The formation and function of infection and feeding structures

Increase your understanding of powdery mildew fungi and the plant diseases they cause with the new book The Powdery Mildews: A Comprehensive Treatise. This valuable new 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