leaf rust

noun

: a rust disease of plants and especially of wheat that affects primarily the leaves

Examples of leaf rust in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The hybrid plants’ attributes include higher productivity and resistance against coffee leaf rust, a fungus that thrives in higher temperatures and rainfall. Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2024 In Hawaii, Shriner said, farmers are working with World Coffee Research, a nonprofit that partners with the industry, including Starbucks, to to come up with a solution to coffee leaf rust, which has become a serious problem in the region. Danielle Wiener-Bronner, CNN, 3 Oct. 2023 Amplifying those troubles in recent years have been outbreaks of coffee leaf rust, a fungus that thrives in warmer temperatures. Kate Aronoff, The New Republic, 15 May 2023 Liberica seemed to be more resistant to leaf rust and grew well in warmer lowland regions, unlike fussy arabica, which prefers cool temperatures and higher altitudes. WIRED, 16 Jan. 2023 Raking and destroying infected leaves can reduce Marssonina and Septoria leaf spot, ink spot and leaf rust. oregonlive, 28 May 2022 At the time, the ubiquitous arabica coffee plants were stricken by leaf rust disease, which was annihilating trees in coffee plantations across Southeast Asia. WIRED, 16 Jan. 2023 Historical anecdotes suggest stenophylla also might be relatively drought-tolerant, and resistant to coffee leaf rust, Davis says. Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 7 Oct. 2022 Coffee production still takes place on the Indonesian island today, despite a coffee leaf rust disease outbreak in the 1800s that decimated the industry. New York Times, 21 Jan. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'leaf rust.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of leaf rust was in 1859

Dictionary Entries Near leaf rust

Cite this Entry

“Leaf rust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leaf%20rust. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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