Teliosporat

Teliosporat, or teliospores, are thick-walled resting spores formed by certain basidiomycete fungi, most notably rust fungi (Pucciniales) and some smut fungi. They are produced in specialized structures called telia on the host plant and typically arise at the end of an infection cycle. Teliospores act as a durable reservoir that helps the fungus survive unfavorable conditions, such as winter, until conditions become suitable for growth again.

In the lifecycle of rust fungi, teliospores represent a transitional stage in which genetic recombination can occur. Within the teliospore, karyogamy fuses paired nuclei to form a diploid nucleus, which then undergoes meiosis. The resulting haploid nuclei give rise to basidiospores, usually produced after germination. These basidiospores disseminate to infect new hosts and continue the life cycle. Telia and their teliospores are often adapted to withstand desiccation and temperature fluctuations, contributing to the persistence of the pathogen in agricultural environments.

Morphologically teliospores are typically larger and more robust than other spore types produced by the same fungi, with thick, pigmented walls that confer stress resistance. The structure and timing of teliospore formation can be important for taxonomic classification within rusts and related fungi. Economically, teliospores are central to the epidemiology of rust diseases that affect crops such as wheat, oats, and other cereals, where the telial stage marks a key transition in disease development.

See also: basidiospore, telium, rust fungus, plant pathology.