Occurrence of Goat's-Beard Powdery Mildew Caused by Podosphaera ferruginea in Korea

Powdery mildew symptoms were frequently on plants of goat's-beard (Aruncus dioicus var. kamtschaticus) found cultivated in the island Ulleungdo in June 2008. The symptoms appeared as powdery mycelial colonies and dark brown cleistothecia on leaves, petioles, stems and budding flowers of the plant. Incidence of the disease was as high as 50-80% in the goat's-beard fields. Specimens of the diseased plants were collected and examined for morphological characteristics of the causal fungus. On the basis of morphological characteristics of the conidial stage and the teleomorph, the fungus was identified as Podosphaera ferruginea. This is the first report of goat's-beard powdery mildew caused by Podosphaera ferruginea in Korea.