Environmental stresses contribute to the severity of the disease.
When plants become diseased by the rust fungi, they are more likely to be attacked by other pathogens. When mature, spores break through the epidermis of the lesion area and are blown by wind and splashed by rain to new infection sites. The spores are characteristically orange in color but may vary with yellow, red, or brown coloration. When the disease becomes severe, the turfgrass strands may appear very thin and discolored. Death of the turf is possible during severe infections.