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Twenty-nine new host records of powdery mildew fungi (Erysiphaceae) in Taiwan with an updated checklist

Summary

Scientists in Taiwan have updated a comprehensive list of powdery mildew fungi that infect plants, adding 29 new host plant records. They identified 13 different species of these fungi using both traditional microscopy and modern DNA sequencing techniques. This updated list is important for farmers and gardeners to identify and manage powdery mildew diseases on their crops and plants.

Background

Powdery mildews (Erysiphaceae) are economically important plant pathogenic fungi affecting over 10,000 angiosperm species worldwide, including food crops and ornamental plants. The previous comprehensive checklist of Erysiphaceae in Taiwan was published 25 years ago without updates, despite significant changes in taxonomic concepts and new fungus-host records.

Objective

To update the checklist of Erysiphaceae in Taiwan by applying new taxonomical concepts and adding new host records based on recent collections and molecular identification using ITS sequences.

Results

The updated checklist includes 13 species of Erysiphaceae on 28 host plant species, with 109 powdery mildew species affecting approximately 246 host species across 75 families. Twelve new host records worldwide and seventeen new host records for Taiwan were identified, including six species of Erysiphaceae found in Taiwan for the first time.

Conclusion

The updated checklist provides essential information for taxonomic, biogeographical, and quarantine studies of powdery mildews. Results reveal that host spectra of these pathogens are incompletely known, and morphological characteristics combined with ITS sequences are useful for identification, though some closely related species require further investigation.
  • Published in:Botanical Studies,
  • Study Type:Taxonomic Survey and Checklist Update,
  • Source: 10.1186/s40529-025-00471-1, PMID: 40850960
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