Observations on the spectrum of powdery mildew on cucurbits in Faizabad mandal, U.P., India

The aim of this study was to establish the identity of causal organism of powdery mildew on cucurbits in the districts of Faizabad Mandal in Eastern Uttar Pradesh (India). All the cucurbits were found infected with powdery mildew disease in one or the other locality. Perithecia were found Lagenaria siceraria and Cucurbita moschata in two localities of Faizabad district and one locality of Sultanpur district. Other samples of cultivated cucurbits and a wild cucurbit, Coccinia cordifolia contained only conidial stage. The powdery mildew fungi infecting the cucurbits in the Faizabad Mandal (in the studied area) were identified as Sphaerotheca fuliginea and Erysiphe cichoracearum. S. fuliginea was wide spread.