Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew, formerly known as Erysiphe graminis but recently renamed Blumeria graminis, can only grow on living wheat plants and not on any artificial media.

Different populations of the fungus are highly specific to particular varieties of wheat. In order to disperse themselves widely they produce spores called conidia. These spores are produced as long chains extending from the plant surface into the relatively more turbulent air above. As winter approaches they produce fruiting bodies cleistothecia and these over-winter on the decaying leaf material and release other spores called ascospores in the spring.

Yields from plants infected by this fungus are reduced. At Rothamsted we are investigating ways to detect fungicide resistance which will help farmers to develop sustainable control strategies.