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wheat rust
noun
: a destructive disease of wheat caused by rust fungi
also
: a fungus (such as Puccinia graminis) causing a wheat rust
Examples of wheat rust in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Japanese barberry was introduced in Boston in 1875 as a replacement for a European variety of barberry that harbored crop-damaging wheat rust.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2021
In 1970, the fungus Bipolar maydis decimated the American Corn Belt before spreading worldwide; another fungal infection, wheat rust, has caused countless famines in the Americas and India.
—Kate Brown, The New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wheat 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
1870, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near wheat rust
Cite this Entry
“Wheat rust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wheat%20rust. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
wheat rust
noun
: a harmful disease of wheat caused by rust fungi
also
: a fungus causing a wheat rust
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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