Rust Caused by Puccinia arachidis Symptom 1 Orange colored pustules (Fig.1) appear on the lower surface of leaflets.
Symptom 2 Orange colored pustules rupture to release masses of reddish brown spores which appear like tiny elevated spots. Original pustules may be surrounded by secondary pustules (Fig.).  Later, pustules may appear on the upper surface of the leaflets.
Symptom 3   Pustules can form also on all aerial plant parts except flowers. The pustules on the stem are elongate and elevated (Fig.3).
Management Removal of volunteer groundnut plants from the field will check build-up of rust inoculum .Adopt cereal-cereal-groundnut crop rotation. Adjust the sowing time to avoid the most conducive environmental condition for rust development i.e., high humidity, cloudy weather to reduce damage caused by rust. Calixin at 0.5 ml/liter of water or Kavach at 2 g/liter of water controls rust. Calixin is effective against rust but not against leaf spots. Chlorothalonil 0.2% spray has been found effective against rust and late leaf spot, when sprayed 30 days after germination till 15 days before harvesting at regular 10-15 day intervals. However, suitable disease forecast system based on temperature, humidity, cloudy weather, and rainfall pattern if available is useful to save the fungicide and spraying costs . Grow resistant cultivars like ICGV 89104, ICGV 91114, ICGV 86699, ICGV 92020, and ICGV 92093.