious implications for the commercial cultivation of Scele tium spp., preliminary trials have given positive results with unregistered fungicides such as tebuconazole and bitertanol. P. mesembryanthemi is a pa thogen also associated with other members of the family Mesembryanthemoidea e.