Final answer:
The two Basidiomycete pathogens, Puccinia graminis tritici and Ustilago maydis, have different life cycles and cause different diseases. Therefore, the correct answer is c.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two Basidiomycete pathogens, Puccinia graminis tritici and Ustilago maydis, have different life cycles and cause different diseases.
P. graminis tritici causes wheat stem rust, which is a fungal disease that affects wheat plants. Its life cycle involves the production of basidiospores which are dispersed by wind and infect the host plant.
U. maydis causes corn smut, a disease that affects corn and related plants. Its life cycle involves the formation of galls on the plant, which are composed of infected plant cells, uninfected plant cells, and fungal hyphae.
Therefore, the correct answer is c) Similar life cycles but different diseases.