Rust diseases caused by the obligate parasitic fungi belonging to the order Pucciniales of class Basidiomycota are the most damaging and disturbing to farming, gardening, forestry and wild plant species. These fungal pathogens have complex life cycles, host specificity and adaptability to altering environmental conditions, making their control particularly difficult. The present study provides a comprehensive checklist of rust diseases recorded on various host plants, aiming to document pathogen diversity, host range, symptoms and distribution patterns.

The checklist was prepared based on regular field surveys conducted across diverse locations, collection and microscopic analysis of infected plant materials and critical analysis of present literature. Rust-infected samples were identified using morphological characteristics such as uredospore, teliospores and sori structure, supported by regular taxonomic keys. Each checklist entry includes the scientific name of the host plant, rust pathogen, family and relevant taxonomic explanations. A total of 87 rust fungal species belonging to 14 genera were documented, infecting 93 host plant species. The results expose a high degree of host specificity among rust pathogens. Rust diseases affecting cereals, crops and ornamental plants were recorded, emphasising their potential threat to crop production and superiority.