Increase your understanding of powdery mildew fungi and the plant diseases they cause with this book, The Powdery Mildews: A Comprehensive Treatise. This valuable reference work conveys the substantial scientific advances made since the first and only book on the subject, The Powdery Mildews edited by D.M. Spencer, was published in 1978. Communication of basic and complex information is supported by more than one hundred high quality illustrations. Eighteen chapters are organized into five sections: The Fungi, Techniques, Host-Parasite Interactions, Populations, and Control.

Chapters within “The Fungi” bring up to date the nomenclature and classification of species, accurately reflecting the phylogeny of the fungi. An entire chapter is dedicated to the taxonomy of the powdery mildew fungi providing a new and reliable international source for all mycologists and plant pathologists. Convenient reference to both 'old' and 'new' names throughout the book will facilitate understanding and accelerate transition towards general use of the new taxonomy and nomenclature.

Within the “Techniques” section, chapters present information on basic and advanced methods used to maintain, manipulate and study powdery mildews. In addition, the book details significant advances in methodology including a new technique for the stable transformation of a powdery mildew fungus.

The section on “Host-Parasite Interactions” covers the dynamic recent developments in powdery mildew research and provides insight into how the new information may be exploited to limit the devastating worldwide impact of powdery mildews. These chapters focus on disease resistance with detailed discussions of both inherent and induced resistance in host plants, the chain of host defense responses leading to resistance, and the genetic, molecular, biological, and physiological bases of resistant interactions.

Chapters within the “Populations” section present information on epidemiology and population genetics of powdery mildews in both agricultural and natural plant pathosystems. These chapters detail complexities of genetic interactions between host resistance and parasite virulence.

In “Control Methods”, chapters cover breeding for resistance in the face of rapidly emerging virulent mildew races, the development and use of fungicides with strategies to minimize mildew resistance, alternative controls employing biological agents and other environmental manipulations, and the potential for developing transgenic plants with built-in resistance. Contributions highlight the increasing complexity and sophistication of attempts to manage powdery mildews in the field and glasshouse and outline the evolution of strategies used to combat these devastating diseases.

This reference provides comprehensive information of great value to both established scientists and students, whether they are specifically interested in powdery mildews or more broadly interested in plant diseases.

The Powdery Mildews: A Comprehensive Treatise

Chapter 1: The Role of Powdery Mildew Research in Understanding Host-Parasite Interaction: Past, Present, and Future

W.R. Bushnell

Chapter 2: The Taxonomy of the Powdery Mildew Fungi

U. Braun, R. T. A. Cook, A. J. Inman, and H.-D. Shin

Chapter 3: Comparative Genetics of Avirulence and Fungicide Resistance in the Powdery Mildew Fungi

J. K. M. Brown

Chapter 4: The Formation and Function of Infection and Feeding Structures

J. R. Green, T. L. W. Carver, and S.J. Gurr

Chapter 5: Basic Methods for Epidemiological Studies of Powdery Mildews: Culture and Preservation of Isolates, Production, and Delivery of Inoculum and Disease Assessment

P. C. Nicot, M. Bardin. And A. J. Dik

Chapter 6: DNA Mediated Transformation of Blumeria graminis f. sp. Hordei

P. Chaure, P. Spanu, and S. J. Gurr

Chapter 7: Epidermal Cell Papillae

R. J. Zeyen, T. L. W. Carver, and M. F. Lyngkjaer

Chapter 8: Localized Induction of Accessibility and Inaccessibility by Powdery Mildew

H. Kunoh

Chapter 9: Genes and Molecular Mechanisms Controlling Powdery Mildew Resistance in Barley

N. C. Collins, A. Sadanandom, and P. Schulze-Lefert

Chapter 10: The Nature and Role of Defense Response Genes in Cereals

D. B. Collinge, P.L. Gregersen, and H. Thordal-Christensen

Chapter 11: Powdery Mildew of Arabidopsis: A Model System for Host-Parasite Interactions

J. Vogal and S. Somerville

Chapter 12: Epidemiology of Powdery Mildews in Agricultural Pathosystems

W. R. Jarvis, W. G. Gubler, and G. G. Grove

Chapter 13: Population Genetics of Powdery Mildew–Natural Plant Pathosystems

D. D. Clarke and A. Akhkha

Chapter 14: Breeding for Powdery Mildew Resistance in Common Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

S. L. K. Hsam and F. J. Zeller

Chapter 15: Breeding Cucurbit Crops for Powdery Mildew Resistance

M. Jahn, H. M. Munger, and J. D. McCreight

Chapter 16: Controlling Powdery Mildews with Chemistry

D. W. Hollomon and I. E. Wheeler

Chapter 17: Control of Powdery Mildews Without Chemicals: Prophylactic and Biological Alternatives for Horticultural Crops

R. R. Bélanger and C. Labbé

Chapter 18: Powdery Mildew Control Through Transgenic Expression of Antifungal Proteins, Resistance Genes, and Systemic Acquired Resistance

J. Salmeron, B. Vernooij, K. Lawton, C. Kramer, C. Frye, M. Oostendorp, G. Knauf-Beiter, and T. Staub

"It is the work of a large group of experienced and knowledgeable powdery mildew researchers and is well presented and illustrated."
—Mycologist

"It is the best synopsis of the group I have seen...an essential reference work for plant pathologists and has papers at the cutting edge of studies on their epidemiology, genetics and control."
—Mycotaxon

"...an excellent collection of illustrations...should be regarded as the best single volume currently available on these interesting and important organisms...a good balance in covering basic biology and also providing a state-of-the-art look at conceptual and practical issues...the book is an excellent value for the money."
—Inoculum

"This is certainly the most detailed and authoritative overview of these fungi yet to have appeared, especially with regard to species on crop plants. All chapters are well-referenced and illustrated, and this text will surely be the vade macum of those having to confront powdery mildew diseases anywhere in the world for many years to come."
—Mycological Research