Euryops pectinatus is grown in Italy for landscape use in parks and gardens. In 2001, severe outbreaks of a previously unknown powdery mildew were observed in commercial farms located in Albenga (northern Italy). All green parts (leaves, stems, and petioles) became covered with a white mycelium. Infections were particularly severe on the upper leaf surface. With progress of the disease, infected leaves turned yellow and died. The presence of powdery mildew infections on leaves and stems only rarely was linked to growth reduction. Conidia were hyaline, cylindric to slightly doliform, did not show fibrosin bodies, borne in chains, and measured 24 to 41 × 12 to 20 μm. Cleistothecia were not observed. The pathogen was identified as Oidium sp. subgen. Fibroidium (1). Pathogenicity was confirmed by gently pressing diseased leaves on leaves of healthy E. pectinatus plants. Inoculated plants were maintained in a growth chamber at 20 to 24°C. After 12 to 14 days, powdery mildew symptoms developed. A similar disease of E. pectinatus was observed in 1999 in California and identified as being caused by Podosphaera (Sphaerotheca) fusca (2). It is possible that the powdery mildew observed in Italy belongs to the same species, also considering that recently the two genera, Podosphaera and Sphaerotheca, have been unified in the genus Podosphaera (1).
References: (1) U. Braun and S. Takamatsu. Schlechtendalia 4:1, 2000. (2) G. S. Saenz et al. Plant Dis. 84:1048, 2000.
