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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Pests and diseases such as the coffee berry borer and coffee leaf rust can impact yields and quality. — Jean Orlowski, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025 Robusta entered the scene much later than arabica, described by a Belgian botanist only in 1898, when a fungal disease called leaf rust decimated plantations of arabica at the turn of the 20th century. — Marta Zaraska, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for leaf rust

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

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

Rhymes for leaf rust

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Browse Nearby Words

leaf rosette
leaf rust
leaf scald
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Leaf rust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leaf%20rust. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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