Spruce broom rust of the broom. The main damage from the rust is simply overall volume and growth loss. The number of brooms as well as their proximity to the main stem can also play a role in determining the extent of the damage to the tree. "Chrysomyxa arctostaphyli" is an obligate parasite, and as with most other rust fungi diseases, spruce broom rust requires two different host plants to carry out its life cycle and is therefore referred to as heteroecious. The primary or aecial host of the rust is spruce ("Picea" spp.), and the secondary or telia host of the rust
Human uses of plants or dried flowers. Ornamental plants have sometimes changed the course of history, as in tulipomania. Basic biological research has often been done with plants. In genetics, the breeding of pea plants allowed Gregor Mendel to derive the basic laws governing inheritance, and examination of chromosomes in maize allowed Barbara McClintock to demonstrate their connection to inherited traits. The plant "Arabidopsis thaliana" is used in laboratories as a model organism to understand how genes control the growth and development of plant structures. NASA predicts that space stations or space colonies will one day rely on plants for life support. Scientific advances